Board of Directors
St. Joseph's Foundation
523 3rd Street N
Brainerd, MN 56401
Contact:
218-828-7641
Foundation Board of Directors
Executive Director
Shelli Urness, Executive Director, St. Joseph's Foundation
A Note from the Director:
St. Joseph's Foundation has a rich tradition of supporting St. Joseph's Medical Center and community health initiatives. As a 501c3 non-profit organization, our mission is to enhance fundraising efforts and encourage philantropic support for the Medical Center and community.
Philanthropy is defined as having a giving spirit, or showing goodwill to your fellow man. As the Foundation's Executive Director, my job, and that of the Board of Directors, is to help harness the giving spirit that exists in our community. People--just like you--provide financial support through St. Joseph's Foundation to assist in meeting future healthcare needs and services, and to provide our growing and aging population with quality healthcare close to home.
Your gifts help us to continue the tradition of providing the best healthcare services available, while maintaining high quality patient care well into the future. Our goal is to provide a range of integrated services, close to home so that you and your family can be confident you are receiving the best of care, right here in our community.
Your gifts of cash, real estate, personal property or securities will help meet the needs of the hospital and the patients it serves. It will also help us reach out to support health care initiatives and education that are important to our community, through our Community Health Initiative Fund.
As we grow to grow, expand and extend our outreach, we hope that you will partner with us in helping us provide a lifetime of health care, close to home.
Charles Benson, M.D., Secretary
Dr. Benson joined the Board in March of 2006. He is a Radiologist at Diagnostic Imaging Associates in Brainerd. Dr. Benson serves as the Secretary of the Board.
Kim Ellingson
Kim joined the Board in 2009. She is the Senior Vice-President of Bremer Bank.
Cathy Engler, Vice-Chair
Cathy joined the Board in 2008. She is the principal of Riverside School. Cathy serves as Vice-Chair of the Board.
David Downing
David joined the Board in 2009. He is the Executive Director of Kinship Partners in Crow Wing County.
Lannell Farmer, Treasurer
Lannell join the board in August 2008. He is retired from Crow Wing County Social Services. Lannell serves as the Treasurer of the Board.
Cheryl Gelbmann
Cheryl joined the Foundation Board in October of 2005. She is the owner of Impart in Brainerd. Cheryl served on the St. Joseph's Medical Center Board of Directors for six years and she was the Community Drive Chair for the Brainerd Lakes Heart and Vascular Center.
Gary Gunderson
Gary joined the board in 2007. Gary is a psychologist at Brainerd High School and the Director of PATH-MN.
Brenda Johnson
Brenda joined the Board in 2007. Brenda is retired from Independent School District #181, and an active volunteer at St. Joseph's Medical Center.
Kevin Larson
Kevin joined the Board in 2009. He is the CEO of Consolidated Telecommunications in Brainerd.
Debbi Thuringer, Chair
Debbie joined the Foundation Board in October of 2005. She is co-owner of Madden's Resort on Gull Lake. Debbi serves as the Chair of the Board.