2016 National Conference

Andriana Abariotes, Executive Director of Twin Cities Local Initiatives Support Corporation (TC LISC) , leads one of LISC’s most creative and robust local offices, focused on supporting more collaborative approaches across neighborhoods and sectors including health, education and arts/culture; growing diverse leadership; and strengthening regional community economic development capacity. TC LISC annually invests $8-10 million in local community-based economic development partners and strategies, which leverages nearly $150 million in local redevelopment each year. To date, LISC has invested over $521 million in grants, loans and equity in the Twin Cities region, helping create over 12,600 units of affordable housing and 1.7 million square feet of commercial and community facilities, leveraging another $2 billion of investment in Twin City neighborhoods. Ms. Abariotes serves as an advisor on several boards and task forces seeking to integrate strategies locally including the St. Paul Promise Neighborhood Advisory Board, the Community Resource Board for the Backyard Initiative, and the boards of directors for the Family Housing Fund and Twin Cities Community Land Bank. With over 20 years of experience, she draws from previous work with a range of organizations serving geographic, regional and cultural communities. She holds a B.A. from Macalester College and Masters Degree in Public Affairs from the University of Minnesota. She lives in St. Paul with her husband and son.

Mary Kay Bailey is director of the Central Corridor Funders Collaborative and was the director of the recently completed Partnership for Regional Opportunity/Corridors of Opportunity initiative at the Saint Paul Foundation. Mary Kay manages the operations of these cross-sector initiatives that focus on advancing development in the region’s transitways to benefit people of all incomes and backgrounds. She initiates program activities for the working groups, boards and other partners and has sought, reviewed and recommended investment opportunities for both initiatives.

Previously Mary Kay has provided policy analysis research and communications support to a variety of national and local clients. In 2009, Mary Kay launched the “Live MSP” initiative to promote city living in Minneapolis and Saint Paul, including the popular livemsp.org website. From 1999- 2007, Mary Kay served as a senior policy analyst in the U.S. EPA’s Smart Growth office, helping to shape EPA policies around land use and environmental quality; leading state and local technical assistance programs and co-authoring key publications in the field, including: “This is Smart Growth,” “Getting to Smart Growth II” and “Our Built and Natural Environments.” Mary Kay has an MPA from Columbia University and a BA in Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Minnesota.   

Chris Ferguson is the president and CEO of Bywater Business Solutions, a boutique technology and strategy company that helps clients deliver their message more effectively and operate more efficiently by developing flexible cloud based systems to automate processes and purchasing; designing and producing branded promotional items and commercial print; and providing advice and council on strategy and transactions.

Prior to founding Bywater, Chris held management positions in finance, sales and operations in companies ranging in size from startup to Fortune 500. He has built an understanding of international business by working on transactions in more than 15 countries and managing a team on four continents. Chris has an MBA in Finance from Schulich School of Business in Toronto, a JD from Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto, a Master’s Degree in Environmental Engineering and Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering from Queen’s University in Kingston, Canada.

Nancy Homans has served as Policy Director for Saint Paul Mayor Chris Coleman since his election in 2005. In that capacity, she manages major interdepartmental projects including construction of the Central Corridor LRT line throughSaint Paul. Earning a Master of Planning degree from the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey Institute, Nancy served as a city planner for the City of Saint Paul for over twenty years and as an executive budget officer for the Minnesota Department of Finance before joining the Mayor’s staff. She is married to Augsburg Professor Garry Hesser, and they have raised five children in Minneapolis’ Seward neighborhood.

A longtime advocate for the city of Saint Paul, Ann Mullholland serves as vice president of community impact for Minnesota Philanthropy Partners. In this role, she works to ensure that MN Partners’ financial resources support nonprofit organizations and community groups that address the state’s most crucial needs. Ann joined MN Partners in 2010. Prior to this, she spent five years falling in love with Saint Paul while serving as the city’s deputy mayor. Additionally, Ann volunteers on a number of nonprofit boards, including Generation Next, The Saint Paul Promise Neighborhood, The Nature Conservancy and the Minnesota Wild Foundation. She has a Bachelor of Arts from Indiana University in telecommunications and political science. When Ann is not working toward a better community, she is likely kayaking or relaxing at her cabin in Britt, Minnesota. She lives in the Selby-Dale neighborhood with her husband and four daughters.

Nieeta Presley was appointed as Aurora/St. Anthony Neighborhood Development Corporation’s (ASANDC) Executive Director after serving one-and-a-half years as its Community Organizer in 2002. During her tenure as Executive Director at ASANDC, she co-initiated the MCASA Homes partnership that provides access for low to moderate-income families to gain homeownership. She has also co-led the development of Frogtown Square, 50 units of senior housing and 11,700 square feet of commercial space as well as Wester U Plaza, 68 units of mixed income rental and 6,600 square feet of commercial space. Nieeta is currently a Commissioner on the Human Rights Economic Equal Opportunity board in the City of Saint Paul, the Vice Chair of the Metropolitan Consortium of Community Developers (MCCD) and co-chair of the African American Leadership Forum’s Business Development Committee. She has a BA from Metropolitan State University. 

Va-Megn Thoj is the founder and executive director of the Asian Economic Development Association (AEDA), a community economic development organization based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The mission of AEDA is to increase economic opportunities for Asian Americans in the Twin Cities. Va-Megn has over 15 years of experience in nonprofit leadership, small business management and community development. He has been a strong voice for equitable development, economic inclusion and racial equity for Asian Americans in the Twin Cities. Working with the Southeast Asian communities, Va-Megn has developed an array of mutually reinforcing, cross-sector and culturally relevant strategies to support job creation and asset development. His initiatives include small business development services, creative placemaking, physical revitalization, advocacy and civic engagement.

Patrick Troska has been with The Jay and Rose Phillips Family Foundation of Minnesota for 15 years and was named Executive Director in January 2011. In addition to providing leadership for the Foundation’s overall strategy, he also has primary responsibility for grantmaking and initiatives for the Foundation’s funding strategies in the areas of housing and transit. During his tenure with the Foundation, he first served as a Program Officer, before being promoted to Senior Program Officer with responsibilities to oversee all aspects of the Foundation’s annual grantmaking program. In the late 1990’s, he was a Fund Distribution and Community Initiatives Manager for the United Way of the Saint Paul Area. Patrick began his career in youth services where he held several positions with the Catholic Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, and Minnesota Children's Museum. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in theology and social work from St. John's University in Collegeville, MN and holds a Master of Arts in Leadership from Augsburg College in Minneapolis. In June 2009, he completed a fellowship in public policy at the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs. He chaired the board of directors of the Minnesota AIDS Project from 2010-12. Patrick currently resides in Minneapolis.