Board of Directors. They are deeply committed, invested in our success, and always ready to get in the trenches with us, whether it’s to fundraise, participate in events, provide professional counsel or just cheerlead. Meet Vail Place’s Board of Directors. EXECUTIVE OFFICERS CHAIR Amy Browne × Amy Browne Vice President, IT InnovationPRIME THERAPEUTICS Amy Browne is the Vice President of IT Innovation for Prime Therapeutics, a healthcare company that delivers integrated solutions in drug management. As a longtime IT executive, Amy provides leadership that is relationship-driven and outcome focused. Her proven industry success is in driving technology transformation across organizations, scaling operations with customer-centered solutions, building new programs and leading cultural change in both large and mid-size companies. VICE CHAIR Kristy Kruger × Kristy Kruger Vice President, MarketingICARIO Kristy Krueger is the Vice President of Marketing for Icario, the healthcare industry’s largest health action company. A driven marketing leader, brand builder and forward thinker, Kristy brings over 20 years of experience in marketing development, strategy, and communications. Throughout the course of her career, she has developed multiple marketing organizations from the ground up for emerging tech businesses as well as managed global marketing campaigns for Fortune 500 companies. VICE CHAIR Char Chmielewski × Char Chmielewski Vice President, Client ServiceOPTUM Char Chmielewski, MBA is the Vice President of Client Services for Optum, a health services and innovation company dedicated to providing integrative, equitable and more personalized health care. Char has served in a leadership position with Optum since 2006. With over 30 years of experience in client services, her proven track record of superior management, analytic, and operational skills, demonstrates her commitment to the highest levels of quality, customer service and client satisfaction. With a strong belief in its mission, Char has been engaged with Vail Place for 10+ years and feels inspired by the great work it does to help those on the road to recovery. SECRETARY Sharon Oswald × Sharon Oswald Senior Director, Social Responsibility and FoundationDELTA DENTAL OF MINNESOTA Sharon is currently leading strategies to advance the goals of the Foundation and Community Affairs and has 20+ years of experience with non-profits and community-based organizations. Prior to joining Delta Dental of Minnesota in 2012, Sharon was an Associate Consultant with Halleland Habicht, focusing on public health law, policy and consulting. Sharon also currently serves as a grant reviewer for the State of Minnesota and on the Voyageurs Conservancy’s Board of Directors. TREASURER Cheryl Collins × Cheryl Collins PrincipalCOLLINS ADVISORY SERVICES, LLC. Having launched her own consulting firm in 2019, Cheryl Collins brings over 30 years of experience to her work in the financial services sector. She started her career in auditing as a CPA at KPMG for six years, then spent 21years serving as Vice President of Accounting/Treasury, then as CFO, at Green Tree Servicing. She went on to serve as Corporate Treasurer when the company become Ditech. Her acumen in the financial/accounting sector is much valued in her position at Vail Place. DIRECTORS William Long × William Long Audit PartnerKPMG Bill Long has worked for over 31 years at KPMG Minneapolis financial services practice. As an audit partner he specializes in serving financial services clients, including banks, credit card companies, leasing companies and various entities in the asset management industry. Bill has served on the Vail Place Board of Directors for over 10 years which includes six of those years as Chair of the Finance Committee and isserving for the second time as a dedicated member of Vail Place’s Executive Committee. Cynthia Theis × Cynthia Theis Vice President, Institutional AdvancementMINNEAPOLIS COLLEGE OF ART AND DESIGN Where she has worked for worked for 34 years, Cindy Theis is the Vice President of Institutional Advancement at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD). Cindy brings her passion for connecting individuals to organizations that align with their values. Scott Kersen × Scott Kersen Consultant, Healthcare Management Scott is a self-employed healthcare management consultant. Currently his role is the Medicare Advantage business owner for a third-party administrator. Scott has been on the Vail Place Board of Directors for 7 years and has served in a variety of roles, including past Board Chair. He chairs the program strategy committee and is on the housing committee. Ted Schatz × Ted Schatz Realtor/Associate BrokerSCHATZ REAL ESTATE GROUP Ted is a residential real estate broker and team leader with Schatz Real Estate Group, a small family real estate brokerage based in Hopkins focused on long term client relationships. He and his team help their clients buy and sell homes throughout the Twin Cities metro. After many years as an event sponsor, Ted joined the Vail Place board to contribute his knowledge of housing as the chair of our new housing committee. Juston Burleson × Juston Burleson Senior Vice President, Chief Operating and Financial OfficerSPIRE CREDIT UNION Juston Burleson has served on the Vail Place Board of Directors since March 2021. He is also the HR Committee Chair and a member of the Finance Committee. In these roles, Justin helps to provide operational and financial guidance to Vail Place. Mark Jensen × Mark Jensen Vail Place Clubhouse Member Mark Jensen has been a member of the Vail Place