POHLAD FAMILY FOUNDATION - Key Persons
Allie graduated from Colorado College with a BA in Feminist and Gender Studies and went on to earn a Masters in Holistic Health from St. Catherine's University. In 2012, she co-founded and operated a fresh-pressed juice business in Minneapolis, which she continued to own and run for eight years. In the time since, she has worked on several health-related business ventures and continues to educate herself on healthcare trends and issues.
She is passionate about issues that impact women and members of the LGBTQIA+ community, as well as issues that particularly affect women in the intersectionality of gender, race, and healthcare. She is also passionate about maintaining and expanding women's rights and the experiences and outcomes of new parents.
Allie joined the board in 2023 and she's excited to bring her passion to work on the foundation's racial justice and housing stability efforts. She lives in Minneapolis with her husband and two young children.
Job Titles:
- Chairman
- Member of the Board
- Member of the Racial Justice Grants Committee
Bill Pohlad has been making groundbreaking films under the River Road Entertainment banner for over thirty years. As a producer, he has been instrumental in Academy Award®-winning Best Picture 12 Years a Slave, The Tree of Life, and Into the Wild. As an executive producer, Bill's credits include Brokeback Mountain and the documentary Food, Inc.
After earning a bachelor's degree in accounting and economics from Gonzaga University and working in marketing for the family's financial services companies through much of the 1980s, Bill decided to pursue his life-long passion for film. While he has been focusing on his producing activities for the last 15 years, Bill made his return to directing in 2014 with Love & Mercy, a dramatic and unconventional portrait of the mercurial leader of the Beach Boys, Brian Wilson.
Bill currently serves as chairman of the Pohlad Family Foundation.
Bob's responsibilities, since 2010, focus primarily on oversight of the family's operating companies; Northmarq, Carousel Motor Group's auto dealerships in the Twin Cities and PAR Systems. He also serves, along with his brothers, on the Pohlad Family Foundation.
Graduating in 1976 from Arizona State University Bob began a 35-year career in the family's Pepsi-Cola businesses. Beginning in Tulsa, OK and continuing in Portland, OR and then returning to Minneapolis he became, in 1998, Chairman and CEO of PepsiAmericas. It grew to become the second largest Pepsi Bottler in the world and in 2010 was acquired by PepsiCo. In 2015 Bob was elected to the Board of Directors of PepsiCo.
Bob serves on the Board of Visitors at the University of Minnesota Medical School, and was previously on the boards of Breck School, MPR, and Cristo Rey Jesuit High School. Currently he is Chair of the Board of Trustees at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington. Bob and his wife, Becky, have three married sons, Tom, Joe and Chris and have eight grandsons and one granddaughter. While they have a home on San Juan Island in Washington they still live in Minneapolis and call it home.
Job Titles:
- Program Director
- Senior Program Officer
Brian joined the Pohlad Family Foundation as senior program officer in 2014. He directs the Foundation's grantmaking strategies and their effectiveness; strategic partnerships; and community engagement.
Brian has 20 years of experience in the social sector, having served children and families living in poverty through direct practice, developing and managing programs, and grantmaking. He holds a Bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin, and a Master's from the University of Minnesota School of Social Work with a concentration on Community Practice.
Brian also serves in a variety of local leadership roles, such as board member (past chair) of Heading Home Minnesota Funders Collaborative; past chair of Workforce Matters; and advisor on workforce development strategies in Minnesota's Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness.
Eloise believed in hard work and helping those in need. As Carl rose through the ranks of the banking industry, Eloise became active with local charitable organizations supporting children and families in the Twin Cities. Together they taught their children, Jim, Bob and Bill, a set of shared values that would become the Pohlad family legacy: integrity, humility, empathy, respect, teamwork and involvement.
As the family's business ventures grew, Carl and Eloise stayed true to their roots, never taking their good fortune for granted. In 1993, the Pohlads established a foundation to formalize their commitment to giving - they wanted to ensure that they supported long-standing community organizations as well as those that gave directly to families and youth in need. This nimble, responsive approach continues to this day.
