Rachel Friesen

Treasurer

Rachel Friesen first came across Renewing the Countryside in 2012, as a fresh college graduate working with emerging farmers in Kansas City. She was visiting Saint Paul for a weekend conference and--awed by the incredible February weather--just three years later made Minnesota her permanent home! Rachel hails from several small towns across the Midwest, and she loves anything related to community development and food. She is currently Director of Operations at Cooper Law and is pursuing a Master of Business Administration through the University of St. Thomas. 

Kate Mudge

Chair

Kate Mudge lives on a hobby farm in rural west central Minnesota. She has nearly 30 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, having worked in hunger relief, animal welfare, and community engagement.  She currently works as the Business Development Officer at West Central Initiative, where she supports rural business startups and expansion and manages special projects focusing on regional food systems and agriculture. You can also find her behind the scenes of the Care Farming Network, a national organization working to advance the therapeutic use of farming practices.

Bethany Paul

Secretary

Bethany Paul lives in Saint Paul, MN and brings a strong background of nonprofit fundraising to the RTC board. She currently works as Events Manager for Como Friends, the non the non-profit fundraising partner for Como Park Zoo & Conservatory. She brings extensive experience in non-profit board management, major gift solicitation, grant writing and prospecting, corporate sponsorships and donor stewardship to the board.

Madeline Hyde

Maddie is a food systems specialist at Prairie Island Indian Community. She is a passionate sustainable agriculture and food justice advocate with 7+ years professional experience in fundraising, communications, program management, and community engagement. She focuses her attention on fostering resilient, community-based food systems.

Shahnaz Shahidan

After having a career spanning 25 years in the Tech industry, Shahnaz decided to break free of the confined spaces of her indoor office and explore the outdoors. Instantly Shahnaz knew where she belonged: in the Countryside! Moving to Green county in Wisconsin helped her get connected with the Soil Sisters, and subsequently to RTC. Shahnaz hopes to stay active working in her urban garden, collaboratively build community orchard/garden in order to reduce food insecurity, and enrich people’s lives in small but thoughtful ways. A surviving child of war (between East and West Pakistan in 1971), a student in the United States who later became a naturalized citizen by choice, who refuses to give up on her adopted homeland despite the current political climate in America. Shahnaz’s past non-profit work includes serving on the board of Princeton Education Foundation in Princeton, New Jersey, Championing Math and Science education in public schools. Running chess club of middle schoolers that taught the children how to think ahead, perform under pressure, and graceful sportsmanship regardless of the outcome of the game.

Madeline Summers

As the Community and Outreach Specialist at Mississippi Market, Madeline works at the
intersection of agriculture, food security, and community building. She spent twelve years as a
volunteer coordinator, leading volunteer efforts in community kitchens and St Paul Public
Schools. Madeline lives in Bloomington with her husband and their cat, Mina, and is interested
in how we work together to champion resilient and inclusive food systems.

Nathan "Nate" Reuss, a native of Willmar, MN, has been an Economic Developer with the Mid-Minnesota Development Commission (MMDC) since Sept. 2021. In this role, Nate manages a revolving loan program and leads the Regional Food Business Center, focusing on strengthening local food systems and supporting sustainable agriculture. He also oversees obligations under the Economic Development Administration Planning Grant, collaborating with various stakeholders to support regional development across Kandiyohi, McLeod, Meeker, and Renville addressing critical issues such as broadband access, childcare, housing, and workforce shortages. Raised on a family farm operational since 1870, Nate developed a deep appreciation for the challenges and opportunities in rural communities. He is a graduate of the University of Minnesota – Morris and has an extensive background in agricultural research, having worked with leading seed companies such as Pioneer/DuPont and Mycogen/Dow. 

Nate lives on his family farm with his two children, Eric and Rylie, and enjoys exploring the trails, lakes, and fields surrounding their home.

Brittany Johnson

Brittany is a certified public accountant and works as a Senior Tax Manager at a regional accounting firm in the Twin Cities. She brings an accounting perspective and critical eye for financial statements to the RTC Board. She is passionate about sustainable, local food systems.