2023-2024 YMCA Center for Youth Voice Community Advisory Board

Zali Akiba, Mounds View Schools (student)
Zach Cairns, Mitchell-Hamline School of Law
Chris Cegilia, Spye*
Tim Commers, Asset Management
Abby Duininck, Land O’Lakes*
Joe Fifield, Luther Westside Volkswagen*
Dallas Fischer, Fueling Minnesota
Mason Fong, South Washington County Schools
Mary Heath, Fredrickson & Byron*
Dave Hutchinson, GOK Law Firm

Eldon Kaul, Retired from MN Attorney General’s Office
Pat Murphy, MN House of Representatives
Gloria Myre, St. Thomas School of Law
Stephanie Pinkalla, The Nature Conservancy*
Emi Ren, Mounds View Schools (student)
Emily Richardson, City of Bloomington
Isabella Rojas, Hylden Advocacy & Law*
Leslie Rosedahl, Rosedahl Public Affairs*
Peter Swanson, Eden Prairie Schools
Keisha VanWesten, Center for Independent Living*

 * denotes program alum


About the Center for Youth Voice Community Advisory Board

The YMCA Center for Youth Voice Community Advisory Board (CAB) serves as the organizing body for program alumni, parents, donors, and friends who want to ensure the long-term success of the Center, its programs, and its youth participants. Members of the board are expected to provide service, support, and counsel, and to advocate for CYV with prospective students, parents, donors, elected officials, and other constituencies as appropriate. 

The CAB meets in person four times a year: 

  1. A fall kick-off retreat (September)
  2. At the Youth in Government Conference (January)
  3. At the Model United Nations Conference (April)
  4. A year-end Celebration (June)

Board members serve a term of three years and may serve up to two consecutive terms. The Board calendar begins in September and ends the following June.

The CAB utilizes a projects-based approach rather than a committee structure. Each year, the Executive Director will propose between 3-5 projects (based on needs and the size of the board) focused on one of three areas:

  • Improving the experience for program participants
  • Strengthening engagement with key stakeholders
  • Generating revenue to ensure access to CYV programming. 

Each project team will be led by 1-2 Board members with support from CYV staff. All remaining Board members will choose which of the project teams they want to join for that year. Each project team will set outcomes for the year and how to best achieve those, including how often to meet and whether meetings will be virtual or in person or a combination. Project teams will provide updates at the large-group board meetings and ask for advice or support from the full board as appropriate.