Board of Directors

Our Board of Directors makes crucial governance decisions regarding Face to Face’s vision and mission. In selecting board members, we strive to create a diverse group of decision-makers that share our values and reflect the communities that we serve. You can learn more about the background of our current board leadership below.

Officers

Peter Scott – Chair

Peter joined Face to Face’s Board of Directors in 2021, and has been serving on the 50^th Anniversary committee previous to joining the board. He spent his career leading physician education and medical writing programs at medical device companies Medtronic and Guidant. Peter has served on Boards which provide medical care, counseling, affordable housing options, and supportive services to adults living with HIV/Aids. He is also a member of The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra’s Board of Governors. Peter excels developing goals and objectives to drive the organization forward and then creating messaging and plans to reach those goals.

William Reynaga – Vice Chair

William is currently an attorney at the Minnesota Judicial Branch and a proud Eastsider.  He has a B.S. from Portland State University and a J.D. from the University of St. Thomas School of Law.  Before becoming an attorney, he worked at two Twin Cities nonprofits in workforce development.  During law school, he worked for the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office and in private practice helping students obtain special education services from their school districts.  He also participated in the law school’s appellate immigration clinic where they assisted individuals obtaining refugee status in the United States.  After law school, he worked at the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office under Attorney General Keith Ellison.  William shares the values of Face to Face and is excited to advance Face to Face’s mission of providing Minnesota’s youth the support they need to succeed and live a life of dignity.

Meagan Phillips, FSA, CFA, MAAA – Treasurer

Meagan has over 15 years of experience in the financial services industry in actuarial and risk management positions.  She joined Securian Financial in 2005 where she led major risk and product development projects within Securian’s individual annuity product line before transitioning to their corporate actuarial team. In 2017, Meagan was promoted to director and actuary, overseeing Securian’s asset liability management and product risk areas. In 2018, she was named Assistant Chief Risk Officer, where she managed Securian’s financial risk, asset liability management, enterprise risk reporting and capital management areas. She was promoted to her current position as Second Vice President and Chief Risk Officer in 2022 and is responsible for leading the enterprise risk management program which includes managing financial risk and capital as well as operational, strategic and third-party risks. She is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries (FSA), Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®) and Member of the American Academy of Actuaries (MAAA®). Meagan resides in St. Paul and received her bachelor’s degree in mathematics and economics from Gustavus Adolphus College.

Eugene Nichols – Secretary

Gene has more than 30 years of health care experience as a Manager for the Health Care Division of 3M Corporation, now retired.  Gene is currently Board Chair at Rainbow Research, and a member of the board at ANSR (Association for Nonsmokers). Gene is a Human Right Commissioner for the City of Shoreview Minnesota where he resides. In addition Gene is a member of the Minnesota Department of Health Maternal and Child Health Task Force, and continues his work with Clearway Minnesota and MSFG coalition (Minnesotans for a Smoke Free Generation). Gene was born and raised in Yonkers, New York, and earned his Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Pittsburgh.

Directors

Sofia Ali, MD

Sofia is a Family Physician with over 20 years of experience in community clinics and community medicine in the Twin Cities, including serving briefly as Medical Director at Face to Face in 1997. In addition to her clinical work, Sofia holds a Master of Public Health degree. She believes the understanding of public health is imperative and provides a different lens through which to view health care. Sofia is passionate about working with patients to promote health rather than just treating illness and disease. She has clinical experience with Health Partners, United Family Medical Community Clinic, Eagan Child and Family Care Clinic, Boynton Health Service at University of Minnesota, West Side Community Health Center and Health Start School-Based Clinic. She has also worked as a consultant on several clinic systems change projects in clinics in and beyond Minnesota. Her public health experience has included serving as a consulting physician for the Asthma Program at the Minnesota Department of Health, Statewide Health Improvement Program, (Hennepin and Ramsey Counties) and the Controlling Asthma in American Cities Project of the American Lung Association. Sofia received her BS from the American University (Washington DC), MD from the Medical College of Pennsylvania and MPH from the University of Minnesota. She did her residency at the St. Paul-Ramsey Medical Center and West Side Community Health Center.

Diana Brown, PhD

Dr. Diana Brown currently serves as Principal at Como Park Senior High School (ISD # 625) in St. Paul, MN. With more than a decade as an educator and administrator, Dr. Brown has served as a teacher and in administrative roles, she has a clear understanding of the significance of collaborating with staff, students, families and the community. She also is an adjunct professor with Concordia University and the College of St. Scholastica.  She embraces the unique abilities of each student and is looking forward to serving as a board member of Face to Face.

