CHANGES CONTINUE AT HAMLINE MIDWAY COALITION

Changes continue at the Hamline Midway Coalition (HMC). Jenne Nelson resigned as executive director on April 4, 2025, and will continue serving as the legislative aide for the Ward 4 office, which she had taken a leave of absence for earlier this year. Lisa Nelson has been hired as interim executive director; she also serves on the board of the Union Park District Council and was up for the interim Ward 4 appointment. (Note: Jenne Nelson and Lisa Nelson are not related.)

MEET LISA NELSON
L. Nelson describes herself as an artist, mom, cargo bike rider, block party enthusiast, and now HMC’s new Interim Executive Director. “People might recognize me from around the neighborhood – my family and I have lived just one block south of the border with Hamline Midway since 2013,” she said. “I’m excited to be helping out at HMC this spring. I am still on the UPDC board; UPDC’s staff and board president have been aware of my taking the HMC position, and I’ll be declaring the potential conflict of interest at our next board meeting." L. Nelson has been an UPDC board member since 2024. She joined the transportation committee in 2016, and has been co-chair since 2022. UPDC shares office space in the Spruce Tree Building with HMC and the Midway Chamber. She is also on the board of the Saint Paul School of Northern Lights where she is secretary, chair of advancement committee, and chair of fundraising task force. View articles she has written for streets.mn at https://streets.mn/author/lnelson/.

She earned her bachelor of arts in studio arts from Swarthmore College in 2006, and master of arts in art history at New York University. She does painting, drawing, graphic design, illustration, and web design.

L. Nelson observed, “Jenne Nelson resigned as executive director on April 4, but has kindly been making herself available to answer questions to help me with the transition as I’m taking over. I interviewed with a member of the HMC executive committee before being offered the job of interim ED, and my start date was April 21.

“So far, I’ve been spending my time learning the ropes, answering a lot of emails, keeping the paperwork wheels turning, and getting to know HMC behind the scenes. In the next few weeks, I’ll be meeting with new board members to begin the onboarding process, as well as continuing to get to know the current board members. Justin Lewandowski is here as Organizing Director and has been great at helping me get up to speed at HMC.

“I’m currently in the process of notifying and confirming the newly elected and appointed board members, and the final list of new board members should be released in the next few days. Staff and board members are currently reviewing HMC’s board education documents, and bylaws and policies in general, in preparation for onboarding new board members. Their first board meeting will be on May 27, which is also when the new executive committee officers will be voted in.”

3 BOARD MEMBERS RESIGN


Board member and presidents Cole Hanson (who is running for the vacant Ward 4 seat) and Grace Liu resigned, as did Anna Best (secretary) following the resolution by the board disavowing Cole Hanson. Liu was named president following the resignation of Hanson, but resigned herself on April 7.

Per public campaign donation records, donors to Cole Hanson’s campaign included Hamline Midway Coalition Board Members: Ilya Garelik, Anna Best, and Gunnar Aas. HMC intends to strengthen the board’s conflict of interest policy and expand board education moving forward.
The terms of the following board members ended in April 2025 and they did not seek re-election: Rayford Dixon, Ahmed (Meddy) Ali, Cameron Fure and Byron Arnold. As of press time on Monday, HMC had not yet announced the results of its board elections for six two-year terms ending in April 2027, and one to the remaining one year of Best's term.
Learn more about the resolution disavowing Cole Hanson, and Lewandowski being suspended after talking to the Monitor by clicking here. The Monitor sent a list of questions clarifying Lewandowski’s status and the unauthorized download of data by Hanson that were not answered as of press time on Monday afternoon, May 5, 2025.