Open Arms of Minnesota - Staff Information

Open Arms of Minnesota is overseen by the following staff:

Austin Bartold, Cook – Austin joined the kitchen staff in January 2008.Austin grew up on LacCourte Orielles Ojibwe Indian Reservation. He graduated from Le Cordon Bleu in 2005, and has since worked at numerous restaurants including Napa Valley Grille, California Café MOA, Embassy Suites Hotel and Patrick's Bakery and Bistro. Austin also runs a Native American Diabetic group in St. Paul, which works with doctors from the U of Minnesota. When he's not cooking, he enjoys making Native crafts and writing poetry.
Nancy Benedict, Event Director - Nancy is the past Publisher of Minnesota Monthly Magazine where she managed editorial, circulation, sales/marketing and special events for the past 7 years as well as sales and sponsorships for the Twin Cities Food and Wine Experience. Nancy has also work at North American Media Group and Pillsbury's Consumer Publications. Nancy has been on the Board or active in many organizations including The Arthritis Foundation, Women's Association of the MN Symphony Orchestra, Smile Network, Hope Chest for Breast Cancer, Fashion Group International and The Uptown Art Fair.
Cheryl Chute, Finance Director – Cheryl has been working in a variety of finance positions for the past 2 decades. She joined the staff in 2004, having previously been an Open Arms volunteer for seven years. In her spare time, Cheryl enjoys travel, her children, and her grandson Max. cheryl@openarmsmn.org
Jowanza Edwards, Janitor/Cook -
Pete Fischer , Volunteer Services Coordinator – Pete is a graduate of the U of M-Duluth (UMD), with a degree in Community Health and a Minor in Psychology. While at UMD, he was involved with Eta Sigma Gamma, a National Health Education Honorary, and served as the president of this honorary in the fall of 2007. When possible, he works with his local church volunteering at the Dorothy Day Center in St. Paul. Pete is also a sports enthusiast with a passion for being active.
Lila Gilbert, Volunteer Services Coordinator – After completing a year of service with the St. Joseph Worker Program, Lila joined Open Arms in the summer of 2007. Lila's a graduate of the College of Saint Benedict where she studied psychology and gender and women studies. She also studied in Port Elizabeth, South Africa as part of her course work.
Moses Hyneh, Janitor – Moses joined Open Arms full-time in 2005. Originally from Liberia, he and his family resettled in the U.S. in 2004.
Taya Kaufenberg, Food Service Director – Taya started at cooking at Open Arms in February 2007, and comes with a wide range of experience in the culinary field. She was most recently Executive Chef at Jackpot Junction Casino. taya@openarmsmn.org
Kent Linder, Operations Director – Kent assists with coordination of the volunteer, client and kitchen teams. He has previously worked as a graphic designer and with the homeless at a Catholic Worker House. Kent started as the Client Services Director of Open Arms in 1997.
Asei Mannstein Tendle, Cook – Asei joined our outstanding kitchen staff in December, 2002. Asei is an assistant to the Food Services Director, helping with meal preparation and cooking. He is also a designer, multitalented abstract artist, musician and skateboarder.
Kelly McManus, Creative Director – Kelly oversees a wide variety of projects and pieces of Open Arms including our printed materials, electronic media, and has been the force behind our Monkeybiz efforts. She joined our staff in the summer of 2006.
Cassie Mead , Food Services Assistant – Cassie joined our staff in October 2007. Her first job was as a dishwasher/server/cook in a local nursing home, and she has not left the food industry since. From pastry chef to server, line cook, research and development chef, and dishwasher, she has worked in almost every aspect of the business. Cassie enjoys spending her free time speaking Spanish, and playing with her two miniature wiener dogs, Penelope and Floyd.
Kay Mitchell, Director of Program and Planning – Kay has been helping Open Arms for several years as a consultant, so she's no stranger to our work and community. In the 1990's, the death of a friend with AIDS prompted her to join God's Love We Deliver in New York City - where she raised more than $50 million during an eight-year tenure, including a successful capital campaign. Kay will work closely with staff and volunteers as Open Arms continues the campaign to build it's new kitchen. Kay is also co-author of Practical Abundance, a fundraising guide for non-profits.
Elizabeth Polter, Client Services Assistant – Elizabeth joins us through the Lutheran Volunteer Corp program, and will be working in many areas of client services during her year at Open Arms. She recently graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University, where she studied Zoology and Sociology/Anthropology and was involved in starting an HIV/AIDS awareness group on campus.
Kathryn Ross, Director of Institutional Giving – Kathryn joins our staff after 15+ years of experience in the grant writing field. A large amount of her previous work was for various arts organizations including the Walker Art Center. Kathryn has been a volunteer and donor of Open Arms for nearly a decade.
Aaron Keith Stewart, Client Services Director - Aaron Keith joins our staff after 14 years of work in the field of HIV/AIDS with various organizations in the Twin Cities. He specializes in program & process development & has extensive experience with community based research. He is the former Co-Chair of the Ryan White Services Planning Council & is also the former Chair of the MN ACTU HIV Clinical Trials Community Advisory Board. He holds a degree from St. John's University, and from St. Thomas University in Non-Profit Management. Aaron Keith enjoys good food, music, film, art, reading, kayaking, biking & nature.
Jennifer Van Wyk, Deputy Director – Jennifer joined our staff in 2005, after working for many years at the American Heart Association in development. Jennifer works on a variety of projects, including coordinating all of our major fundraising events and many other Open Arms development efforts. jennifer@openarmsmn.org
Kevin Winge, Executive Director – Kevin joined the staff of Open Arms as Executive Director in 1997. Kevin resigned in 2002 after receiving a Leadership Fellowship from the Bush Foundation. He subsequently completed his Master's degree in public Administration at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University before accepting a six-month assignment working at the JL Zwane Centre in South Africa. While in Cape Town, Kevin developed outreach programs for people living with HIV/AIDS in the townships. He was rehired as Executive Director in the spring of 2004. kevin@openarmsmn.org
Kimberly Wood, Registered Dietitian – Kim has a MS in Nutrition Science from the University of Minnesota and is a Registered Dietitian. She analyzes nutritional value of meals, surveys clients and provides nutritional counseling to them.