About Us
"I learned it is better to do the right thing when everybody is around than to do the right thing when nobody is around." |
Office StaffMEET THE YOUTH FRONTIERS OFFICE STAFF Joe CavanaughFounder & CEO
Joe has been the subject of countless newspaper articles as well as radio and television interviews including "The Osgood Report" on CBS radio and a 90-minute PBS television special titled Respectfully, Joe Cavanaugh. He has been recognized by General Colin Powell of America's Promise as being a leader in our nation's effort to rescue America's young people. He currently serves on St. John's University Alumni Board of Directors. Joe is a member of the Leadership team. Click here to meet the rest of the Leadership Team. Jack LeePresident & COO
Jack plays and coaches a lot of soccer, and deals with his current frustration with Notre Dame's football team by playing the piano, cooking and speaking French. He is active in his church, serves on the board of Upstream Arts and is a Rotary member. He and his wife, Laura, love to travel and have dragged their two daughters, Elisabeth and Catherine, on many long car trips that have taken them through 42 states and several countries. Jack is a member of the Leadership team. Click here to meet the rest of the Leadership Team. Tami AndersonDevelopment Coordinator
Jane BarnesRetreat Materials Coordinator
After logging many hours in schools as a professional, a volunteer and as Mom, Jane is very aware of how important a supportive and positive school climate is. She is very pleased to join forces with YF. At each retreat kids are encouraged to be purposeful about positive attitudes and actions and reminded that those attitudes and actions cannot only influence their own lives, but the lives of those around them. Such possibilities could someday impact the world! Rachelle BrombachDirector of Sales and Marketing
Rachelle is a member of the Leadership team. Click here to meet the rest of the Leadership Team. Jan BrownNebraska School Outreach Representative
Shannon ChambersAccountant
Chris DoranGrant Writer
Kim DyerColorado School Outreach Representative
Lea FavorDirector of Education & Evaluation
Lea is a member of the Leadership team. Click here to meet the rest of the Leadership Team. Carol HagbergClient & Sales Support
Shannon LorenzSchool Outreach Representative
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Joe Cavanaugh is a nationally-known advocate promoting timeless values and personal character to audiences of all ages. Joe has over 25 years of experience working with young people. He is one of the foremost communicators to youth on the topics of respect, integrity, courage and compassion. In 1987, Joe founded Youth Frontiers, Inc., a Minnesota-based nonprofit organization that delivers programs to improve school climate and strengthen student character in schools throughout the nation. Youth Frontiers' work has impacted nearly one million students and educators and has received national acclaim by providing powerful retreats with the vision of changing the way young people treat each other in every hallway, lunch line, and classroom of every school in America.
Jack brings to Youth Frontiers 15 years of experience in business and finance. A graduate of Notre Dame, Jack spent four years in commercial banking in Cincinnati, a short banking stint in Paris, France and received an MBA from the University of Michigan in 1993. He spent nine years in finance out west with Intel Corporation, working with everything from an internet start up to the $2.5 billion construction of a new fabrication facility. In 2002, he decided to return to his native Twin Cities and make a career shift, and now uses the skills gained in business to make a difference in schools, and in kids' lives. 
Having been in development for many years, Tami decided it was time to combine her passion for young people with her experience in fundraising. She moved from Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada to Minneapolis to work for Youth Frontiers in 2003 to do just that. Her favorite past times include: watching cooking shows and reading.
For many years Jane has worked in the areas of youth development, healthcare and health education. Following 5+ years of living, working and going to graduate school in Southern California, she moved back home to Minnesota, and was subsequently promoted to the position of stay at home mom. Because of the varied demands of the job she has been able to put all those years of psychology and public health education to good use. A very loyal worker, she has remained in this position (and that of her corollary role as tireless school volunteer) for the past 14 years, until recently joining the cast of characters at YF. Jane and her husband live in Bloomington, and are the enthusiastic parents of two delightful, capable, teen-aged daughters who (gratefully) are still willing to be seen with them in public!
