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.

Heather Helm

Food Programs Manager

Heather manages the Meals on Wheels and Mobile Market programs. She graduated from St. Cloud State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Women’s Studies. While in college, Heather gained experience creating collaborative community relationships and volunteer management. Heather is currently working towards her Masters degree in Nonprofit Management in Leadership with a concentration in Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Walden University. Heather is excited to work at an organization that is committed to the shared passion of social justice.

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!

Janice Bradburn
Client Services Coordinator

Janice came to WeCAN from Mound Westonka High School and prior to that lived in Colorado with her husband and two sons and had a medical services practice. The position of Client Services Manager is responsible for determining eligibility for emergency assistance, overseeing the family support programs and providing referral assistance based on each person’s unique needs. Janice is excited to assist individuals and families to better their life situations and help them become their own best advocate.

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

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