Board of Directors

The Foundation's volunteer board members come from a wide cross-section of the community, including city and school government, the business community, and other civic organizations.

Meet the Foundation’s Volunteer Leaders

A volunteer board of directors with wide-ranging backgrounds — including representatives from the city, schools, chamber of commerce, clergy, and civic organizations — oversees the Eden Prairie Community Foundation.

Board members typically serve two, three-year terms and have a number of specific governing responsibilities, including duties to exercise reasonable care when making decisions, comply with governing documents, and assure the financial accountability of the organization.

Here is your Board of Directors for 2023-24:

Mary Jayne Crocker, Chair
Mary Jayne Crocker has been with Bridgewater Bank since its origin and has served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer since January 2014. Prior to her role as COO, she was the bank’s Senior Vice President of Communications, where she was instrumental in building awareness of the Bridgewater Bank brand, creating the branch network, introducing banking solutions and helping develop a strong positive culture.

In her current role, Mary Jayne is responsible for directing the implementation of all strategic initiatives. Each day she ensures BWB delivers on its promise to be the finest entrepreneurial bank in the Twin Cities to clients, investors and BWB team members alike.

Mary Jayne has been a resident of Eden Prairie since 1992. Her three children all attended EP schools. She is incredibly grateful for all the community has to offer.

 

Mary Battista, Vice Chair
Mary Battista is a national board-certified health and wellness coach, certified personal trainer, and the sole proprietor of Prairie Health Companion, a private health coaching business located in Eden Prairie since 2011. She began her career working on stroke and cardiac rehabilitation.

She has lived in Eden Prairie for 29 years with her husband, Dr. Steve Battista, and they have four grown children, all of whom attended Eden Prairie schools, kindergarten through grade 12. Mary has served on health and wellness committees for the Eden Prairie Schools and the City of Eden Prairie.

Mary loves to be active, including practicing yoga, walking, biking, and paddle boarding.

 

Tom Wargolet, Treasurer
Tom Wargolet is currently vice president and chief financial officer at Christensen Farms, in Sleepy Eye, Minn.

Previous to that he was the senior vice president and chief operation officer at Eden Prairie’s Lifetouch, Inc., and CFO at several Twin Cities-area companies, including Ciprico Inc., TeeMaster.com, and EnStar Inc. He became a certified public accountant in 1985.

He and his wife, Cindy, have lived in Eden Prairie for 27 years and they have three grown children who all attended EP schools. His involvement includes service as a board member and treasurer at PROP, the social-services agency serving Eden Prairie and Chanhassen.

 

Janet Eian, Secretary
Jan and her husband Nick owned Endurant Business Solutions and she previously was an owner and director of five Sylvan Learning and Technology Centers in the Twin Cities area. She started her career as a special-education resource teacher.

In addition to serving as an Eden Prairie School Board member for four years, Jan has been a board member for Onward Eden Prairie, Eden Prairie A.M. Rotary, including as president, and Southdale YMCA.

Her Foundation duties have included leadership of its Hardship KSI Team.

 

Priya Elayath, At-Large Representative
Priya Elayath is an assistant attorney general at the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office. She advises health-related licensing boards and represents them in litigation.

She is passionate about diversity, equity, and inclusion work and has a strong background in implementing and growing diversity programs. She is also dedicated to Eden Prairie and hopes to grow the connection between the Foundation and the community.

Priya has lived in Eden Prairie since 2015. She and her husband have two young children. Prior to joining the board, she was a volunteer on the Foundation’s Diversity KSI Team.

 

Deepak Ganapathy, At-Large Representative
Deepak Ganapathy is vice president of the FACTS Business Unit at Danfoss Power Solutions in Eden Prairie and has been with the company in various roles for 15 years.

He has been a resident of Eden Prairie for 15 years; it’s the most years he’s spent in one city, other than his hometown in India. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his family and friends, and traveling.

Since 2020, Deepak has been a part of the Foundation’s strategic-planning process and has been co-leader of its Hardship KSI Team. He said he’s excited about his board role as the Foundation works toward sharpening its focus on long-term key initiatives.

 

Pastor Rod Anderson, Director
In 1977, Pastor Rod Anderson and his wife, Julane, and their three children – Nathan Ben and Chelsea – moved to Eden Prairie, where he was the first called pastor to a new congregation named St. Andrew Lutheran Church. Back then the community was more akin to the rural and small-town Cannon Falls community where Rod and Julane grew up, but it was poised to grow up to become the top place to live and work, learn and play, and worship that it is today.

Serving the community as pastor for 34 years, Pastor Rod played key roles in establishing and growing “philanthropic” programs and services, including PROP, St. Andrew Job Transition Networking Group, and the Eden Prairie Community Foundation. He is a founder and board member for Eden Prairie Local News.

Currently he has part-time “encore” employments as ambassador coordinator for Gustavus Adolphus College and as chaplain for The Waters of EP Senior Living. Rod and family spend time at the lake for fun and for maintaining his collection of one 1948 John Deere tractor.

