Your Neighbors On The Ballot For the North Loop Board
When you join us Wednesday night, January 27th for our virtual Annual Meeting, you’ll not only get important updates on what’s happening in the North Loop, you’ll be able to give input on where we should focus our efforts in 2021. And you’ll help select new Board members (if you’re a North Loop resident, property owner or business representative). Fifteen candidates have stepped forward, offering to do the hard volunteer work that’s so important to our community.
You can watch the video above to get brief introductions to most of them (60 seconds or less for each). Two did not submit the videos we requested, but you can read below for more information on all of the nominees. Any other North Loop resident, property owner or business rep who wishes to add their name to the ballot on the night of the meeting may still do so.
There are six seats on the 11-seat board up for a vote this year, and just three incumbents are running for re-election, so we’re guaranteed to get some new faces.
The meeting starts promptly at 7PM, and you can join it here: https://app.sli.do/event/uzeh2tll with the event code #northloop
For best results, join us via computer, although a phone or tablet will also work.
Nominations for North Loop Neighborhood Association Board of Directors – January 27, 2021
Kay Adamski (Renter)
I am interested in joining the NLNA Board because I love living in North Loop. I have enjoyed meeting people through service Saturdays and learning more about what can all be attributed to neighbors stepping up and doing their part to create a more engaged community! I want to help build that community that makes North Loop such a desirable place to live, explore, and start businesses. North Loop is unique, and I want to help ensure others feel welcomed into our home and are excited to be a part of a community like ours.
Zachary Brunnert (Renter)
My husband and I relocated from St. Louis, Missouri to the North Loop neighborhood just the week prior to the first stay-at-home order being issued in March. We made the decision to choose the North Loop over every neighborhood in Minneapolis without stepping foot here first.
I’ve seen first hand what a strong neighborhood this is, and I would like to contribute in this role. Having come from St. Louis where I have seen many areas of concern regarding urban living, I want to help preserve this essence here in the North Loop given the pressures of 2020.
David Crary (Owner) Current Board Member
I would like to continue on the board to see some of the projects that I have been leading get to the next level. The project I’m most passionate about is the removal of the invasive species along the river. We have only one park the North Loop as of today. In my mind this project is not even 20% done. I have been working with a number of different groups (Minneapolis Parks Department, Friends of the Mississippi, Metro Blooms and North Loop residents) on the future of the park and the vision that we are hoping to achieve for the park will make it a much better community resource. I also what to continue to work on the livability of the North Loop, to make sure that the neighborhood is a safe and enjoyable place to live and work.
Jo Hamburge (Owner, Business Representative – Ovative)
I have lived in the North Loop for five years at Bookmen Lofts, and I have worked in the North Loop for four years, at Ovative Group. I feel I can represent both perspectives and contribute back my love for the neighborhood.
Patricia Hamm (Owner)
As a new resident to downtown Minneapolis and the North Loop for a little over one year, I am committed to help and support the ongoing “greatness” of this neighborhood and in particular, aiding in the challenges the pandemic has presented to our local retail and restaurant community as well as the neighbors they serve. I am passionate about the historic nature of our neighborhood, the vitality of the supporting economy, the importance of how the City of Minneapolis continues to thrive and be strong. As a past executive leader in Human Resources, I feel I bring a strong voice, collaborative team spirit, attention to diverse talent and thoughts, and ability to lead effective change.
In the same spirit, I hope to use my professional skills – media, digital marketing, and photography – to help NLNA bring the neighborhood’s rich history to life and to build bridges between neighbors and businesses that help The North Loop community thrive.
Gabby Morton (Renter)
I am excited for an opportunity to serve on the NLNA Board of Directors because when I moved to Minnesota over two years ago, the North Loop was the first place I moved and I now can’t imagine living in any other area. I believe that the North Loop offers the community great restaurants, shops, outdoor spaces and a safe environment that is unparalleled to any other area. I would love to be a part of the team who helps plan and execute to ensure that the North Loop only continues to evolve and develop over time- especially given all of the Covid related changes the last year has brought our community.
Jay Nuhring (Business Representative – Prudden Company)
My graduate education is in architecture and I am especially interested in urban planning/design. I believe there is a delicate balance of creating new architecture while honoring the history of the neighborhood. I had the good fortune of having a business – ReSee Gallery, in the North Loop from 2002 – 2007. I had an intuition about the neighborhood’s potential and knew I had found the perfect location in the Colonial Warehouse building at 212 3rd Avenue N. I served on a Planning Commission board for eight years in Scott County from 2007 – 2016. I recently moved to the Mill District from Uptown and am excited to finally call downtown my home. I am passionate about Minneapolis, thrive on collaboration towards a greater cause, and eager to making a positive impact on this great neighborhood.
Carolyn Ring (Renter)
In the current environment, I think it is important to be involved in our community while working towards solutions to help us build a vibrant and safe downtown area. I have lived in the North Loop area for four years and have always enjoyed the neighborhood and rave about it to those who visit or intend to move to the area. In the past year, due to covid and the political environment I have begun to feel less at home in the neighborhood and would like to be a part of the solution.
