It’s time to vote: 2022 SLRA Board Ballot
There are four St. Louis River Alliance Board Member seats up for election, and we are looking for your votes!
If you are a current member, you should have received an email 6/15/22 with the Board of Director Candidate Profiles, ballot, and instructions to vote. If you did not receive an email, you are not current with your membership. If you’d like to cast your vote you must become a member or renew your membership today. You can send in a physical membership or apply/renew online, more information can be found at: https://www.stlouisriver.org/become-a-member
Once we receive your membership, we will send you an email with instructions on how to vote. All ballots must be in by June 28th at 4 p.m. We are very excited for this year’s candidates and look forward to celebrating new board members at our St. Louis River Alliance Virtual Membership Voting Meeting on June 29th, 2022 at 4 p.m.
Board of Director Candidate Profile
Below are the four individuals who are being submitted by the Nominating Committee as candidates for the board of directors.
Breanna Ellison “Breanna (she/her) has lived in Duluth for nearly a decade. She has always been drawn to the outdoors and has a love of nature and a deep respect for water. Breanna grew up in the Twin Cities metro area before coming to Duluth. She graduated from the University of Minnesota Duluth with degrees in History and Secondary Education.
Breanna has worked in a variety of fields, most recently organizing with TakeAction Minnesota before starting her most current role as a job counselor with the City of Duluth. She has served on the City’s African Heritage Commission and had also spent time on its Community Development Committee. In all work she does, Breanna intentionally creates space for other BIPOC people to participate and lead. Breanna is excited to bring a diverse perspective as well her experience in organizing, and education to the St. Louis River Alliance board.”Thomas Howes “As the Natural Resources Program Manager for the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Thomas is involved in many projects revolving around the St. Louis River, including his work protecting and restoring manoomin (wild rice). In 2020 he graduated from the University of Minnesota Duluth with a Masters of Tribal Resources and Environmental Stewardship.
Born and raised on the Fond du Lac Reservation, Thomas currently lives along the St. Louis River in the historic Fond du Lac village of west Duluth. He is a father of five, treaty rights harvester, and traditional arts practitioner. In his spare time, you can find him creating lacrosse sticks, cradleboards, cedar mat weaving and ricing poles and knockers.”Sam Lobby “Sam’s passion for water originated at UMD in 2006 when he started his degree in Environmental Studies. Following graduation, Sam worked for 5 years with the US Forest Service on a wildland fire crew where he experienced the impacts of climate change on the front lines and discovered his desire to make change through public service. Later, he attended graduate school where he got a dual master’s degree in sustainability planning and geography. After grad school, he started his first career in water protection with the City of St. Cloud.
His days at UMD never having left his heart, he eventually made his way back to Duluth where he took a job with the Western Lake Superior Sanitary District and discovered a new love – the St. Louis River. Still employed by WLSSD as a Senior Planner, Sam takes immense pride in working for the organization that helped reclaim the river from pollution and is excited to be part of the St. Louis River Alliance so he can further contribute to the betterment of one of Minnesota’s greatest treasures.”Don Ness “Don Ness is Executive Director of the Ordean Foundation. Established in 1933, the Ordean Foundation has a proud heritage of addressing issues of poverty in Duluth. Don has served for 16 years in elected leadership, culminating with a 91 percent job approval rating in his role as Mayor of Duluth. During this time, he was honored with the titles of both Twin Cities Business Person of the Year and the Labovitz School of Business and Economics Business Person of the Year.
He is a graduate of the University of Minnesota Duluth, majoring in business administration and economics, and he earned a Masters in Management from the College of St. Scholastica. Prior to his tenure as Mayor, he was the campaign manager for Congressman Jim Oberstar for nearly 10 years.
As Mayor, Don was an effective champion for the environmental clean-up of the St. Louis River as the cornerstone strategy to revitalize the river neighborhoods by investing in outdoor recreation, river access, and community amenities. Don currently represents the State of Minnesota on the Great Lakes Protection Fund board.
Don’s core values include a deep dedication to his family, and an ongoing spirit of service to his community. He and his wife Laura continue to live in Duluth with their three children: Eleanor, James, and Owen.”
