From fundraisers to support pro-choice women candidates to volunteer activations to turn out the vote in the most competitive races, Women Winning events are an opportunity to plug in and connect with other Minnesotans dedicated to changing the face of power.
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Brittany Wallman has nearly a decade of events, communications, and marketing experience in the Twin Cities. Prior to joining Women Winning as the Director of Advancement, Brittany consulted with various Minnesota nonprofits, including Women’s Advocates, ArtistryMN, Trademark Theater, and The Ordway Center for Performing Arts.
Brittany is most passionate about work that centers building connections between people and their spaces, while helping them find the resources they need. In her free time you can find her baking from scratch, finding a fun class to take around town, or trying her hand at sailing across Lake Harriet.
Jordan Elton Foster is a marketing and digital strategist, passionate about developing creative solutions to connect people to the issues they care about. Her experience comes from both nonprofits and political campaigns, most recently serving on U.S. Senator Tina Smith’s back-to-back winning Senate campaigns. As Digital Director for the 2020 election cycle and Deputy Digital Director for the 2018 special election, she had the opportunity to build and grow digital engagement, messaging, and fundraising strategies.
Born and raised in Minnesota, Jordan earned her undergraduate degree from Concordia College before beginning her career in the digital space at The ONE Campaign in Washington, DC. Jordan later attended the Humphrey School, where she studied data and policy analysis and graduated with her Master of Public Policy. Striving to engage communities around social justice issues and movements, Jordan brings data-driven strategic creativity to her work. Jordan lives in Minneapolis with her husband Barry and dog Otto. She enjoys reading, gardening, and exploring Minnesota’s state parks with Barry and Otto.
Councilor Terese Tomanek is a Duluth At-Large City Councilor, having been unanimously appointed to that position by her fellow Councilors. She is seeking reelection in November. Tomanek is employed as a chaplain at Essentia Health. She is President of the Lake Superior College Foundation, serves on the Public Utilities Commission, Duluth Sister Cities International, Glensheen Advisory Council and the Great Lakes Aquarium Advisory Council. Tomanek was author of the Duluth mask mandate in June, 2021. She serves as head of the Intergovernmental Relations Committee of the Council, working on regional issues with representatives of the county and school board. Tomanek's issues include housing expansion, pandemic relief and support for families, all approached through an equity lens.
Emily Koski is running for Minneapolis City Council in Ward 11, which includes the Diamond Lake, Hale, Keewaydin, Page, Northrop, Tangletown, Wenonah, Windom, and Field neighborhoods. Emily Koski worked at Target Corporation, owned and operated a small business based in Minneapolis for 13 years, and is currently a Director of Client Development at Antenna. Emily Koski is currently a member of the Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity Leadership Council, a Site Council Member at Hale Elementary School, and a Member of the Minneapolis Public Schools Parent Legislative Committee. Emily Koski was previously a Board Member of 261 Fearless, a Council Member of the Waite Park Community Council, and a Site Council Member at Waite Park School. When elected, Emily Koski will partner with members of the community, leadership city-wide, organizations, and experts to work together to find solutions to the issues we face.
City Council Member Katie Roche is running for Chisago County Commissioner representing District 3, which includes Lindstrom, Chisago City, and south Chisago Lake Township. Council Member Roche is a licensed teacher who began serving her city in 2017 as a planning commissioner and a member on the economic development authority. In her role as a city council member, she has strongly advocated for transparency and collaboration with other governing bodies to address the goals of our community and county. The priorities that she would like to address when elected to the County Board include incentivizing economic development in the area with the intention of broadening our tax base, promoting the necessity of accessible and reliable broadband, initiating communication with the local school boards to address future planning and growth, advocating for veterans and workforce housing in order to meet the needs of District 3 residents, collaborating with county staff to enable accessible and affordable child care, and ensuring transparency and collaboration amongst the county, cities, and township. When elected County Commissioner of District 3, Council Member Roche will continue to connect with voters in her District and work hard to find solutions to issues that we all care about!
Sheila Webb is running for Robbinsdale City Council in Ward 2. Sheila has worked in the field of social services for over 24 years; she has spent the last 6 years working as a school social worker. Sheila serves as Chair of Robbinsdale Human Rights Commission, Secretary for the League of Women Voters-CNHEPR and is on the Board of Directors for the Seven Dreams Education Foundation. Sheila is also a member of the Hennepin County Race Equity Advisory Council. When elected, Sheila will work to push the voices of Ward 2 and promote community engagement. Sheila will also work to assert an agenda that includes diversity, equity, inclusion and safety for the city of Robbinsdale.
Julie Strahan is running for a first term on the Roseville City Council. Ms. Strahan is a Human Resources Director for a nonprofit dementia care facility. She served as a teacher for 10 years, in public, private and charter schools. She is a member of ERA MN, the League of Women Voters, and has served on several Arts boards. Ms. Strahan desires to build on the connections she has created in her 17 years of living in Roseville to move Roseville forward with new ideas and creative solutions to building community.
Gaylene Spolarich, an Indigenous mother, grandmother, and caregiver who lives in Palisade (Aitkin County), and a Democrat running for Minnesota House District 10B. In times like these, when care is a matter of life and death, we need strong and independent leadership for our district. Gaylene has lived in Aitkin County for 56 years, and for the past 25 years, has worked in City Government and Tribal Government, focusing mostly on the issues facing low-income families, children, and our small and rural places.
Together, her family and her community have faced economic challenges, as well as healthcare challenges. We will face this current crisis in the same ways we have those others: by caring for those around us, making difficult decisions in transparent and open ways, and searching for the common ground where we can build long-term health and well-being for all people, not just when it seems profitable or practical.
Gaylene is running because she's passionate about representing her district, and about inspiring others like her—those who care, but have been invisible or quiet—to step up, get involved, and support one another. She's also running because she believes it’s never too late to speak up and work hard for the things you value.
Diane Nguyen is running for Minnesota State Senator District 30, which includes Albertville, Big Lake, Elk River, Dayton, Hanover and St. Michael. She is a mother of an eleven-year-old boy attending 100% Distance Learning at Salk Middle School, engaged to Chad Hobot and has her licenses in insurances and real estate. Diane Nguyen is a win for labor unions, local jobs and economic growth, schools and student’s safety from Covid-19 and affordable healthcare for families and individuals.