Sasha Mackin, President
Sasha joined the HMC Board of Directors in 2009 and enjoyed her neighbors and community building so much she agreed to serve as President in 2011. Sasha also serves on the Community Building Committee. Sasha moved into her home on Charles Avenue on Halloween in 2003, and enjoys gardening, biking, and dreaming up home improvement projects after watching too much HGTV. She grew up just down the road in the Como neighborhood, but prefers the diversity, fabulous restaurants, and convenience of Hamline Midway. Sasha has traveled to 15 countries (and counting!) and lived in Washington D.C. By day, Sasha is an attorney and works with the State of Minnesota at the Department of Employment and Economic Development.
Renee Klitzke, Vice-President
Renee Klitzke is a consultant working with nonprofit housing developers and neighborhood groups across the metro area with her
company, Perch Consulting. Renee has lived in the Hamline Midway neighborhood since 2005, and is active in affordable housing advocacy. She serves on the West Midway Industrial Task Force, the Community Development Committee, and the Executive Committee. Renee began her board service in 2010.
Scott Walters, Treasurer
Scott is a member of the Executive Committee and was elected in 2010.
Pablo Sanchez, Secretary
Pablo was elected to the HMC Board of Directors in 2011 and is a member of the Community Development Committee and the Executive Committee. He is originally from Honduras but has lived in Minnesota since 2005, where he attended Hamline University for both undergraduate and Master's degrees. Residents will most likely see him out jogging around the neighborhood wearing bright-colored shirts or shorts; it is his wife's way of keeping him from getting run over when he crosses streets carelessly.
Brad Bentcover
Brad and Stephen (his partner of 21 years) moved into the Hamline Midway neighborhood approximately 10 years ago. Brad and Stephen have lived in four cities on two continents over the years until Brad's employer transferred them to the Twin Cities. There was no discussion necessary as to what area they wanted to live in. Because of past business trips to the Twin Cities Brad knew that the Midway area would be the perfect location for them. Brad became a board member of the Hamline Midway Coalition in 2009 and has found the experience to be very enlightening as to how government works. Brad has been a member of the Hamline Midway Library Commission and is a member of the Community Development Committee. He is currently a participant in the West Midway Development Study which is working to best utilize the intermodal facilities, industrial land and the Central Corridor. Brad encourages everyone to become involved in local government. He continues to be impressed by the dedication, professionalism and remarkable insight of our public employees and officials in St. Paul.
Julie Caruso
Julie Caruso has lived in the Hamiline Midway neighborhood since 1999. When she moved into her little yellow bungalow on Hewitt Ave 12 years ago, her little girls were ages 5 and 2. The little one said, "I love this lellow house, Mommy. Let's stay here." It has been home ever since. Julie is a Photographer/Mixed Media Artist interested in building community through art. She was a 2008 Leadership in Service to Neighborhood (LISN) Fellow and can often be seen wandering around the streets with her dog, Cricket, and her camera photographing day-in-the-life scenes of our community. Julie joined the HMC Board of Directors in 2011.
Dan Loritz
Dan is an appointed ex officio member of the HMC Board representing Hamline University and is our longest serving board member.
Guillermo Narvaez
Guillermo was elected to the HMC Board in 2011 and is a member of the Local Foods Working Group.
Andrew Norman
Andrew Norman was born and raised in Saint Paul. He and his wife have lived in the Hamline Midway neighborhood since the summer of 2008. He is committed to making the neighborhood a great place to live and work through community involvement and volunteerism. Andrew joined the board in 2010.
Steve Samuelson
Steve has been a resident of Hamline Midway since 2000 and a Saint Paul resident since 1975. He became involved in district councils when he lived in Frogtown. It was there that he realized that district councils can be a very effective tool in community organizing. He served on the District 7 board of directors from 1996-2000 and became involved with the Great Northern Corridor Project, which was a collaborative involving District 6, District 7, SPARC, and the Greater Frogtown CDC. Working with the Port Authority, they were able to clean up a brownfield site and create over 500 jobs. He once again saw the power of working together. He has been a board member of the Hamline Midway Coalition since 2008 and currently serves on the Transportation Committee, the Community Development Committee, and as the Hamline Midway representative for the District Council Collaborative. He has become a firm believer in the district council system and would encourage others to become involved.
Karen Shapiro
When the Shapiros moved from San Francisco to Saint Paul in 2007, Karen never imagined she would meet neighbors as kind, caring, and organized as the ones she's met in Hamline Midway. Out of gratitude (and because her neighbor asked so nicely), she joined the HMC Board of Directors and the Community Building Committee in 2010. When she's not reading the Saint Paul Comprehensive Plan, Karen teaches 2nd-5th graders, plays the piano, kicks punching bags, and raises her two children.
Meetings are open to the public. For more information, contact us.
