Jonathan Bucki has worked with a variety of collaborations, organizations and community groups to build their capacity to respond effectively to the reality of their customers. He seeks to adapt cutting-edge ideas and applications and make them appropriate and effective for each organization.
As a trainer and facilitator, Jonathan brings an energetic, creative and humorous spirit to his work. Jonathan has co-designed trainings for individual organizations as well as collaborative efforts who wish to increase their effectiveness.
Jonathan holds a B.A. degree in Health, Faith, and Ethics from St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN. He also attended L'lnstitut Protestant de Theologie, Faculte de Theologie Protestante in Montpellier, France.
About the Team
We work with you and your organization to build mission-driven, values-centered leadership, operations, planning and evaluation, grounded in sound business principles and practices. In addition to the Dendros Partners and staff, we work closely with a group of highly talented Associates who share our values and passion for excellence.
Dendros Core Team
Jonathan Bucki
Partner
651-428-1191
jonathan@dendros.com
Suzann Eisenberg Murray
Suzann Eisenberg Murray has 18 years of experience in nonprofit organizations as a senior program director, executive director, trainer, and board member. Prior to entering the non-profit field, she spent 17 years in the private sector serving as a corporate trainer, public relations executive, senior level manager and business consultant.
Her diverse experience includes service with AFS Intercultural Program as their Central US Regional Director followed by nine years as Executive Director of Family Support Network, a statewide, community-based, child abuse prevention and family support organization. Suzann serves clients with sensitivity, deep listening and an individual approach - providing transitional leadership in difficult situations is a specialty. She approaches the work from a strength-based perspective - ensuring that organizations and their leaders are empowered to build and sustain their own capacity.
As a consultant, Suzann works locally, statewide and nationally serving organizations with diverse missions and programs. Suzann is committed to assisting organizations achieve their missions through assessment, planning, coaching and pro-active support.
612-210-6898
suzann@dendros.com
Mao Yang Moua
Mao Yang Moua joined the Dendros Group as the Office Administrator in February 2007. Mao is an experienced office manager and administrative professional. She comes to Dendros after several years of experience as the Office Manager at Global Volunteers, a national nonprofit organization based in St. Paul. Prior to her work with Global Volunteers, Mao spent several years working as an admin assistant in healthcare and in the banking industry.
Mao is dedicated to our local community - her volunteer activities include working as a field organizer for the Eastsiders for Mee Moua for Senate campaign, serving as an interpreter for John's Lesch's campaign and working at Frost Lake Elementary School as a volunteer program assistant.
Mao provides support to Dendros partners and clients, manages the day-to-day office operation and is the welcoming voice callers hear on the phone when they contact Dendros.
651-298-1343
mao@dendros.com
Dendros Associates
Louis Alemayehu
I use my skill and life experiences as an educator, artist, administrator, writer, community organizer and in philanthropy as a way to build bridges within the individual to him/herself and between individuals and communities. It is my intention that my life work affirms the importance of living cultures to the health and vitality of children, families, their communities and all of those who work with and for them. I have worked over the years to have deep respectful connections across multiple cultural communities which are the foundation of my bridge building coalition work for a sustainable future. I strive to be an educator who helps to define an education in the 21st Century where transformational learning is commonplace and available to all children and adults.
Transition Trainer
Heidi Gegax
Heidi Gegax is a skilled evaluator and program development consultant specializing in the fields of education and youth development. With a background as a public school teacher and a front-line youth development worker, Heidi brings both a nuanced understanding of programmatic needs and a mastery of best practices in evaluation to her work. Heidi thrives on the challenge of finding innovative ways to help nonprofit organizations gather the information they need to gauge their impact and inform strategic planning.
Over the past ten years, Heidi has evaluated the results of federal grants for the Science Museum of Minnesota, CommonBond Communities, and other organizations. Her research on behalf of Minneapolis Public Schools recently informed the district’s choice of a new literacy curriculum. Her evaluation and consultation has guided clients such as Neighborhood House and NARAL Pro-Choice Minnesota in making key strategic program decisions.
Heidi holds a Masters in Education Policy and Administration, Evaluation Studies from the University of Minnesota. She received training in group facilitation methods through the Institute of Cultural Affairs, Technology of Participation and served as an Evaluation Fellow at the University of Minnesota. She regularly serves as a grant reviewer for community, state, and federal agencies. Heidi currently serves on the board of directors for the Gegax Family Foundation and the nonprofit organization Growth and Justice.
Joanna Kohler
Joanna Kohler is a documentary filmmaker and artist with a career that began in 1999 with the release of her first documentary, Witness. Since then Joanna has release two more documentary films, Moving in a Mirror (2004) and Boxers (2009) and is currently producing a multimedia documentary project that includes audio podcasts, still portraits and a book. All of Joanna’s projects focus on the story telling of relationships, both personal and communal. Joanna was awarded by the Jerome Foundation for her documentary work in 2004 and 2005.