The Pohlad Family Foundation remains committed to our longstanding shared values imparted by our founders. These pillars provide the bedrock for our philanthropic efforts and a compass for our decision-making - helping forge a future where opportunity and prosperity are shared by all.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Racial Justice Grants Committee
- Chief Talent & Diversity Officer of Pohlad Companies
- Pohlad Companies in 2021 As Chief Talent and Diversity Officer
Erryn Williams joined the Pohlad Companies in 2021 as Chief Talent and Diversity Officer, leading DEI Strategy and key talent practices across the organization. She has more than 20 years of experience in human resources and diversity and inclusion roles in both public and private companies, including May Company, Target, Best Buy and Ryan Companies. Most recently, Erryn led global inclusion and diversity strategy for Cargill.
She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology from the University of California, Los Angeles and currently serves as Chair of the Human Resource Committee on the Board of Directors for Bridging, whose mission is to improve the lives of those transitioning out of homelessness and poverty. Erryn is married with two sons and enjoys spending time participating in parent's groups and sporting activities.
Jim Pohlad currently holds various leadership roles throughout the Pohlad Companies, including the Minnesota Twins, Twins Sports Inc., United Properties and the Pohlad Family Investment Group. Jim began his career in public accounting after graduating from the University of Southern California with a degree in accounting, and he is also a certified public accountant. He joined the family business in 1979 and worked with Marquette Financial Companies in addition to his other leadership roles.
Jim has been with the Minnesota Twins ever since the Pohlad family acquired them in 1984, providing leadership to the front office on behalf of the family in several capacities-including decisions related to baseball and business, as well as long-term strategic planning. He serves on several committees for Major League Baseball.
Jim's is also deeply involved with organizations and programs that support the well-being and interests of children and families in the Twin Cities and surrounding communities. He currently serves on the board of the Pohlad Family Foundation. In past years, he has supported and provided leadership to the Greater Twins Cities United Way, Minneapolis Institute of Arts, the Greater Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce, The Minneapolis Foundation and Park Nicollet Health Services and Melrose Institute.
Jim and his wife, Donna, live in Minneapolis and have six adult children.
Job Titles:
- Communications & Engagement Officer
Joanna provides effective communications and thoughtful guidance, helping the Foundation realize it's mission to improve the quality of life and opportunities for those most in need in the Twin Cities. She serves a hybrid role that includes overseeing strategic communications and working with third-generation Pohlad family members to fulfill their philanthropic goals.
She brings more than 20 years of experience as a communications leader and strategy expert working in local arts and cultural nonprofits including the Minnesota Historical Society, Mia, and Penumbra Theatre. Joanna has a B.A. from University of Wisconsin - Madison and serves many civic and education organizations as a board member and volunteer.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Member of the Racial Justice Grants Committee
- CEO of Go Media
Joe began his career at the Pohlad Companies with the Minnesota Twins in 2007. Upon graduating from Stonehill College in Easton, Massachusetts with a BA in Communications, he held various positions within the Twins organization, including in the areas of marketing and operations. In Nov. 2022, Joe was named the Executive Chair of the Minnesota Twins, assuming all day-to-day leadership responsibilities.
In 2015, Joe became CEO of Go Media, home to radio station Go 96.3. Under Joe's leadership, Go Media diversified its format and reach in the Twin Cities region. He led the transition of 96.3 from a classic rock and Twins Baseball format to modern alternative and with the purchase of 95.3, launched a modern hip hop station in 2016.
Joe joined the Pohlad Foundation Board of Directors in 2017, and with his cousin Kiki, became the first grandchildren of Carl and Eloise to serve in this role. Joe is a founding board member of One2One Mentoring in Brooklyn Park, MN and sits on the board of the Loppet Foundation. He lives in the Twin Cities with his wife and three young children.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Member of the Racial Justice Grants Committee
Kiki is the youngest board member of the Pohlad Family Foundation, and currently serves on its Racial Justice Grants Committee. She is specifically engaged in the intersections of art and restorative, social, and racial justice. Similarly, she is focused on expanding access to education and engagement within art museums, foundations, and initiatives while fostering and including diverse voices within these realms, which traditionally have not been inclusive.
As a past member of the Skidmore College Board of Trustees, Kiki continues to serve on the school's DEI Ad Hoc Committee. She supports a variety of programs at museums located in New York and Minnesota, and she has remained a supporter of the ACLU since 2015.
