SHOREVIEW COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
Marketing and Communications Committee
Barb Larson
Helen Edinger, Chair
Carol Brown Mills
Helen Nelson
Sunny Chen
Emeritus Members
Mark Casci
Jim Chalmers
John Conlin
Mary Hifiker
Nancy Hite
Emy Johnson
Sue Knudson
Steve Krueger
George Lang
Sandy Martin
Gaye Melton
Helen Nelson
Advisory Board
CELEBRATING OUR ROOTS, GROWING OUR BRANCHES
Donor Relations Committee
Mike Spellman
Maria Nelson
Events Committee
John Doan, Chair
Janice Hawkins
Gwen Simonson
Grants Committee
Chris Scholl, Chair
Lee Polance
Helen Nelson
Bethany Kostolnik
Janine Olmscheid
Phyllis Ostergren
Charlie Oltman
Kent Peterson
Curt Proud
Deb De Young Schultheis
Gwen Simonson
Marsha Soucheray
Jennifer Sprain
Cynthia Stange
Peggy Strom
Benjamin Withhart
Advisory Board Members
The Shoreview Community Foundation is lead by a volunteer, hands-on, working Advisory Board.
The all-volunteer board manages the work of the foundation, including organizing community events, raising funds for the endowment, publicizing foundation goal and activities, and approving annual grants to benefit residents of Shoreview.
Adult and youth board members serve three year terms and may serve two consecutive terms. Meetings are held the second Wednesday of each month from 5 - 6:30pm. Board members serve on one of four committees: marketing & communication, grants, events, or donor relations, and also participate in projects throughout the year. Click HERE for a full position description.
Shoreview residents with a passion for community service, who would like to be considered to serve on the board are encouraged to send a brief summary of their work and community experience to: shoreviewcommunityfoundation@gmail.com.
Current Advisory Board Members
Sunny Chen
Sunny moved to Shoreview when she was 8. She’s always enjoyed helping others and finds community volunteering as a great way to express that. She was once a student rep on the Shoreview Human Rights Commission. She also enjoys volunteering with community ambassador programs such as Rice Street Royalty and St. Paul Winter Carnival. Sunny graduated early with her Bachelor’s degree in Information Systems from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Her hobbies include cooking, baking, figure skating, learning sewing, and playing video games.
John Doan
John is a member of the Shoreview City Council and served for 6 years on the Shoreview Planning Commission. He represented Shoreview and 10 other cities as a member of the Metropolitan Council. John works as the Vice President for Operations and Equity at Trellis, a nonprofit that optimizes wellness for people as they age. He is married to his high school sweetheart and has 2 grown kids who graduated from Oak Hill Montessori and Mounds View High School.
Helen Edinger
Helen has lived in Shoreview since 1986. She was a teacher in Mahtomedi for 23 years. Prior to teaching, she worked for public radio's A Prairie Home Companion and Pipedreams. Helen's undergraduate degree is in Music and she also holds a Master of Arts degree in Education. She's active in several choirs and has served on the Board of Directors of the Oratorio Society of Minnesota. As a member of her church, she has held various leadership positions. She loves her volunteer work as a reading buddy and also helps injured songbirds at the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Roseville.
Ellen Guo, Youth Board Member
Ellen, a senior at Mounds View High School, has been an active member of the Shoreview community since she moved here 11 years ago. Ellen is the 2023 Shoreview Caring Youth Award winner and is also a U.S. Presidential Scholar Candidate, a National Merit Scholarship Finalist, and an International Science and Engineering Fair Finalist. Aside from founding Coding Club and Summer Coding & Computers Camp, Ellen enjoys being a Mounds View Science Olympiad Captain, serving on Student Council and the National Honor Society Executive Board, and playing viola in Mounds View Chamber Orchestra and Minnesota Youth Symphonies. Ellen plans to major in engineering in college and is excited for her time on the Shoreview Community Foundation board.
Janice Hawkins
Janice moved to Shoreview in 2014 with two of her children while she managed the Arden Hills Army Training Site. They love calling Shoreview home and enjoy the community, parks, and schools. Janice is now retired from the Minnesota Army National Guard and is attending Metro State to get her Masters in Advocacy and Political Leadership. When the family gets a chance, they visit her older daughter's family farm (and her perfect grandchildren) in West Concord. Janice is dedicated to lifelong learning in and out of the classroom, volunteers with Girl Scouts and Spare Key, and her favorite season is Football.
Carol Brown Mills, Secretary
Carol has lived in Shoreview for 30 years. She and her husband Andrew raised their three children in the Mounds View Schools. She is active in the Peace Community of Faith in Shoreview as well as a part-time educator in the Centennial Schools and St. John's Parish School. Carol also serves on the Board of Directors of the Mounds View Community Theatre and has served recently as their liaison with the Shoreview Library to plan theatre-related programming and bring sensory-friendly performances to theatre audiences.
Maria Nelson
Maria has been a resident of Shoreview, Minnesota since 1989 and the 1st of 3 generations in the Mounds View Public Schools system and has a strong connection to her community. She is a licensed real estate agent with Edina Realty, helping individuals and families find their ideal homes and navigate the complex housing market. In addition to her real estate career, Maria is an entrepreneur in healthcare administration consulting. Her innovative solutions and expertise are focused on improving the efficiency and quality of clinic operations. Her passion for real estate, dedication to community, and entrepreneurial spirit drive her to make a positive impact in the lives of those around her. Maria is always eager to connect, collaborate, and contribute to the betterment of our community.
Lee Polance, Treasurer
Lee is a Vice President of Global Technology for Engineering Adhesives at H. B. Fuller. She has over 25 years of work experience in adhesives industry as well as a PhD in Analytical Chemistry. She moved to Shoreview in 2008. From 2009 to 2013, she relocated to Shanghai China as the Regional Technology Director for Asia Pacific where she managed the start-up and growth of the R&D lab there. She is currently on the board of the H. B. Fuller Foundation.
Christopher Scholl, Vice Chair
Chris has lived in Shoreview with his wife and two children for more than ten years. He earned an MBA from Carlson School of Management and an MFA in Scene Design from UNC School of the Arts. Chris serves as the Executive Director of White Bear Center for the Arts, and has previously led Ashland Productions and Jungle Theater in Minneapolis. In his free time, he enjoys reading, fitness, hiking and board games with his family.
Michael Spellman
Mike had a 35-year career in marketing and direct sales at several corporations. He has served on the board of Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity and as Board Chair and President of Lakeshore Players Theatre, during which time they raised the funds to construct their new performing arts center in White Bear Lake. He serves on the board of Sister Parish, Inc., an international organization which facilitates partnerships between U.S. and Guatemalan and Salvadoran churches.