Martha Harris - Program Director
Martha moved to Red Wing in 1994 from Black Mountain, NC. While in Minnesota she has worked as a guide for Wilderness Inquiry, a non-profit organization that helps people from all walks of life to personally experience the natural world, as an Outdoor Education Instructor for the Red Wing Environmental Learning Center, and currently teaches Silver Sneakers fitness programs for the Red Wing YMCA. She has developed and coordinates an annual Spring Nature Days program for the Kindergarten Students in the Red Wing School District.
Martha started working with the Girls on the Run® Program as a volunteer Coach in 2004. “After working with Adolescents at Children’s Psychiatric Institute and the N.C. Department of Corrections Therapeutic Wilderness Program, Camp Woodson, I saw the importance and need for early intervention and life skills education. "Girls on the Run® was the program I was looking for!” She graduated with a B. A. degree in Recreation Administration with a Therapeutic Recreation Specialist Certification from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Martha enjoys reading, cross country skiing, growing garlic, raising chickens, and most of all the everyday adventure of raising two incredible daughters, Emily and Willa with her husband Brad.
Contact information: 651.528.3166 Email: martha@girlsontherunbc.org
Tia Schimek - Goodhue Liaison
Tia helped to bring the girls of Goodhue both the Girls on the Run and Girls on Track programs. She has been a liaison since 2006. She works for the Goodhue School District. Email: tschimek@goodhue.k12.mn.us
Carrie Armstrong - Red Wing Liaison Email:carrie@girlsontherunbc.org
My name is Carrie Armstrong and I have lived in Red Wing my entire life. I coached Girls on the Run last year for the first time and fell in love with the program. I am honored to be a part of something so empowering for young girls. I work at Burnside Elementary School as one of the school secretaries and I love my job! I enjoy anything outdoors, listening to music and running! My husband Lucas and I have been married for 11 years and have two great children, Jasmyn (10) and Myles (7).
Margaret Huber - Northfield Liaison
A resident of Northfield for sixteen years, Margaret received an undergraduate degree in Special Education from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Upon graduation she worked for Opportunity Workshop, an organization that instructs mentally handicapped adults in the areas of academic, vocational and living skills. Margaret’s focus shifted when she and her husband began a family. Through those years she was actively involved in her children’s school, Church and various clubs.
Margaret returned to college during fall ’06 to attain additional education for a Minnesota licensure. She was introduced to the Girls on the Run program through a visiting friend. This friend enthusiastically spoke about her involvement in The Girls on the Run program that she initiated in Idaho. Having two teenage girls of her own, Margaret saw the relevance of the program in her own community. She contacted the neighboring community of Red Wing for information and later support. In spring '08, the first Girls on the Run program began in Northfield with a group of 17 girls meeting at Greenvale Park Elementary School. Margaret has since earned an additional degree in Elementary Education from The College of St. Catherine. Her plans include a teaching position and the growth and continuance of Girls on the Run in her community.
Contact information: 612.414.5782 Email: mmhuber4@gmail.com
Martha moved to Red Wing in 1994 from Black Mountain, NC. While in Minnesota she has worked as a guide for Wilderness Inquiry, a non-profit organization that helps people from all walks of life to personally experience the natural world, as an Outdoor Education Instructor for the Red Wing Environmental Learning Center, and currently teaches Silver Sneakers fitness programs for the Red Wing YMCA. She has developed and coordinates an annual Spring Nature Days program for the Kindergarten Students in the Red Wing School District.
Martha started working with the Girls on the Run® Program as a volunteer Coach in 2004. “After working with Adolescents at Children’s Psychiatric Institute and the N.C. Department of Corrections Therapeutic Wilderness Program, Camp Woodson, I saw the importance and need for early intervention and life skills education. "Girls on the Run® was the program I was looking for!” She graduated with a B. A. degree in Recreation Administration with a Therapeutic Recreation Specialist Certification from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Martha enjoys reading, cross country skiing, growing garlic, raising chickens, and most of all the everyday adventure of raising two incredible daughters, Emily and Willa with her husband Brad.