Dima Rozenblat (Renter)
Neighborhoods are oftentimes missing the important input of young residents and renters – I want to provide that voice for the North Loop because I care deeply about our city and our neighborhood. As refugees, my family and I came to the United States when I was just a year old to find a community where we could thrive. Seven years ago, when I moved to Minneapolis to study at the U, I discovered it was my place: a bustling urban environment with welcoming people and diverse experiences.
While there is a lot to be proud of, I believe the North Loop has so many opportunities to continue building towards the perfect neighborhood for renters, homeowners, businesses, and visitors alike. My mission as a Director on the NLNA Board is to improve the community and livability for residents of the neighborhood through several projects: (1) basic infrastructure improvements for pedestrians and cyclists (including, but not limited to, an additional crosswalk near the Tower Tunnel, connecting N 8th Ave, improved bike lanes on Washington Ave, and more accessibility to the Root District and Farmer’s Market); (2) more frequent and accessible public transit; (3) diverse and affordable living, dining, and shopping options; (4) community events to get to know our neighbors; and (5) equitable public safety measures. As a Director, I would welcome all input from my neighbors as we strive to build the North Loop community around the topics that matter most to each resident.
I hope that my skill set as a young professional in business can be an asset to the neighborhood. I have experience in providing strategic direction as a Board observer for several small- and medium-sized businesses. I have also been a partner to a local non-profit preserving affordable housing in Minneapolis. It would be an honor to work alongside our local businesses as they recover past the pandemic. I’m confident that with the right support, they will build back even stronger and help lead an even more vibrant decade for the North Loop.
Thank you for your consideration!
Mollie Scozzari (Renter)
The importance of service to one’s community was instilled in me from a young age, and I have a passion in my heart for economic development and shaping positive community growth.
As a teenager, I co-led fundraising and planning to build a skate park in my hometown so that the youth had a safe and legal place to practice their talents. In my current role as Marketing Manager for a national commercial real estate developer, builder, architect, and property management firm, I work in partnership with our teams of experts to enhance communities across the country through thoughtful and appropriate development. Prior to this role, I led marketing and communications at the City of Saint Paul Department of City Planning and Economic Development, where I was involved in various extensive community engagement efforts and helped market and enhance the vibrant and growing business community.
A role on the North Loop Neighborhood Association board will allow me to bring my knowledge and expertise in marketing and communications, land use and commercial development, and economic development and to put it to work for the benefit of the North Loop neighborhood and its residents, businesses, and visitors. Thank you for considering me for a board position.
Bri Sharkey-Smith (Renter) Current Board Member
I’m seeking re-election to the NLNA Board because the best way to connect with your community is to serve it – and there’s plenty of work left to do. Over the past two years, I’ve put my efforts towards growing a culture of civic engagement and volunteerism here in the North Loop. That has included everything from helping run clean-ups at the riverfront and hosting blood and donation drives and flu shot clinics to selecting books on racial justice for our Little Free Libraries and launching our Service Saturday volunteer series. I’ve also registered countless voters and hosted events with local candidates for office and leaders like Secretary of State Steve Simon.
In addition to continuing that work in my next term, I look forward to working with Avivo Village in the North Loop to support our neighborhood’s new community for folks experiencing homelessness.
Becky Soderholm (Business Representative – Muse Event Center)
I love working in the North Loop neighborhood! I have enjoyed seeing how much this neighborhood has grown over the past several years with so many new businesses and new residents. It’s exciting to be in an area of Minneapolis that is truly thriving.
I’ve had the opportunity to meet several NLNA board members while working together on the annual meetings we hosted at Muse in 2019 (rescheduled to the polar vortex) & 2020. The dedication of the board members is inspiring and it’s great to see how much you all do to keep the North Loop growing!
I would like to join the NLNA board to bring my event planning skills to the group as well as my passion for giving back to the community. I am an organized and detail-oriented person and I feel my skills align best with Secretary or Community Engagement. I’m also open to hearing more about the other roles/areas of the board. I appreciate your consideration for the North Loop Neighborhood Association’s board.
Nettie Sparkman (Renter)
I have lived and worked in the North Loop for over 5 years. When I moved here it was up and coming. Now, the North Loop is a thriving and respected area of Minneapolis. I am deeply passionate about the development of the North Loop area in every aspect and would love the opportunity to volunteer alongside others who value the continued growth and prosperity of this area.
Dana Swindler (Business Owner – MartinPatrick3) Current Board Member
We have been in the North Loop since 1995 and have established deep roots and friendships here. I would like to be part of the positive energy it will take to make it a safe and vibrant community again.
I have been involved on the board for the last two years and would like to carry that knowledge forward for another term.
Sarah Traczyk (Business Representatives – Element Business Manager)
My continuously growing passion for the North Loop can be attributed to the incredible businesses and people I have met along the way. I helped open the Element Minneapolis Hotel, connected to the Fillmore, in January of 2020; our excitement of being the new kids on the block was quickly halted due to the constant challenges COVID has brought to all, especially in the hospitality industry. I am interested in serving on the NLNA Board of Directors because when business nearly stopped at the hotel, I found a new sense of drive and enthusiasm getting as involved as I could with volunteer opportunities presented by the NLNA. As a hotel manager in the North Loop, I see the importance of a safe, beautiful and engaging neighborhood for not just the residents, but for the hotel guests that visit from all over the world. Being on the board and getting involved deeper would help ensure the best experience for all who live, work, or play the North Loop.