We’re recruiting! Here’s what it’s like to be on the board.
The Streets.mn board of directors is in the midst of its annual recruitment efforts, and we wanted to share some of our experiences of being on the board this past year. These folks work behind the scenes to support this great community of writers and editors. Maybe you could join us on the board for 2024!
If you are interested in applying to the board, you can learn more from this post. Applications can be submitted with this form and are open through Sunday, November 12 (note the extension from the original due date).
Glen Johnson (co-chair)
I had been reading articles and wanted to get involved, but didn’t know how I’d contribute! I found I could help, within months of joining, just by moving the organization over to online meetings in 2020 and keeping things organized. I’ve met fantastic people through Streets.mn (contributors, editors and those who come to our events), and being on the board has been my way to support them and the work. Board membership has definitely helped me get onto advisory boards, such as the Minneapolis Bicycle Advisory Committee and the Met Council Transportation Advisory Board, which oversees $200 million in federal transportation funding within the Twin Cities metro. Projects are complex and several Streets.mn authors have written about how and what gets funded, which is immensely helpful content! I currently serve as co-chair of the Streets.mn board and lead our recruitment efforts this year. We have a lot of big ideas and day-to-day things that need attention. I’d love to see more bandwidth in 2024, so we can take on new projects!
Christy Marsden (co-chair)
I had never thought of myself as board material and wasn’t sure I could contribute to the organization until a friend asked me to consider joining the board. I like to do things which support movements and efforts I believe in — and with time and capacity, I was excited to be able to do this for Streets.mn. Since joining, I’ve been able to help the organization continue to provide a space for people to talk about people-centered places across Minnesota. I really like being a part of an organization which hosts voices and stories you don’t get to hear elsewhere, and meeting people (contributors, editors, volunteers and readers) who also believe in the collective work of making our spaces better.
Fran DiCaprio (secretary)
When I first joined the board, I honestly wasn’t sure how to meaningfully contribute to the organization. My initial impression was that the organization seemed to be running itself smoothly. But in my time on the board, I’ve seen that Streets.mn survives only with the work of some great and passionate volunteers. There is always more to do, and many meaningful ways to plug into this organization! The past year, in which I’ve served as board secretary and helped on the Anti-Racism and Recruitment committees, has been truly gratifying, and I’m looking forward to my next year on the board.
Martha Grant (treasurer)
I was looking for a way to get more involved in the bike and land use communities here in the Twin Cities when my neighbor, Jenny, reached out and encouraged me to apply for a board position. A perfect match! I’m so impressed with what this team of volunteers gets done every week, every month, every year. I’m now starting my service as Treasurer, and particularly looking to create more seamless processes building on the work that has already been done. I’m also looking to build up our fundraising program so that this organization can grow to meet the need for more news and community stories about transportation and land use across the state.
José Antonio Zayas Cabán
I joined the Streets.mn board after interacting with current and former board members, and reading Streets.mn articles. As someone who is very focused on transportation advocacy and making walking, biking and rolling more equitable and accessible, it has been a great opportunity to work with others who share that passion. The board has been very welcoming and supportive during my first year. There is a lot of interest in growing the Streets.mn footprint so that it is more representative of the diverse Twin Cities voices and the different transportation experiences in our communities.
Brian Mitchell
I joined the board after being only a casual reader, never having volunteered or even been to an event (but don’t let that stop you)! I didn’t know very much about how the organization was structured, but I was able to jump right in and get started on the day-to-day and some larger projects for Streets.mn. After being on the board for the past two years, I feel like I’ve been able to make a big difference in streamlining some processes and bringing structure to our technology side of things (my first time working with Google Workplace and WordPress). I was happy to help get our infrastructure set up to re-launch the Streets.mn podcast last year, too. The board and our volunteers are a great group of passionate people, and I am so proud to work with them to keep Streets.mn running.
Andy Monserud
I joined the board at the recommendation of a friend, and without any experience on nonprofit boards, I wasn’t sure what I’d be able to contribute. It turned out to be a great learning opportunity, and other folks on the board were helpful, friendly and happy to show me the ropes! I’ve now been on the board for nearly three years, and have enjoyed being part of Streets.mn the whole time. I also found myself a great niche as one of the site’s editors, which gives me a chance to read a ton of Streets content and meet a lot of our fantastic writers!
Jeb Rach
I started my involvement with Streets.mn on the events committee after doing a bit of writing, so moving onto the board felt like a natural progression of my involvement with Streets.mn. Over the past two years it’s been enjoyable to work with Streets.mn as we’ve evolved to publish more and deeper articles. I’ve also enjoyed leading the Events committee through our changed landscape. We have a lot of wonderful board members and volunteers who dedicate their time and passion into this, and I’m proud to be part of the community that keeps this organization running and thriving.
Erik Ruthruff (editor in chief)
I joined the Streets.mn board because I was looking for a volunteer position where my editing skills would be useful. If urban planning, housing, transportation and climate change are interesting to you, Streets.mn is a good community. If you generally bike and use public transportation and don’t often use a car, you’ll find a lot of like-minded friends here. If you don’t have much experience on a non-profit board, this is a good place to start. Other board members are considerate and changes we try to make are thoughtful. We’ve grown a lot in the past three years. I’m happy I am doing this work.