Contact information: 651.528.3166 Email: martha@girlsontherunbc.org
Tia Schimek - Goodhue Liaison
Tia helped to bring the girls of Goodhue both the Girls on the Run and Girls on Track programs. She has been a liaison since 2006. She works for the Goodhue School District. Email: tschimek@goodhue.k12.mn.us
Carrie Armstrong - Red Wing Liaison Email:carrie@girlsontherunbc.org
My name is Carrie Armstrong and I have lived in Red Wing my entire life. I coached Girls on the Run last year for the first time and fell in love with the program. I am honored to be a part of something so empowering for young girls. I work at Burnside Elementary School as one of the school secretaries and I love my job! I enjoy anything outdoors, listening to music and running! My husband Lucas and I have been married for 11 years and have two great children, Jasmyn (10) and Myles (7).
Margaret Huber - Northfield Liaison
A resident of Northfield for sixteen years, Margaret received an undergraduate degree in Special Education from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Upon graduation she worked for Opportunity Workshop, an organization that instructs mentally handicapped adults in the areas of academic, vocational and living skills. Margaret’s focus shifted when she and her husband began a family. Through those years she was actively involved in her children’s school, Church and various clubs.
Margaret returned to college during fall ’06 to attain additional education for a Minnesota licensure. She was introduced to the Girls on the Run program through a visiting friend. This friend enthusiastically spoke about her involvement in The Girls on the Run program that she initiated in Idaho. Having two teenage girls of her own, Margaret saw the relevance of the program in her own community. She contacted the neighboring community of Red Wing for information and later support. In spring '08, the first Girls on the Run program began in Northfield with a group of 17 girls meeting at Greenvale Park Elementary School. Margaret has since earned an additional degree in Elementary Education from The College of St. Catherine. Her plans include a teaching position and the growth and continuance of Girls on the Run in her community.
Contact information: 612.414.5782 Email: mmhuber4@gmail.com
Laurie Andrews lives in Hager City WI with her husband of 25 years. Currently President of the Ellsworth Community School Board, she has a deep interest in education. Laurie feels that Girls on the Run is the right way to help girls become confident enough in themselves to be open to learning all they can to achieve great things in their life. My daughter will soon graduate from the University of Minnesota in finance and will go into the world confident that she can achieve all her goals. My son is a freshman at the U of M and is also confident that he can achieve his goal of becoming a mechanical engineer. Growing up is tough, but giving children and especially girls the tools to know themselves and be confident in themselves - we all win.
Joanne Pohl was born and raised in Rochester Minnesota and attended the University of Minnesota (1973) and William Mitchell College of Law (1977). Joanne worked in the Goodhue County Attorneys Office for nine years before becoming the Director of the Goodhue County Court Services Department in 1987, the position she currently holds. In addition to her work with Girls on the Run, Joanne volunteers as a member of the Board of the Goodhue County Red Cross and the Hispanic Outreach Program of Goodhue County. Joanne has four sons and three granddaughters, all of whom reside in the twin cities.
Chris Palmatier is Principal at Twin Bluff Middle School and is very supportive of programs that promote student development. He accepted the invitation to be on the GOTR Board because GOTR provides that place to develop young people. Chris is married and has three children.
Erin Mayberry, a resident of Northfield for six years, Erin received an undergraduate degree in Recreation, Parks and Leisure Services from Minnesota State University, Mankato and a masters degree in Public Administration from Hamline University. She has worked for the past eight years in community based recreation programs, with most of that time being spent as the Recreation Coordinator for Northfield Public Schools Community Services Division. Erin is also active with various Northfield area non-profits. Erin was introduced to the Girls on the Run program through community members who desired to have the program in Northfield. With the help of many, the Girls on the Run program began in Northfield in the spring of 2008.
Debbie Knowlton [Treasurer] graduated from Red Wing High School and earned a business degree from Red Wing Vo-Tech. She has worked in the banking profession for 23 years - as a bank officer for 10 years - and currently as a consumer loan officer at White Rock Bank. She has been a member of Noontime Kiwanis, recently accepting a position on their board. Debbie and her husband Rick, who works for the city of Red Wing, have two children, Lucas who is in the 8th grade at the middle school and Ashley who is in the 5th grade at Burnside and a participant in the GOTR program. "I think it's a wonderful program that makes a difference in the lives of girls, teaches them self respect and respect for others and to know they are wonderful people, " said Debbie. In her free time, she loves to spend time with her family, read and do quilting.
Deb Gerads-Brodie [Secretary] has been interested in a healthy lifestyle for children for many years. The chance to serve on the board of GOTR was too intriguing to let pass. She has been a teacher for the Red Wing Public Schools for over 30 years, and has served on the District's Health and Wellness Committee. Deb is married and has two adult children.