Nadege (she/her) served as Chief Operating Officer of the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation until April 2024. In addition to her organizational leadership, she oversaw key operational functions – human resources, facilities, grants administration, learning and evaluation. She has a background in law, arts administration and dance. Nadege maintains her ties to the performing arts through her community leadership. She is the first Black woman (and person of color) to Chair the Minnesota Opera Board of Directors. In 2023, Nadege was recognized by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal as a “Women in Business” honoree and by Twin Cities Business as a Notable BIPOC Executive.

Melanie Hoffert (she/her) serves as the Chief Marketing Officer for the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation. She grew up in rural North Dakota and lives in Minneapolis. Melanie is an accomplished writer with myriad published works, including her memoir, Prairie Silence, which won a 2014 Minnesota Book Award. She is also a founding board member of All Square and serves on the board of Raise the Barr. Outside of work Melanie spends as much time as she can near Minnesota’s banks and shores, collecting stories for her next book centered on themes of water.

Instagram: @melaniemaxine11