Mr. Lilja’s career has been in Community Mental Health. He worked as a Clinical Social Worker at the Human Development Center in Grand Marais for five years before retiring in 2011. Prior to that he worked in other Mental Health treatment agencies in St. Paul and Austin, MN.

Once a month he hosts Tuesday Classics on WTIP North Shore Community Radio and volunteers with Workers on Wheels, a bicycle loaning program for international workers in Cook County. He has served on the Cook County Public Health & Human Services Advisory Committee since 2009, including several years as Chair. The North Shore Health Care Foundation is a major focus and commitment for him at this point in his life.

Jerry is grateful to be a husband, father and grandfather and his favorite pastimes include woodworking, X/C skiing, and canoeing on our beautiful lakes. He also enjoys singing with the Borealis Chorale and is proud to call Cook County, Minnesota home.

Ms. Andress believes that collaborative thought done in the spirit of community is the key to being effective and building the necessary trust to maintain relational sustainability. This is a valuable understanding Andress has learned on her journey as a leadership advisor, working with a variety of business and non-profit organizations. Her book Kai-Zen: Breathing Life into Leadership communicates how these principles breathe life, not only into leadership, but also inspire people to work together for the well-being of all.

After moving to the Lutsen area of Cook County from Denver, Inger sensed a calling to understand how to come alongside this community and encourage collaboration. For Andress, it has been a joy to participate in local events, consult businesses and meet with a variety of leaders, listening to the heartbeat of what makes Cook County tick.

“These are exciting times, and I am glad that NSHCF has been a part of leading the way in exemplifying how to serve the community of Cook County.”

Mr. Nelson is a retired partner in a national transportation company. He has also served as a former Lutsen Town Supervisor and Chair of the Lutsen Planning Committee. Paul is no stranger to community development and has served in a variety of positions in Cook County including as a citizen representative on the Cook County Wildfire Protection Planning Committee; a member of the Cook County Firewise Committee, as Co-Chair of the Biomass Subcommittee and as Board Member for Cook County Local Energy Project. Mr. Nelson has been a driving force behind the success of the Oral Health Task Force.

Pat worked in telecommunications sales management prior to moving to Cook County. Volunteering comes naturally and Pat derives great satisfaction in being of service to others. Here in Grand Marais she serves as an independent contractor for the Cook County Grand Marias EDA and the Northland Foundation stimulating economic development by helping businesses start and then grow. She also sits on the Northwoods Food Project Board and is one of the principals behind the annual Empty Bowls fundraiser for hunger. In 2019, her team raised over $30,000 to support food distribution throughout the county.

Pat along with her husband Stan and cat, Itchy Brother, live on Deeryard Lake where they enjoy the outdoors and walleye fishing on their pontoon. They have two grandchildren, Ashton, 12, and Helena, 8. She makes a mean red sauce!

John Twiest John is a fourth generation Cook County resident. Other than six years serving in the United States Navy, he grew up, graduated from, served, and returned to Cook County where he met his amazing wife Kelly and raised two incredible boys. During his time in the Navy, John learned the true meaning of selfless dedication. He brings that same dedication to the community in which he lives.

Over the last 15 years, John has served in a variety of roles with Arrowhead Electric Co-Operative Inc., and in July 2019 became the electric and broadband company’s Chief Executive Officer/General Manager. Being part of the Arrowhead Cooperative and having the opportunity to serve its members has been extremely rewarding for John. John has also been part of the dedicated team of individuals who have made the Lutsen 99er (the 99- mile Ultra Mountain Bike Race which attracts more than 1,000 participants each year), the huge success that it is over the last 10 years. John loves the outdoors and is an avid mountain biker, golfer, hunter and angler.

“I am thankful to have the opportunity to serve on the NSHCF Board and part of an amazing team that cares so deeply for this community.”

Our Executive Director, Valerie, is an energetic, visionary leader with an innate ability to make things happen, bring ideas to life and bring people together. A former Director of the Office of Emergency Management & Public Information for Cook County, she served as the Emergency Manager and Communication Director for the Sheriff’s Office and county government. Valerie also chaired the Pigeon River International Emergency Management Committee which brings together all emergency services agencies including Law Enforcement, Fire, EMS, Homeland Security & Emergency Management, Public Health and Customs/Border services between Cook County, Minnesota and Thunder Bay, Ontario, and helped execute the first-ever MN/ON international cross-border emergency services mutual assistance agreement, recently signed in 2019.

Prior to coming back to her home state, she served with the City of Thunder Bay as the Supervisor of Corporate Communications and PIO for the Emergency Operations Control Group and a member of the City Manager’s leadership team for more than a decade helping to develop and implement many capital projects and community development programs for the city of 120,000. In 2003, after immigrating to Canada from Minneapolis, she co-founded and operated a private public relations and marketing firm. She is an honor graduate of the University of Minnesota Duluth and La Universidad de Guadalajara Mexico, and holds a double BA in Communications & Public Relations and Spanish.