United Way of 1000 Lakes is proud to announce new and returning members to the 2022-23 Board of Directors, effective July 15, 2022. United Way’s Board of Directors consists of local leaders whose expertise, passion, and love for their community shines through in their work with United Way. This year, United Way welcomes three new members to the Board of Directors:

• Tanis Henderson, School Counselor at I.S.D. 318
• Rev. Dr. Patrick Lovejoy, Pastor at First Evangelical Lutheran Church
• Angie Tanner, Budget Analyst at Minnesota Power

In addition to these three joining members, the Board’s executive leadership sees some changes, with Dr. Leanna McBride taking over as Board President after spending two years in the Vice-President role. Madeline Cook, longstanding United Way board member, assumes the role of Board Vice-President, Angie Tanner takes on the Treasurer role, and Danielle Witherill steps into the role of Board Secretary.

United Way’s Board of Directors provides strategic oversight and guidance on various aspects of United Way’s work, from operations to community impact. Over the past year, members of the Board and the volunteer Community Impact Committee worked to refine United Way’s focus for the future. Throughout the process, they built their understanding through surveys and focus groups around topics from community health to education, financial stability to safety.

“Our board plays an important role in strategy, finance, operations, and fund development, among many other things,” remarked Kimberly Brink Smith, executive director. “We’re excited to welcome new directors who will bring fresh energy, expertise, and perspectives as we move our new community impact framework forward.”

New board members include: 

Tanis Henderson: Tanis Henderson is passionate about building pathways in her community and continuing to grow the positive. She holds a master’s degree in school counseling, is a licensed professional counselor, and works as a professional school counselor at Grand Rapids High School. Tanis has worked in different roles at area high schools for the past 14 years, including as a Truancy Prevention Specialist, an Indian Home/School Liaison, and a Children’s Mental Health Targeted Case Manager. She has served as the President for the Minnesota School Counselor Association, Northeast Minnesota School Counselor Association, and was the Co-Chair for the Standing Together Embracing Prevention (S.T.E.P.) Coalition, an initiative in I.S.D. 317 that aims to support youth by preventing underage substance use.

Rev. Dr. Patrick Lovejoy: Patrick Lovejoy is the Pastor at First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Grand Rapids, has a Doctorate in Marriage and Family Counseling, and regularly contributes to the Grand Rapids Herald Review’s faith columns. Married for 14 years, he and his wife have four children ranging in ages from preschool to middle school. Prior to joining United Way’s Board of Directors, Pastor Lovejoy was a member of our Community Impact Committee, where he, alongside a group of fellow dedicated volunteers, has helped guide United Way’s community impact strategy. In addition to his work with United Way, Pastor Lovejoy sits on the boards of New Beginnings Crisis Pregnancy Center and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of the Grand Rapids Area.

Angie Tanner: Angie Tanner is a budget analyst at Minnesota Power. For the past ten years, she’s worked with power plants in the area, helping meet budget goals, and also encourages her co-workers to support United Way. She holds a degree from Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota, and grew up in the Grand Rapids area. In her free time, Angie enjoys traveling, painting, reading, supporting local businesses, volunteering, and spending time with her family. Angie joins the Board of Directors after volunteering in various roles, including at numerous community events and on the Marketing and Public Relations Committee.

These new members join the current United Way Board of Directors: 

Dr. Leanna McBride, Board President, Grand Dental Center; Madeline Cook, Board Vice-President, North In Bloom; Danielle Witherill, Board Secretary, Edward Jones; Shannon Benolken, Park State Bank; Jeff Dingman, Max Gray Construction; Rick Fannin, Minnesota Power; David Kooda, Lake Country Power; Becky Lauer, Itasca County Family & Child Serves; Bill Martinetto, Rapids Brewing Co.; Jeff Niemala, Niemala Mediation.

United Way expresses sincere gratitude to outgoing members of the Board of Directors, Christina Monson (Socrates AI), and Amanda Kluge (Minnesota Power), for their years of commitment to making a difference in Itasca-area communities through United Way. Says Brink Smith, “I’m grateful to these volunteers for giving of their time and talents over the past years. We’re looking forward to building on the work that was accomplished thanks to their efforts.”