| Len Price, Executive Director |
Len Price has been the Executive Director of the Minnesota Conservation Corps (MCC) since January of 2005. Before joining MCC he was a high school social studies teacher for 34 years, the last 30 years in the South Washington County School system in Woodbury, MN. He also served for 20 years in the Minnesota State Legislature; 8 years as a house member and twelve years as a senator (1983-2002). In his advocacy for the MCC, Price believes, “We must support this unique program which continues the legacy of providing youth and young adults the opportunity to grow through hands-on natural resource work projects. We are enriching and sustaining Minnesota’s resources." |
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| Cindy Green , Development Director |
Cindy joined MCC in September. She has more than 20 years experience in communications, fundraising and marketing. Her past positions have included serving as a weekly community newspaper editor/publisher, public television development director, Minnesota House of Representative writer/researcher, energy-savings program grant manager, ag research center communications director and, most recently, assistant marketing director of a nonprofit serving people with disabilities. As a communications business owner, she produced a nationally-distributed public television series on historic country churches of the Upper Midwest and received a regional Emmy nomination. Cindy holds a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications/Journalism and American Studies from Moorhead State University. |
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| Bill Cranford, Finance Director |
Bill joined the MCC in June 2004 in the position of Finance Director. Previously he worked in a variety of accounting and management positions for Marshalls Department Stores, Berger Transfer, Lillie Suburban Newspapers, and Scoville Press. He has been involved as a board member of different non-profit organizations since 1996 and is currently the committee chair of a non-profit canoe outfitter on the Gunflint Trail, “Adventurous Christians/Covenant Wilderness Center.” Bill enjoys serving the organizations he is involved with, as well as bicycling, gardening and traveling. He has both a MBA and a Masters Certificate in Accounting from the University of St. Thomas and recently completed the Mini-MBA in Non-Profit Management. This is his first venture into employment in the non-profit sector and love being part of a dynamic, growing organization. |
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| Tim Johnson-Grass, Young Adult Program Manager |
Tim, a native of Chicago, IL, has a degree in Conservation and Outdoor Recreation from Northern Michigan University. Following graduation, he thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail in 1997. After six months of walking through the Appalachian mountains, he was looking for an experience that would give back to natural resources and communities, so he joined AmeriCorps as a corpsmember with MCC's Young Adult program in Caledonia, MN. He continued on as a MCC crew supervisor and project coordinator through 2000, as well as serving a short amount of time with the MCC Watercraft Inspection Program as the program assistant. Tim returns to MCC after serving five years as the International Program Coordinator and Project Manager for Seattle's EarthCorps, a non-profit whose mission is to build global community through local environmental service. Returning to Minnesota from Seattle in 2005, Tim re-joined MCC as the Young Adult Program Operations Manager. |
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| Eric Antonson, Youth Programs Manager |
Eric joined the MCC as a crew leader with the Summer Youth Program in 2001 and 2002. He then led teams for AmeriCorps NCCC for two years in Charleston, SC. After returning from the Southeast, he has led crews and twice served as the Site Director for the Summer Youth Program. Eric has a B.A.S. in Teaching Life Science from the University of Minnesota Duluth.
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| Alyson Johnson , Summer Youth Program Coordinator |
Alyson Johnson started as a youth participant in the MCC Summer Youth Program in 1999 and later returned as a Youth Leader, Crew Leader (3 summers), and EA Coordinator (2 summers). Alyson is a University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point graduate with a double major in Biology Education and Spanish with minors in Chemistry and Broad-field Natural Sciences. She served as a corpsmember with AmeriCorps* NCCC in South Carolina, and in Denver as a Team Leader.She has volunteered and studied in South America. Alyson also recently served as the USA Youth Delegate for United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in both Acapulco, Mexico and Paris, France. Currently, Alyson is pursuing a Nonprofit Management certification from Lousiana State University at Shreveport.
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| Lisa Cassioppi, Northeast District Manager |
Lisa first started work with the program as a Crew Leader on the Grand Rapids roving crew, from 1988 –1991. She then signed on as the County Forestry Assistance Project Coordinator from 1991-93. While working as an MCC crew leader, Lisa had the opportunity to work for the Mississippi River Conservation Corps and the Greater Yellowstone Recovery Corps. She is happy to be back working for the program in her new position as the NE District Manager. Lisa earned an AAS in Natural Resources from Vermilion Community College in Ely, MN and her BS in Outdoor Education from Northland College in Ashland, WI. |
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| Anna Lipenga, Northwest District Manager |
Anna started with the 'other' MCC (Montana Conservation Corps) as a crew leader in 1999, after graduating with a BA in Biology from U of M-Morris. She then served in the Peace Corps for three years in Malawi as a Forestry Extension Agent. After running a bar and cafe in beautiful Nkhata Bay for a year, she returned to the US with her new husband and became a LANDFIRE project leader for the Student Conservation Association. After running around the western US for a year, she is happy to return to Minnesota. She is also very pleased to join the 'real' MCC, and continue feeding her addiction to corps programs.
