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Leadership

Board of Trustees

Something we believe makes our organization unique is the intentional constituencies represented on the Board. According to Merrick’s bylaws, there shall be at least twelve (12) Trustees on the Board representing the following constituencies:

  • Approximately one-third (1/3) will be advocates of clients receiving day services;
  • Approximately one-third (1/3) will be professionals that provide services to humans; and
  • Approximately one-third (1/3) will be from the “community-at-large.”

All Trustees are entitled to vote and have equal rights and preferences. Each Trustee is elected to a three (3) year term and may serve a maximum of four consecutive terms. Terms are staggered so that approximately one-third (1/3) of the Trustee positions are open for election at each annual meeting. Trustees and Officers of the Board are not compensated in any manner.

Deb DeGreeff


Deb DeGreeff

Karen DeYoung


Karen DeYoung

Erik Levy


Erik Levy
Vice President

Kristin Mahre


Kristin Mahre

Maureen McGarry


Maureen McGarry
President

Heather Monnens


Heather Monnens
Secretary

Jerome Sage


Jerome Sage

Philip Sanfilippo


Philip Sanfilippo
Treasurer

Crystal Saric-Fashant


Crystal Saric-Fashant
Past President

Dan Schneeman


Dan Schneeman

  • Deb DeGreeff
  • Karen DeYoung
  • Erik Levy
  • Kristin Mahre
  • Maureen McGarry
  • Heather Monnens
  • Jerome Sage
  • Philip Sanfilippo
  • Crystal Saric-Fashant
  • Dan Schneeman
  • Deb DeGreeff

    Deb DeGreeff is currently serving her 2nd term on Merrick's Board of Trustees.
  • Karen DeYoung

    Karen DeYoung, M.Ed., is the President and CEO of DeYoung Consulting Services. Karen has worked as a training, organizational development and evaluation consultant since 1996. Her organizational development and evaluation experience, coupled with her skills and experience in community outreach and meeting facilitation, are used to help facilitate processes and sets of actions that enable groups to implement their plans. Karen has worked with many nonprofit and public sector organizations. Her niche is working with underserved communities.

    Karen adds organizational capacity building to every plan. She has extensive experience facilitating a process that identifies the lessons learned from the process findings and how to use them to improve programs through goal setting. Her facilitation helps decision-makers understand and internalize the findings and begin to plan options. Karen received a Bachelor of Arts in broadcast communications from American University and a Master of Education in curriculum and instructional systems from the University of Minnesota.

  • Erik Levy

    I am the Chief Operating Officer of IP Corporation, a Vadnais Heights based manufacturer and distributor of resins, gel coats, sheet molding compound, and other materials for the composites industry. I am responsible for the strategic guidance of our family of 4 operating companies, and have direct oversight of all aspects of our daily operations. I am also a licensed attorney in the State of MInnesota. Merrick has wonderfully assisted my brother with his occupational development and placement for more than 10 years, and I am proud to have served as a Board Member since 2014.

    View Erik Levy's LinkedIn Profile.

  • Kristin Mahre

    Kristin Mahre is currently serving her 2nd term on Merrick's Board of Trustees.
  • Maureen McGarry

    Maureen McGarry has been a licensed Realtor since 1995 and a Broker since 2003. As managing Broker of the company she co-owns, Investors Realty MN, Maureen is responsible for the technical development of BlueStream Analytics – a proprietary software that pinpoints investments and delivers analytics at warp-speed. She also co-owns the property management company, Total Real Estate Success, and the general contracting company Investors Maintenance Group. With this tech and these companies in place, Maureen is able to offer her investor clients a true 1-stop-shop for buying/selling, rehab or repair, rent and management of investment property.

    Maureen is currently focused on taking her software to a national audience. As a market leader and expert in residential investment properties, Maureen is eager to help any investor succeed in reaching their investment goals!

    She lives in Vadnais Heights with her husband, Mark Swanson and their 3 kids - Nick, Andrew and Molly. In her free time, she enjoys spending time on her boat, hanging with her family and traveling. But most importantly, Maureen is the proud older sister of 21+ year Merrick client James McGarry!

    View Maureen McGarry's LinkedIn Profile

  • Heather Monnens

    Heather is an attorney with GDO Law located in White Bear Lake. Her practice focuses primarily on family law. In addition, she works as an assistant city prosecutor for cities located in Ramsey, Anoka, Washington and Isanti counties.

  • Jerome Sage

    Jerome Sage heads up U.S. Publishing Services for Asmodee N.A., a global board and digital gaming company headquartered in Paris, France. Throughout his career, Jerome has held several executive roles within the consumer goods industry, where he transformed organizations by aligning their strategy with shifting market dynamics and managing global teams. He is originally from Jamaica, lived throughout the U.S., and spent three years in Hong Kong, China.

    He is passionate about giving back, joined Merrick’s finance committee in early 2022, and is excited about contributing to the organization’s overall goal of “Empowering Adults with Disabilities.”

    View Jerome Sage's LinkedIn Profile

  • Philip Sanfilippo

    Philip Sanfilippo is currently serving his 1st term on Merrick's Board of Trustees.
  • Crystal Saric-Fashant

    Crystal Saric-Fashant, MPNA, DBA, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Public and Nonprofit Leadership at Metropolitan State University. Crystal's career in the nonprofit healthcare sector spans 20 years, including leadership of corporate-level strategies for environmental sustainability including recycling, reuse, and waste reduction; energy reduction; climate impact; sustainable supply chains, and responsible medical mission donations. Crystal has served on the Merrick Board of Trustees since 2015 and is currently serving as Board President. She has been a business advocate for Merrick since 2009, when she helped create the first hospital recycling crew in the Twin Cities.

    View Crystal Saric-Fashant's LinkedIn Profile

  • Dan Schneeman

    Dan Schneeman is a 3rd generation Trustee with Merrick, following his father Chris and grandfather Dan. Dan’s great-grandmother, Edith, volunteered for Merrick’s precursor organization, the Christ Child Society. He works as an Employee Benefits Consultant with SevenHills Cleveland Benefit Partners, based in Bloomington, MN. Dan is married to Kelly and together they have two high energy kids, Daniel III and Teddy.

  • Deb DeGreeff
  • Karen DeYoung
  • Erik Levy
  • Kristin Mahre
  • Maureen McGarry
  • Heather Monnens
  • Jerome Sage
  • Philip Sanfilippo
  • Crystal Saric-Fashant
  • Dan Schneeman

Leadership Team

John Wayne Barker, Executive Director
Pat Hanson, Production and Facility Director
Dede Hauck, Quality Coordinator
Karen Herrera, Development and Communications Director
Tammy Miller, Operations Director
Kristine Orubo, Life Enrichment Services Program Director
Donna Rapacz, Director of Administrative Operations
Tina Thompson-Thane
, Employment Services Program Director