Towerside’s 2025 Board Candidates

May 19, 2025

Recruitment Process

Towerside’s Board of Directors plays a vital role in shaping the organization’s mission, strategy, and long-term impact. To ensure the Board reflects the diverse needs, values, and experiences of the community it serves, Towerside conducts a thoughtful and structured selection process each year.

In 2025, we launched our first open call for board members using a formal application process designed to be much more than a checkbox exercise. It was intentionally built as a two-way exchange: a chance for us to learn more about each candidate, and for candidates to gain deeper insight into Towerside’s work, values, and expectations for board service.

The process began with the board-led Nominating Committee identifying recruitment priorities, with a focus on addressing gaps in representation, skills, and lived experience. We encouraged applications from individuals who:

- Believe in collaborative and values-driven place-based development
- Live, work, or frequently spend time in or around the innovation district
- Have professional experience in the built environment and city building, community and economic development, spatial justice, complex infrastructure projects, public-private partnerships, and/or asset-based and collaborative planning processes
- Have lived experience with the positive and/or negative impacts and outcomes of community and economic development initiatives
- Bring a diverse perspective as a member of an underserved or marginalized community
- Are interested in taking on a leadership role as a committee chair, co-chair, or board officer
- Have applicable skills in or a strong interest to learn nonprofit management
- Have a connection to a Towerside partner or Supported Organization

After receiving applications, each candidate met with Towerside’s Executive Director, Stephen Klimek. The Nominating Committee then reviewed and scored the applications, followed by one-on-one meetings with candidates to better understand their interests, answer questions about board service, and assess alignment with Towerside’s mission and needs.

Voting Process

The Nominating Committee is proud to put forward an excellent slate of candidates to be voted on by Towerside’s Supported Organization partners. Following a majority vote, the selected candidates will be notified to begin the onboarding process. Final appointments will be announced publicly during Towerside’s Annual Meeting on June 26, 2025.

Candidate Profiles

Prospective Board Members

Shannon Fitzgerald

Shannon Fitzgerald is currently the Founder of CCS Collaborative Consulting, Business Advisor for the New Majority Capital Foundation, and Associate Director for Carlson Ventures Enterprise. She comes from both a nonprofit and district development background, and is well connected in a number of different sectors. She is committed to and experienced in building coalitions, as well as drafting and implementing collaborative strategic plans.

Shannon is interested in serving on Towerside’s board because, as she explains, “I am most excited about thoughtful, collaborative development right in my backyard… Towerside has the opportunity to include all of its diversity of neighbors in its work, telling their stories, understanding their situations, and opening opportunities for those who need it. I'd like to explore how to use community engagement, art, and collaboration to build that.”

 

Danielle Jackson

Danielle Jackson is currently the Residential Marketing Associate with Center for Energy and Environment. Previously, Danielle was Senior Content Strategist with Br8kthru Consulting, creating and executing on content strategies for B2B businesses in finance, technology, healthcare, and professional services. She also served as board co-chair for the Art Shanty Projects, bringing deep nonprofit experience and a unique perspective on what draws people to our spaces year-round.

Danielle is interested in serving on Towerside’s board because, as she explains, “I really love Board engagement as a way to funnel passion into action and I’m passionate about the work being done by Towerside to improve the Twin Cities in tangible, meaningful, and innovative ways. I’m excited about the ways Towerside can innovate to try things that may not otherwise be possible.”

 

David Juliff 

David Juliff is currently the President and Owner of Be Civil, Inc., providing a blend of art and engineering for a civilized world. He has over 35 years of experience working on public and private infrastructure projects all over the country. Those projects have helped him understand the dynamics between agencies and working with people of all walks of life.

David is interested in serving on Towerside’s board because, as he explains, “As a 10 year resident of Prospect Park, I have a vested interest in the neighborhood and Towerside in particular. I live, work and play in the neighborhood. I am excited about all of the possibilities for the future of Towerside, and have been involved at some of the earliest activities, including the design and implementation of Green 4th Street.”

 

David Krco

David Krco is an attorney with Best & Flannagan LLP with a career focused on real estate, development, and construction matters. He has extensive experience handling litigation and resolving disputes on wide ranging issues including boundary and easement disputes, multimillion dollar real estate development and construction disputes, Native American land issues, and just about everything else in between. He previously served on boards for the Midtown Greenway Coalition, Urban Land Institute - Minnesota, St. Paul Jewish Federation, Minnesota JCC, Jewish Community Relations Council, Twin Cities Cardozo Society, and Harry Kay Leadership Institute.

