Angie Miller, Executive Director
218-726-1665
angie@communityactionduluth.org

Angie Miller has been with Community Action Duluth since December 2003. She became the Associate Director in March of 2007 and the Executive Director on July 1, 2008.

At Community Action she managed the Asset Development programs including the Family Assets for Independence in Minnesota Individual Development Account program, the HOPE VI Individual Development Account program, the Home Repair Matched Savings Account program and the free tax preparation sites. She also taught financial education classes.

She has a master's degree in social work from the University of Minnesota, Duluth and previously worked for North Star Community Development Corporation, New Moon Publishing and as a community organizer at the Tenants Union/Renter's Hotline at the Damiano Center. Angie is on the board of Center City Housing and Duluth Local Initiatives Support Corporation.

Xavier R. L. Bell (a.k.a. Chaplain X) is an ordained minister, public speaker and preacher who came to Community Action Duluth from California with his wife and five children. He has twelve years of experience working with at-risk youth and their families. While in California, Xavier was the chaplain and program coordinator at the Stanislaus County Juvenile Hall, where he became known as"Chaplain X." In addition to chaplaincy, Xavier was also the youth guidance director and volunteer coordinator for Youth for Christ where he immersed himself in the community by organizing concerts, fundraisers and seminars. Seeing a need to address the recidivism rate of juvenile offenders, Chaplain X, along with a number of volunteers, developed a family-like support system for youth exiting the county's juvenile detention center, which involved 20 churches. This creative community support effort increased awareness of the issues surrounding juvenile offenders and developed resources and assets for these young people. Chaplain X was most recently the senior youth treatment specialist at Woodland Hills in Duluth. He believes that poverty systematically undermines a community's kindred spirit and he encourages the people of Duluth to be the first city in the United States to end poverty one family at a time.

Eric is a 2002 graduate of the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities with a bachelor of arts degree in psychology. He graduated in April of 2008 from the University of Minnesota- Duluth with his Master of Social Work degree. Eric's diverse experience has lead to his leadership in technology implementation and computer network management along with program evaluation and outcomes reporting utilizing digital information systems.

Eric is a nationally certified Results Oriented Management and Accountability (ROMA) trainer and co-trained at three training sessions held in greater Minnesota during the summer of 2008, providing knowledge to over 100 Community Action professionals.

Teresa brings a variety of great skills to Community Action Duluth. She was an administrative assistant for 15 years at KDLH-TV in Duluth. Before that, she was part owner and manager of St. Louis Billiards and Eating Emporium, a family-owned business and home of this area's famous seafood bisque. Teresa is thrilled to be part of Community Action Duluth and is looking forward to expanding her knowledge and outlook on life.

Robert Trudeau, Finance Director
218-726-1665
robert@communityactionduluth.org

Robert graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Minnesota Duluth in May of 1985 with a Bachelor of Accounting degree. He has served as the Controller of various businesses in a variety of industries. Robert is a member of the AICPA and Minnesota Society of CPAs.

Amanda Peterson, Business and Education Counselor
218-726-1665
amanda@communityactionduluth.org

Amanda Peterson joined Community Action Duluth in July of 2006, as a Family Employment Advocate for the HOPE program. During that time, she assisted low-income families find and maintain livable wages and work towards self-sufficiency. Amanda received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Social Work, at the College of St. Scholastica in December of 2005. While completing her degree Amanda interned as an HIV prevention educator for AIDS Information Duluth. She was hired in September of 2008 as the new Business and Education Counselor for the FAIM program. Amanda is excited about helping Duluth families become financially stable and attain financial assets as a way to abolish the poverty that undermines a community’s ability to achieve social justice and equal opportunity for all.

Sarah Priest, Assets Program Manager
218-726-1665
sarah@communityactionduluth.org

Sarah comes to Duluth from the Iron Range, where she’s spent the past two years working with Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency (AEOA) as a Program Coordinator for Circles of Support and FAIM.  Schooled in Political Science and Sociology/ Anthropology from St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN, Sarah seriously enjoys studying people and culture (past travels include Guatemala, Turkey, Morocco, Egypt, Iceland, & she lived with a Hmong immigrant family in West St. Paul). 

