Member Spotlight

 

New Facilitators - 2008

 

Our fall 2008 class of facilitators wraps up their training today. We’d like you to introduce these six stars!

 

Sally Hodge
Sally and her husband have lived in Rochester for 23 winters. They have two sons, both students at the University of Wisconsin, a dog, and two cats. Sally’s family moved around a lot as she was growing up, but every summer, she attended a Quaker camp, which became a pivotal experience for her in developing social consciousness. Sally has taught for 20 years, everything from 5th grade to college, from gifted students to developmentally challenged, from inner city schools to affluent private schools. We look forward to drawing on her rich experience to help us reach Rochester students with our message of respect for all.

 

Ji-Yun Kang
A native of Korea, Ji-Yun has lived in Rochester for three years. Her husband works as a radiologist at Mayo Clinic, and they have two children, ages 17 and 13. Ji-Yun is a professional life coach and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Human Resource Development at the U of M. She is passionate about diversity issues and is currently serving on the steering committee of a SMIF-funded project called Diversity Dialogue. We’re thrilled to have Ji-Yun on our team!

 

Matt Kruse
Matt is no stranger to the Diversity Council—last year he coordinated our brand new after school program for at-risk students at Willow Creek Middle School. Matt is originally from a small town in Minnesota, but his journey has taken him to Southern California and back. In California he worked as a program director for the YMCA, where he was responsible for diversity training. He and his wife have been living in Rochester since last fall, and he currently works as a behavioral therapist for the Minnesota Autism Center. We welcome his continued involvement as a facilitator.

 

Al Lun
Al was led to the Diversity Council by his wife Donna, who has volunteered with the Diversity Council for many years and joined our team of facilitators last year. Originally from Shanghai, Al attended high school in Hong Kong and college at Oregon State. He has worked at IBM for 34 years, where he is active in the Asian Networking Group. We’re pleased to see the Luns make a family business of teaching students to respect classmates from all walks of life.

 

David Marcham
David learned the importance of civic involvement from the examples of his parents and grandparents. His commitment to serving people and to his Christian faith led him to volunteer as a Peace Corps forester in Burkina Faso, West Africa, and later to work in Haiti as an agricultural missionary with the Mennonite Central Committee. He has lived in Rochester since June of 2007, and believing that there is “no peace without justice,” has been looking for ways to get involved in our community. We’re glad his journey has brought him to us!

 

Vardhini Mohan
A recent transplant to Rochester, Vardhini is originally from India, but she has lived in the U.S. for 22 years. Her husband (tall, dark and handsome!) is a computer science instructor, and they have one son named Akash. Vardhini enjoys meeting new people and sharing ideas on how to make the world a better place. She will have plenty of opportunities for both as a Diversity Council facilitator!