Meet the Board
Gilda’s Club Minnesota’s Board of Directors is made up of innovative thought leaders and top talent in the Twin Cities area. This group of talented individuals dedicate their time and talents to helping GCTC achieve our organizational goals and champion our mission, ensuring that no one faces cancer alone!
Louise Harris, Board Chair
Louise Harris has been a part of the Gilda’s Club Minnesota community for five years and currently serves as GCTC’s Board Chair. Outside of GCTC, Louise is a consultant providing strategic planning and organizational development to Fortune 500 companies and non-profits. She is also a professor teaching graduate classes in culture, transformation, leadership, and human development.
“Cancer has been part of my story in multiple ways throughout my life. In some aspects, it has helped shape my character and fostered my commitment to giving back. I also love to help organizations grow, and with GCTC being a newer non-profit in the Twin Cities, I wanted to do my best to help expand its reach and goodness.”
Dr. John Piatkowski (JP), Vice Chair
Dr. John Piatkowski (JP) has been a part of the Gilda’s Club Minnesota community for two and a half years. JP serves as GCTC’s Vice Board Chair and interim Chair of the Development Committee. Outside of GCTC, he serves as Medica Health Plan’s Vice President, Physician Services leading value-based care outreach to over 20 health systems throughout the Midwest.
“Supporting local non-profits has been a priority in every community I have lived in (which is quite a few), but Gilda’s is a far more personal passion as in 2002 we lost my oldest sister, Anna, to cancer. Anna was a passionate performer in local community theatre with a particular fondness for Gilbert and Sullivan performances. She had an infectious laugh and stayed amazingly positive throughout much of the course of her illness. Still, I can only look back and think of how she and her husband would have enjoyed and benefitted from the programs, support, and philosophy Gilda’s offers.”
Valerie Martinson, Treasurer
Valerie Martinson has been a part of the Gilda’s Club Minnesota community since GCTC’s incorporation in 2007, serving as a board member and treasurer.
“A friend introduced me to Carrie Puterbaugh, one of GCTC’s founders, who was working with Jenni Lilledahl and Dolly Lowery to open a Gilda’s Club here in Minnesota, and I was hooked. Working to support all people impacted by cancer is important to me as my family has several cancer stories, and I love that Gilda’s program complements the medical side of treating cancer.”
Mike Bauer, Board Member
Mike Bauer has been a part of the Gilda’s Club Minnesota community for two and a half years. He currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors and as a Development Committee member. Outside of GCTC, Mike is the Founder and President of Bauer Design Build, a commercial general contracting firm founded in 2005.
“I lost my first wife, my high school sweetheart, who had a battle with cancer at the early age of 23. Since then, I have had a passion for helping others with cancer and those with hospice care needs. I was introduced to Gilda’s Club three years ago and in awe from the moment I toured the clubhouse of how caring and sincere all the staff members were. Gilda’s mission is very much aligned with my personal desire to help others.”
Elena Beckius, Board Member
Elena Beckius has been a part of the Gilda’s Club Minnesota community for two years, serving as a member of the Board of Directors. Outside of GCTC, Elena is a Regional Vice President leading the Twin Cities Region of Thrivent Financial, and mother to two boys (nine and seven). Elena prides herself on a few unique abilities: dodging soaring Nerf Bullets and avoiding catastrophic injuries due to stepping on Lego’s.
“My mother-in-law died of brain cancer, and I wish that she would have had a resource like Gilda’s Club.”
Jim Brefeld, Board Member
Jim Brefeld has been a part of the Gilda’s Club Minnesota community for three years, serving as a member of the Board of Directors and on the Finance Committee.
Dr. Joel Carter, Board Member
Dr. Joel Carter has been a part of the Gilda’s Club Minnesota community for over three years. He is currently serving his second term as a member of the Board of Directors. Outside of GCTC, Joel is a palliative care physician with Park Nicollet Health Services.
“As a palliative care physician with a focus on complex cancer-related symptoms and supportive needs – I cannot emphasize enough the benefits that the mission and program focus of Gilda’s Club Minnesota provides for the cancer caring community of patients and their families. It is a privilege to serve on the Board alongside the other committed and exceptional board members – and support the wonderful staff and programming offerings available at Gilda’s Club Minnesota.”
Jenni Lilledahl, Board Member and Co-Founder of GCTC
Jenni Lilledahl is one of three founders of Gilda’s Club Minnesota. Jenni and her co-founders, Carrie Puterbaugh and Dolly Lowery, began their efforts to bring Gilda’s Club in the Twin Cities in 2004. Jenni is currently serving her final term on the Board of Directors, a position she has held since 2006, and is one of GCTC’s volunteer program instructors, leading Improv for Life™ every Wednesday for the past six years. During her time on the board, she served as Chair for six years and has served on the Governance and Program Committees. Outside of GCTC, Jenni and her husband, John Sweeney, are co-owners of the Brave New Workshop Comedy Theatre in Minneapolis since 1997.
“Losing my sister Teri to cancer nearly 24 years ago is what first sparked my interest in bringing Gilda’s Club to the Twin Cities. My sister was a middle school health teacher with a particular interest in mental health. Knowing how important her family’s emotional and social health was to Teri, I went searching for services to support her, her husband Wayne, and their two young kids, not to mention our parents and the rest of our family. But I found nothing in the Twin Cities that offered the support she needed. Then, about a year before we opened Gilda’s Club Minnesota, I lost my father to cancer. Knowing how much fear, loneliness, and anxiety cancer can bring a family drives my passion to help ensure no one faces cancer alone. I’ve been able to integrate what I know about improvisation and cancer in creating the Improv for Life™ program at Gilda’s Club Minnesota. It’s in our weekly one-hour class at GCTC that I see the power of authentic human connection, creativity and play, laughter, and sometimes tears in bringing joy and healing to those living with cancer, no matter the outcome. It feels like a bit of Gilda Magic.”
Jennifer Herman Spiller, CFRE, Board Member
Jennifer Herman Spiller has been a part of the Gilda’s Club Minnesota community for two years. Jennifer joined as a member of our Board of Directors in 2021.
“As someone who has experienced cancer firsthand, Gilda’s Club became a safe haven for me and helped me to find my “WE” and my way through my own personal journey.”
Jim Thomas, Board Member
Jim Thomas has been a part of the Gilda’s Club Minnesota community for just over a year and serves as a member of the Board of Directors and the Finance Committee. Outside of GCTC, Jim owns a consulting firm, helping Minnesotan manufacturers export goods, and mentors global business students and young executives.
“At Gilda’s, I regularly participate in the Friday morning Coffee Talk and the Chronic Cancer Group. I am grateful for the virtual programming Gilda’s provides because my wife Kitty and I share our time between Florida and Minnesota. My various activities keep me out of trouble…most days.”
Brent Williams, Board Member
Brent Williams has recently joined the Gilda’s Club Minnesota community, serving as a member of the Board of Directors and on the Governance Committee.