She is passionate about helping people reach their potential and advocates for the elimination poverty and inequality.  As a strong believer in asset building for positive change, Sarah looks forward to helping FAIM accountholders and Common Cents participants improve their credit, reduce debt, manage spending and build assets, with special focus on assisting First Time Homeowners!   

Kate Wigren, Circles of Support Program Advocate Coach
218-726-1665
katewigren@communityactionduluth.org

Kate began working as an advocate with the Circles of Support Program in February of 2007 after completing an internship at Community Action Duluth as part of the Masters of Social Work Program at the University of Minnesota- Duluth. Kate has been active professionally and personally in addressing issues of poverty and discrimination in the Duluth community. Before pursuing her Masters in Social Work degree, Kate worked as a housing advocate assisting people experiencing homelessness in Duluth. She has also been active locally as a volunteer board member and is currently serving on the Board of Directors at Women's Community Development Organization. A Native Minnesotan, Kate has lived in Duluth for seven years and currenlty lives in West Duluth with her husband and two young daughters.

Jamie Tester, Family Employment Advocate
218-726-1665
jamie@communityactionduluth.org

Jamie began working as an advocate with the HOPE Program in late September 2008.  Before that she worked at Woodland Hills Residential Treatment Center as a Treatment Team Supervisor. 

Jamie is a firm believer that change happens from the bottom up and that no one can make it alone.  Often offering to help someone is much easier than that person asking for help. 

In her personal life Jamie has served on the Board of Directors for Cass Lake Episcopal Camp, the planning committee for Take Back the Night, and the Five Points Mentoring Program.

Rebecca Hinds , Circles of Support Community Advocate
218-726-1665
rebecca@communityactionduluth.org

Rebecca Hinds joined Community Action Duluth in the fall of 2008 as a Circles of Support Community Advocate. She is a 2006 graduate of the University of Minnesota where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature. Since graduation Rebecca has had the opportunity to work as a leader in faith communities engaged in justice making and anti-oppression work. In 2007 she served as a “Summer of Spirituality and Service” intern with AIDS Care Ocean State in Providence, RI. Last year, Rebecca served as the Director of Religious Education at the First Parish Church in Portland, ME.

Heidi Jaros , Transportation Advocate
218-726-1665
heidi@communityactionduluth.org

Heidi joined Community Action Duluth as a Transportation Advocate in October of 2008. Heidi graduated from the University of Minnesota- Duluth with her Master of Social Work degree and has experience working at a variety of non-profit organizations including the Health Care Access Office, Lutheran Social Service of MN, the Life House Youth Center and Safe Haven where she has assisted people in reaching their fullest potential and finding their voice. She is currently serving on the Board of Directors for the Clayton Jackson McGhie Memorial Inc.

Heidi believes that access to reliable transportation can be a key to getting and maintaining work as well as a means to acceptance and participation in the mainstream social fabric of the Duluth community. She looks forward to helping Jump Start participants open the doors of financial stability and social supports through car ownership.

Allegra Henderson , Employment Developer/Advocate
218-726-1665
allegra@communityactionduluth.org

Allegra Henderson has been hired by Community Action Duluth as the Employment Developer/Advocate. She will be assisting African Americans to find employment. This project is a partnership with St. Louis County and the purpose is to increase employment outcomes for African Americans on the MN Family Investment Program. Allegra has previous experience as a Job Developer with Greater West Town Development Project in Chicago and she has nearly completed her Master’s Degree in Urban Planning and Policy from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Rachel Forsyth, Duluth Saves/FAIM Coordinator
218-726-1665
rachel@communityactionduluth.org

Rachel graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Superior’s Legal Studies and Criminal Justice Programs in 2007 and from the University of Minnesota-Duluth’s Master of Social Work Program in May 2009. Rachel’s previous internship and work experience include Woodland Hills Male Residential Unit and Lutheran Social Service’s Truancy Action Project and Youth Empowerment Programs.

