Cara J. Letofsky

Mill City Consulting

2741 39th Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55406

email: cara@millcityconsulting.info

mobile: 612-718-3495

To download this resume in PDF format, click here.


Principal, Mill City Consulting, December 2010 to present

Founder and Principal at consulting firm focused on nonprofit management and organizational development, policy development and advocacy, program development and coordination

Council Member, Metropolitan Council, March 2015 – present

Gubernatorial appointee to the Metropolitan Council, the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the Minneapolis-St. Paul region, representing part of Minneapolis and St. Anthony. Council responsibilities include operations and development of the region’s transit and wastewater systems, coordination of comprehensive planning, affordable housing administration, and acquisition of public parks. Serves on Transportation, Environment and Audit committees. Served on Community Development 2015-2017

PUBLIC AND NONPROFIT LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Policy Aide to Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak February 2006 to December 2010

  • Managed a diverse portfolio of issues including housing and homelessness, community and neighborhood revitalization, economic and workforce development, and environmental sustainability
  • Served as lead staff on initiatives including the Mayor’s Great City Design Teams (in partnership with AIA-Minneapolis); Heading Home Hennepin (joint Minneapolis-Hennepin County plan to end homelessness); Mayor’s Initiative on Green Manufacturing (in partnership with St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman and the BlueGreen Alliance); and Nice Ride MN

Executive Director, Lyndale Neighborhood Development Corp. January 2004 to July 2005

  • Managed day-to-day operations of South Minneapolis community development corporation, supervised staff, worked with the LNDC Board of Directors and its Executive and Finance Committees to determine organizational priorities; responsible for all budgeting, fundraising, and strategic activities
  • Strengthened organizational systems and policies, and rebuilt relationships with stakeholders after LNDC had been without an Executive Director for two years

Interim Director, Lyndale Neighborhood Association April 2003 to February 2004

  • Led process to rebuild capacity of volunteer Steering Committee and staff to organize resident-led asset-based model of community building; strengthened financial management systems, and set up training systems for board and staff transitions

Founder, City of Lakes Community Land Trust October 2001 – October 2002

  • Instigated a four-organization collaborative to establish a community land trust for affordable housing in Minneapolis, led fundraising from private and public funders, facilitated 15-member Working Group to build support for the CLT among stakeholders, and led design of organizational mission, goals and structure, and implementation of legal structure
  • The City of Lakes Community Land Trust continues to grow and has served the affordable housing needs of over 200 families

Executive Director, Stevens Square Community Organization May 1998 – October 2001

  • Managed day-to-day operations of South Minneapolis neighborhood organization, supervised organizing staff (5 FTE), worked with Board of Directors to determine organizational priorities, led fundraising, and represented neighborhood interests to the larger community and stakeholders

ISSUE ADVOCACY AND ORGANIZING

  • Policy Advocate, Minneapolis Urban League, February 1997 – January 1998
  • Director, Progressive Minnesota/New Party, April 1995 – October 1996
  • Field Organizer, Ann Wynia for Senate, August 1994 – November 1994
  • Program Coordinator, Wellstone Alliance, September 1993 – August 1994

SELECTED CURRENT VOLUNTEER LEADERSHIP POSITIONS

  • Minneapolis Public Housing Authority, Mayoral appointee to MPHA Board of Commissioners, Board representative to Strategic Planning Committee (2011), Chair, MPHA Audit Committee (2012 to present), Member, Development Committee (2014 to present). Jan 2011 to present
  • Hennepin History Museum, the Historical Society of Hennepin County, Boardmember. Elected President, elected February 2014. As President, rebuilt the Board of Directors to represent all of Hennepin County, facilitated a staff leadership change, designed a staff-board retreat to set general goals and work plan. Changes have led to largest growth in memberships, individual donations, and financial stability in recent history. Jan 2013 to present
  • womenwinning, State PAC Boardmember, Jan 2013 to present

EDUCATION

Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs/University of Minnesota

  • Master of Planning Program. Focus on housing and community economic development. Coursework completed March 2000

Hunter College of the City University of New York June 1993

  • Master of Arts in American History

University of Wisconsin – Madison December 1987

  • Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science
  • Summer Program in Soviet Union, Summer 1986; Semester in Warsaw, Poland, Spring 1988
  • Dean’s List. Graduated with Distinction

Additional Professional Development

  • Development Training Institute and the Local Initiative Support Corporation: EXCELerate: Affordable Housing Development (Spring 2001)
  • Minnesota Council of Nonprofits: Starting a Nonprofit in Minnesota (June 2002)
  • University of St. Thomas Center for Nonprofit Management: Community Leadership Institute (Spring 2003)
  • Institute for Cultural Affairs: Technology of Participation Group Facilitation Methods (September 2003)
  • Urban Land Institute Daniel Rose Fellowship (Sept 2009 – Oct 2010)
  • James P Shannon Leadership Institute at the Amherst H. Wilder Foundation (2013)