Meet the Team

BENNY ROBERTS

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
broberts@hallieqbrown.org
JESSE ROSS

DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT
jross@hallieqbrown.org
TANESHA CLAYTON

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
tclayton@hallieqbrown.org
ALTHEA LANKFORD

BASIC NEEDS MANAGER
alankford@hallieqbrown.org
CHRISTOPHER TAYKALO

GRANTS MANAGER*
ctaykalo@hallieqbrown.org
SYDNEY COLQUITT

EVENTS AND MARKETING COORDINATOR
MICHELLE HIGGINS

COMMUNITY SUPPORT NAVIGATOR
ROBERT POWERS

FOOD SHELF ASSISTANT
ZALISHA ALLEN

RECEPTIONIST

GEORGIA GILES

FOOD RESCUE DRIVER
BENJAMIN JEFFERSON

OPERATIONS COORDINATOR

*Hallie Q. Brown Community Center is a 2026 MN Paid-Leave and 2026 MN CanRenew Grant recipient. To learn more about the statewide awareness campaign (Paid Leave), our youth development grant (CanRenew), or other publicly funded programs, please email Christopher Taykalo at ctaykalo@hallieqbrown.org.

Staff photos done by 4th generation, Rondo descendant, Roosevelt Mansfield digiemadephoto.com/

JOSHUA BUNKER

BOARD CHAIR
Chief Financial Officer, MN Department of Health
O'DISHA FIELDS

BOARD VICE-CHAIR
Legal Practice Assistant, Cozen O’Connor
BRIANA JOYNER

BOARD TREASURER
EVP, People and Culture, Women’s Foundation
KATIE CONNERS

BOARD SECRETARY
Managing Attorney, Ramsey County Public Defender’s Office
SIMON GYASI

BOARD MEMBER
HR Business Partner, Inspire Medical Systems
RAY WIEDMEYER

BOARD MEMBER
Member, Unity Unitarian Church
SASHA COTTON

BOARD MEMBER
National Network for Safe Communities at John Jay College, Executive Director
ZURIEL LOVING

BOARD MEMBER
Senior Talent Producer, ESPN
BARRY KEMPTON

BOARD MEMBER
Partner, Kempton Limbacher LLC
DEBORAH ISABELLE

BOARD MEMBER
Product Engineering Specialist, 3M
KeLEA RANDALL

BOARD MEMBER
VP, Global Customer Service, Ecolab
TAFFY JONES

BOARD MEMBER
Senior Social Worker for LTCC, Hennepin County
ANNE DRESEN

BOARD MEMBER
Events Manager, St. Paul College
EVANGELIST PATRICIA JAMES

BOARD MEMBER
Office Manager, Saint Paul NAACP Roy Wilkins Chapter 4052