Rachel joined Community Action Duluth in June of 2008 as a student intern. From June-April, she conducted research for the FAIM program and worked closely with the agency’s tax sites. In May of 2009, Rachel was hired as the Coordinator for the Duluth Saves and FAIM Programs.

Currently Rachel serves on Lutheran Social Service’s Area Advisory Council. She also works with the United Way of Greater Duluth conducting research for their 2009 Community Impact Report. In her free time, Rachel enjoys playing in Duluth’s adult soccer and softball leagues and taking her dog on long walks in West Duluth where she resides with her husband.

Scot Bol, Administrative Assistant- Circles of Support
218-726-1665
scot@communityactionduluth.org

Scot Bol has been working part time at Community Action Duluth since March of 2009. He moved to Duluth from Mpls where he worked with Mpls Public Schools Community Education for 11 yrs developing and implementing youth and adult programming.  Scot has a master’s degree in Community Education Administration with extended study in Service Learning & Study Circle Process.

He has been doing Social Justice Organizing for 30 years with political theater, Rainbow Coalition of MN, & the Green Party of MN.  Scot is currently an active member of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Duluth serving as chair of the UUCD Peace & Justice committee and he volunteers with the Lincoln Park Citizen Patrol

Julia Cheng , Financial Counselor/Tax Preparer
218-726-1665
julia@communityactionduluth.org

Julia earned a B.A. in international studies from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD. She brings a wide range of experience to her one-year AmeriCorps appointment with Community Action Duluth as a financial counselor and tax preparer for the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance sites. Julia was a daily newspaper photographer in Massachusetts and has worked as a freelance photojournalist and commercial photographer in Duluth since moving here in 2004 from the Boston area.

She joined the Clayton Jackson McGhie Memorial, Inc. Board of Directors in 2006, becoming board co-chair after two years as treasurer. A member of the Dismantling Racism Team at Peace United Church of Christ and alumna of Duluth’s first round of Anti-Racism Study Dialogue Circles, she is dedicated to fostering racial equity and justice by opening access to economic networks and financial literacy. As a photographer and amateur cellist with the Duluth Community Orchestra, Julia also strongly believes in the role of the arts in building a vibrant community.

She lives in Duluth with husband and fellow journalist Robin Washington.

Michael Latsch , Seeds of Success Urban Farming Program Coordinator
218-726-1665
seedsofsuccess@communityactionduluth.org

Michael Latsch is originally from Milwaukee, and went to college near Chicago. He became interested in agriculture after excavating the fields and houses of ancient Maya farmers while working for several summers on archaeological projects in Belize.

During and after a stint in the Catholic Worker Movement in Houston and Duluth, he decided he would rather be a farmer than dig them up. In 2006, he started by volunteering at Shubat's Fruit's in Knife River, followed by a summer helping out at Northern Harvest vegetable farm in Wrenshall. 2008 saw him partner with another novice grower to manage the Abazs family's vegetable farm in Finland, MN. After another productive season up the shore, Michael is excited to take his growing urban with Seeds of Success.

Emily Kniskern, Seeds of Success Urban Farming Program Co-Coordinator
218-726-1665
seedsofsuccess@communityactionduluth.org

Emily joined Community Action Duluth in 2010 as a Seeds of Success co-coordinator, providing employment and volunteer opportunities to low-income community members while creating equal access to fresh, sustainably grown food. She brings a wide variety of skills and experience to this new program.

As a Birthing Ways doula, Emily provides education, resources and support to low-income women and families during the childbearing year. She served as a site coordinator for the Duluth Community Garden Program, combining her love of growing food with her passion for promoting sustainable farming and food systems.

Emily studied Soil Microbiology at the University of Wroclaw in Wroclaw, Poland and earned a bachelor’s degree in Biology from the University of Minnesota-Duluth in 2008 with an emphasis in Plant Ecology. She has never met a fruit or vegetable that she didn’t like.