Dana serves as the firm’s chief report writer and editor, having conducted numerous interviews and focus groups for a variety of organizations. people in poverty. Engagements for Creation In Common include: McKnight Foundation, Minnesota State Arts Board, Opportunity Partners, Phillips Family Foundation, Sidney Health Center, All Faith’s Food Bank, KERA/Art & Seek, and Walker Art Center.  As a grant writer, she brings over 30 years’ experience consulting with nonprofit organizations and leading fundraising teams. Dana collaborated with the Departments of Community Health and Interpreter Services of Fairview Health Services in the creation of Health Commons, benefiting the health and wellness of the Somali and East African populations in Minneapolis’ East Bank and led the Development and Communications efforts at Pillsbury United Communities, working with the organization’s six inner-city neighborhoods. Dana received her Masters’ Degree in Creative Writing from the University of North Texas and is both a playwright and author.

Carlo brings over 30 years’ experience working for and consulting with nonprofit organizations. Creation In Common engagements include: Greater Twin Cities United Way, Scholarship America, Minnesota Children’s Museum, Youthprise, South Dakota State University, McKnight Foundation, Jerome Foundation, Saint Paul Foundation, Arc Greater Twin Cities, Jackson  Hole Conservation Alliance, Care Providers of Minnesota, Minnesota Citizens for the Arts,  Opportunity Partners, Phillips Family Foundation, Pillsbury United Communities, Minnesota State Arts Board and  Walker Art Center. Carlo leads workshops for Minnesota Council for Nonprofits (MCN), has sat on the national board of the Alliance for Nonprofit Management, and is a former adjunct faculty member at the University of Minnesota. He has been a contributing writer to the Nonprofit Quarterly and recently joined the national board of the Financial Commons. He received his MBA from the University of St. Thomas. 

Kallie brings nearly a decade of public sector experience to the team, having previously worked in higher education and municipal government. Engagements for Creation In Common include: Minnesota Humanities Center We Are Water, and The Bishop Parker Foundation, and Southern Methodist University. Kallie worked on the City of Garland, Texas’s 2019 Bond Program, where she assisted in the redesign of the Downtown Square and developed processes and procedures for the property acquisition program. Kallie worked and studied at the University of Arkansas, where she attained a Master of Public Administration (MPA).

Mary is a highly skilled art director and graphic designer with over 25-years experience. She has completed design work for The Saint Paul Foundation, Minnesota Community Foundation, Mardag Foundation, F. R. Bigelow Foundation, ServeMinnesota, World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth, The Kerlan Collection at the University of Minnesota and the MacPhail Center for Music. Creation In Common engagements include: Capitol Area Architectural and Planning Board Vitality Task Force, Rainbow Health Initiative, Senior Community Services, and Arts & Seek to name a few.

Barbara brings more than 30 years of financial management, strategic partnership and business development experience in the financial services, technology, and non-profit sectors. Creation In Common engagements include: Houston Food Bank, Open Cupboard, Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture, Food Bank of Santa Barbara County, and the Arab American National Museum. As VP of Growth & Innovation for Minnesota Children’s Museum, Barbara led cross-functional teams to create new exhibits for the museum’s $30mm capital project, grew the leading traveling exhibit business, and created programs to serve under-resourced families. Barbara has consulted with non-profits including Fairview Health Systems and Origins and served on the board of Educate Tanzania. Barbara received her MBA from New York University and her BA from University of Wisconsin.

Laurel specializes in writing and editing for marketing, advertising, public relations, B2B sales, internal communications, and more. She also serves as a thought partner for her clients, collaborating on strategic planning, campaign and fundraising strategy, messaging and branding, and articulating new ideas and initiatives.

In addition to Creation in Common, Laurel works regularly with The Wallace Foundation (NYC), the Crow Museum of Asian Art (Dallas), Stormy Kromer (Ironwood MI), and Marketing Department Inc. (Houghton MI).

Laura brings over 20 plus years of project management experience and a passion for community building to the Creation in Common team. Engagements with Creation In Common include: Feeding America, Second Harvest Northern Lakes Food Bank, The Schubert Club, All Faith’s Food Bank, and Care & Share. Prior to Creation In Common, Laura served as Director of the Library and Community Education Manager for The Botanical Research Institute of Texas and was responsible for community engagement and technical projects that connected the community to the organization and to the library and archival collections it housed. Laura holds a Professional Librarian’s Certificate from the Commonwealth of Virginia. Laura received her master’s of library science from University of North Texas.