Meet our 2024 board candidates

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Mitchell Walstad

Tell us about yourself and your experience in your neighborhood and in St. Anthony East.

I’ve lived in St Anthony East for just over two years now, and I’ve been on the board as our treasurer for one year. I love the walkability of the neighborhood, the friendliness of the people, and the great access we have to parks. I rent in the neighborhood and I hope to continue doing so!

Why are you interested in serving on the SAENA’s Board of Directors? Describe your interests, skills, experience, hobbies, volunteer work or community involvement that will help your service on the Board?

I’ve enjoyed my time on the board over the past year and I hope to continue that service. I especially enjoy work around making our community more walkable and safe for pedestrians, and I’m hoping the board can find more creative ways to ensure our funding is making the largest impact possible on our neighbors. I hold a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership, which I hope to utilize in guiding us toward a clear mission for what our work will look like moving forward. I volunteer in local DFL politics, and I serve on the board of a nonprofit called The Bridge for Youth. I think these experiences (and some others I haven’t mentioned) set me up for success to be an effective board member.

What volunteer and/or board experience do you have? What knowledge and skills from your volunteer, professional, or personal experience would you be able to offer the SAENA Board of Directors?

As I mentioned above, I volunteer on The Bridge for Youth board, working to securing housing and services for youth who are experiencing homelessness. I also serve as the Vice Chair of the state DFL party unit (Senate District 60) for the St Anthony East and surrounding areas. I have a strong belief in community-engaged leadership, and taking every opportunity to learn from our neighbors about what their vision for our neighborhood is.

What hopes, goals and concerns do you have for your neighborhood and St. Anthony East?

My main concern for St Anthony East is pedestrian safety. I have seen so many instances of unsafe driving, and I’m concerned it’s only a matter of time before someone is injured. I intend to use the experience I’ve gained form working on transportation policy at the state level to advocate for safer streets in St Anthony East and the surrounding neighborhoods.

What do you hope to gain from serving as a SAENA board member?

I’ve loved the friendships and relationships I’ve made with my neighbors because of SAENA! Serving on the board has made the neighborhood feel more like home, and I look forward to the opportunity to continue building those relationships.

Matthew Tierney

Tell us about yourself and your experience in your neighborhood and in St. Anthony East.

I’ve been living in St. Anthony East since 2009. I’ve seen a lot of change in the neighborhood over the last 15 years and I love this neighborhood. It’s an amazing mix of people, a place that is situated at the intersection of many different parts of the city, and a vibrant place that I’d like to engage with in a different way by joining the SAENA board. I’ve been active in many ways within the city but I’d like to focus some attention to my immediate neighborhood surroundings by joining the SAENA Board of Directors. I grew up in the Minneapolis but have also lived all over the world. I think that range of experience plays into the way that I approach situations and have a nuanced understanding of situations.

Why are you interested in serving on the SAENA’s Board of Directors? Describe your interests, skills, experience, hobbies, volunteer work or community involvement that will help your service on the Board?

I am interested in how my planning and design background, combined with a long tenure in the neighborhood could be put to use if involved at a level that is more coordinated than acting as a single resident. I’m interested to hear what others in the neighborhood are working towards, what their demands are, and how the board can help make St. Anthony East the greatest neighborhood in Minneapolis. It certainly has the underpinnings of an amazing place to live, work, and play and I’d love to take part in the planning and development.

I’m a licensed architect for almost 10 years in Minnesota and have worked on a variety of projects ranging from residential to large scale masterplanning, public space, stadiums, multifamily, and more. I’m a person that is deeply invested in sustainability and green infrastructure particularly at the urban neighborhood scale. I’ve taught at the graduate level in both architecture and sustainable urban planning at multiple universities and currently work at the Center for Sustainable Building Research and teach graduate level architecture studios and seminars focused on sustainable building and site design.

I’ve had the opportunity to offer my architectural skills to non-profit organizations all over Minnesota and abroad. I’ve been working with at risk urban youth at the Phyllis Wheatley Community Center in North Minneapolis to develop an environmental learning center in Carver County. I started a non-profit arm to the architecture firm that I worked at called ASK that uses questions to develop research and design-impact around issues in our region. I’ve worked with young women in Kibera Slums in Nairobi developing the Kibera Girls Soccer Academy which empowers young at risk women to obtain an amazing education and participate in soccer programming. I’ve worked with remote fishing populations in Lake Victoria at the epicenter of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in East Africa.

I’d say the consistent thread through all of my work and experience has sought to develop links between human well-being and sustainable environmental solutions.

What volunteer and/or board experience do you have? What knowledge and skills from your volunteer, professional, or personal experience would you be able to offer the SAENA Board of Directors?

I currently serve on the Phyllis Wheatley Community Center’s Camp Committee. I was the executive director of ASK (501c3) and currently serve as a board member for the non-profit. A lot of this is included in the above answer about my experience. I think that my volunteer and non-profit experience combined with my nearly 15 years living in the neighborhood would be an asset that SAENA could leverage in a number of different ways.

What hopes, goals and concerns do you have for your neighborhood and St. Anthony East?

