Open Your Heart board of directors

Nicole
Bailey

Member

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Nicole Bailey is a passionate public health advocate with a focus on addressing issues of food insecurity and other health disparities. She serves as Director of Projects for the Donovan Group, an education communications firm, and was previously a Program Manager for Hunger Solutions Minnesota. She holds a master’s degree in Public Health from the University of Minnesota.

Deanna
Ekholm

Secretary

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Deanna Ekholm has served on the Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless Board of Directors since 2021. She is the Chief People, Diversity, and Administrative Officer at the American Academy of Neurology and brings more than 20 years of HR and nonprofit leadership experience. Passionate about advancing equity and opportunity, Deanna lives in Richfield, MN with her family and chocolate lab, Kona.

Donald
Gault

Member

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Donald joined the OYH board in December, 2021, and after a 1-year hiatus rejoined in August, 2026.
Donald’s educational background includes a BA in Political Science from Northeastern Illinois University
and an MA in Public Policy from the U of M Humphrey Institute. Work experience includes many years in
local Public Health, focused on building peaceful, healthy families and communities. In addition to being
an OYH board member, he is a volunteer shopper at Bridging, allowing him to see what is possible in this
world when we genuinely open our hearts and selves to our neighbors and families who are
experiencing hunger and homelessness.

Mary
Hartmann

Member

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Over her thirty-five year career, Hartmann has created and nurtured partnerships among government, business, philanthropic and community organizations to address community needs. She was the co-founder and Executive Director of New Foundations, a seventeen year old organization, providing housing and comprehensive services for homeless families.

Prior to founding New Foundations, she served as the Executive Director of Wayside House, a chemical dependency treatment program for women, where she developed the State’s first permanent supportive housing program for homeless women and children in recovery.  She is the former Executive Director of the St. Paul YWCA, Hennepin County Affirmative Action Programs, and the Minneapolis Head Start Program.

She is a member of the National, State and Local Coalitions for the Homeless;  The Governor’s Council on ending Long-Term Homelessness, Founding member of National Building Better Communities Association; and the Family Supportive Housing Providers Group. She is a national and local speaker and presenter, on the issues homelessness among families and children, including Congress, the President’s Roundtable, Washington D.C., Supportive Housing Conferences, universities and government entities. She is a recipient of the Ann Bancroft Award, a graduate of the University of St. Catherine, and a consultant for nonprofits, foundations, educational, and governmental organizations.

Roger
Henry

treasurer

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Rahfat
Hussain

Member

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Rahfat has a background in finance and accounting and has worked with various non-profits over the last 20 years. He is currently a financial controller at the University of Minnesota, School of Dentistry, and a graduate student at the Carlson School of Management. Rahfat is passionate about mission
driven organizations and has a particular interest in issues related to childhood poverty and hunger. Improving the lives of others through advocacy, volunteerism and active outreach drives his every day. Rahfat has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Coe College in Iowa.

Andréa
Kish-Bailey

Member

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Andréa Kish-Bailey is a nonprofit consultant with Strategic Consulting & Coaching, where she supports organizations with strategic planning, leadership transitions, organizational assessments, fundraising, and capacity building. With more than 25 years of experience in nonprofit leadership, Andréa has worked alongside many organizations that partner with Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless and has long admired its mission and impact. She is committed to serving her community in meaningful and tangible ways and is thrilled to be part of the Open Your Heart Board of Directors.

Haili
Prokop

Member

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Haili Prokop is a mission-driven grants and program professional currently serving as a Program Associate at Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropy. She brings several years of experience across nonprofit, Indigenous, and advocacy-centered organizations, including prior work at NDN Collective supporting Indigenous-led grantmaking. Haili also works as a Youth Care Worker at Ain Dah Yung Center, providing trauma-informed, culturally grounded support to BIPOC youth, and has experience in housing coordination and food accessibility efforts. Across all roles, she brings a systemic justice-driven, healing-centered approach grounded in accountability, dignity, and community care.

Michael
Shepard

Member

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Mike Shepard joined City & County Credit Union in 2025 and is the Vice President of Lending. Prior to that Mike held a variety of leadership positions at U.S. Bank over
nearly 28 years. Mike resides in Eden Prairie with his wife and three sons and earned a bachelor’s degree from Coe College (Iowa) and an MBA from the University of St. Thomas (Minn.). He is a graduate of the Consumer Bankers Association Graduate School of Retail Bank Management and has been active in industry groups including the CBA Home Equity Committee and the TransUnion Consumer Lending Advisory Board.
He is a member of the Northern Division Salvation Army Advisory Board and active Pax Christi Catholic Community.

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Kaleb
Snider

Member

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Kaleb Snider is an Air Force Veteran and a former Biden-Harris White House Staffer. He currently works as a Director of State Government Affairs for the National Association of Professional Employers Organizations. He holds a Master of Public Administration degree and is a PhD candidate in Public Policy focusing on Economic Policy. He also serves as a City Commissioner where he strives to impact his local community and benefit local policy. Kaleb and his wife have three young children, all girls. He enjoys renovating their home, attending baseball games, and playing cornhole. 

Miriam
SteUArt

Member

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Miriam recently returned to the Twin Cities after several years in California. She is a director in supply chain management for a major Twin Cities organization and volunteers for several organizations working to address the issues of hunger and homelessness. She is excited for the opportunity to work with the OYH board to improve access to stable housing and food for all members of the community. She received her MBA from the Carlson School of Management and has a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Melbourne. Originally from Australia, she enjoys living in Minneapolis with her husband so they can be close to family. Her hobbies are running, reading and taking advantage of the growing food and wine culture close to her home near downtown Minneapolis.

Matt
Traynor

Vice President

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Matt recently joined the board of Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless in January of 2021. Matt completed his degree in Youth and Family Ministry where he took a position as a Youth Director at a church in Red Wing. During his spare time, he was able to do some organizing around equity issues within the community and fell in love with organizing. He got his first organizing job at a homeless shelter (CHUM) in Duluth where he worked for five years.He left CHUM to become the Director of Organizing at the MN Coalition for the Homeless where he currently works. He is a huge fan of OYH and is excited to be able to contribute his talents and knowledge in order to help fulfill OYH’s mission that every Minnesotan should be free from hunger and homelessness.

Sabrina
yates

President

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Sabrina recently joined the board of Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless in December of 2018. Sabrina is committed to serving her community in a meaningful and tangible way and is excited to pursue that passion in partnership with OYH. Sabrina obtained her BA in Political Science from Seattle Pacific University and went on to earn her J.D. from William Mitchell College of Law in 2011. She currently works as an attorney at the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office.

Join OYH’S Board of Directors

Open Your Heart has two staff members and a board of 13 members. This is a working board where all board members are engaged in the agency’s work in order to accomplish the mission. The board is not solely focused on agency governance. Board members attend bi-monthly board and committee meetings, dedicating at least 5 hours per month.

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