Staff & Board of Directors
Our Staff
Dedication. Expertise. Passion.
Executive Director
Sarah Buhs
Sarah is the executive director of the Carlton County United Way. Sarah is a lifelong Cloquet resident and extremely passionate about Carlton County and the people she serves. Sarah was formally a Public Education Coordinator for the Cloquet Area Fire District. ​ In August 2020, the American Red Cross–Duluth Chapter recognized her as a Hometown Hero. Sarah is on the Cloquet School Board, so she can bring more diversity in all areas of the school and make better decisions for the district’s staff and students. She is a Cloquet Education Foundation Board Member and is a member of the Parks Commission in Cloquet.
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Community Impact Coordinator
Bobbi Korpi
Bobbi Korpi brings over 20 years of expertise in public administration and program management, with a passion for improving community health and education. She spent nearly two decades supporting rural school districts in Northeast Kansas, specializing in grant writing, program evaluation, and strategic planning. Her efforts tackled critical issues like obesity and mental health, securing federal grants and leading impactful initiatives, including a Mobile Resource Center. Bobbi holds a Master’s in Public Administration from Hamline University and a Bachelor’s in Political Science from St. Catherine University. Beyond work, she is an advocate for international student exchange, literacy, public health, and human rights education. Bobbi and her husband, John, have hosted five international students, fostering lifelong connections. She volunteers with school councils, libraries, and youth-focused organizations, and enjoys family time, travel, sports, and holiday decorating. Known for uniting diverse communities, Bobbi is committed to driving meaningful change.
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Student Director
Kendra East
Bio Coming Soon!
Board of Directors
Shelly Peterson
Board President
As Board President of United Way, Shelly Peterson is a dedicated community champion committed to strengthening connections, supporting local families, and helping the region thrive. Her leadership is driven by a passion for collaboration and a deep belief in the power of collective impact. Through her work, she strives to elevate the organizations, individuals, and businesses that make Cloquet a vibrant and resilient community. Shelly grew up in Cloquet and has spent her life investing in the people around her. She is the Founder and CEO of Promoting Me, and she highlights local businesses through her Hidden Gems of Cloquet podcast and online business forum. With a professional background that includes serving as a Vice President in the construction industry, Shelly brings strong leadership experience and an unwavering commitment to helping others grow and succeed.
Marta Vant
Vice President
Marta started her banking career with Frandsen Bank & Trust in July 2000. She has held many positions, including teller, operations assistant, retail banker, financial advisor, and now her current role as mortgage lender. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family outdoors, whether on the water, skiing, or hiking. She is community-oriented, enjoys helping others, and being a part of something that can make a real difference.
John Shannon
Treasurer
As a teller, John started working in the financial industry with Member’s Coop Credit Union in 2010. He has had the opportunity to work in nine different roles at the credit union, from teller to a consumer lender, trainer, branch manager, and now a commercial lender. John is a person who enjoys working with people to find solutions to problems or identify ways to improve services or processes. John enjoys spending time with his family and three kids and living on the lake.
Jacob Bushey
Secretary
Jacob started his career in the railroad industry working in signals and controls maintenance and PTC tower rebuilds. He currently works at Minnesota Power as an assistant distribution engineer with various responsibilities in Capital and Maintenance projects. Jacob enjoys camping, outdoor activities, carpentry and woodworking, traveling, fishing and hunting, volunteering, sports, spending time with family, wife and two dogs
Carrie Foster
Board Member
​Carrie is a Commissioner (Mediator) with Federal Mediation and Conciliation Services (FMCS) since 2018. Before this, she was a Human Resource Director with the Bureau of Prisons in Duluth. She was the HR director from 2009 to 2018 and previously held various positions at the prison. She volunteered with the Conflict Resolution Center in Duluth as a civil, family, and school mediation services mediator. She also volunteers with Carlton County in the Restorative Justice program. Carrie enjoys watching her kids accomplish their passions, including mountain bike racing, hockey, football, and trap shooting. They love to camp, travel, and take road trips as a family. She loves the outdoors, hiking, and being on the water.
Heather Bergherr
Board Member
Heather worked for 12 years in the automotive industry as a fixed operations director and then as a trainer/coach for a national company. Her expertise in financial planning, budgeting, payroll, operations, and marketing led her to the purchase of The Greenhouse, which has six locations and 50K sq growing space. Heather loves to read, paint, draw, and print in her spare time. She recently got a guitar and is learning to play.
Laura Nilsen
Board Member
Laura is a Career Counselor at the Northeast MN Office of Job Training. Her work with youth and young adults in the community is her motivator. Before her current role, she spent over seven years as a student information specialist at the Carlton School District and worked at Northspan in economic development. Laura is a charismatic and motivated disruptive innovator and problem solver who is always willing to learn and appreciates a challenge. Laura holds a master's degree in management and business with a bachelor's degree in legal studies and business administration. Â In her free time, Laura gardening, volunteering, spending time at the lake, and watching her kids play sports.
Jessica Ochis
Board Member
Jessica Ochis is the Director of Rehabilitation Services at Community Memorial Hospital in Cloquet, where she has spent most of her career supporting and growing rehab services in our community. As an occupational therapist and certified hand therapist, she loves helping people get back to the activities that matter most to them. In her leadership role, she enjoys working alongside a talented OT, PT, and Speech team, building programs that meet the unique needs of the region, and making sure patients can receive high-quality care close to home. Jessica joined the United Way of Carlton & Pine Counties Board because she believes in giving back and helping remove barriers that impact families and individuals in the area. She appreciates how United Way brings people and resources together to create meaningful change in the community. Outside of work, Jessica loves spending time with her family, golfing, running, hiking, camping, traveling, and being by the water. She also enjoys upcycling furniture and relaxing with a good book, activities that fuel her creativity and her love for the outdoors.
Jon Reimer
Board Member
Jon brings a passion for efficiency, collaboration, and problem-solving to his role at Reliable Insurance Agency, where he improves internal processes, enhances communication systems, and creates tools that help staff deliver exceptional service to clients. As Resource Specialist, he plays a key role in operations, marketing and advertising, technology workflows, and strategic initiatives across the agency. He holds a degree in Education with a concentration in Community Health & Wellness and spent nearly 19 years in the nonprofit sector before transitioning to the insurance industry. His background in leadership, event planning, and community wellness aligns strongly with his commitment to supporting United Way initiatives. Jon enjoys boating, gardening, camping, golfing, and anything else that gets him outdoors.
Vicki Oberstar
Board Member
Vicki enjoys being a part of the larger community and supporting the Services of the community. She started her career as a Home Economics teacher, now called Family and Consumer Sciences. She earned a master's, went into school counseling 7-12, earned a Doctorate in Education Policy and Leadership from the University of MN, and then a superintendent and principal license for Minnesota and a Work Based Learning Certificate. Ten years volunteer with Cognia doing school accreditations- multiple types of school evaluation across the United States and territories—over 30 years in tribal education K-12. Vicki enjoys sewing, quilting, hunting, reading, friends, family, and pets.
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Abigal Otis
Board Member
Bio Coming Soon! .
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Troy Homstad
Board Member
Bio Coming Soon .
To help familiarize candidates with the position, enclosed are the following materials:
If you are a student who would thrive in this role and is interested in applying, please submit a letter of interest to s.buhs@unitedwaycarltoncounty.org by June 8, 2026. A member of our Nominating Committee will follow up promptly.