Consortium Director

Carrie joined the Rochester Area Foundation in May of 2016 and leads RAF’s competitive grantmaking, scholarship, fiscal sponsorship, and nonprofit programming. She previously worked as the lead communicator and operations expert for regional nonprofits and public-private partnerships, such as the campaign to build a new bridge at the St. Croix River Crossing in Stillwater and led the strategic marketing and communications efforts for an international sub-specialty medical society. RAF has benefited from Carrie’s extensive experience in systems management, grantmaking, strategic collaborations, and nonprofit consulting.

Carrie lives in Rochester with her husband Andy, her son Arthur, and her adorable, but mischievous, dog Penny. She graduated from St. Olaf College with degrees in Political Communication and Statistics.

Consortium Employee

Ellen joined Rochester Area Foundation in October of 2022. Ellen is excited to apply her talents to further Rochester Area Foundation’s goal of helping build better communities for all.

Consortium Executive Committee

Armin Budimlic is the Executive Director of Intercultural Mutual Assistance Association – IMAA. He is responsible for total operations of this local nonprofit organization. In his previous role, Armin was the Director of Family Support & Assistance (FSA) at Olmsted County. He is originally from Bosnia and Herzegovina and has been living in Rochester since June of 1994. He was granted the U.S. citizenship in 2000.

In his professional career, Armin has demonstrated: organizational and management skills necessary for efficient and effective leadership, cross-cultural skills necessary for competing effectively in today’s marketplace, communication skills necessary for developing a productive work environment, public relation skills necessary for marketing and developing “goodwill” within the community, dependability necessary for effective management and successful performance, professionalism necessary for projecting competence to the public and fostering confidence in an organization.

Consortium Executive Committee

George Beech is the Executive Director and Senior Chaplain for Salt & Light Partners, providing emotional and spiritual support through workplace chaplaincy in southeastern Minnesota to public safety officials, their families, and the citizens with whom they interact. His career includes 17 years of Federal Service in the US Army and Department of Homeland Security, and as a business leader, and educator. George was called into full-time ministry in 2015 and leverages his previous experiences to build relationships with others in order to be a resource to them when needed. He holds advanced degrees in human resources management, security studies, and has a masters of Biblical and Theological Studies from Dallas Theological Seminary.

George has been married to Christine for 26 years and has two adult daughters and four grandchildren.

Consortium Executive Committee

Jon Losness joined Families First of Minnesota in January 2016 as executive director. Families First oversees Head Start in Rochester and Albert Lea and Early Head Start in Olmsted, Freeborn, Rice and Winona counties. The agency also helps families in southern Minnesota find high-quality child care and early education programs, and provides Early Learning Scholarships in southeastern Minnesota, the southern suburbs of the Twin Cities and five counties north of the Twin Cities. Other agency programs include Crisis Nursery in Olmsted County and School Readiness in the area served by the Rochester Public School District.

He serves on the board for Cradle to Career, a community endeavor seeking to improve literacy and school readiness. He also serves on the executive committee of the BRIDGE Collaborative of Olmsted County and on the board for a non-profit consortium in Rochester.

From 1999 to 2002 he served on the Families First board. He’s also served on the boards of the Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce, Rochester Area Economic Development Inc., the Salvation Army of Rochester and the Rochester Area Foundation.

Losness came to Families First from the Kenosha (Wis.) News, where he served as editor for six years. He previously was executive director of the Foundation for Anesthesia Education and Research for 2 ½ years and also worked 24 years for the Post-Bulletin newspaper in Rochester, including four years as its editor and publisher.

He’s married to Susan and they have two children, Kelly and Bryan. In his spare time he likes to play golf and cheer on the Minnesota Twins.

Consortium Executive Committee

Virginia Merritt is the Executive Director of Channel One Regional Food Bank, with 3 years of experience in the role. Prior to joining Channel One, Virginia was the Executive Director and practiced law at Legal Assistance of Olmsted County. Virginia has a law degree and a bachelor of arts degree in English and Political Science from the University of Iowa. She strongly believes in Channel One’s vision of a food secure region and uses her experience as a legal aide to advocate for those facing food insecurity. She also continually develops partnerships with local organizations to improve access to nutrition. Virginia and her team at Channel One serve people experiencing hunger in 14 counties in southeastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin.