Clubhouse community since 2012. While working as a software programmer, Mark experienced a devasting health crisis in which he was in a coma for six weeks. Struggling to regain his physical and mental well-being, Mark turned to Vail Place and joined the Uptown Clubhouse. With support from staff and community members, he found the strength to redefine his life which he says is “unrecognizable from the one he led before”. He found new work as a software tester foran internet-based service company and credits Vail Place in helping him conquer smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol. In 2021 Mark was asked to serve on the Vail Place Board of Directors where he brings invaluable insights and a unique voice to the table. Kevin Fillips × Kevin Fillips Vail Place Clubhouse Member Kevin Filips has worked for a staffing agency and been a volunteer at Vail Place since Serving on his fourth nonprofit Board of Directors, he brings with him a focus on community engagement and on the importance of education. Known for his many creative talents, Kevin has hit the stage for five of Vail Place’s annual Dr. Vail Hour performances. Jacque Bonneprise × Jacque Bonneprise Chief Information OfficerSMC, Ltd. Jacque Bonneprise, MBA, is the Chief Information Officer at SMC, Ltd., a medical product manufacturing company that offers global solutions for the medical device, diagnostics, and pharmaceutical industries. After 19 years at Medtronic, Jacque’s depth of experience as a Leader/Coach/Mentor serves her passionate commitment to developing innovative strategies and actionable results that sustain collaborative relationships between people, processes and technology. Ephrem Asfaw × Ephrem Asfaw Vail Place Clubhouse Member Ephrem Asfaw was a longtime high school and four-year college chemistry teacher who found himself dealing with serious health issues. In need of a case manager, he reached out to Vail Place and was encouraged to join a clubhouse. Since becoming a member in January 2022, Ephrem feels that Vail Place has not only provided him with a community of people he can rely on during difficult times but added much joy and purpose to his life as he participates in numerous clubhouse activities. Currently on hiatus from teaching and research, he hopes to return to a college setting in some capacity in the near future. In the meantime, at the top of his to-do list is to get a dog and continue his engagement with Vail Place as a dedicated member of its Board. Fatuma Ali × Fatuma Ali waiting for content
The success of our Vail Place team lies in the strength of our leadership. it takes more than just know-how to help people stuggling with mental illness. We place a premium on compassion for others, a dedication to our mission, collaboration and competency. Voted one of the “Top 150 Work Places” in Minnesota year after year, our workplace proficiency also translates into exceptional community service.
We offer a number of opportunities for our business community to join the VP team. Whether it’s to sponsor yearly fundraising campaigns, one-time special events, or to support some of our service programs, our corporate partners are vital to our success. We are thankful to those who already stand by us and we invite newcomers to come on board.
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES Vail Place is an innovative, award-winning mental health program providing a wide range of services for adults with mental illness in the Twin Cities. For over 40 years we have worked alongside individuals served to cultivate hope and inspire change to promote mental health recovery. Vail Place supports adults with mental illnesses by connecting them with the services and resources they need to find homes, jobs, friends and a healthy lifestyle. Staff work as a team in a professional, but informal, environment where they are supported, appreciated and well-compensated. Our employees have voted us a StarTribune Top 150 workplace for two years in a row, using words like collaborative, supportive, respectful and passionate to describe us! Work Environment: Keeping Us Safe In response to the COVID‐19 Pandemic, Vail Place has worked diligently to establish strong health and safety protocols for our community. Under normal situations, most employees work onsite at one of our 4 program locations or meet with individuals served in person in a variety of community settings. Currently most work can be done through telecommuting, but please note that any interactions requiring direct face‐to‐face contact will involve the use of social distancing and personal protective measures. Vail Place grounds are also tobacco-free to promote health and wellness for the individuals we serve and for our employees. Vail Place offers competitive salaries and a full benefits package, including health, dental, life, and long-term disability insurance, a matched 401k program, as well as generous holiday and paid time off. “The people are wonderful! I believe in the mission and think Vail Place is aligned with my beliefs. Vail Place is the most supportive place I’ve ever worked.”Vail Place employees OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION (DEI) Vail Place is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. We embrace diversity, foster inclusion, and do our work through an equitable lens. Persons of color, women, members of the LGBTQ community, veterans, other minorities, and individuals with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the organization will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer. SEE CURRENT AVAILBALE POSITIONS