Rachelle brings more than 20 years of sales, marketing, and executive leadership experience to Youth Frontiers. Much of her career has been focused on growing health care, managed care and career development businesses. Her experience ranges from small entrepreneurial organizations to Fortune 500 companies both in the non-profit and for-profit sectors. Prior to joining Youth Frontiers, Rachelle spent 5 years in business development with Lee Hecht Harrison, a global leader in Career and Talent Management Services. She holds a degree in Social Work from the University of North Dakota. Her volunteer experience includes past Board positions and fund raising roles for several social and senior service organizations. Her "spare time" is filled with much "joyful chaos" - compliments of her two young daughters!
Jan is excited to help Youth Frontiers with sales in the Omaha and Lincoln areas. In her former lives, she was a high school English, speech and drama teacher for five years and a high school counselor for another 15 years in Lincoln and Omaha, Nebraska. She and her husband Mike have two kids in college and have found it to be an interesting journey, watching them turn into real people. In her spare time she writes and performs poetry, visits Hospice patients, travels, cooks and then exercises to work it off, and golfs just to keep the stress levels flowing. 
Shannon feels honored to work for Youth Frontiers and is thrilled to be part of such an amazing team. She has a BS in Business Administration from Metropolitan State University and is currently completing her MBA in Accounting from the University of St. Thomas. She has served Minnetonka schools in the Special Education Advisory Council for three years and is currently serving on the Financial Advisory and Audit Committee. After working in various accounting positions at Cargill for over six years, she decided to stay home with her two daughters, Violet and "little" Shannon for several more years. Shannon enjoys volunteering, Yoga, playing games with her daughters, and relaxing with her husband, Fletch.
In contrast to her very linear nature, Chris' professional experience has taken a wavy route. A liberal arts grad from St. Thomas (International Relations and Spanish) with a law degree from the U of MN, Chris has worked for a paper company, two small law firms, a semiconductor company, a hospital, and a community college. She's been a law clerk, human resources generalist, stay-at home mom, and a grant writer. After a short time away from Youth Frontiers, Chris has returned for more grant writing and project work. Besides surviving daily life with two wonderfully overactive boys, Chris' major accomplishment this year was going rock-climbing in Colorado for the first time, blindfolded.
When Youth Frontiers first led a Courage Retreat at the middle school where Kim was a Family/School/Community Liaison, she knew she wanted to play a role in their expansion to Colorado. After receiving her M.Ed. from Georgia State University, Kim worked as a Guidance Counselor in Atlanta until the skiing and hiking in the Rocky Mountains called her and her husband, Dan to Colorado. In Colorado, Kim has surrounded her personal and professional life with children. She has three terrific children of her own; has volunteered as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) and in every possible role at her children's schools; worked for the State Court Administrator Office helping to create permanency for children in the Court System; led groups in Denver Public Schools, and was a Bully-Proofing Facilitator and Liaison for the Cherry Creek School District. Kim is thrilled to be reconnected with your own childhood as she grew up in Minneapolis and most importantly is thrilled to be working for a company that is dedicated to empowering youth and improving school climate!
The one thing that has been a constant in Lea's life is her passion for working with kids of all ages. In the classroom, on the basketball court, or just hanging out in her office - helping students to lead healthy and happy lives is what inspires Lea everyday. Lea has spent the past 13 years at The Blake School in a variety of administrative roles including: Grade Dean, Student Life Coordinator, Academic Coordinator, Middle School Counselor, Assistant Athletic Director and Girls Varsity Basketball Coach. Lea loves to spend time with her 3 beautiful daughters - Cassidy, Keagan and Skya, - and husband Michael (Principal of Cooper High School.) Lea is the proud daughter of Karen and George Blackwell (the best role models a "young" woman could ask for.) Since high school, Lea has been a friend (and fan) of Joe Cavanaugh and is thrilled to now be working alongside of Joe and the amazing staff at YF in this new role. Lea received her B.A and M.Ed from the University of Minnesota, where she was also a member of the Women's Gopher Basketball team.
The other day my son reminded me that a Coelophysis (SEE-loe-FY-siss) can run 30 miles per hour and is the size of a turkey. Today, we saw a T-rex on the way to daycare. I like to think of my family as carnivores, but technically we’re omnivores. My stomping grounds — Cub and Target. Carol Hagberg wife, and mother of two: Carson 5, Livia 2.
