What We Do
Edina Give and Go funds small grants for Edina Public Schools students who otherwise would be unable to pay fees associated with arts, academics, or athletic activities.
Our Mission
To bring life and learning opportunities to Edina Public Schools students who are economically disadvantaged.
Edina Give and Go is one of two Mission-Aligned Partners of Edina Public Schools
Our Vision
Equitable access to the out-of-school enrichment activities in our community for all Edina Public Schools students so they can develop new skills, discover their passion, connect with their peers, and succeed in and out of school.
Our Impact
Please see our latest impact report here:
Edina Give and Go 2022-23 Impact Report
The Team
Caroline Pappajohn
Executive DirectorCaroline is committed to ensuring access and inclusion for all students in extracurricular programs so they have the best opportunity to succeed in and out of the classroom. She brings her passion and expertise in helping nonprofits to strengthen and scale the good they do, including in health and youth development.
Caroline has spent the past two decades in nonprofit leadership in roles spanning strategic planning, fundraising, partnerships, program impact, and marketing. Most recently, Caroline served as chief strategy and sustainability officer for The diaTribe Foundation, where she developed strategic partnerships to provide education for people with diabetes. Caroline also spent a dozen years starting and growing nonprofit social enterprises that employed at-risk youth.
Caroline has a B.A. and an MBA from Stanford University. She and her husband live in Edina and their three children all attend Edina public schools. When not working or in school, they love to bike, frolic at playgrounds, and read books.
Catalina Carrasco
Outreach and Student Granting CoordinatorJen Faeth
Finance and Operations ManagerThe Board
Alex Christianson
Board Co-ChairSarah Hardy
Board Co-Chair & TreasurerStephanie Francis-Jones
Secretary & Annual Event Co-ChairStephanie is a leader in a variety of community roles. Stephanie holds a BA in Business Management and Human Resources Management from the University of St. Thomas.
Stephanie is an experienced Human Resources professional with over 20 years of global, diversified experience in project management and community development. Stephanie enjoys traveling and outdoor adventures with her young family.
Jacky Junek
Annual Event Co-ChairHattie Priem
Fundraising Committee ChairSarah Weller
Community Engagement Committee ChairSarah is a Principal Scientist at Carelon Research, an organization, an organization that aims to improve health care with real-world data. As an epidemiologist and public health professional, Sarah is mission-driven and passionate about using data to inform decision-making, building community and working to assure positive health outcomes for all. She completed a BA at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, a dual masters degree in Health Behavior/Health Education and Epidemiology at University of Michigan, and a PhD in Genetic Epidemiology at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Sarah lives in Edina with her husband and two teenage daughters who attend Edina High School. Sarah established the New Families Network when she moved to Edina in 2017 and, in partnership with the Edina Public School administrators, has worked to support new families in their transition to the Edina community. Sarah is an avid baker, an enthusiastic theater-goer, a mediocre broomball player, and a recreational runner.
Delphine Aubourg
Delphine lives in Edina with her husband, two girls (10th and 12 grades at EHS) and two Springer Spaniels (Jake and Harriet). She is a Twin Cities transplant, having moved to Minnesota 22 years ago on the 2-3 year plan. Minnesota is an amazing place to live with its culture, restaurants and public education options. She has worked at a variety of Twin Cities corporations including 3M and Best Buy. Today she is at Thomson Reuters and serves as a Vice President of Sales and Customer Success. She has a B.A. from Connecticut College and an MBA from Case Western Reserve.
Delphine loves to go on family adventures near and far. While at home, she loves gardening, walking the dogs, cooking, baking, and playing games.
Heather Fenske
Heather joined the Edina Give and Go Board to provide an outreach to young people who are in need of extracurricular services. Education is important for our students, but so is being part of a team or organization that strengthens their skills and helps to enhance their future.
When not volunteering at Edina Give and Go, you can find Heather hanging out with family and friends. Heather loves to travel, hike, take pictures, and play Mahjongg!
Heather lives in Edina with her husband and three sons, two of whom are in college and the youngest in 10th grade at EHS, and their furry boy, Louie
Alison Ford
Alison Ford has spent her entire career in education - including traditional district schools, public charter schools, and higher education. She has partnered with districts and universities on business process redesign, software implementation, career services, and most recently fundraising and board governance.
Alison earned a Bachelor’s in Education and a Master's in Public Administration with a focus on education policy and school finance, both at Cornell University.
As the descendant of a long line of teachers and educators, Aison is committed to the mission of Edina Give and Go and is proud to be part of a community that values inclusivity and equity.
Alison lives in Edina and is mom to an EHS graduate and an EHS senior. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with them, walking her teacup goldendoodle Mabel, gardening, and traveling.
Jenny Griskevicius
Jenny is a nationally certified Speech-Language Pathologist, with a B.A. in language studies and M.S. in communication disorders. She moved from the West Coast to Edina 14 years ago and proceeded to have 4 Minnesotan children, who all attend Edina Public Schools.