ACADEMIC / PROFESSIONAL CREDENTIALS: Ed.D, Educational Leadership, Concordia University, Ed. S, K-12 Principal, Concordia University, M.A., K-12 Teaching, St. Thomas University, M.S., Education, St. Scholastica, B.A., Psychology, College of St. Benedict/St. John’s University

Jeremy Ellison

Jeremy joined the Face to Face Board of Directors in September of 2021. He has 22 years of experience with the Saint Paul Police Department. He currently serves as an Assistant Chief of Police and is very passionate about service to the community and providing help to those in need.  Jeremy has a Master of Arts degree in Educational Leadership and Administration from the University of St. Thomas. He has extensive experience in building strong relationships with community members, centering on pedestrian and traffic safety.

Madeline Gragg

Madeline has held a variety of marketing and business roles at 3M Company over the last 19 years, developing skills in strategic planning, marketing, change management and process improvement.  She currently serves as a Global Commercial Operations Leader for 3M’s Safety and Industrial Business Group. Prior to joining 3M, Madeline served as a high school special education teacher, assisting students with disabilities to develop the life and vocational skills needed to be successful as members of the community. She later honed her understanding of adult education as an educational consultant in Japan and as a residence hall director at the University of Michigan. Madeline has a Master of Business Administration from Washington University in St. Louis, as well as a Master of Arts in Education and Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Truman State University.

Jannine He’bert, MA, LP

Jannine He’bert has been a member of the Board of Directors since the summer of 2019. She is a psychologist who has worked in the area of sexual violence prevention for more than 25 years, and has worked across various settings (outpatient, inpatient, prison and civil commitment) with adults and adolescents who have sexually perpetrated, as well as those directly impacted by sexual abuse. She is currently the Executive Clinical Director of the Minnesota Sex Offender Program at the Department of Human Services. She is interested in restorative justice practices and creative prevention interventions at all levels. Jannine will be a member of the short-term Strategic Planning Committee as well as the HR/Governance Committee.

Thomas Kottke, MD

Tom has been a member of the Board of Directors since January of 2019 and is a member of the Development and External Relations Committee. He is a Health Partners cardiologist and epidemiologist and Medical Director for Well-being. Tom was the recipient of the 2018 President’s Award from the Minnesota Medical Association. This award recognizes physicians who have worked on behalf of public health. His work has improved health in our community by promoting public health measures that include: Tobacco cessation, Teen pregnancy prevention, bike safety, and gun violence prevention.

Cathy Lambert

Cathy Lambert has over 25+ years in the field of Human Resources and Talent Development.  She is current SVP, Human Resources of Global Talent for Ecolab. In this role, she has responsibility for Ecolab’s talent management practices, learning & development programs along with employee engagement and leading Ecolab’s global talent acquisition organization.  She has held multiple different roles at Ecolab including leading the HR team for Global Supply Chain with over 12, 000 employees in countries across the world. She has supported multiple business units in Ecolab as well as had the role of director, Culture & Inclusion where she was responsible for driving employee engagement programs, work-life flexibility programs and employee resource groups.  She received her undergraduate degree in Business Economics and French Literature from University of California Santa Barbara.

Laverne McCartney Knighton

Laverne is Area Director for UNCF (United Negro College Fund Inc.), the nation’s largest and most effective minority education organization. Laverne is an External Advisor to Governor Tim Walz’s Community Resiliency and Recovery work group to address racial inequalities and disparities due to COVID-19, and to look at policymaking and other opportunities to help communities of color. Originally from Texas, Laverne was recruited to Minnesota in 1978 to start her career in retail fashion merchandising with Dayton Hudson Corporation. Laverne spent seven years as Public Information and Education Manager for Tubman Family Alliance, a domestic violence organization, and 13 years at Target Corporation in Community Relations/Corporate Social Responsibility. In 2019 Laverne was recognized as a Woman of Excellence at the Celebrating the Sistas Award Ceremony in recognition of her outstanding leadership, contributions, and commitment to the Twin Cities community. Laverne believes that service equals an authentic and deep connection to community. She is an expert connector and collaborator, a passionate ally and advocate for community building and engagement. Laverne has been married to her wonderful husband, Russell Knighton for 23 years and has three bonus children–Jason, Kymba, and Jaraux, and is a proud Nana to Boston, Kayli, Jalen, Jordan, and Mayes. She and Russell reside in St. Paul and attend Camphor Memorial United Methodist Church.

Alan R. Thometz

Alan R. Thometz is a corporate finance executive with extensive experience in commercial and investment banking, private equity, and mergers and acquisitions. He has advised clients in dozens of transactions totaling over $1.0 billion and specializes in valuations and cross-border transactions.  In 2011, he lived in Beijing as a director of transaction advisory services for Grant Thornton. He currently teaches at the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management. He has served on several for-profit and nonprofit Boards.  Alan and his wife, Claire, served in the Peace Corps in Tunisia and have two daughters.

