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    AFMN Council

    The Age-Friendly Minnesota Council was established through Executive Order 19-38 by Governor Tim Walz in December 2019. The Council works to coordinate, collaborate, and innovate the work related to aging across state agencies as well as across public and private sectors. It also works to address disparities experienced by older Minnesotans, and to empower local governments and community organizations with tools and resources to become more age-friendly.

    The Council’s 15 members, listed below, include representatives of nine state agencies, as well as a Tribal representative, and five community members representing universities, faith communities, age-friendly communities, and others from around the state.

    The Age-Friendly Minnesota Council meets every other month, and holds working sessions in intervening months. See more meeting details.

    State Agency Representatives:

    Minnesota Board on Aging (MBA): Sherrie Pugh, Chair

    Metropolitan Council (Met Council): Sue Vento

    Minnesota Department of Commerce: Jacqueline Olson

    Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED): Mike Lang

    Minnesota Department of Health (MDH): Khatidja Dawood

    Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS): Natasha Merz

    Minnesota Department of Transportation (MNDOT): Sarah Ghandour

    Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA): Simone Hogan

    Minnesota Housing Finance Agency (MHFA): John Patterson and Ryan Baumtrog

    Tribal Representative:

    Faron Jackson, Sr., Chairman, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe 

    Community Representatives:

    Dian Lopez, Alexandria

    Rajean Moone, PhD, Woodbury

    Russell Pointer, Sr. PhD, Lakeville

    Mimi Stender, Duluth

    Sandy Vargas, Golden Valley

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