Board of Directors

Karin Aguilar-San Juan
Professor of American Studies, Macalester College
At Macalester College she is one of two core faculty of the American Studies Department. Her courses deal with theories of race and ethnicity, place and space, social movements, and Asian American Studies.

Tyler Berres
Student at University of Minnesota
Mr. Berres started his involvement with YFMP in 1999 when he was in 7th grade, designing the flower garden on the West Side garden. He continued as Project LEAD through high school, and now serves on the Board.

Autumn Huiras
Employment Counsel, General Mills
Before joining General Mills, Ms. Huiras was in private practice where she also focused on employment issues. During the past 12 years, Ms. Huiras volunteered for organizations that promote youth development and mentoring, provide services for persons with disabilities, and provide legal services for low income individuals. These organizations include Minnesota Justice Foundation, Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services, Achieve! Minneapolis, metro area high schools, Clare Housing, University of St. Thomas School of Law, William Mitchell College of Law, and the Minneapolis Children's Theatre Company. She is a contributing author to an American Bar Association publication about the unmet legal needs of children.

Maria McNamara, Chair
Ms. McNamara is a long-time neighborhood and nonprofit organizer, as well as a parent of three West Side youth farmers.

George Sand
Mr. Sand has extensive experience in the arts as well as in administration directly related to education and has particular expertise in the areas of fund raising and partnership building.  He has taken the lead in creating numerous partnerships between schools and arts, cultural and business organizations and was one of the original developers of El Colegio Charter School located in South Minneapolis.

Bob Amis
A forty year resident of the Twin Cities, Bob Amis graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1976.  In the intervening period Bob has operated a small truck farm in Scott County, run an equipment leasing firm which he sold successfully in 2000, and is now a middle grades science teacher at the City of Lakes Waldorf School in Minneapolis. He and his wife live in Minneapolis where they raised their three children.

Jon Stein
Business Development Manager, Consolidated Container Company LLC
Jon Stein is Business Development Manager at Consolidated Container Company LLC, where he offers recycling and sustainability solutions primarily to the food and beverage industry. He is a former President of the East Calhoun Community Organization, Board Chairman of the Minnesota Shakespeare Company, and served as a City Council member in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.