Staff & Board

Leadership

  • Anna Wasescha

    Anna M. Wasescha, Ph.D.

    President

    Dent, MN

    anna@old.wcif.org

Staff

  • Jill Amundson

    Jill Amundson

    Impact Evaluator

    Ashby, MN

    jill@old.wcif.org
  • Sarah Casey is wearing a green shirt and is standing in front of a green tree and smiling.

    Sarah Casey

    Director of Strategic Communications

    Fergus Falls, MN

    sarah@old.wcif.org
  • Marsha Erickson

    Marsha Erickson

    Early Childhood Specialist

    Dalton, MN

    marsha.erickson@old.wcif.org

  • Trevor Gervais

    Chief Financial Officer

    Fergus Falls, MN

    trevor@old.wcif.org
  • Deb Hegseth

    Deb Hegseth

    Loan Specialist

    Fergus Falls, MN

    deb@old.wcif.org
  • Greta is wearing a white sweater. She has long blonde hair and is standing out in the snow smiling.

    Greta Hentges

    Marketing and Communications Specialist

    Grand Forks, ND

    greta@old.wcif.org
  • Phil is standing outside on a winter day. He is wearing a neutral color sweater and has his arms crossed in front of his chest. Phil is wearing glasses, has a beard, and is smiling.

    Phil Hintz

    Loan Officer

    Fergus Falls, MN

    phil@old.wcif.org
  • Wayne Hurley

    Wayne T. Hurley, AICP, LCI

    Director of Transportation Planning

    Fergus Falls, MN

    wayne@old.wcif.org
  • Justin is smiling. He's wearing brown round glasses and a blue and white plaid shirt. He stands in front of a green tree on a sunny day.

    Justin R. Moen

    Rural Democracy Network Coordinator

    Fergus Falls, MN

    justin@old.wcif.org
  • Bianca Newell

    Bianca Newell

    Transportation and Sustainability Planner

    Fergus Falls, MN

    bianca@old.wcif.org
  • Kathy Nordick

    Kathy Nordick

    Senior Accounting Manager

    Rothsay, MN

    kathy@old.wcif.org
  • Camille is smiling with long brown hair. She is wearing a white shirt and black blazer. She is standing in front of a green tree.

    Camille Pearson Walz

    Development & Philanthropic Services Officer

    Maple Plain, MN

    camille@old.wcif.org

West Central Initiative Board of Directors

Jackie Buboltz President, Detroit Lakes Chamber of Commerce Becker County
Corey Kratcha Co-founder, c2renew Wilkin County
Ryan Rooney Energy Services and Business Development Manager, Runestone Electric Association Douglas County
Laura J. Busian Schmidt Attorney, Schmidt Law & Consulting Stevens County
David Schornack Director of Sales, Arvig Enterprises Otter Tail County
Shelly Staebler Coordinator, Traverse County Social Services Traverse County
Trina Starker Minnewaska Area School District Pope County
Lisa Tillotson Senior Director of Centralized Sales and Operations, Forum Communications Company Clay County
Janice Tweet Coverage Policy Director, State of North Dakota Clay County
Tyler Wirth Founder, FamilCare Douglas County

Economic Development District Board of Directors

Scott Allen  Alexandria City Council Member
Michael Backer Browns Valley City Council Member
Jackie Buboltz Detroit Lakes City Council Member
Rick Busko Wilkin County Commissioner
Tim Kalina  Douglas County Commissioner
Paul Krabbenhoft Clay County Commissioner
Bill LaValley Grant County Commissioner
Mark Leighton Fergus Falls City Council Member
Patricia Lesmeister Nelson Stevens County Commissioner
Chad Metz Traverse County Commissioner
David Meyer Becker County Commissioner
Emily Moore Moorhead City Council Member
Kurt Mortenson  Otter Tail County Commissioner
Paul Wildman Pope County Commissioner
Kevin Wohlers Mayor of Morris
Jack Butler 2025-2026 Minnesota GreenCorps Member jack@old.wcif.org
Olivia Daniels Summer 2024 Climate Resilience Fellow olivia@old.wcif.org
John Runningen 2024 AmeriCorps Fellow john@old.wcif.org
Brogan Ludwig 2023-2024 American Connection Corp Member brogan.ludwig@old.wcif.org
Kallan Sandahl 2021-2022 Minnesota GreenCorps Member
Mallory Jarvi 2020 Minnesota GreenCorps Member mallory@old.wcif.org
Ben Velani 2022-2023 Lead for America Climate Fellow - AmeriCorps
Aaliyah Helland 2023-2024 & 2024-2025 Minnesota GreenCorps Member aaliyah.helland@old.wcif.org
Zoe Graham Fall 2025 Development Intern
Olivia Daniels Summer 2025 Transportation and Sustainability Intern
Isabel Fynboh Summer 2025 Marketing & Communications Intern
Magnus Holtmann 2025 Energy Engineering Intern
Tobias Buening 2025 Energy Engineering Intern
Stella Wilton Summer 2024 Communications Intern
Greta Hentges Summer 2023 & 2024 Communications Intern
Aubrey Wookey Summer 2022 Communications Intern
Manzili Kokayi 2021-2022 Climate Action Project Intern
Julia Dempsey 2021-2022 Climate Action Project Intern
Yaiza Kinney 2021-2022 Climate Action Project Intern
Reid Peterson Summer 2020 Sustainable Development Goals Intern
Ashley Quam Summer 2020 & 2021 Marketing Intern
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