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| Shawn Conrad, Northeast District Assistant manager |
Shawn came to MCC as a crew member in 2000. He served as a crew supervisor for the subsequent 2 years. Currently he works as the Northeast District Assistant Manager and enjoys sharing his experience working on wildlife surveys, forest inventory, wildfire suppression, and other projects with corpsmembers. Shawn is working toward a B.S. in Natural Resources and is well served by his love of tick bites, below-zero temperatures, and all forms of bog life. |
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| Brian Miller, Central District Manager |
Brian joined MCC as a crew member in June of 2001. He has since been a crew leader, project coordinator, summer youth program staff member, assistant district manager, sounding board representative, and a corpsmember representative to the Board of Directors. He is currently MCC’s Central District Manager. Brian has a B.A. in Biology and minors in Environmental Studies and American Racial and Multicultural Studies from St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN.
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| Katie Brettingen, Central District Assistant Manager |
| Katie has been with MCC since 2003. She started as a crew member and has also served as a crew leader, project coordinator and currently works as the Central District Assistant Manager. Katie has past experience working with the National Park Service-Mississippi National River and Recreation Area and Dodge Nature Center. She is a graduate of Hamline University with a B.S. in Environmental Studies and a minor in Anthropology. |
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| Doug Ekstrom , Southern District Manager |
| Doug is making his return to MCC after being away from the program for 11 years. From 1990 through 1995 he served as a crew member and crew leader in Southern Minnesota where he was able to work on a variety wildlife habitat and resource recreation projects. During his time away he was employed by the DNR and Ducks Unlimited. Doug has a B.S. in Resource Management from Minnesota State University, Mankato. He hopes to apply his education and experience towards delivering quality natural resource work and providing a rewarding experience for corpsmembers. |
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| Dustin Looman, Southern District Assistant Manager |
Dustin has been with MCC since 2003 after graduating from Winona State University with a degree in Recreation and Tourism. Dustin first started as a crew member and then quickly moved up to become a crew leader. After two years, Dustin has again moved up to become the Assistant District Manager in the Southern District. Dustin claims to have many favorite projects, including prescribed burning, electro-fishing, and chain saw work. His least favorite? Timber rattlesnake surveys. |
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| Ashley Sierra, Development Associate |
Ashley joined the MCC development team in March 2007, following employment with the MN AIDS Project. Ashley graduated from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities with a BA in American Studies. Her nonprofit experience, educational background, and extensive knowledge of the state legislature makes Ashley a great addition to MCC.
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| Roni McKenna, Accountant |
Roni joined MCC as a Finance Associate in October 2006. Roni previously worked at Ecolab as an Accounting Assistant and worked with Opal Home Services as a House Supervisor. With Opal Home Services Roni worked with adults with various disabilities and special needs. She graduated from Rasmussen Business College with AAS degree in Accounting and Business Management and is currently pursuing a Bachelors degree at Concordia University.
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| Candice McElroy, Young Adult Program Associate |
Candice joined MCC in September 2004 as a corpsmember in the Young Adult Program on the Parks Roving Crew. After working in the field for 16 months, she served a second AmeriCorps term as a VISTA, developing educational curriculum, creating Corpsmember evaluations, and planning training events. Candice continues these responsibilites as part of her role as the Young Adult Program Associate. Candice graduated from the University of St. Thomas with a B.A. in Environmental Studies and Business Management. |
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| Katie Clower , Youth Development VISTA |
Katie joins MCC as the Youth Development VISTA, and will be assisting with the development of a new urban youth program. Katie graduated from UC Santa Cruz in 2003 with a B.A. in Environmental Studies. She has extensive experience working in the environmental field and with youth, ranging from elementary to high school age. She has conducted stream surveys as a SCA intern, lead youth on urban garden projects with Mile High Youth Corps in Denver, and worked as an urban ecology instructor with The Crissy Field Center in San Francisco developing curriculum and leading field trips for elementary age youth. This is Katie’s second term with AmeriCorps, and she is delighted to be joining such a stellar team at MCC.
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| Katie Johnson , Administrative Associate |
Katie joined MCC in the Summer Youth Program starting in 2003, and continued working with the organization in various postions from the summer of 2005-2007, ranging from a Wilderness Crew Leader to Head Cook. She graduated in 2006 from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities with a B.A. in Political Science, and has a background in Spanish Language. Currently she is attending the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities pursuing a graduate certificate in Nonprofit Management. Katie is excited to continue her work and learning with MCC.
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