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 a licensed LICSW. He worked for 31 years as a Hennepin County social worker. His jobs have included working in 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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Dustin Bystrom
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Dustin joined the board in 2018 after completing a MSW practicum with BeechWood. He graduated from UW-Stout with a Bachelor’s degree in Vocational Rehabilitation and is currently pursuing his Master’s in Social Work at Augsburg University. Currently, Dustin is the Statewide Employment and Reentry Program Manager with Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans; he has been with the agency since 2016. Professional interests include: social justice, equality, housing, and economic security. A firm believer in providing opportunities for all to live the life they desire, Dustin is passionate about the mission and values of BeechWood. In his free time he enjoys browsing record shops, woodworking, and repairing vintage electronic equipment. He lives with his wife, son, and two great danes in Saint Paul MN.
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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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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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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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