Envision Family
Envision Community brings together a unique group of organizations from across our community including homeless advocacy groups, housing providers, supportive service agencies, health experts, academic institutions, faith communities, and other groups interested in making Envision Community a reality.
Envision Leaders
Our leaders not only reflect the community with whom we work, but are members of that community. All Envision Leaders have personally experienced homelessness, and like so many in the homeless community, they have faced barriers to housing in countless forms including criminal records, evictions histories, poor credit, and struggles with mental health and addiction. These individuals are driven to serve as leaders of Envision Community because they know their work will help others in their community.
Freddy Toran
Junail Anderson
Rome Darring
Sherry Shannon
Board of Directors
Envision recently received support to establish the corporate structure under Tasks Unlimited and a separate board of directors. This work is on-going, and the information will be updated once a board is appointed.
Architecture and Development Group
Tom Fisher
Director, Minnesota Design Center
Jacob Mans
Decentralized Design Lab
Geoffrey C. Warner
AIA, Alchemy Architects, Principal Architect
Tommy Schaperkotter
Decentralized Design Lab
Chris Wilson
Development Consultant
Fundraising Advisory Board
The funding advisory board guides the strategy and engagement of funders helping the Envision Leaders and Fundraising Team from Amplify DMC achieve Envision’s fundraising goals.
Andriana Abariotes
Liz Hewitt
Director of Annual Giving, DeLaSalle High School
Jon Cole
Joanne Kosciolek
Courtney Cushing Kiernat
Executive Director, Peris Project, Graves Foundation
Kyrra Rankine
Director of Partnerships and Initiatives, Graves Foundation
Tom Fisher
Director, Minnesota Design Center
Lauren Withers
Keystone Program Manager, Tradition Bank
Dana Hays
Development Director, Tasks Unlimited
Fundraising Team
Consultants from AmplifyDMC make up the fundraising staff for Envision Communities.
Stephen Devereux
Amy Sinykin
Benj Vardigan
Research Team
Assists the Envision Leaders and serve as co-investigators on research studies. This group focuses on the intersection of housing, social-connection, and health.
Jon Aga
Stuart Grande
PhD, University of Minnesota School of Public Health
Austin Watanabe
Alchemy Architects
Andrea Brown
Human Centered Designer
Blair Harrison
Minnesota Department of Health
William Walsh
MD, Hennepin Healthcare and Minnesota Design Center
Mageen Caines
Minneapolis Health Department
Lawrence (Ripley) Smith
PhD, Bethel University
Michelle DeVaughn
Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church
Ashley Thorfinnson
Human Centered Designer
Tom Fisher
Director, Minnesota Design Center
Geoffrey C. Warner
AIA, Alchemy Architects
Want to join a working group? Click Here
Donor Family
We thank the organizations who generously supported the development of Envision Community:
- Bush Foundation
- Center for Urban and Regional Affairs (CURA) at the University of Minnesota
- Cross of Hope Lutheran Church
- Dayton Hudson Endowment at the Minnesota Design Center
- Family Housing Fund
- Graves Foundation
- Head Count Lizzo Campaign
- Headwaters Foundation for Justice
- Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC)
- McKnight Foundation through a grant to the Minnesota Design Center
- Pohlad Family Foundation
- St. Odilia Social Justice Committee
- United Health Foundation through a grant to Hennepin Healthcare
We also thank the individuals who financially supported Envision:
- Julia Dayton
- Gretchen Musicant
- Jamie and Bill Walsh
- William Walsh Sr. in memory of Mary Cecilia Walsh
- Dori Wholey in memory of Doug Wholey
We thank the suppliers who generously donated materials to our prototype unit:
- Footprint Project – Solar Panels
- Panasonic Eco Solutions NA – ERV
- Simpliphi Power – Solar Batteries
- SIP Seal – Liquid Membranes and Sealants