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Our Team

The staff and board of directors of One Heartland are dedicated to helping young people develop self-acceptance, life-long friendships and the courage to face the world. Contact us at 612.824.6464 or helpkids@oneheartland.org.

One Heartland Staff

Patrick Kindler

Executive Director

Patrick has been with One Heartland since May of 2006—and has served as the Executive Director since January, 2011. In his tenure as Executive Director, he has strengthened and grown our camps and programs by creating a culture of financial transparency and ensuring that we have the resources necessary to send as many kids to camp as possible. A camp and outdoor enthusiast, he enjoys spending time at his cabin in northern Minnesota.

Katie Donlin

Operations Manager

Katie has been with One Heartland since December of 2010 and manages the One Heartland head office. She is a master juggler—handling accounts receivable, accounts payable, human resources and the donor database—among other tasks. She lives in Northeast Minneapolis with her husband and son, Thomas. When not working she enjoys spending time with her family, cooking and gardening.

Tony Koecher

Facility Manager

Tony has been with One Heartland since May of 2001. As the facility manager at One Heartland’s flagship camp in Willow River, Minn., Tony takes care of the grounds, buildings and rentals, works with volunteer groups, and helps out with aspects of program. On top of all his normal tasks, he can often be found driving to camp on his days off to plow snow, mow the lawn or tend to the goats. He also is well known among our campers for his willingness to pass on much needed life skills. When Tony is not at camp, he enjoys finding collectibles, woodworking, and playing and watching sports with his two sons.

Stefanie Tywater-Christiansen

Development Director

Stefanie has been with One Heartland since November 2007. She started as the registration and travel manager before moving to her new role as development director. Stefanie oversees the development initiatives of the organization including donor relationships, events, mailings, corporate relationships, volunteers and grants. When she’s not at work, Stefanie can be found with her nose in a book. She lives south of the Twin Cities with her husband, their dog, Leia, and their two children, Cooper and Quinn, who love impromptu dance parties in their living room.

Kadien Bartels-Merkel

Program Director

Kadien joined One Heartland in December 2019 after 9 years as a camp and youth program professional with other organizations. As Program Director, they oversee our program department and all our camp programs. Kadien lives in Saint Paul with their partner Kayla and three cats and in their free time enjoys spending time with family, hiking, and exploring new places. Kadien’s favorite camp activity is canoeing.

Carson Hearn

Summer Camp Coordinator

Carson joined One Heartland in January 2020, coming on board as the Summer Camp Coordinator. His background lies deeply rooted in the benefits of Outdoor Education, utilizing debriefing and processing techniques to teach others empathy, resiliency, and self-awareness. He works alongside the Program Director to ensure successful camp programs. After previously working with multiple residential camps around the country, he now lives in Minneapolis with his bearded dragon Chip (6 year old rescue he adopted in 2019). In his free time, he enjoys board games, hiking & camping, rock climbing, paddle boarding, and snowboarding.

Rachael Bell

Registration and Travel Coordinator

Rachael joined One Heartland in April 2021. She comes from a background in event planning and recreational sports organization. Rachael lives in South Minneapolis where she tends to her vegetable and pollinator gardens. In her free time she enjoys cooking, barbecuing, bonfires, watching and playing sports, and being out on the water.

One Heartland Board of Directors

Gina Lemon, President

Ralph Scorpio, Interim Vice-President
Executive Director, Sisters of St. Joseph Ministries Foundation

Deaven Yuska, Treasurer
Sr. Merchandise Manager at bebe, Inc.

Paul Hebert, Secretary
Operational Risk Consultant, Wells Fargo ITDRM

Laurie Le Moine
Lead Business Consultant, Fathom Consulting

Gina Houmann
Quality Improvement Consultant, Park Nicollet

Jodi Weinzetl
Sr. Area Director, Medtronic

Neil Willenson
Vice President of Community Relations, Kapco

Amy Acker
Adult Mental Health, Assertive Community Treatment Team

Kari Thurlow
President and CEO, LeadingAge Minnesota

Susan Leckey, Honorary Board Member
Director of Development, The Flynn

Cheryl Sandeen, Honorary Board Member
Philanthropist

Morgan Burns, Honorary Board Member
Partner, Faegre Baker Daniels

Wes Little, Honorary Board Member
Owner, WBL Consulting

Anthony Wood, Honorary Board Member
Executive Director, Ittleson Foundation

Featured Events

Career Opportunities

One Heartland is seeking a Facility Manager responsible for planning and coordinating the development, maintenance, and repair of the One Heartland Center’s buildings, grounds, equipment, and other facilities, and oversight of the kitchen consistent with the mission and established policies and procedures of One Heartland.

More Info »

Join our Board of Directors!

One Heartland is looking for additional board members to join our team. If you are passionate about creating community for kids who need it most, please email Katie at katie@oneheartland.org.

Shop our camp store!

Looking for a way to show your camp spirit? Visit our camp store for camp merchandise. A portion of each sale supports financial assistance.