Our People

Staff

Joani Essenburg, Executive Director (1FTE) is one of the Banyan Community's founders. Joani moved into the Phillips neighborhood with her husband, Tim, in 1990. For her work with the Banyan, Joani has received an Abby Award from Abbott Northwestern Hospital, The Phillips Neighborhood Champion Award, and the Who's Who in Community Ministry Award from Bethel University, and the Virginia McKnight Award in Human Service. Joani has a B.A. in Elementary Education from Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, Tennessee and a Certificate of Non Profit Management from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Primary Duties Include:

  • Set vision for the Banyan and develop an overall strategic plan for the organization with staff and board
  • Serve as primary liaison with the Board of Directors
  • Supervise the Youth Development Director and administrative support staff and contractors
  • Manage the overall budget and financial reporting for the organization
  • Oversee all fundraising and marketing/communications activities
  • Develop collaborative partnerships with other organizations
  • Oversee all facility issues, lease arrangements

Sam Olson, Youth Development Director (1FTE) has extensive experience designing and implementing youth development programs, serving as a Curriculum Writer for the Bonner Foundation and as a Senior Wilderness Instructor, Trainer and consultant for the Coldwater Foundation for Leadership and Community Development. He also worked in Kampala, Uganda with Compassion International serving youth and young adults. He has a Masters of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary, with a strong research focus on urban youth and wilderness education, and a B.A. from Wheaton College.

Primary Duties Include:

  • Supervise the daily program staff
  • Track grant requirements and program outcomes, ensure evaluation processes are implemented and program quality is maintained
  • Oversee planning for programs--locate curriculum, design program structure and content
  • Manage program budgets
  • Oversee staff development
  • Assist the Executive Director in furthering the work of the Banyan

Katie Kirk, Middle and High School Specialist (1FTE) Just prior to coming to the Banyan, she served as Volunteer Coordinator for Kaleidoscope Place, a youth development program in the Phillips neighborhood. She has also been active in the Weed and Seed program in Phillips, assisting with community events, recruiting residents and convening the Law Enforcement Tech Team. She has a Bachelor of Individualized Studies (B.I.S.) in Asian American Studies, Race Relations and Psychology from the University of Minnesota.

Primary Duties Include:

  • Working directly with the middle school and high school youth of the Banyan
  • Overseeing the programs for this age group: ASPIRE!, SOAR (Middle School), and Summer Program
  • Work closely with parents/teachers to support youth through parent conferences, contacting teachers and home visits, as needed
  • Develop and manage the youth program budget
  • Implement program evaluation processes
  • Interpret Banyan programs to the community

Allison Schmidley, Elementary Specialist and Family Advocate (1FTE), is bilingual in Spanish and English and has studied abroad in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala at Casa Xejalu and in Quito, Ecuador at Univeridad de San Friancisco de Quito. Allison has worked as a Spanish teacher in the public schools as well as in the YMCA Camping program and as an American Reads tutor. She has a B.A. degree in Education and Spanish from the University of Minnesota Duluth.

Primary Duties Include:

  • Plan and implement elementary after school and summer programs
  • Direct support staff of after school program
  • Develop relationships with community members to implement appropriate programs and support
  • Make regular home visits in order to support Banyan families
  • Implement program evaluation processes
  • Develop and manage program budgets for each program

Lauretta Dawoloto Towns, Community Coordinator (1FTE), brings to the Banyan experience in community through journalism. Working for community newspapers, Lauretta understands how to connect with people from a variety of cultures and gain valuable insight. She also has experience in education working with Girls in Action, and currently completing her master's in Education at Augsburg College. Experience abroad includes time spent in both Accra Ghana and Eastern Caribbean. Lauretta has a Bachelors of Arts Degree from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota.

Primary Duties Include:

  • Responsible for managing the Lighthouse Network, Banyan's network of Block clubs
  • Support/create block clubs
  • Work closely with the Minneapolis Police Department and City Council Office
  • Help Banyan families stay connected to necessary resources
  • Promote Banyan programs within the community
  • Leadership Development: Identify and nurture adult leaders in the Banyan Community
  • Oversee program budget and evaluation process

New Position: College Readiness Specialist --currently posted (1FTE), This person will work with our middle and high school youth along with our college students. Keeping college in the fore front of student's minds. Introducing middle schoolers to the college concept, arranging visits and working on applications with High School students, and helping to support our current college students to ensure their graduation.

Michelle Vander Veen, Youth Specialist/Event Coordinator (.5FTE), has extensive experience working in youth development, having served as Youth Program Specialist at Waite House in the Phillips neighborhood, as well as teaching in the Hopkins School District and overseeing athletic and camping programs for several youth-focused organizations. Michelle has a B.S. in Recreation from Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Primary Duties Include:

  • Support the after school program working with elementary and middle school youth
  • Help develop and enhance current programs as needed
  • Oversee implementation of the Gatherings--Banyan-sponsored events that draw the community together and the School's Cool school supply program

Rev. Chris McNair, Youth Specialist on contract, has 22 years of experience working with at-risk urban youth, including developing and publishing a curriculum entitled "Young Lions: A Christian rites of passage for African American boys." He has a Master's Degree in Divinity from Asbury Seminary and a doctorate from Luther Seminary.

Primary Duties Include:

  • Planning and implementing the "Young Lions" program with Middle School boys at the Banyan, and the "CORE" group for high school boys who have graduated from Young Lions
  • Making home visits to youth in Young Lions and CORE; and other families as needed
  • Visiting High School ASPIRE! youth at school during lunch periods

High School Staff: Year round 5-7 high school students with long-term connections to the Banyan are hired to assist with program activities in the Elementary After School and Summer Cool Off Days programs.

College staff: Four college students serve as Banyan staff currently, working from 10-15 hours a week each, providing support for elementary and youth programs. Two staff have grown up in the neighborhood and two staff are part of the Bonner Foundation program from Augsburg College.