Duluth Area Chapter

Meet the Chapter Leaders
President (required position)
The president is responsible for providing leadership to the board, which is composed of five to 10 elected leadership positions plus several advisory board members. The president will:
Oversee the planning and strategic direction of the board.
Schedule and conduct regular meetings.
Provide direction and oversee the activity level of service teams.
Ensure that the chapter leadership board election occurs.
Ensure that the annual financial audit occurs.
Mentor the vice president.
Welcome and admit new members.
Install new chapter leaders.
Solicit input from advisory members of the chapter leadership board.


Doug Paulson
President:Doug Paulson
Email Doug...

Vice President (required position)
The vice president is responsible for providing leadership to the board in the absence of the president and to consider possible election to the presidency after the current president leaves office. Together with, or in the absence of the president, this position will:
Oversee planning and strategic direction of the board.
Provide direction and oversee the activity level of service teams.
Ensure that the chapter leadership board election and the annual financial audit occur.
Serve as legislative contact for the chapter.
Invite elected officials to attend chapter activities, especially highly visible activities.
Track and retain documented record of elected officials' attendance at chapter activities.
Serve as the leader of the Nominating Committee, to identify future chapter leaders.
Ensure recognition of volunteer efforts.

Esther is a member of Holy Cross Church in Duluth. She has been a Thrivent member for 49 years, and this is her first year serving on the Chapter Board. She is married to her husband John, and they have three children and seven grandchildren. Esther is retired from St. Luke's Hospital. Her hobbies include gardening, reading, and traveling.


Esther North
(218) 727-1043
Email Esther...

Records Director (required position)
The primary responsibilities involve maintaining chapter leadership board records. The records director will:

Maintain accurate and up-to-date records, planning calendars and meeting minutes for the chapter leadership board.
Receive and process correspondence to and from community service teams.
Submit necessary nonfinancial reports to the Operations Center.
Verify that reporting is accurate.

Email Ruby...

Financial Director (required position)
The financial director is responsible for maintaining financial accounting for the entire leadership board, which includes the service teams. The financial director will:
Verify and track requests from service teams for program funding.
Respond to service teams regarding board approval of requested project/funding.
Collect and retain receipts from service teams for all Care programs.
Verify service team expenses and year-end financial reporting to the Operations Center.
Maintain financial records of income and expenses for the leadership board and respective service teams.
Authorize fund transfers.


John Nys
(218)590-8006
Email John..

Assistant Financial Director (optional position)
The assistant financial director will assist the financial director in maintaining financial accounting for the leadership board, including service teams. If called on, the assistant financial director will:
Verify and track requests from service teams for program funding.
Respond to service teams regarding board approval of requested projects or funding.
Collect and retain receipts from service teams.
Verify service team expenses and year-end financial reporting to the Operations Center.
Maintain income and expense records for the leadership board and service teams.
Fill in, as necessary, when the financial director is absent.
Possibly be well-prepared to eventually fill the leadership position of the financial director.

Assistant Financial Director: Frank Dusek
Frank is a lifelong member of Salem Lutheran Church in Hermantown. He is married and has two grown children.
Email Frank...

Director of Congregational Advocates (required position)
The Director of Congregational Advocates will:
Monitor congregational advocate vacancies in congregations within the chapter.
Serve as a liaison between the chapter and the congregational advocate team.
Train and support congregational advocates.
Encourage congregational service teams to conduct activities that qualify for funding.
Provide follow-up to congregational service teams to ensure that activities are pre-approved, and completed. Provide feedback to the chapter leadership board on the progress of congregational advocates/service teams.


Liz Pearson
(218) 724-4819
Liz is a member of Kenwood Lutheran Church, where she serves on the council as chair of the Board of Stewardship and Mutual Ministry. She also completed four years of service as one of the Thrivent Financial congregational coordinators. Liz is recently retired from the Duluth Public Library.
Email Liz...

Community Service Team Director (optional position)
This responsibility includes encouraging member engagement through the formation of service teams in local communities. The community service team director will:
Train and support community service teams.
Initiate and suggest activities for community service teams to qualify for funding.
Provide follow-up to community service teams to assure activities are completed, funded and reported to the Operations Center.
Evaluate and monitor progress toward chapter goals.
Provide feedback to the leadership Board on the progress of community service teams.

