We are here to start something

Gloria Lewis
President and Chief Executive Officer
651.789.2461
glewis@bigstwincities.org

Gloria C. Lewis leads the strategic direction of one of the largest Big Brothers Big Sisters affiliates in the nation. She ensures annual goals are achieved, acts as board liaison and guarantees the local mission to enrich young people's lives through one-to-one relationships is realized.

Gloria joined Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Twin Cities (BBBS) in 2005, bringing more than 25 years experience in public and non-profit administration. Throughout her career, she has delivered measurable results, engineered meaningful change and identified innovative funding sources.

Prior to assuming leadership at BBBS, Gloria served as the director of the Minnesota Department of Health's Office of Minority and Multicultural Health where she developed and maintained the largest legislative-funded health disparities initiative in the nation. Previously, she served the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services by introducing an asset-based approach to child welfare. While working for the Chicago Department of Public Health, Gloria created the first violence prevention plan developed by a major urban city. As a director in the Philadelphia School District, she developed and maintained a drug and alcohol prevention system for grades K-12.

Gloria is committed to the development, education and health of young people. She is a former Augsburg College Regent and former member of the board of directors of the American Cancer Society, Charities Review Council, and Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches.  Gloria is currently a member of the board of directors of: Minnesota Women’s Economic Roundtable and chair of the MWER program committee; Abbott Northwestern Hospital; and Greater Twin Cities United Way. Gloria holds a Master of Science degree in Public Communication from Boston University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Hampton University. She lives in Minneapolis with her husband, the Rev. Dr. Craig J. Lewis.

Barb Alfrey
Director of Human Resources and Volunteer Services
651.789.2451
balfrey@bigstwincities.org

Barb Alfrey is responsible for leading human resources work across the agency. She engages paid and volunteer staff to help achieve BBBS’ mission.

Barb has more than 20 years of experience managing volunteer programs in nonprofit and corporate organizations. Prior to joining BBBS, Barb was the manager of community relations at The Pillsbury Company and General Mills. In this role, she led the employee and retiree volunteer programs, served as a grants officer and managed United Way campaigns. Barb has served on a number of nonprofit boards including the Corporate Volunteerism Council of the Twin Cities, Hands On Twin Cities and the Minnesota Association for Volunteer Administration.

Barb holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Education from the University of Minnesota.

Cynthia Bahmer
Vice President of Programs
651.789.2444
cbahmer@bigstwincities.org

Cindy Bahmer is responsible for ensuring the success of BBBS program operations, and she supervises the program management team (PMT). PMT includes the teams supporting the Community-based and School-based Programs, the Mentoring Children of Prisoners Program, and special initiatives, such as BBBS' Education and Enrichment Program.

Cindy joined BBBS in August 2006 as Director of Community-based Mentoring. In this role, she was directly responsible for overseeing the teams that implement the Community-based Program, which serves more than 2,200 children and families each year.

Cindy has more than 22 years of experience in program, volunteer and human resource management. Prior to joining BBBS, she was the Director of Human Resources and Volunteer Services for the American Red Cross – Minneapolis Area Chapter. She is a member of MAVA (Minnesota Association for Volunteer Administration) and Metro Mentoring Partnership. She also is currently an active volunteer for Children’s Family and Home Society as an adoptive parent panel presenter.

Cindy has a BA degree in Sociology from the University of Minnesota and has completed the Mini MBA in Non-Profit Management and Non-Profit Human Resources Certification at the University of St. Thomas – College of Business.

Deanna Nurnberg
Vice President of Research, Evaluation and Special Projects
651.789.2438
dnurnberg@bigstwincities.org

Deanna Nurnberg oversees the agency's evaluation and special projects, including the development and implementation of the agency's strategic and activity plans and its processes to access and evaluate the impacts of its initiatives and provide data for decision making. She also coordinates BBBS' government relations, program data management and information technology services and is part of the grants and contracts management team.

Deanna joined the agency in 2007 as the Director of Corporate, Government and Philanthropic Relations. She worked with the Development Team to raise support from foundations, corporations and government agencies. Deanna is a Certified Fund Raising Executive with more than 17 years of professional experience nonprofit program development, management, fundraising, grant development and management, and research and evaluation. She has worked for agencies providing social services, higher education, economic development, and public policy research. Before joining BBBS, she worked as the director of principal gifts for Scholarship America, the nation’s largest private scholarship provider and educational support organization.

She has been actively involved in the development of the grants profession, serving three terms on the national board of the American Association of Grant Professionals, and two on the board of the Association of Fundraising Professionals - Minnesota Chapter. She has written and spoken on a number of grant-related issues, including identifying the core competencies of the grants profession and professional ethics for grant seekers and grants managers. She has also been active in the mentoring field, serving on the Research in Practice Committee of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, the external advisory committee of the Hennepin County A-GRAD Committee, and the Quality Standards Committee of the Mentoring Partnership of Minnesota.

Deanna holds a Master of Arts degree in Philanthropy and Development from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota and a Bachelors of Arts degree from the University of Illinois. She also holds the Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) credential (2003 - present).

Kari Munson, CPA
Vice President of Finance
651.789.2463
kmunson@bigstwincities.org

Kari Munson is responsible for the BBBS' financial department and has reponsibility for ensuring the accounting and financial reporting practices and policies meet the legal and operating needs of the agency. She produces various financial reports, provides leadership for the annual budgeting process, addresses cash flow needs, handles the agency's risk management and oversees the annual audit process.

Kari joined BBBS from the accounting firm of Virchow Krause and Company, LLP., where she had over eight years of experience in the firm’s Not-for-Profit service group. She managed the financial and single audits of many private colleges and universities, churches, and other nonprofit and governmental organizations.

Prior to public accounting, Kari had more than five years experience in municipal finance departments between the City of Roseville, where she performed accounting and payroll services, and the City of Bloomington, where she performed accounting services for the City and the Housing and Redevelopment Authority.

Kari received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Gustavus Adolphus College and received her CPA certificate in 1996. She is currently a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the Minnesota Society of Certified Public Accountants (MNCPA).

Terry Velasquez
Vice President of Development
651.789.2469
tvelasquez@bigstwincities.org

Terry Ann Velasquez leads Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Twin Cities’ fundraising efforts. She is responsible for developing and implementing a comprehensive fundraising plan, balancing the organization’s revenue streams, and securing contributions which allow the organization to achieve its mission.

Terry has more than 25 years’ experience in development, management, marketing and communications. Prior to joining the Big Brother Big Sisters of the Greater Twin Cities, Terry served as the Director of Development for the Epilepsy Foundation of Minnesota, Scholarship America and Resources for Child Caring.

She has served on numerous Boards of Directors and is currently on the Board of Directors for the Association of Fundraising Professionals Minnesota. Terry’s education includes a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts from Hamline University and a law degree from Hamline University School of Law.