 

Kiley Demery, Director
Kiley Demery is a veteran Wealth Advisor with over 18 years experience in the financial services industry. As a financial advisor with Demery Wealth Advisors, Kiley is focused on offering comprehensive wealth management services to individuals and plan design services to small business owners.

Kiley is passionate about giving back to the community. He has served on the boards of non-profit organizations such as North Community Teen Enrichment Center and Osiris Organization. He is active in providing financial literacy workshops for other community organizations in greater Minneapolis. Kiley and his family have lived in Eden Prairie for that past 8 years.

 

Mark Freiberg, Director
Mark Freiberg and his wife Patty have lived in Eden Prairie since 1981 and raised three children here. He spent 30 years in the real estate and housing finance industries and has been involved in a number of groups in Eden Prairie, including the City of Eden Prairie’s Heritage Preservation Commission, the city’s Planning Commission, the Eden Prairie Historical Society, the Eden Prairie A.M. Rotary Club, and the Eden Prairie Community Foundation’s Development Committee.

Mark is serving his first term on the Eden Prairie City Council and is the city council’s representative to the Eden Prairie Community Foundation Board of Directors.

 

Tori Hill, Director
Tori and her husband, Leon, are longtime Eden Prairie residents and parents to Brandon, Toria, and Naya.

In addition to serving as a trustee/chairperson at Pilgrim Baptist Church, Tori has been a board member for organizations such as the Foundation for Eden Prairie Schools, Eden Prairie Magazine, C.O.P.E. Project, and Ripley Foundation. She has been active in the Eden Prairie Schools and served on the Eden Prairie Community Educational Services Advisory Council.

 

Spiwe Jefferson, Director
Spiwe Jefferson is deputy general counsel of Amplify Education, Inc., a K-12 curriculum and assessment company that serves more than 11 million children across the United States. An immigrant from Zimbabwe, she has worked in multi-national organizations across more than 50 countries.

Spiwe is a certified mindfulness practitioner, mindfulness coach, and author of the book, “Mindful in 5.”

A five-year Eden Prairie resident, and a wife and mom, she enjoys working out, meditating, and reading.  “I see value in being involved and giving back,” she said, “and helping to shape a great experience for other residents that live in Eden Prairie.”

 

Joel Levi, Director
Joel Levi serves as Managing Director overseeing the Central Sales organization for HSA Bank, an Employee Benefits company. Prior to joining HSA Bank nine years ago, Joel held key roles at JPMorgan Chase, US Bank, and Wells Fargo.

Joel and his family have lived in Eden Prairie for five years, moving back to the area from Washington where they lived for 17 years. He is committed to giving back to his local community, and enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, and coaching little league baseball.

 

Tina Palmer, Director
Tina Palmer, MA, CFRE has worked in the nonprofit sector for more than 20 years with significant leadership experience in fundraising, marketing, communications, management, and board governance.

Currently, she is the Senior Development Officer, Neurosciences and M Health Fairview, for the University of Minnesota Foundation. Previously, she has worked in leadership positions at Avivo, Catholic Charities, Fairview Southdale Hospital, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, Volunteers of America, and Scholarship America.

Tina and her family have enjoyed living in Eden Prairie since 1998. She is actively involved with the Association of Fundraising Professionals and provides regular speaking engagements and consulting on behalf of nonprofit organizations throughout the metro area.

 

Jill Slipper Scholtz, Director
Jill Slipper Scholtz is a licensed attorney, mediator, and facilitator with 20 years of experience in racial equity work. Jill also served on the Eden Prairie School Board for two, four-year terms and has presented nationally on policy leadership for educational equity.

As a conflict resolution specialist and consultant, Jill has facilitated multiple dialogues around race, police conduct, and equity in the workplace. Her article “Racially Diverse Community Conversations: Designing a Process That Includes All Voices” was published in 2020 by the Dispute Resolution Institute. She is also a fabric artist and her social justice quilts have been a part of local and national exhibits on race and equity.

 

Kuhu Singh, Director
Kuhu Singh is a digital marking leader and analyst for Best Buy. She is also a journalist, writer, and social justice proponent. She has been involved with various non-profit organizations in the Twin Cities and sits on the board of the India Association of Minnesota and Katha Dance Theater. She is also a Commissioner on Eden Prairie’s Human Rights and Diversity Commission, and a member of the Affordable Housing Alliance.

Kuhu moved to the United States from India as a young adult. She has called Eden Prairie home for the past 21 years where she lives with her husband and son.

 

Lead with Us

If you have leadership skills and talents that would help grow the Eden Prairie Community Foundation, you might be a great addition to our board of directors or committees. We’d love to share more information. Contact Greg Leeper, executive director, at [email protected] or (952) 949-8499.

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Eden Prairie Community Foundation

OUR MISSION: Enriching our community through philanthropy, collaboration and leadership.

OUR VISION: Enhancing the quality of life for all who live and work in our community.

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Eden Prairie Community
Foundation
8080 Mitchell Road
Eden Prairie, MN 55344

(952) 949-8499
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