Leadership
Executive Committee
BOARD CHAIR
Mary Ellen Wells
U of M Schools of Public Health
Member since 2017
“My core purpose is healing…it’s about people healing…that, combined with a lifelong commitment to giving, led me to the organization.”
–Mary Ellen Wells
VICE CHAIR
Deborah Laxson
Founder, Heath Care Agent
Member since 2018
“The Health Care Directive really becomes the anchor on how to make the best decisions for our loved ones.”
–Deborah Laxson
TREASURER
Joy Hornung
Public Accounting—Operations Manager, CliftonLarsonAllen LLP
Member since 2016
“As a parent of grown children, I would hate for them to have to guess what I want…so I think having the Advance Care Plan is very important for all ages.”
–Joy Hornung
SECRETARY
Patricia Bresser
St. Cloud State University
Faculty Emerita
Member since 2015
“I think Advanced Care Planning is one of the critical issues for twenty-first century health care, and there are a lot of critical issues for twenty-first century health care.”
–Patricia Bresser
Staff
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Lynn MacKenzie
“I had to make some very difficult decisions on behalf of my husband…but I could make those decisions with a clear conscience because we had talked about it and I knew what his wishes were.”
–Lynn MacKenzie
Board Members
BOARD MEMBER
Michelle Jaskolka
Palliative Care Coordinator, CentraCare Health
Member since 2017
“Anyone who is not familiar with what Advance Care Planning is or what Light the Legacy does really just needs to know that they have the power to ask the questions…everybody has a voice…it’s all about putting yourself in the driver’s seat of your own care.”
–Michelle Jaskolka
BOARD MEMBER
Merryn Jolkovsky, MD
Palliative Care Physician, CentraCare Health
Member since 2015
“It finally occurred to me to ask ‘what’s wrong with the care we’re giving [patients] that they’re not happy?’ I started focusing on the end of life issues then…”
–Merryn Jolkovsky
BOARD MEMBER
Catherine “Cate” Anderson
Hospice Palliative Care Coordinator, St. Cloud VA HCS
Member since 2017
–Catherine “Cate” Anderson
BOARD MEMBER
Natalie Spiczka
Care Transitions Coordinator, St. Croix Hospice
Member since 2020
–Natalie Spiczka
NEW BOARD MEMBERS
Abdalle Jamaa
Spiritual Care Cultural Liaison, St. Cloud Hospital
Member since 2021
Sangheeta Jha
Faculty, St. Cloud Technical and Community College
Member since 2021
Kirsten Huepenbecker
Attorney
Member since 2021