Kiki graduated class of '13 from Skidmore College, majoring in Art History, with a minor in ceramic-focused Studio Art. After college, she attended the Gemological Institute of America for jewelry design. Currently, she is creative director of The Loupe, a luxury purveyor of fine-designer jewelry with a boutique located in the North Loop of Downtown Minneapolis. She continues her own studio practice in ceramics out of Greenwich House Pottery in New York City. She lives in Manhattan with her husband, Zach McMillan.
Job Titles:
- Program Officer, Racial Justice
Lea joined the Pohlad Family Foundation team in 2023. In her role, she works with the Racial Justice Grants Committee and leads programs including Black Homeownership and Racial Justice Fellowship. She values implementing a racial equity framework, being in relationship with the community, and co-creating solutions with those most impacted by an issue.
Lea has more than 25 years of experience in the nonprofit, education, and philanthropic sectors. Prior to joining the Pohlad Family Foundation she worked at The Blake School, Social Venture Partners Minnesota, and as an executive director for two small nonprofits in the Twin Cities. She spent the last seven years consulting with nonprofits that are focused on racial equity, youth development, housing stability and anti-displacement initiatives.
Lea holds a Bachelor's degree and a Master's in Educational Leadership from the University of Minnesota, and a professional development certificate in Nonprofit Management from Harvard Business School's Executive Education program.
Misha joined the Pohlad Family Foundation as grants manager in 2012. His work includes grants administration for the Foundation and the family's donor advised fund, as well as operational support for the Foundation's website and online application and reporting portal.
Misha graduated from the University of Minnesota and worked at The Museum of Russian Art supporting the director before joining the Foundation.
Job Titles:
- Program Officer, Housing Stability
Sommer joined the Pohlad Family Foundation in 2020. In her role, Sommer leads the Foundation's grantmaking on Housing Stability with a focus on Direct Impact and Organizational Capacity Building. She works closely with nonprofit partners, people with lived experience, and community to understand what is working to improve housing stability and ensure the Foundation's work is effective.
Sommer has more than 14 years of experience in the nonprofit sector supporting housing and education. She is committed to actionable systemic change, creating opportunity, building relationships and keeping the communities she serves at the forefront of her work. Prior to joining the Foundation, Sommer worked for the Amherst H. Wilder Foundation and Saint Paul Promise Neighborhood.
Sommer holds a Bachelor's degree in human services, a Master's in public administration and is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Education with Hamline University.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Racial Justice Grants Committee
- Director of Community Impact for the Timberwolves & Lynx
Sondra Ciesielski is the Director of Community Impact for the Timberwolves & Lynx. In her role she is responsible for leading, managing, implementing, and measuring outreach programs and events for the Minnesota Timberwolves & Lynx Community Impact initiatives and the Fastbreak Foundation.
Sondra has more than 10 years of community impact and social responsibility experience. Most recently she was the community relations manager for the Minnesota Twins focused on raising awareness and story-telling for player and team communities initiatives.
Sondra received her bachelor's degree in communications from the University of Minnesota. She values the importance of diverse perspectives and your authentic self. Born and raised in Minneapolis, Sondra is a community advocate and relationship builder. She is involved with the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twins Cities, and USA Hockey.
Susan was named president of the Pohlad Family Foundation in 2024, after nearly eight years of leadership as vice president and executive director. She is the first non-family member to serve in this role since the Foundation's founding 30 years ago. She leads the Foundation's overall strategic direction and works directly with the Pohlad family to ensure their philanthropic vision is realized.
Susan brings more than 20 years of leadership experience in philanthropy, social impact and communications. She served as executive director of the Best Buy Foundation and as senior director of community relations/diversity inclusion for Best Buy Co., Inc. where she led the creation of the Best Buy Teen Tech Center program. Her experience also includes vice president of communications and community relations for the Atlanta Falcons Football Club, and owner of a boutique agency specializing in foundation management and public relations strategy for sports professionals. She also led The Limited Foundation as director of community affairs and philanthropy for Limited Brands, Inc.
Susan holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism with an emphasis in public relations from The Ohio State University in Columbus, OH. She has a long history of community involvement and currently serves on the boards of the Constellation Fund and Funders Together to End Homelessness.