As an independent public financing authority, MnCIFA is governed by a Board of Directors appointed by the Governor of Minnesota.
- September 29, 2023: Gov. Tim Walz made initial appointments to the MnCIFA Board (press release).
- November 15, 2023: The first MnCIFA board meeting took place. Bali Kumar was elected Board Chair and Tessa Haagenson was elected Vice Chair.
Board meetings and updates can be found here.
Board meeting notices are sent via MnCIFA e-mail updates.
Board of Directors
- Chair: Bali Kumar – member with expertise in investment fund management, financing and deploying clean energy technologies
- Vice Chair: Tessa Haagenson – member representing either a municipal electric utility or a cooperative electric association
- Chief Executive Melanie Benjamin – Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe
- Joe Fowler – representative of a labor union with experience in working on clean energy projects
- Frank Kohlasch – designee for Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
- Kevin McKinnon – designee for Department of Employment & Economic Development
- Marcus Mills – member with expertise in environmental justice
- Julia Nelmark – member with expertise in financing projects at a community bank, credit union, community development institution or local government
- Kate Perushek – designee for Minnesota Department of Labor & Industry
- Axaule Sultanova – member with expertise in sustainable development and energy conservation
- Katherine Teiken – designee for Minnesota Housing Finance Agency
- Jenna Warmuth – member with expertise in the impact of climate change on Minnesota communities, particularly low income communities
- Pete Wyckoff – designee for Minnesota Department of Commerce
MnCIFA Committees:
Strategic Plan & Investment Strategy Committee:
- Co-Chairs: Katherine Teiken1,2, Jenna Warmuth1
- Additional members: Tessa Haagenson1 , Frank Kohlasch1, 2, Marcus Mills1, 2, Kevin McKinnon, Kate Perushek, Axaule Sultanova2, Pete Wyckoff
- Strategic Planning Workgroup
- Investment Strategy Workgroup
Credit Committee:
- Chair: Julia Nelmark
- Additional members: Melanie Benjamin, Joe Fowler, Kevin McKinnon, Marcus Mills, Axaule Sultanova, Katherine Teiken