Adam Annis

Standish Resident (Loan Program Service Area) | Longfellow Business Investor

Adam is a resident of Adam is a resident of the Standish neighborhood in South Minneapolis who takes great pride in our community.  Through his work with Xcel Energy, Adam is helping to lead the clean energy transition.  He also works closely with several of our local Native American non-profit organizations and is passionate about investing his time and energy in sustainable development, urban planning, and supporting local businesses.  Adam enjoys cycling, skiing, sailing, taking his dog Lucy to the Minnehaha Falls Dog Park, and exploring all of the wonderful things our city has to offer. 

Teshome Belayneh

Seward Business Owner

Teshome (Tesh) received a BS degree in Information Technology from the Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, and MS degree in Security Technologies (MSST) from the University of Minnesota.

He worked in the Information Technology field for over two decades including in Networking, Technical Support, PBX Management, EDI, and Cyber Security. Tesh also co-owns and runs Rebecca’s Bakery and Café along with his wife Asse in the Seward neighborhood since 2013.

“It is great honor and privilege to be a member of Redesign Inc. Board of Directors. It will be a tremendous opportunity to contribute to our community along the fine board members of Redesign Inc. and changing lives in a palpable way. I am passionate about the noble work of this great organization, the clear vision and mission of Redesign Inc for over half a century and continue to do the best service and life impacting projects to the Seward neighborhood and the surrounding community. I am ready to listen, learn, and support the board’s agenda with integrity, honesty, and
transparency along the experienced board members, and be a good team player whatever it takes to move forward in this organization’s vision. This will be once in a lifetime opportunity and a remarkable experience. It’s a delightful opportunity to learn and meet people in the organization and in the neighborhood at the same time giving back to the community”.

Magarita Jules

Magarita Jules holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Software Engineering from Fairfield University and a Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership from St. Mary’s University. She has a decade-long career in Information Technology, fulfilling multiple global leadership positions within General Electric and Wells Fargo. 

During COVID, she transitioned to finance to assist with the plight of fund dissemination within minority communities. In her MN state role, she worked with counties, CDFIs and MN’s Department of Employment and Economic Development to outreach, administer, and implement $120M, across 10+ programs, partnering with 20+ Economic Development agencies, and awarding over 6000+ small business owners.

Claudia Klinkhammer

Howe Resident

Claudia is a Principal Project Manager in the Department of Planning and Economic Development at the City of Saint Paul. Her work on the team covers a wide variety of areas including small business development, property disposition, and major development sites. Prior to working in Saint Paul, she spent over 7 years working in development with a focus on hospitality projects. Claudia is originally from Milwaukee, WI and moved to Minnesota as a member of the Hewing Hotel project team in the North Loop. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a BA in English and Women’s Studies. She is a resident of the Howe neighborhood and enjoys reading, hiking, and camping with her family.

Sheldon Mains

Seward Resident

Sheldon is now retired. He previously provided consulting services to nonprofit organizations and foundations on technology, communications, management, and program transfers between organizations. His eclectic background also includes working on energy and environmental policy for three governors and six years of engineering design in the building industry. Sheldon has served as the chair of the Seward Neighborhood Group, the Twin Cities Media Alliance, the Minneapolis Telecommunications Network and, the Milwaukee Avenue Development Corporation. He has also served on the Minneapolis Planning Commission, Minneapolis Board of Estimate and Taxation, the Minneapolis Civil Rights Commission, Minneapolis Library Board, and the board of the Alliance for Nonprofit Management. He and his wife, Bev, have lived in their 105 year old home in Seward for over 40 years and finally completed their first 5 year remodeling plan 30 years after starting it. 

Ewart Martens

Seward Resident & Business Owner

Ewart is a co-owner of Mill City Builders, LLP, a Seward-based design/build residential remodeling firm that has been in business since 1994. Mill City Builders specializes in renovations and additions to older homes in Minneapolis and St. Paul. The company combines an appreciation for the existing home with thoughtful design, solid workmanship, great attention to detail and quality materials. Ewart is a dual citizen of the U.S. and Germany. He has been a resident of the U.S since 1988 and has lived in Seward for almost 30 years. Ewart’s participation in the work of Redesign is rooted in his wider interest in development issues and the fabric of healthy communities.