David is interested in serving on Towerside’s board because, as he explains, “I like Towerside's focus on smart urban planning emphasizing livability, sustainability, and community impact. I want to use my experiences, knowledge, and skills to further Towerside's mission and work.”

 

Kimberly Rashad

Kimberly Rashad is the Founder + Creative Strategist for Interconnected Strategy + Coaching where she supports clients in creative strategy, engagement, and organizational change. Kimberly’s career has focused on progressive urban development and she is passionate about human-centered innovation, social impact, education, and fostering community. Previously, she served as Communications Manager with EcoDistricts and is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree with a thesis focused on intergenerational placemaking.

Kimberly’s life experiences and skills can support Towerside because, as she explains, “I typically provide a unique perspective when I enter spaces. As a Black woman who grew up in North Minneapolis. I’m a creative that also has great analytical skills and can relate to a wide demographic, giving me the ability to provide a deeper level of empathy to projects.”

 

Thomas Streitz

Thomas Streitz is currently Government Relations Partner with Solomon Strategies Group, representing clients in affordable housing, real estate development, environmental stewardship, and human services. Tom was an original founder of Land Bank Twin Cities and has served in roles there including Board Chair and President. He also previously served as Legislative Counsel to the U.S. Senate, Director of Housing and Policy Development for the City of Minneapolis and Deputy Executive Director of the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority.

At Towerside, Tom is interested in serving as Board Treasurer. He would bring a track record of innovation and results in private-public partnerships to the role, drawing on his experience leveraging private capital to assist low income communities in wealth-building. He is an accomplished fundraiser, development expert, and donor steward.

 

Seth Thompson

Seth Thompson is currently the Programs Director for Freshwater Society. He previously spent 15 years at the University of Minnesota and served as the Engineering Workforce Development Director for the NSF-funded Engineering Research Center ATP-Bio. As a trained ecologist, Seth employs an ecosystem-based, systemic approach to problem solving.

Seth is interested in serving on Towerside’s board because, as he explains, “I have a very strong belief in the power of community and the place-based mission of Towerside really resonates with me. I am excited about working on issues related to equity and inclusion through the lens of workforce development. I'm passionate about the intersections between STEM workforce development and economic equality, and I'd be excited for the opportunity to take a real, place-based approach to these issues with Towerside.”

 

Renewing Board Members

Metric Giles

Metric is Executive Director for Community Stabilization Project in Saint Paul, which advocates for tenants’ rights. Metric has been a community activist and youth mentor since the 1960s and is responsible for the development of several community gardens. He serves or has served in active roles with the Frogtown Neighborhood Association, the Summit-University Planning Council and the Aurora-St. Anthony Neighborhood Development Corporation, the Jordan Park School, the Dispute Resolution Center, the Circle of Peace anti-violence initiative and St. Paul Almanac. He also served on the Metropolitan Council’s Central Corridor Community Advisory Committee, working with community members and civic groups to include additional stations along the Green Line light rail corridor.  

 

Richard Gilyard

Dick is an architect who has served as design principal for a broad range of building types and urban planning challenges. They include U.S. courthouses, airports, schools, multifamily residences, corporate facilities, a Jesuit retreat center, and rock ‘n’ roll radio station. As co-chair of the Duluth Mayor’s Advisory Committee, he spearheaded the plan to reconfigure the freeway extension, creating the opportunity for development of the Lake Superior Waterfront Park. Dick has served on the boards and planning committees of Prospect Park Association and University District Alliance. As a representative of the Prospect Park 20/20, Inc., community development corporation, he has served on the board of the Towerside Innovation District since its founding.

 

Rachel Placzek 

Rachel Placzek is Platforms Manager at GREATER MSP, the regional economic development partnership for the 15-county Minneapolis-Saint Paul metro. She works on major initiatives and coalition-based efforts to grow the regional economy, including building next-generation industry hubs for sustainable aviation fuel, semiconductors, and medical technology. Prior to moving to Minnesota in 2019, she led talent attraction and retention initiatives for the Lincoln Partnership for Economic Development in her hometown, Lincoln, Nebraska. She holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where she studied political science, global studies, and Spanish. Rachel lives in Minneapolis with her husband, son, and Boston Terrier.

What’s Next? 

SAVE THE DATE! Towerside's Annual Meeting is on Thursday, June 26 from 8:30 - 10:30 AM at Malcolm Yards. At this meeting, new board members will be announced and Towerside's partners will join us for a conversation about Towerside’s current activities, strategic planning, and what's ahead for the organization.

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