Joanna is the owner of Kohler Productions, a multimedia company that produces media focused on community storytelling and advises on strategies to facilitate community voices in the telling of their own stories. In addition to these skills, Joanna has over thirteen years of experience in youth work and youth media education, including her previous position as the Coordinator for the Twin Cities Youth Media Network.
Joanna volunteers as a Board Chair with St. Paul Neighborhood Networks and as a Communications Committee Member with Minnesota Women in Film and Television. Joanna is trained in Media Literacy Education from the New Mexico Media Literacy Institute and in Participatory Facilitation with the Institute for Cultural Affairs. Joanna received a Bachelor of Arts form the University of Minnesota in Social Documentary and taken graduate level courses in Public Affairs with the Humphrey Institute.
Further information and examples of Joanna’s work can be found at kohlerproductions.com.
Troy Parkinson
Troy is an author, inspirational speaker and filmmaker. During his early years of development Troy studied in Boston, MA. Troy is a filmmaker with a BA in film production from Emerson College in Boston. In his role as writer/producer/director for a film and television production company in Fargo, North Dakota, Troy pioneered DVD production at the studio and also was instrumental in the creation of a 26-episode series called House of Babies for Discovery Health Channel. House of Babies explores the activities of a midwifery run birth center in Miami. This award winning series is broadcast internationally in over 25 different countries. In addition to his work with babies, Troy’s also written/produced/directed for the History Channel Series MonsterQuest.
Troy’s ultimate goal as a filmmaker is to create conscious driven projects. Troy’s mission in this life is to provide focus to spirit, mind and body. Whether it’s connecting with the other side, empowering a group about their spirit’s infinite potential or producing a television series about the miracle of all natural birth, Troy brings his energy, light and love to every experience.
Troy works with Suzann Eisenberg Murray on The Grief Project.
Mona Smith
Mona Smith, Sisseton-Wahpeton Dakota, is a multi-media artist, educator and co-founder of Allies: media/art. A former University-level educator, Smith has produced work broadcast through PBS, and shown at festivals, conferences and museums in Europe and North and South America.
Her work has received awards from Native and Non-Native film and video festivals; her new media work includes art projects for the web, sites for web distribution of Native focused media, and multimedia installation work, most notably, Cloudy Waters; Dakota Reflections on the River (Minnesota History Center, 2004-2005), City Indians (Ancient Traders Art Gallery, Minneapolis, 2006-2007), and the Bdote Memory Map (in partnership with the Minnesota Humanities Center).
Her artistic and educational practice uses image, sound and place to re inhabit the imaginations and the experience of the audience/participant, and to work between, the place of healing, of relationship, of meaning, where spirit and physical, life and death, fear and strength, night and day intersect. Allies: media/art is an award-winning Dakota owned media production company, incorporated in 1996.
Vanessa Wilson
Vanessa Wilson is a HR Professional with over 20 years of Human Resource experience, serving customers in sales and media, production, operations, administration, including union and nonunion environments. She has functional experience in the areas of talent acquisition, employment law, performance management and employee relations, policy, program and procedure development, employee and manager training and team facilitation. She has effectively and collaboratively worked with division and department leaders, providing direct consultation in the design and implementation of strategic and tactical HR recruitment and retention plans for the placement of a broad array of positions from non-exempt, exempt to executive level, union and non-union. Vanessa’s customers appreciate her insight and knowledge of their business needs.
Vanessa displays her strong business skills in building effective operational processes, procedures and partnerships that are well balanced to meet the needs of the hiring manager, prospective hires and recruiting staff. She consistently demonstrates a very strong customer service orientation and works to continuously improve deliverables. During her 10+ years leading the talent acquisition team at her former employer, (Star Tribune Media Company, LLC) , Vanessa built the components of a full-cycle recruitment function; developed staffing related policies and procedures, hired, trained and effectively developed her staff, designed interview and selection training for hiring managers, developed sourcing channels for open positions and lead initiatives on the design and development of the company applicant tracking system for the affirmative action plan and compliance reporting.
Vanessa is a University of Minnesota graduate, certified in management and team facilitation (DDI) and diversity training (NAA). She is a business owner, dbj DESIGNS and works as a contract HR professional. She worked for over 23 years at the Star Tribune Media Company, LLC before striking out on her own. During her tenure at the Star Tribune, she was recipient of the Cowles Media Presidents award for management training and a Headliners award for her leadership on diversity initiatives. Vanessa has been a board chair for the North High School Career Center, personnel committee member for HIRED, President of the African-American Forum, Star Tribune and is a current board member for Star Choice Credit Union.