HOW CAN WE DO BETTER?

Debbie was a part of Phillips Plastics Corporation for 34 years serving as Director of Marketing, Vice President of Marketing & Sales and Executive Vice President, as well as an officer on Phillips Plastics Corporation’s Board of Directors until the Cervenkas sold the company in December 2010. Debbie was instrumental in establishing the in-house marketing agency at Phillips and was responsible for all internal and external communication. Debbie was educated at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, graduating with a major in Journalism and Communication. Debbie has dedicated the past seven years to non-profit work and has served as a trustee on several non-profit boards including: Junior Achievement; The Big Sur Land Trust; and The President’s Advisory Committee for new curriculum at the University of Wisconsin – Stout. Currently she serves on the board of trustees for The Nature Conservancy and Northland College.

Ann’s 35-year public relations career includes C-suite experience in the public sector (Los Angeles County Office of Education), the private sector (Dayton Hudson Corporation, nka Target Corporation) and with a major international agency (Fleishman Hillard). In 1995, Ann was named by her peers internationally as “Public Relations Professional of the Year;” in 1999, was named one of the Most Influential Women in Business in Minnesota by CityBusiness; in 2001, received Fleishman-Hillard’s Lifetime Achievement Award; and in 2003, received the Arthur W. Page Society’s Distinguished Service Award for contributions that have strengthened the role of public relations in society. Today Ann is actively involved with VocalEssence as a member of the board and with womenwinning: Minnesota Women’s Campaign Fund as a past board member. She twice chaired the Children’s Theatre Company Board of Governors. She was a public member of the Minnesota News Council for six years and chaired the Council’s first board of directors. She was a founding member of United Way’s “Success by Six” program and was actively involved with the Greater Minneapolis Girl Scout Council. She served two terms on the boards of the Minnesota Humanities Center and the Minneapolis Club. She is a member of the Minnesota Women’s Forum and the Twin Cities Communications Council. Ann began her career as a high school English and journalism teacher in Missouri and California. She headed public information programs in Santa Barbara and Los Angeles California as a school administrator before moving to the corporate sector in 1981. She earned her bachelors’ degree from Central Missouri State University and her master’s from the University of Missouri.

Jen Augustson is Vice President of HealthPartners Institute. She supports Institute administrative functions, health professional education programs and services, research compliance and integrity, and the Institute’s Centers for Research and Education. She helped lead the integration of research and education across HealthPartners and Park Nicollet between 2014 and 2017. Prior to joining HealthPartners in 2009, she worked in state government and nonprofit organizations, and holds a master’s in public affairs from the University of Minnesota.

Daniel is a visionary leader in Digital Strategy and Technology Delivery. He has led global teams in Technology Services, and Health Care industries through growth and transformations. He currently serves as the Vice President of Data and Analytics for UnitedHealth Group. Dan’s areas of expertise are in developing commercial and emerging technologies. Daniel also sits on several boards, including the Mental Health Connect, which works to open doors for those living with Mental Illness and Genesys Works, a national non-profit which enables economically-disadvantaged high school students to enter and thrive in the economic mainstream. Daniel is a US Army medically retired veteran, where he served as a squad leader and Blackhawk flight medic. Daniel’s solid academic background includes an MBA, a Master of Science degree in Software Engineering and a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science.

Rev. Ingrid C. A. Rasmussen was ordained in 2013 and serves as Lead Pastor at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in the Longfellow neighborhood of Minneapolis. She is committed to the work of justice and believes the church is called to be active in the public square. Ingrid is a graduate of Augustana University (Sioux Falls, SD) and Candler School of Theology at Emory University (Atlanta, GA). She is a leader with a number of place-based organizations—namely, Longfellow Seward Healthy Seniors, Longfellow Rising, and Trinity Apartments Advisory Board—and is active in the Minneapolis Area Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. She has written for The Christian Century, Duke University’s Faith and Leadership, Journal of Lutheran Ethics, and other publications. Ingrid lives in Minneapolis with her husband Paul and together they run to keep up with their two sweet and lively children.

Marcia Kull offers experience and expertise to businesses seeking guidance with sales, strategy, and business planning. A tested and successful executive, Marcia has guided founders and CEOs from start-ups to century-old companies in executive sales, operations, and legal roles. She served most recently as Chief Transition Officer for Seven Marine, a Wisconsin-based outboard engine manufacturer, guiding integration efforts following Volvo Penta’s 2017 acquisition. Marcia served as President of Torqeedo, Inc., a world leader in marine electric propulsion, responsible for global revenue development and marketing. Previously, she was Vice President-Marine Sales for Volvo Penta, leading sales teams and distribution strategies for leisure and commercial marine segments throughout the North America. A former product liability defense attorney, Marcia’s skill in understanding how people purchase and use products provides a special expertise in bringing new technology to the market. Throughout her career she led the introduction of several innovative award-winning products from rapid market acceptance to multi-million-dollar revenue streams. She worked proactively with state and federal regulators to understand the advantages of these new products and revise outdated regulations. Marcia led strategic efforts to prepare OEMs, distributors, and dealers to accept and advocate for new technologies, ultimately ensuring their long-term success. Marcia’s active role in marine industry trade and governmental activities includes serving on the Executive Board of Directors for the National Marine Manufacturer’s Association (NMMA) from 2013-2017. She was Chairperson of the NMMA’s Engine Manufacturers Board of Directors, the first woman to chair that committee, following a four-year stint as its Vice Chair. She chaired the NMMA Boating Industry Risk Management Council for six years. In 2007, she was appointed to the National Boating Safety Advisory Council by the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security and served two terms as a manufacturer representative. In 2006, Marcia was awarded the Darlene Briggs Marine Woman of the Year by Boating Industry magazine and was honored in 2016 by the Manufacturing Institute with the STEP Ahead Award as one of the Top 100 Women in Manufacturing. Marcia shares her passion for mentoring and training young workers and emerging leaders through her “Leadership at Any Level” seminar and workshop series. Recent clients include the Manufacturing Institute, Boating Industry magazine, and Reverb, Inc., (a subsidiary of Etsy). She has been featured as a speaker and writer on marketing and selling to women. Marcia is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Iowa, where she participated as letter-winning member of the varsity track and field team, and of the University of Iowa College of Law. She is an active adventurer, a recent summiteer of Mt. Kilimanjaro, and names surfing, backpacking, and bicycling among her favorite activities.