Board of DirectorsBeechwood, Inc. was founded and incorporated in Minnesota in 1999. As a nonprofit organization, we are registered with the state and federal government and governed by an independent Board of Directors. The Board of Directors is committed to carrying forth the BeechWood mission of helping all people live independently by providing supportive services, training, advocacy, and supervision.
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Mark Simpson
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Mark attended the U of MN for his MSW and is licensed as an LICSW. He worked for 31 years as a Hennepin County Social Worker. Jobs included working in an in-home parent education (the Parent Support Project); Adult Protection Services; Mental Health Case Management; and the mobile mental health crisis team (COPE). Since retirement, he still is works at Ramsey County yard waste sites monitoring drop-offs.
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Kathleen Beecher
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After 10 years as Executive Director at Restart, Inc., a group home for individuals with brain injuries, Kathy co-founded BeechWood, Inc. in 1999 with Linda Woodford.
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Jim Shetler
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Jim is a University of Minnesota graduate and has worked the past 35 years in IT, specializing in software development and testing. His work background includes transportation, financial, health services and medical device firms and organizations. He also founded and operates a 501(c)3 that helps provide services to orphans and other at risk children in Zaporozhye, Ukraine.
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Shannon Regan
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Shannon received her BA in education at the U of MN and AA in Anthroposophy and Eurythmy in Glencraig, Northern Ireland. She taught high school for 8 years in Chicago and the Twin Cities with an emphasis on Study Skills. Subsequently, Shannon worked for 19 years at Abbott Hospital in the "Park House" program (a day health/mental health facility for people living with HIV/AIDS) as a Volunteer Coordinator, Special Events Coordinator, and Treatment Coordinator.
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Joanne Hart
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Joanne worked for 25 years as a Process Control Engineer at the Metropolitan Wastewater Treatment Plant in St. Paul. She also worked at the MN Pollution Control Agency as a Process Control Trainer, as well as taught Math for two years. She has a masters degree from Indiana University in mathematics. Currently, she volunteers for several organizations.
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Linda Brathen
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Linda Brathen joined the Board in February 2016. Her life work has been coordinating caregiver support groups and volunteer visitation. She is a wonderful grandmother and lived in Norway for several years.
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Dianne Shulze
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Dianne is a graduate from St Catherine’s University and has an RN license and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Dianne is a retired Public Health Nurse and worked at Hennepin County for 27 years. Her clients were young disabled adults and she specialized in clients who had brain injuries. Dianne’s main focus was keeping her clients safe in the community and as independent as possible. Dianne says, “This was accomplished by finding the right housing for them and providing the services they needed. Beechwood was an agency that could provide these services successfully. I enjoy being on the Board at Beechwood because agencies like this are keeping young adults out of nursing homes.”
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