Jenny spends her time actively growing community groups, volunteering at her kids' schools, encouraging voter turnout, and wrangling her family. She has served on the ELC's PTO, PCN, and NeighborGood. She loves reading, gardening, and cooking vegetables her kids won't eat. She firmly believes we can all take steps to make the world a more nurturing and equitable place for children, in our own communities and around the world.
Anne Marie Leland, EdD
Dr. Leland is the Director of Community Education and Strategic Partnerships for Edina Public Schools. She brings to the district more than 21 years of experience creating and implementing innovative educational and out of school time programs, collaborating with a variety of community stakeholders, and successfully expanding service through acquisition of $7.6 million in grant funding.
Dr. Leland was the community education director at Faribault Public Schools for ten years, where she led Early Childhood through adult education, out-of-school time, and literacy programs. She also developed multi-stakeholder partnerships to broaden access and opportunities for the community’s youth, and expanded partnerships with families, including members of the Somali and Latinx communities.
Dr. Leland also held leadership positions for nine years with the state of Minnesota in the areas of career pathways, workforce education, and literacy. She is currently an adjunct professor in the Education Leadership and Learning Department at Minnesota State University-Moorhead.
Leland began her career in education as a classroom teacher at the International School of Choueifat in Lahore, Pakistan. Leland holds a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of California-Los Angeles; a master’s in secondary teaching from the University of St. Thomas; and a doctorate in education leadership from Minnesota State University-Moorhead.
Laura Lukens
Mike Pretasky
Molly Schmidt
Elena Brito Sifferlin, MSW, LGSW
Elena is a licensed social worker and community volunteer dedicated to finding solutions to issues affecting gender and racial equity. As a Latina, she is especially devoted to supporting underrepresented communities. She currently serves on the Guiding Circle of the Anti-Racism Collective of Edina as a Community Engager. For over eight years Elena has served the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota as a board trustee and committee member. She continues to serve and previously chaired the Governance and Young Women’s Committees; and previously served on the MN Girls Are Not For Sale Committee. Elena served as Vice Chair of the Facilities Committee of the Edina Race and Equity Task Force. Elena was a Racial Justice Facilitator/Trainer and member of the Public Policy Committee with the YWCA of Minneapolis and a Life Skills Facilitator with the Jeremiah Program.
Elena graduated from the University of Kansas and began her corporate career at Hallmark Cards, Inc. in finance and product management. After becoming a program officer for its foundation, she was inspired to pursue a master’s degree in Social Work and move into the social services sector. Elena is a transplant to the Twin Cities, and has worked as a contractor in research, program development and evaluation. Elena and her husband Mark have two grown daughters.
Andrea Smith
Andrea Smith is a wealth management attorney at Wells Fargo Bank. Previously, she was a trust and estate attorney and litigator at Iverson Reuvers, a boutique law firm in Bloomington. She earned a BA in Political Science from the University of St. Thomas and a JD from William Mitchell College of Law.
For more than 15 years Andrea has volunteered as a high school mock trial judge and attorney for Wills for Heroes, a program that offers estate planning services to first responders. She is excited to help Edina Give and Go grow in its mission to provide financially disadvantaged students opportunities in academics, arts, and athletics.
Andrea and her husband Quincy have two kids who attend Edina Public Schools, and poodle with endless energy. They can often be spotted enjoying Edina’s many parks.
Lynne Sullivan
Robin Wenzel
Robin Wenzel grew up in Edina and is a graduate of EHS. After many years in California, she returned to Edina with her husband and three sons. Her boys are now the fifth generation of her family to call Edina home. Community service and support has been a cornerstone of her family and Robin is thrilled to join the Board of Edina Give & Go
Robin leads the Wells Fargo Agri-Food Institute, a team of national industry advisors providing economic insights, analytics, research, and media engagements. With over 30 years of experience, Robin leads with a strategic vision and an ability to expand and execute with meaningful improvements to performance and results.
Robin has served as an active supporter and Board member on numerous organizations and enjoys making transformative impacts. As Co-Founder and Board Member of the Wiskott-Aldrich Foundation, she worked with the team to provide funding for medical research, education and support to children diagnosed with Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome, globally. Robin spent over a decade supporting the efforts of a leading wine industry non-profit, the Napa Valley Grapegrowers and Farmworker Foundation, where she served on the Board as Finance Chair and on the STOMP Auction committee for over 10 years.
Student Board Members
- Lexi Hann
- Yena Koo
- Kobe Thou
- Claire Watz
Financials
Edina Give and Go is a 501(c)(3) organization. Our work to bring life and learning opportunities to Edina Public Schools students who are economically disadvantaged would be impossible without the commitment and generous support of donors. All gifts are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law. We are committed to stewarding these funds to make the greatest impact possible in our community. Our Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 47-5031672.
Edina Give and Go Financial Reports