I’m hopeful that the neighborhood can thrive while staying true to its roots. I’m hopeful that we can integrate sustainable urban planning methods, the development and support of neighborhood scale businesses, and a high quality of living for residents. This neighborhood has the ability to be one of the most unique and livable places in the city. I’m concerned that development and change within the neighborhood could lead to undesirable living conditions for families, renters, and small businesses.

What do you hope to gain from serving as a SAENA board member?

I hope to have the opportunity to utilize my skills at the board level to help move the conversation forward. I feel like I have a lot to offer and would like nothing more than to put my skills to use.

Patrick Sutton

Tell us about yourself and your experience in your neighborhood and in St. Anthony East.

I’ve lived in the neighborhood about 6 years. I’ve been on the garden leadership committee for the past three maybe four years. I was also on the board for one year. I love the neighborhood and I love the people I garden with and run my dogs with.

Why are you interested in serving on the SAENA’s Board of Directors? Describe your interests, skills, experience, hobbies, volunteer work or community involvement that will help your service on the Board?

Just going to try and help out wherever I can. My hobbies include playing with my dogs, sports, gardening, and talking with folks.

What volunteer and/or board experience do you have? What knowledge and skills from your volunteer, professional, or personal experience would you be able to offer the SAENA Board of Directors?

Served on the board for one year. I’ve also been on the garden leadership committee for the past three or four years. I also volunteer for a 12-step recovery organization for the past 15 years.

What hopes, goals and concerns do you have for your neighborhood and St. Anthony East?

I hope that we can continue to flourish as a community.

What do you hope to gain from serving as a SAENA board member?

Helping the community out in any way I can.

Sam Macrane

Tell us about yourself and your experience in your neighborhood and in St. Anthony East.

My wife and I have raised five adult children and have four grandchildren. I value family, community, and life long learning. Two of my favorite words are “curious” and “and” which makes all of life and every person interesting and valuable. We are currently raising our special needs grandson of color. I grew up in Chicago, served in the military, and have lived many years in Phoenix. We purchased a home specifically in St. Anthony East for the community. We value the diverse, urban, walkable, socio-economic mix of St. Anthony East. We have spent significant time in other Northeast neighborhoods over the last 9 years during the summer and extended visits and decided to put roots “south of Broadway” for the maturity and stability of the neighborhood. It is a shared stewardship to preserve and maintain the community for both families and tenants here for a season.

Why are you interested in serving on the SAENA’s Board of Directors? Describe your interests, skills, experience, hobbies, volunteer work or community involvement that will help your service on the Board?

I love community building and community restoring. Professionally, I cultivate donor relationships for a non-profit after a sales career in datacenter infrastructure. I also own a business developing affordable housing outside of Minnesota. I worked to establish a private school for children with trauma and served on their Board.

What volunteer and/or board experience do you have? What knowledge and skills from your volunteer, professional, or personal experience would you be able to offer the SAENA Board of Directors?

I have lead volunteers in various church ministries. I have served on a private school board. I have consulted C-level leaders in the marketplace. I have managed rental real estate. I own and develop affordable housing in IL and AZ. I build relationships and curate meaningful events.

What hopes, goals and concerns do you have for your neighborhood and St. Anthony East?

To cultivate a feeling of community and belonging whether for one year or one lifetime. To balance the needs and desires of various stakeholders such as owners, renters, and landlords while prioritizing the lived experience of those here on our streets and in our parks. As the community homes age, I hope to encourage the “little things” to preserve and maintain the appearance of the structures and yards, especially for non-owner occupied properties.

What do you hope to gain from serving as a SAENA board member?

Greater sense of belonging to the community. Better appreciation for the unique neighborhood SAE is in the Minneapolis metro. Contribution of my experience in relationship with others in a shared community.

Jeremy Wieland

Tell us about yourself and your experience in your neighborhood and in St. Anthony East.

Former renter, current homeowner in SAENA. Picked the neighborhood for its vibrant urban character, proximity to businesses, bars, restaurants and Arts District.

Why are you interested in serving on the SAENA’s Board of Directors? Describe your interests, skills, experience, hobbies, volunteer work or community involvement that will help your service on the Board?

Career media and marketing professional. Volunteered in the community in the past. Enjoy meeting neighbors and working to make the community a desirable place.

What volunteer and/or board experience do you have? What knowledge and skills from your volunteer, professional, or personal experience would you be able to offer the SAENA Board of Directors?

I’m a former SAENA President, Vice President and Treasurer. I found the Attorney who transferred the Community Commons Park into our hands, volunteered on the first playground installation, helped steer the SAENA Small Area Plan (pre-2040) through the City Council and to it’s adoption by the Met Council. Additionally for 15 years I organized the Stone Arch Discussion, I’ve been a precinct Chair and I know a fair amount about engaging people having sold millions of subscriptions to various products and services.

What hopes, goals and concerns do you have for your neighborhood and St. Anthony East?

Preservation of our Parks, future financial solvency, and engaging with Minneapolis when infrastructure improvements arise that creates opportunities.

What do you hope to gain from serving as a SAENA board member?

Friends and neighbors.