Our Leadership Team
Officers
Megan Bond, Board Chair. Megan is an attorney in International Falls, Minnesota and holds a J.D.-M.A. in Public Policy and Leadership from the University of St. Thomas. She has worked in environmental advocacy since she was 16 years old when in her home town of Las Vegas, Nevada a population boom and poor appropriation of water prompted agencies to take fast and drastic action during a major drought. Her advocacy since then has concentrated on water conservation, water quality, air quality and public lands. Megan has a passion for water activities and national parks. She will direct the caucus in educating the public, vetting candidates and legislation, that will protect our public lands and protect our waters as part of our fight in the climate crisis.
Matt Doll, Vice Chair. Matt works at the Minnesota Environmental Partnership as the Operations Coordinator. He has worked with the Sierra Club as a legislative intern and volunteer and has written for the North Star Chapter’s policy campaigns. He holds a B.A. from the University of Minnesota with a major in Political Science and a minor in Global Studies. A Wisconsin native and resident of Saint Paul, Matt is an avid explorer of Minnesota’s outdoor spaces and enjoys baking, reading, and hiking with his dog.
Veda Kanitz, Chair Emeritus, Co-chair, Legislative Committee. Veda has been chair of the DFL-EC since its inception. Her work is award winning and she has led the caucus from its original 25 members to over 1000 DFL Minnesotan members! Veda is a advocate with Citizens Climate Lobby and Sierra Club. She is also a science teacher, grandma, and lives in Lakeville (Congressional District 2).
Loraine Rovig, Secretary. Loraine styles herself as a Minnesota-Wisconsin woman, who moved back to Minnesota after retirement. She currently serves as past president on the Northfield Garden Club board, as a delegate to the Rice County Central Committee and as Precinct Chair of Ward 1 Precinct 2 in Northfield. She is an active church member, longtime member of the Society for Creative Anachronism, member of the Metro Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind, active in the Citizens Climate Lobby-Northfield, and a gardener of things she can eat. Loraine loves her siblings, finding something new, Nature walks, dark chocolate, slow cooking,and quite often, she has been accused of being a bookworm. She is convinced now is the time for all good men and women to work on reducing climate change while fixing our at-risk democracy.
Lawrence Sandoval, Treasurer. Lawrence is our diligent and careful treasurer, making sure we grow, watch and use our money as intended. Lawrence is a labor union representative and chair of DFL Senate District 56. He lives in Congressional District 2).
Greg Laden, Campaigns Director. Greg was born and raised in Albany, New York, educated in Boston and lived in exotic places such as Zaire and Milwaukee before moving to the Twin Cities around the turn of the millennium. He is a biological anthropologist and science communicator. Greg is politically active in Congressional District 3, though he has strong ties to Minneapolis. As a baby he was kissed by Nelson Rockefeller and has been running to the left ever since.
Kristin Larsen, Communications Officer. Kristin is also one of the founding members of DFL-EC. She has served in multiple capacities within the party including chair of St. Louis County OU3 and vice chair of Senate District 3. She once waved at President Kennedy and shook the hand of President Clinton, thanking him for appointing Justice Ginsberg. Kristin is an occupational therapist and lives north of Duluth in Pequaywan Township.
Hallie Finucane, Membership Chair. Hallie is an attorney who is winding down a practice in patent and trademark law. Her undergraduate degree is in biology. One of her favorite college experiences was spending a spring semester doing field biology at the U of MN Biological Station in Itasca State Park, an experience that shaped her passion for the environment. Even though she loves to travel (during normal times), Itasca State Park is one of her favorite places anywhere. As a Master Water Steward, Hallie is very interested in water quality and protection.
Ashlie Castaldo, Outreach Officer. Ashlie currently serves as the Digital Marketing Director for the Center for Democratic and Environmental Rights, a Rights of Nature non-profit. She is fascinated with the intersection between social media and politics, and the power struggle between the two. Ashlie is also the creator and leader of ELEVATE EIGHTH, a grassroots political organization focused on Minnesota’s 8th Congressional District. Ashlie believes protecting Minnesota’s natural resources makes sense morally as well as economically. She is a staunch proponent of renewable energy/green industry.
