2022 Community Thread Board of Directors

Ruth is a graduate of Stillwater High School, Hamline University (BA) and Antioch University (MA). She attended The Neighborhood Playhouse in NYC and has experience on stage and screen. Her board and volunteerwork include St. Paul Public Schools, United Hospital, Minnesota Boys Choir, The Oratorio Society, church committees and Healing Haiti. Ruth developed the “Silver Group” at Jay T. Sold Me, a real estate team she co-owns with her husband. She and Jay Theriault live in Maplewood and have two children.

Lowell Johnson joins us with an impressive 36-year career in public service with Washington County Department of Public Health and Environment. Lowell’s community involvement includes coaching youth sports and volunteering for church activities. He currently serves as President of St. Paul Sons of Norway Lodge; as a member of the Lakeview Health Foundation Board; and Chair, Lakeview Health and Wellness Advisory Committee.

Kate is a native of River Falls, Wisconsin and earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology at the University of Wisconsin, River Falls. She joined the Andersen Corporation in 1998, where she has worked in a number of positions involving accounting analysis. In her current role, she is involved in finance business improvements and transformation initiatives that ensure financial controls and fiduciary responsibility. One of her strengths is project management.

Kate’s volunteer service includes Habitat for Humanity, Junior Achievement, and Valley Outreach, serving on their Board of Directors. She currently leads the team at Andersen that supports our Holiday Hope program with sponsorships.

Sharon has a BS in accounting from Metropolitan State University and a MBA from Cardinal Stritch University. She is also a graduate of the Executive Development Center at the University of Minnesota. Her volunteer work includes Community Thread (Holiday Hope), Junior Achievement, Habitat for Humanity, Bethlehem Lutheran Church and the United Way of Washington County. Sharon currently works at Andersen Corporation where she is the Director of Financial Shared Services, overseeing fiscal policies, programs and transactions in 12 distinct operations. She and her husband Patrick Deuschle live in Maplewood and have one son.

Cassandra Martin serves as the VP of Midwest Sales at SAP, a market leader in enterprise software. Her volunteer experience includes numerous nonprofits in the community (Community Thread; Valley Outreach; Hope House) and she has raised awareness and funding for a number of charitable causes (Special Olympics; ALS; and Breast Cancer Awareness) to name a selected few.

Richard earned a BS in Fine and Studio Arts from UW, River Falls. He has been a realtor for 28 years, opening RM Realty in2018 which proudly supports the schools, nonprofits and local business community through a video series that they produce. Richard lives with his wife Mimi in Stillwater, MN.

Renae is a graduate of Stillwater High School and Century College. Her volunteer experience includes St. Michaels Church as chair of the hospitality committee, the Stillwater Project Life Center, Knights of Columbus, and Relay for Life; she has also served as a Girl Scout Troup leader. Recently, Renae retired from Lake Elmo Bank as a Personal Banking Officer. She represented the bank at Boutwell’s Landing, providing notary services after normal business hours for nursing home and other senior residents. She was awarded the Tradition of Service Award by Lake Elmo Bank for her customer service in 2012. Renae and her husband Mark live in Stillwater and have two daughters.

Samantha is a graduate of UW, River Falls with a BS in Biotechnology. She is a Scientific Project Manager at DiaSorin. Samantha has volunteered extensively for Community Thread in addition to Valley Outreach, Feed myStarving Children, MN Academy of Science and Success Beyond the Classroom. She lives in White Bear Lake, MN.

Margaret Smith is a former 3M executive. In 2009, she started consulting under UXL, Creating Successful Leaders. Her volunteer experience includes leadership roles in the Catholic Worker Community; Women’s Business Bridge; Leadership in the Valley; as well as the Zephyr Theatre, the Church of St Michael and United Way Washington County – East.

Bruce Stephan brings broad experience to our board, from advertising to manufacturing to mid-market business development consulting. His current employer is Pinnacle Climate Technologies. Bruce’s volunteering experience includes serving on the board of a Home Owners Association, volunteering for Meals from the Heart, and Habitat for Humanity.

Sara graduated from St. Catherine University with a degree in Education. She holds a Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Minnesota. After moving to Bayport in 1989, Sara taught in District 834 for several years.

Sara is a strong advocate for libraries. She has served on the Bayport Library Board since 2014, and is past president. Additionally, she recently served as the fundraising chair of the library’s capital campaign and she was a founding member of the Foundation for Bayport Public Library. Sara is also a volunteer at Valley Outreach, at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, and is active at Trinity Lutheran Church. Sara and her husband, Peter Clements, live in Bayport, and they have two adult children.

Ted has an undergraduate degree in Physical Education from the University of Minnesota and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of St. Thomas. From 2014-2021, Ted was the President of Lakeview Hospital and the Executive Leader for the HealthPartners St. Croix Valley Hospitals and Clinics. In this role, Ted guided Lakeview Hospital and Stillwater Medical Group, and brought the St. Croix Valley hospitals and clinics together to optimize care and service.

Over the years Ted has served on several boards of directors including Normandale Community College Foundation, Westfields Hospital and Clinic, and Amery Hospital and Clinic. Other volunteer experience includes participating in the creation of the Greater Stillwater Area Chamber of Commerce Leadership Development program and serving as a co-chair of the Social Concerns Committee at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Hudson, WI.

Ted lives in St. Joseph Township, Wisconsin, with his wife Maureen. He has three children and one grandchild.