American Swedish Institute Elects New Members to its Board of Trustees

MINNEAPOLIS — The American Swedish Institute (ASI) announced the election of three new members to its Board of Trustees: Debra W. Barnes, Tamir Elnabarawy, and Leslie Goedken. The elections took place during ASI’s Annual Membership Meeting on June 13.

ASI Trustees serve three-year terms and contribute significant knowledge and expertise as part of the cultural center’s leadership team.

Debra W. Barnes, Mound, MN, is a Principal, Vice President, and General Manager of the Minneapolis office of Henricksen and serves on its Executive Committee and Board of Directors and has also served on non-profit boards as local chapter President for both IIDA Northland and MNCREW.

Tamir Elnabarawy, St. Paul, MN has served as Director of Federal Relations at the Minnesota Department of Human Services since 2019 and was previously a Senior Legislative Assistant in the United States House of Representatives in Washington, DC.

Leslie Goedken, Minneapolis, MN is CEO & Founder of Home Catalyst LLC and serves on the Investment Committee of Blue Ivy Ventures, Autism Society National Board, and on the Board of the Yale Alumni Association of the Northwest.

Board Officers were also confirmed: Officers: Dr. Maggi Adamek was named Board Chair, Tikki Brown as Vice-Chair, Lisa Källebo as Treasurer, and Brenda Butler as Secretary.

Two trustees who completed their first three-year terms of office were nominated to serve second three-year terms: Barbara Linell Glaser, Ed.D. and Lenor Scheffler.

ASI thanks five trustees who completed their terms of service: Lynnea Atlas-lngebretson, Aimee Richcreek Baxter, Mary Dee Hicks, Ph.D., Dr. John Litell, and Elizabeth Olson.

New Board Members – Longer Bios

Debra W. Barnes is a Principal, Vice President, and General Manager of the Minneapolis office of Henricksen, a commercial furniture and architectural products dealership with 13 locations nationwide. As a part owner, she serves on the Executive Committee and Board of Directors. Previously, she was a Principal/Vice President at HGA Architects & Engineers, leading the interior design practice, and worked at Carlson Companies and Trammel Crow (now CBRE). Debra holds a BS in interior design from the University of Minnesota, is a certified interior designer, a LEED accredited professional, and a Fitwel Ambassador. She has been active in the design and real estate industry, serving on non-profit boards, including as local chapter President for IIDA Northland and MNCREW.

Tamir Elnabarawy has been the Director of Federal Relations at the Minnesota Department of Human Services since 2019, following his role as a Senior Legislative Assistant in the U.S. House of Representatives. He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Minnesota, Morris, is a former Humphrey Policy Fellow, and is pursuing a Master of Public Affairs at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs. In his free time, Tamir enjoys coaching youth sports and serves as a smokechaser (wildland firefighter) for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

Leslie Goedken is the CEO and Founder of Home Catalyst LLC, an investment and advisory company focused on sustainable housing for adults with IDD in integrated settings. With 15 years of experience in real estate, capital markets, and healthcare finance, she has facilitated transactions totaling approximately $37 billion globally. Previously an architect, she holds an MBA from Columbia, an M.Arch from Yale, and an undergraduate degree in architecture from the New School. She serves on the Investment Committee of Blue Ivy Ventures, the Autism Society National Board, and the Board of the Yale Alumni Association of the Northwest.

AMERICAN SWEDISH INSTITUTE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Members of the Board (2024-2025)

Officers: Dr. Maggi Adamek (Chair), Tikki Brown (Vice-Chair), Lisa Källebo (Treasurer), Brenda Butler (Secretary)

Trustees: Marcia Anderson, Carline Bengtsson, Debra Barnes, Tamir Elnabarawy, Barbara Linell Glaser, Ed.D., Leslie Goedken, Peter Hilger, AIA, Elodie Lee, Marco Molinari, Andreas Örnberg, Andrea Oseland, Lenor Scheffler, David Sorensen, Sara Stenberg, and William Weiler.

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