Staff & Board of Directors

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 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.

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 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 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 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 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.   In her free time, Laura gardening, volunteering, spending time at the lake, and watching her kids play sports.

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 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 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.

Bio Coming Soon! .

Bio Coming Soon .