Laura Whipple

Laura Whipple became a member of the Board of Directors in 2023 and chairs the Development & External Relations committee. She has more than 20 years of experience as a marketing and communications executive, primarily in the healthcare sector, and currently works as Senior Vice President of Marketing at Teladoc Health. Her areas of expertise include strategic planning, corporate social responsibility, brand management and message development. Laura holds a bachelors’ degree in political science from DePauw University and completed the Executive Scholar program at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. She is a resident of St. Paul, an active mentor and volunteer in the community, and a member of Chief and Women Business Leaders in Healthcare.

Peter Peterson

Peter has nearly 20 years of experience in the health insurance and health services industries having spent 15 years at UnitedHealth Group and more recently with a number of startup organizations.  This includes experience across finance/FP&A, call & claim operations, payment integrity operations, global operations and business strategy.  He successfully optimized both domestic and international operations which included greenfield startups in both Dublin, Ireland and San Juan, Puerto Rico.  He has also served in a several Chief of Staff & Corporate Strategy positions where he led overall business growth strategy and planning. He is a graduate of St. John’s University in Collegeville, MN. 

Yeni Quintero

Yeni Quintero was born and raised in Mexico and moved to the USA at the age of 27 in search of better opportunities, despite not speaking English at the time. She spent a few years in community college learning English and completing her general education. After 10 years of continuing education, Yeni worked as a medical interpreter, interpreting for several mediations in family court. Yeni also worked as a paralegal for several years, focusing on Immigration, Family Law, and Criminal Law. Yeni attended St. Thomas School of Law and also holds a law degree from Mexico. During her time in law school, she completed her internship with Judge Tamara Garcia for two and a half years in criminal court, working under the division of serious felonies. Yeni is a strong believer in supporting kids and youth to prevent homelessness and help them achieve independence for the future. As a mother, Yeni recognizes the importance of a safety net when things get tough. Her experience in criminal law changed her perspective on the need for increased support in education, mental health, and guidance for youth, rather than a purely punitive approach. 

Lauren Reynolds

Lauren is the Associate Director of External Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Partnerships at UnitedHealth Group (UHG). As a leader on the Global DEI team at UHG, Lauren leads the DEI partnership strategy for the company. This includes fostering strategic relationships, both internal and external, and leveraging these partnerships to convert diverse candidates to new UHG employees. Prior to joining UnitedHealth Group, Lauren was Director of Diversity Recruitment and Retention  at the Minnesota Department of Human Services from 2015 – 2022.  At DHS, Lauren led a comprehensive diversity recruitment and retention strategy that focused on embedding diversity, equity and inclusion. An Indiana native, Lauren earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Indiana University-Bloomington and an MBA from Indiana Wesleyan University, specializing in Human Resources Management. Lauren is an active community leader, serving also as a member of the Ramsey County Workforce Innovation Board. Lauren was  selected as a 2020 Honoree by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal for Women in Business. 

Katy Nordhagen

Katy is a fundraiser and development professional serving in organizations ranging from small non-profits to global private enterprises. In her current role at Cargill, Katy works in the intersection between business and governments. Katy also leads the Cargill group focused on supporting LGBTQ+ employees across the globe. Prior to joining Cargill, Katy’s work centered in the non-profit sector in fundraising and organizational development. In previous board positions, Katy has worked on and lead Fundraising and Development efforts. Katy is a 2023-2024 Humphrey Policy Fellow and looks forward to bringing her experience with fundraising and public policy together to support Face to Face. 

Alex Klein

Alex was first appointed to be a member of the Board of Directors in September 2024. He is an Associate Attorney at the Bloomington law firm of Bradford Andresen Norrie & Camarotto (BANC), where he practices in a wide variety of areas involving civil litigation. Alex was born and raised in the Metro area, and obtained a Bachelor’s Degree and Law Degree from the University of St. Thomas. From his time as a server at a family restaurant to his current firm, Alex has always been motivated by his interactions with those he serves. Alex is looking forward to bringing that passion for service to his role at Face to Face.  

Dennis Cross

Dr. Dennis Cross is Board-Certified in Internal Medicine. One of 11 children, Dennis grew up in rural Mississippi until his family moved to Milwaukee in the early sixties. At age 15 he joined the NAACP Youth Commandoes and marched with Father James Groppi for open housing. He served a two-year stint with the U.S. Army, including 12 months in Vietnam. Dennis became a college student at the community college UWM (University of Milwaukee) just to collect the GI Bill so he could buy a car. He then became a member and Chairman of the Black Student Union from 1968-1972. He went on to attend medical school. His long career in medicine includes caring for hospice patients through Our Lady of Peace in St. Paul. He currently works as Administrative Physician with Health Partners. He joined the Face to Face Board of Directors to work with disadvantaged youth, as he was one in his teenaged years.