Sally Koering is an acclaimed speaker and communications coach. In 1995 she was named National Champion of Original Oratory (a title shared with Tom Brokaw and Shelley Long). She received her B.A. in English and Theater from the College of St. Benedict, and her Master's degree in Public Persuasion from Goddard College in Vermont. Sally went on to perform with Twin Cities' Theatre Limina, and joined the YF team in 2001 as a retreat staff person (claiming the "most dramatic" intro to the Maria and the "least improved" intro to the Balloon Blow-Up in YF's 20-year history). Sally currently serves as the Director of Communication, coaching Youth Frontiers towards engaging, authentic, and consistent messages. When not at YF, Sally spends her time stomping around her living room with her two kids singing "All Around the Cobbler's Bench," and rejuvenating at her family's cabin in the northwoods. 
After having spent the last 10 years working in sales and marketing for the nation's leading K-12 education technology companies, and a year home, full-time, with her two preschool aged sons, Chris knew it was time to find a career that merged her talents with her passion. And Youth Frontiers was the answer. Chris has a Masters degree in Public/Non-Profit Administration, and prior to her career in the corporate world, spent five years working for non-profit agencies serving youth in need. 
Jean joined Youth Frontiers with a desire to balance time with her family and work that has great purpose and meaning. Combining her vocation, as a human resource professional, and her avocation, dedication to youth and family is a natural fit. With a career history providing human resources services in professional, manufacturing and non profit settings, Jean is excited to bring her talents and energies to the mission of Youth Frontiers. Jean and her husband John are busy raising their three children (Molly, Sarah and Matt) and enjoy up north cabin time as well as camping excursions around the country. 
Emily is an artsy bookworm who loves ice cream all year round! She would love to be a cat, so she could take naps in the sun all day. She really enjoys listening to the kids while they are in their small groups processing the information on the retreats.
Ali began her career at Youth Frontiers as a college intern, helping on retreats and in the office. Now in her third year at YF, Ali manages the intern and volunteer programs, helping ambitious college students gain experience in the office and on the frontlines with kids. Ali's primary responsibility is assisting Founder and CEO, Joe Cavanaugh, who is an excellent mentor and an outstanding servant leader. Before joining the amazing Youth Frontiers team, Ali Sipkins spent four wonderful years at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and graduated with honors in May 2005 with a BA in International Studies. Although she loves to travel and study cultures around the world, Ali also enjoys spending summers in northern Minnesota at YMCA Camp Warren, leading canoe trips in the Boundary Waters and mentoring kids. In her spare time, Ali serves on the Community Board of Directors for YMCA Camp Warren, dances the tango, and studies forensics. 
Karla comes to Youth Frontiers after a distinguished sales career at ADC Telecommunications. At ADC, Karla's sales contributions were recognized through numerous sales awards, including the prestigious Chairman's or President's Club designation for five successive years. After ADC, Karla became actively involved with her daughters' pre-school and public school educational activities. This involvement sparked her interest in joining Youth Frontiers to help improve educational experiences for all kids. Karla holds an MBA from the University of St. Thomas and a B.S. in Marketing from St. Cloud State. She resides in Chanhassen with her husband, Kevin, and daughters, Alison and Andrea. In her spare time Karla enjoys golfing, skiing, boating and being a soccer mom. 
Krystal has always enjoyed the art of communication, eating chocolate, working with people and animals, and watching the television program 'Bewitched.' Before Youth Frontiers, she attended the University of MN-Twin Cities to receive her degree in English, and minor in Mass Communications. Outside of work, Krystal loves to read, cook, and spend time outside (but doesn't particularly enjoy reading about cooking outside.)
Megan joined the Youth Frontiers family in 1999 and has served in such capacities as Retreat Staff, Retreat Director, Operations Manager and now Outreach Representative. Before Youth Frontiers, Megan spent a year speaking on the subject of Character Education as Miss Minnesota and walked the famous Miss America runway. She is a Communications graduate from Northwestern College. Megan and her husband reside in Las Vegas, Nevada and are the very proud parents of their adopted son.
Amanda came to Youth Frontiers as an intern in the Fall 2006 and has been here ever since. In addition to working at YF, Amanda is a student at the University of Minnesota in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Outside of work and school, she enjoys spending time outside, traveling, and watching ridiculous reality TV shows on Bravo.