Congratulations to the 2023-2024 LeadMN Cabinet!
At LeadMN's Spring General Assembly on April 29, 2023, students from across the state elected four of their peers to serve as the new LeadMN cabinet.
Karina Villeda - President
Inver Hills Community College
I spent my childhood in Saint Paul, and I began working at my mother's grocery store at the age of 12. After high school graduation, I spent eight years serving as a bartender at a casino, an experience that shaped my sociable nature and empathy toward others. After a devastating breakup, I found myself pregnant and enrolled in college, hoping to positively influence my daughter's life.
Tyro Devolites - Vice President
Normandale Community College
My name is Tyro Devolites, I've grown up in Minnesota my whole life. I am a person who wants to create change for the better, while also being myself. Growing up I have always felt different from my peers, that my mind and personality wasn't the same as theirs. Now that I'm older I realize differences in people can create strength. Differences in backgrounds and personalities can bring new and exciting changes to the world! I consider myself a bit of a story teller, between table top roleplaying games and writing my own fictional stories, I consider myself to be a creative person as art and writing has been a way for me to express myself. Often times life events will influence my creations, they help to mold my own stories. I think the same can be said with my life story, how different events in my own life have molded me into who I am and what I stand for. Hence I believe everyone deserves a chance to share their stories, to be able to express themselves, and I want to help.
Anna Marie Gonzalez - Public Relations Coordinator
Inver Hills Community College
My name is Anna Marie Gonzalez and I am currently a student in Inver Hills Community College. I intend to transfer to a University in Minnesota to pursue a degree in Aerospace Engineering in the future. Some of things I enjoy outside of Engineering are: playing with my dogs, discovering new restaurants, gaming, and traveling. I was born and raised until the age of 16 in Philippines. Coming to the United States as a teen helped me understand the importance of advocating for myself. With this, I would like to do the same for students in Minnesota by becoming a part of the LeadMN Cabinet for the upcoming Fall and Spring semester.
Jarred VanHorn - Treasurer
Dakota County Technical College
I'm an extremely passionate person and over the past few years as a college student, I’ve learned to love the struggle for creating positive change. Whether in my clubs, my student senate committees, my nonprofit, or in my personal life, I’ve fought for positive change. Wherever I am, my goal is to always put others’ needs above my own. My plans for the future are fueled by passion for volunteerism and caring for others. In order to fight for the positive change I want to see, I need to be able to lead and inspire others. Because of this, over the past couple years I’ve taken on as many leadership roles as I could. As a college student, I’ve gotten involved with 7 of my student senate committees including the Treasurer role for the senate, I’ve founded and established a club relating to mental health, I’ve led many projects and initiatives, many through my skills as a speaker and organizer, and I’ve taken a role on my college’s Foundation (the nonprofit board who disburses scholarships to students at DCTC) – among many other things. Through taking on these roles I’ve absorbed so much knowledge and experience from my mentors, and I’ve also learned a great deal through my own failures as a leader. It’s been a trial by fire, and I’ve come out of this fire a stronger leader than I ever was before. Beyond my work in my college, I also am taking on leadership roles in my community. I’m a student volunteer with KARA (Kids at Risk Action) and the founder of a nonprofit organization (501C pending) that would eventually partner with schools and teachers to recognize children who are the victims of abuse, neglect, violence, poverty, or any other circumstance that would make a child less likely to grow into a happy, healthy, and functioning adult. The nonprofit would provide all-encompassing services to these children to redirect them away from negative outcomes. My ultimate dream is to create systemic change in American policy and culture surrounding basic needs, mental health & child education through my work with nonprofits, Minnesota communities, legislators, and community leaders. I have big dreams but I will spend every ounce of time & energy I have to accomplish them. I will not give up on this dream and will spend the next 60-80 years of my life fighting for these things.