Lisa Middag

Longfellow Resident

Lisa Middag is an urban planner who collaborates with communities and artists to support equitable, vibrant, and sustainable public spaces through inclusive placemaking and intentional community development. Lisa is the Director of Nicollet Activation for the Minneapolis Downtown Improvement District. She develops and implements an inclusive range of cultural experiences for daily users and visitors along the city’s historic pedestrian/transit mall. These efforts were rewarded in 2019, and again in 2021 with the International Downtown Association’s prestigious Pinnacle award for events and programming. She previously worked for Hennepin County Community Works and lead an effort to connect the Midtown Greenway bicycle trail to nearby cultural and commercial destinations through wayfinding and placemaking, as well as managed their federal Sustainable Communities grant program focused on transit oriented development. She is a member of the Project for Public Spaces Placemaking Leadership Council and was an Creative Community Leadership Institute fellow. She serves currently as Treasurer for Pollen Midwest, a media arts nonprofit that harnesses the power of narrative change to build towards a society that is free, just, and loving. She previously served on the Minneapolis Arts Commission and as Treasurer for Springboard for the Arts. She is a Certified Economic Development Finance professional (National Developers Council) and has an M.P.A. in urban and regional planning from the Humphrey School. She spent 10 years as the publications director and studio manager at the Walker Art Center.

Melissa Pahl

Longfellow Resident

Melissa has been an active volunteer with Redesign for many years on various levels. She has a degree in finance, experience in real estate development, economic development and currently works in the electrical side of the industry. A resident of the Longfellow neighborhood, she sees the deep impact of the uprising and the need for people of various backgrounds to come together in order to rebuild, heal and become stronger. Coming from a family who contributed time to their communities, it is her hope to make a positive impact in her own community.

Tony Scallon

At Large

Tony has a long history at Redesign. He currently lives in the Prospect Park neighborhood. He is the retired superintendent for the Minnesota Transitions Charter School and its founder, and formerly served as Alternative Program Coordinator for the West St. Paul School District. Tony has previously served on the boards for the Seward West PAC and was Instrumental in preserving Milwaukee Ave Historic site. Tony served on Longfellow Community Council, Federal Home Loan Bank and National Cooperative Bank, among others, and was a Minneapolis City Councilmember and a founder of Redesign.

Robbie Seltzer

Seward Resident & Business Owner

Robbie Seltzer practices urban design through public art and youth empowerment. At Juxtaposition Arts in North Minneapolis, he leads a design studio staffed by youth from the neighborhood that is widely recognized for its public art and arts-based community engagement. Prior to working at Juxtaposition Arts, Robbie designed and built art galleries and consulted in workforce development. Robbie holds a master’s degree in urban planning and a bachelor’s in geography and studio art.

Emily Smoak

Longfellow Resident

Emily is a policy planner at the Minnesota Department of Health where she works to create equitable, active, and thriving communities. Her love of community planning was first inspired during a cross-country bicycle tour where she experienced communities of all shapes and sizes at the pace of a pedal stroke. Prior to moving to Minneapolis, she lived in Seattle where she worked in the transportation and urban planning field. Outside of work Emily spends her time practicing yoga, riding bikes, and growing and cooking food at her home in Longfellow. Emily and her husband have two small kids that they hope will also share in their love of food, bicycling, and community. 

Marne Zafar

Seward Resident & Business Owner

(Lenape/African American/Jewish) is a graphic designer and visual strategist working in Minneapolis, MN. Her design consultancy MARNE ZAFAR focuses on graphic design and branding for museums (such as the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian), non-profit companies, and B2C and B2B for small business; it is federal, state and city certified as a minority- and woman-owned business. Her traditional and contemporary approaches convey intent and clarity and encompasses print, catalog and book design, editorial & copy writing, web and social media. Her partnerships have resulted in initiatives that benefit organizations separately and collectively, and strengthen relationship-building with various cultures and socio-economic groups, in particular the Native American and African American communities. She was board member and board chair for 10 years at Migizi (with the founder/executive director, Laura Waterman Wittstock), is board chair of Rosy Simas Danse and serves on the boards of Division of Indian Work and Milkweed Editions. She is a graduate of Cornell University’s College of Architecture, Art and Planning. Marne is also a past board member and 4 year board chair of Seward Neighborhood Group.