Leadership
People who have come together to make our community a better place.
Staff
Christopher Anderson
Executive Director
Chris joined the WeCAN team in the fall of 2019, with 20+ years of experience serving children and families in need. As Director of Community Outreach at Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, Chris worked extensively with civic, school, community and church groups to build and grow collaborations to better serve the community. With a strong passion for service, Chris brings a broad and creative approach to providing social services to local families. With a marketing degree from the Carlson School of Management, he has considerable experience in managing operations, finances, and program development. As the Executive Director Chris is excited to work with the staff, volunteers, and Board of Directors to continue to build WeCAN’s positive impact in western Hennepin County.
Food Programs Manager
Katrina joins WeCAN with many years of experience in social justice and community development. Managing the Meals on Wheels and Mobile Market programs gives her the opportunity to return to her passion for reducing food deserts by increasing access to a variety of options. She has her bachelor’s degree in education from Ohio Northern University and her master’s degree in sustainable development from SIT Graduate Institute. Katrina is dedicated to building communities and fostering sustainable practices, which she is excited to continue at WeCAN.
Sami Smetana
Associate Director
Sami joined the WeCAN team in early 2018. In addition to her enthusiasm, she brings to the organization a background in youth education and experience working with nonprofit organizations directly serving communities in Southeastern Ohio and in Minnesota’s metro area. In the role of Associate Director Sami is responsible for managing the operations of all services provided by WeCAN. She is excited to continue building upon WeCAN's four service areas by creating meaningful and useful connections to help WeCAN better serve the Western Hennepin County community!
Susann Zeug-Hoese
Client Services Coordinator
Susann comes to WeCAN with many years of experience working with people. Children, families, seniors, and those with differing abilities have all been supported by her work with St. David’s Center and Mount Olivet Rolling Acres. She is passionate about supporting people in their journey toward achieving a self-determined quality of life.
Lorrie Ham
Office Manager/Volunteer Coordinator
Lorrie manages many aspects of WeCAN daily operations, including providing administrative support and assisting with marketing and communications. Her background as a newspaper editor makes her a valuable asset with the many publications WeCAN produces. Lorrie also manages our volunteers. She enjoys working with the 200-plus volunteers that she calls the "backbone" of our organization!
Ross Rifkin
Employment Counselor
Ross began volunteering at WeCAN in 2017 as an employment counselor and driver for Meals on Wheels and Food Recovery. Ross is a former senior IT Manager that also led his division’s Green Team and Diversity Council. His staffing experience naturally lends itself to helping others with job searches, resume writing, interviewing skills and budget management. With advanced degrees in law and business, Ross has always had a keen interest in helping others improve their life situation and is excited to have the opportunity to do more with WeCAN.
Board of Directors
Rick Rohrer, President
Xcel Energy
Kristin Beise, Vice President
Re/Max Advantage Plus
Sherry Valley, Secretary
Minnesota Lakes Bank
Jim Beard, Treasurer
Bethel United Methodist Church
Chris Fischer
Orono Police Department
Stephanie Cappelleri
Simply Benefits, LLC
Lori Springer
Westonka Public Schools
Stephanie Shea
Community Volunteer