Since joing the DFL-EC, Ashlie has enjoyed working for a better, brighter and greener future. She lives in Duluth with her wonderful husband, son and two dogs. When not focusing on her career, Ashlie enjoys all things mystery-related, trying new foods and Johnny Cash.
Board Members
Phillip Adam is a engineer and a renewable energy and electric car enthusiast – license plate WND PWR. He has over 100,000 miles of electric vehicle experience. Phillip is a member of Northwest Metro Climate Action, Minnesota EV Owners Grou sp and supporter of Fresh Energy. He also serves as co-chair of the DFL’s Platform Committee.
Lawrence Baker (Larry) is a research professor at the University of Minnesota, where he applies his hybrid education in environmental engineering and ecology to the study of applied biogeochemistry, with a focus on human ecosystems – cities and farms. He like to work in “Pasteur’s quadrant”, moving between theory and application. His research is highly interdisciplinary and he often leads interdisciplinary research groups. In recent years, Larry has been very active in various synergistic activities, including many workshops on urban sustainability, both as an organizer and participant. He has become increasingly interested in how social and political factors drive the biogeochemistry of urban systems and how these systems will have to adapt to create resilient human ecosystems.
Libby Bent has spent time during summers in northern Minnesota her entire life, even when it required traveling from North Carolina, Colorado or Western New York. Ultimately, she landed in Duluth, where she is active with Duluth for Clean Water and teaches chemistry. She puts her faith in gardens and bicycles to lead the world down a more life-friendly path.
Peggy Clark
Karl Forsberg has worked tirelessly to both advocate for issues and share the caucus at public gatherings.
Elizabeth Rose Hansel is currently a nursing student at the University of Minnesota. As a nursing student, she was selected to serve on the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments. Growing up, Elizabeth spent her summers in Minnesota’s Boundary Water Canoe Area Wilderness. Her love of the Wilderness made her recognize the importance of keeping the Earth clean and healthy. Elizabeth also serves on the DFL’s State Central committee and the DFL’s Platform, Issues and Legislative Affairs committee.
Cecily Harris lived in three western states for 41 years before returning to Minnesota in Fall 2018. While living in the San Francisco Bay Area, Cecily was a ten-year member San Mateo County Democratic Central Committee serving as chair, south Vice chair and treasurer. She also served as delegate to quarterly California Democratic Party Executive Board meetings for eight years and attended eleven California State conventions. Now in Washington County, Cecily is Senate District 33 director, State Central Committee delegate and volunteers for We Can Change the World and various political campaigns.
During Cecily’s carreer she manaed conservation nonprofits and park agencies with expertise in planning, policy, programs, promotion and alternative funding. She currently serves on several nonprofit boards, the Metropolitan Council Park and Open Space Commission and the Parks and Trails Legacy Advisory Committee. Cecily likes to cross-country and telemark ski, sea kayak, paddleboard and hike. She also enjoys traveling locally and internationally, dabbling in fiber arts and gardening.
Steve Johnson is a retired natural resources manager who worked on water resources (primarily rivers) for Minnesota and Wisconsin state governments and the National Park Service. He grew up in Appleton, Minnesota, but has also lived in Minneapolis and suburbs, Winona and most recently (30 years) near Stillwater. His political experience started at age seven giving out Stevenson-Kefauver buttons at the Swift County Fair in 1952 . Steve’s primary interests remain water resources and water quality.
Wesley Sisson is a long-time conservationish having enjoyed he was a tot. He has worked in a number of northeastern Minnesota environmental organizations such as Duluth for Clean Water, Minnesota Public Interest Research Group and Sierra Club, As a DFL-EC board member, he looks forward to working with a group of people that are interested in vital and sustainable environment decisions. Wesley is a soon to graduate historian.
Milind Sohoni
Rich Updegrove is a union member, a social studies teacher and father. He lives in Congressional District 7, Duluth.
Catherine Zimmer is, by profession, an environmental health scientist with her own consulting firm, Zimmer Environmental Improvement LLC. She works with a variety of businesses, but primarily the healthcare sector on environmental improvement such as waste and toxics reduction. Catherine enjoys Nature with bird watching, hiking, kayaking and some photography. She also loves to travel to offbeat places to learn more about the natural world and has been to Botswana, Estonia, Falkland Islands, Finland, Lesotho, Madagascar, South Africa and Zambia among other cool places.