Elections Committee

TREASURER (Vote for 1)

Jill Ellingson, MA, LMFT

Biographic Statement: Jill Ellingson is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who owns Brave Soul Counseling, a private practice with locations in both St. Paul Park and Cottage Grove. She has one other therapist on staff with her and is currently hiring two additional therapists. Additionally, Jill works part-time at Cedar Valley Therapy Center in Eagan. As an active member of the therapy community, she organized and leads a peer consultation group at her St. Paul Park office and has been a clinical member of MAMFT for over 8 years. Jill joined MAMFT as a student at Adler Graduate School.

Vision Statement:  Jill is running for the MAMFT position of Treasurer. She has a business background; both with her prior education and career. She is looking to leverage her strengths in financial management and leadership within this position. In addition to her financial and business aptitude, she brings to this position positive energy, as well as strong collaborative and organizational skills. Should Jill be elected, she plans to learn about the board and their core initiatives, build relationships, and help lay the groundwork for a smooth transition in executing the day-to-day aspects of the treasury position. From there, she is interested in helping lead necessary organizational change as well as contributing to the overall financial and organizational viability of MAMFT — an organization she sees as critical to the success and support of the therapy community.

AT-LARGE DIRECTOR (Vote for 1)

Michael Kinzer, MA, LMFT

Biographical Statement: Michael Kinzer is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. He is currently in private practice at Jupiter Center, PLLC in Minneapolis, MN and has been practicing for 15 years in private, non-profit, institutional, and outpatient settings. Michael first became a clinical member of MAMFT in 2006. He has previous experience as an Ethics instructor in a graduate program for Marriage and Family Therapy students and as a Board member on other non-profit Boards. Michael has also helped to create and manage several non-profit programs designed to provide MFT and other services to marginalized populations. Prior to practicing Marriage and Family Therapy, Michael advocated the legal rights of individuals and businesses as an attorney for nearly 15 years.

Vision Statement: If elected as an At-Large Member of the MAMFT Board, Michael would like to focus on legislation and legal issues, membership, the relationship between MAMFT and other mental health associations and organizations, and improvement in the profession (i.e. access issues, diversity, professional development for student and clinical members, reimbursement processes, network inclusion and parity in compensation, public perception of the profession, and pride among our members for what we do to help others). Michael would like to help the MAMFT Board answer the following questions: “What does MAMFT do to advance the profession of Marriage and Family Therapy and how is my career enhanced by membership in MAMFT? Why should I choose a Marriage and Family Therapist to meet the needs I am trying to address and how does MAMFT clarify this for me? How does providing greater access to Marriage and Family Therapists increase the well-being of our communities?”

Sandy Sample, MS, LMFT

Biographical Statement: Sandy is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with over 9 years of membership in MAMFT. She works in private practice at Catalyst mental health both in uptown Minneapolis and Bloomington where she has extensive specialty training in couples therapy. Additionally, she’s a Minnesota board approved supervisor and an EMDRIA certified EMDR clinician. She’s presented at the MAMFT conference before and plans to do so again in the future. Her strengths that she will bring to this role include: flexibility, dedication, and leadership. She has been a board member in several non-profit organizations and believes that board members and their decisions have an impact on all involved with the organization. She notes that each has been a meaningful and significant experience.

Vision Statement: Sandy has interest in running for the an At-Large position with the MAMFT as she is interested in the progress and future of MFT’s and being active in an organization that represents her profession. If she were elected, she would like to focus on increasing the visibility of the MAMFT and MFT-trained therapists to the general public especially related to outreach for those who have mental health challenges. Sandy is dependable and will take this role with MAMFT seriously. She believes in representing all members and being open to new ideas.

GREATER MN REP (Vote for 1)

Alana Milde, MS, CT-MHP

Biographic Statement: Alana Milde is a pre-licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (SLMH CT-MHP) practicing in Dodge County, MN, at Hayfield Community Schools through Fernbrook Family Center’s school-based program. She is highly involved with helping the Hayfield Community schools improve the emotional and physical well-being of their students both as a therapist and as a volunteer. Alana has been a member of MAMFT for 2-3 years and will be fully licensed by January of 2019. Alana is running for the MAMFT board position as a Greater MN Representative.

Vision Statement: I am motivated to run for the Greater MN board position in part out of my frustration with trying to find a supervisor in South East MN. I have found that, as compared with urban areas, South East MN is a different ballgame where mental health services are limited but very much needed. I feel it is imperative that the board and others understand what it is like to be a therapist in a rural area. I am insightful, personable, realistic, hard-working and I advocate any chance I can get for small-town MN therapists to increase access to resources.

Margaret Moore, MA, LMFT, RN

Biographic Statement: Margaret Moore is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and MN Board Approved Clinical Supervisor. She has been a member of MAMFT since 2005 and is currently in private practice at Experiencing Moore, P.C. in Owatonna, MN. She practices EMDR, Hypnosis, Experiential Somatic Therapy, and incorporates at least three generations of family history in her therapy practice. Margaret has also presented on Parenting with Grace and Love at a seminar in Alaska.

Vision Statement: If elected as a Greater MN At-Large Member of the MAMFT Board, Margaret would like to focus on making training and supervision more available in rural MN. She would bring creativity, organizational abilities, and energy to MAMFT and the position. Margaret is interested in networking with therapists throughout the state of MN and using technology to increase accessibility for collaboration and trainings.

ELECTIONS COMMITTEE (Vote for 2)

Jenni Franke, MA, LMFT

Biographic Statement: Jenni joined MAMFT in 2018 and is a Lead Therapist at PrairieCare in their After-School Intensive Outpatient Program. She also has a private practice Skyline Child & Family Therapy, LLC in Bloomington, MN. Jenni is currently working towards becoming a Registered Play Therapist.

Vision Statement: The MFT community in Minnesota is a strong group that has the ability to become even stronger by expanding its reach and working with other mental health communities. Growing our community into the future and creating a modern perspective of mental health and marriage and family therapy is becoming increasingly important as we foster and grow our own supportive community. I am excited by the possibility to find other likeminded individuals who want to move MAMFT into the future in the position of Elections Committee Member.

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LynAnne Evenson, MA, LMFT

Biographic Statement: LynAnne has been working in a community-based setting for the last 7.5 years with a focus on refugees. LynAnne enjoys presenting and training on issues related to refugee therapy work and cultural competence. She has been a committed member of MAMFT since 2013, when she started on the student committee. She is currently an active pre-clinical member of the MAMFT social justice committee. LynAnne looks forward to reaching clinical status this fall, as she runs for a position on the elections committee.

Vision Statement: I believe that to change something we have to work both internally and externally. I am tenacious and passionate fighter for social justice and health equity, and I want to see a more culturally diverse membership on MAMFT. If elected to the Elections Committee, my priority will be finding and recruiting therapists and members who may have previously felt marginalized by MAMFT and ensuring they have a place at the table.