Virginia moved to Rochester in 2012 for a job opportunity for her husband and almost ten years and two children later, the Merritts are in Rochester by choice and couldn’t be happier living and raising a family in Southeast Minnesota.

Consortium Executive Committee

Scott is the Executive Director of Family Service Rochester.

Consortium Executive Committee

Jinny Rietmann, Executive Director of Workforce Development, Inc., has been in the Workforce Development field for 19 years. She also serves as the Executive Director for the Workforce Development Board of Southeast Minnesota, serving 10 counties. She has served in various roles including direct service as a Career Counselor, as well as leadership roles in youth development and strategic non-profit management. Her organization is a leader in providing employment and training services with a 35-year history serving thousands of customers and employers. Ms. Rietmann is a Global Career Development Facilitator and holds an M.S. degree in Counseling Education.

Consortium Executive Committee

Khadija is one of the co-founders of Pamoja Women.

Khadija came to the United States her junior year of high school from Canada to help her aunts take care of her grandparents who had Stroke and Alzheimer’s.” My community places a significant value on family and traditions, and it is an expectation to take care of the elderly in the family.”

She holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Health from Winona State University. She was an Outreach specialist and taught classes in health promotion and Teen sexual health. She has an amazing experience teaching the future generation about health and well-being. Khadija, took a break in her career to raise her children and build her family. The career break did not stop her as she continues to help her Somali community by volunteering her time and expertise to provide resources and opportunities.

Consortium Executive Committee

Frankie Sears is the Scout Executive/CEO of the Gamehaven Council which supports Scouting in Southeast Minnesota and operates Gamehaven Scout Reservation, located just outside Rochester.

Frankie began working for the Boy Scouts of America in 2010 on Maryland’s beautiful Eastern Shore, following that career to Upstate New York, and eventually to Rochester in April of 2021. Before that, he worked for ten summers at Henson Scout Reservation where a mutual friend introduced him to his wife, Ginny.

Frankie is a graduate of Kutztown University of Pennsylvania with degrees in English and Secondary Education. After finishing student teaching, he realized that while helping the youth of America was deeply rewarding, he wanted a different challenge. After some soul searching, he was led back to another organization that greatly impacts the youth of this country, Scouting.

In his free time, Frankie enjoys spending time in the outdoors with his wife, and daughter, Eliza.

Commitment Evaluation Working Group Chair

Julie the Lead Strategist her own company, Julie Brock Consulting, LLC. She is dedicated to aligning the resources our youth need to succeed. She has sixteen years experience in K-12 education as a high school English teacher and after earning a Master’s in Human Development, she shifted into the workforce development field so as a community, we can help students know their career options early and often. She believes Olmsted County will grow and prosper by ensuring all residents, current and future, see their work as valuable and aligned with their individual strengths, passions, and skill sets. This starts with equitable access to the valuable resources we have at the ready in our community.

She lives in Eyota, Minnesota with her husband and two sons. If they aren’t home, you can find us outside, taking in the best of each Southeast Minnesota season. Personally, she particularly enjoys running, hiking, snowboarding followed by some yoga or binge watching a well-written series.

Chair, Commitment to Racial Justice,
Communications Subcommittee

Upon graduating Winona State University with a degree in Communications: Leadership and Advocacy, she joined the Rochester Area Foundation in September of 2016. Amanda is enthusiastic about being a part of the Rochester Area Foundation team and sharing how the foundation’s work helps build better communities for all. She has a high level of passion for nonprofit work and a particular interest in issues surrounding equality/equity, racial justice, and human rights. Amanda hopes that the work of the Communications Materials Sub-committee can help shed greater light on relevant and critical topics within this sphere and provide spaces for increased conversation and activism.

Coordinator, Commitment to Racial Justice

Ashalul Aden is a Rochester resident committed to equity, love, and justice. She graduated from Luther College in 2020 with degrees in political science and religion. As a member of the Rochester community, she is excited to work with the Commitment to Racial Justice because she believes in intersectional and interfaith work. Both pillars of Asha's activism and personal belief. Asha is committed to decolonizing one's mind through the process of learning and unlearning.