Diane is a member of Faith Lutheran Church in Duluth. She is a Clinical Social Worker at St. Louis County Social Services. She is married to Pastor Joe Koranda, and they have four children and seven wonderful grand children.


Diane Koranda
(218)638-1213
Email Diane...

Communications Director (optional position)
The communications director will:
Develop and distribute communications to service teams and members.
Assist the vice president as legislative contact for the chapter.
Invite elected officials to attend chapter activities, especially highly visible activities.
Act as liaison (the "eyes and ears") with the Operations Center, the regional financial office (RFO) and the Manager of Lutheran Community Services (MLCS).
Develop and distribute Thrivent Financial press releases to local media. Submit press releases about service team activities.
Develop contacts with local journalists and other media.
Be willing to be interviewed for local media, and support service teams that receive interview requests.
Support service teams in promoting their activities to encourage member and community engagement.
Utilize the chapter mailing service to communicate with members.


Julie Birman
(218)310-5261
Julie is a member of Holy Cross Lutheran Church. She works for St. Louis County and also for Outback Steakhouse.
Email Julie...
Communications Intern (optional position)
Jordan Fahlsing is a senior at UMD, majoring in Communications. He is also a member of Salem Lutheran Church.
Email Jordan

Events Director (optional position)
The events director works with the chapter leadership board and the Lutheran Engagement(LET) Team to determine what events will take place (e.g. training events, election meeting events, etc.) and how and where they will be carried out. Also, he/she will:
Develop plans to recognize chapter leadership board members and service team volunteers.
Plan volunteer gatherings or recognition events such as congregational advocate training or election meetings.
Provide guidance and expertise to service teams in planning projects and events.
Design and set up displays at events in cooperation with the communications director.
Assume responsibility for visibility-creating activities, using the Visibility Toolkit as a resource.


Zelda Cherne
(218) 390-5592
Zelda is a member of Concordia Lutheran Church. She is a graduate of the College of St. Scholastica and substitutes part-time in the public schools. Zelda has two children; her son is newly married and her daughter is a sixth grader.
Email Zelda...

Youth Director (optional position)
The youth director will:
Organize teams of youth or students to lead projects or form community service teams.
Make youth groups aware of opportunities to get involved in community service teams.
Promote Thrivent Financial programs to youth at churches and schools.
Support youth and their involvement, and represent them on the chapter leadership board.
Encourage youth involvement in JOIN HANDS DAY.

Youth Director: Judy Poss
Email Judy...

Financial Associate Advisor (appointed position)
The financial representative advisor(s) serve as the voice of the regional financial office (RFO) and the Manager of Lutheran Community Services (MLCS), and to offer advice and counsel as needed. He/she does not have board voting rights. The financial representative advisor will:
Serve as an advocate for the chapter system.
Identify and recruit leaders for chapter leadership roles and congregational and community service teams.
Assist the leadership board in identifying needs that can be met through service teams.
Support congregational and community service teams as needed.
Make check presentations to individuals, groups or institutions.

Scott Fahlsing (218) 625-4004

Scott is a member of Salem Lutheran.
Email Scott...
Pam Jacobson (218)624-7571
Pam is a member of Elim Lutheran where she directs the Senior Choir, the Bell Choir and teaches eighth grade confirmation. She has been with Thrivent Financial for 25 years, after a 14-year teaching career. Pam directs the Downbeats, which is a local singing group, and loves to read, golf, walk, camp and travel.

Email Pam...
Jeff Reinemann (218)525-2337
Jeff is a member of Mount Olive Lutheran.

Email Jeff...
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Insurance products issued or offered by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, Appleton, WI. Not all products are available in all states. Products issued by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans are available to applicants who meet membership, insurability, U.S. citizenship and residency requirements. Securities and investment advisory services are offered through Thrivent Investment Management Inc., 625 Fourth Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55415, a FINRA and SIPC member and a wholly owned subsidiary of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. Thrivent Financial representatives are registered representatives of Thrivent Investment Management Inc. They are also licensed insurance agents of Thrivent Financial.