Leadership & Staff

Chris Coleman joined Twin Cities Habitat in 2018 after serving as Mayor of St. Paul from 2006 to 2018. As Mayor, Chris was a champion for economic development, education, and racial equity. From 2013 to 2014, Chris was the President of the National League of Cities, a bi-partisan coalition of leaders from across the country. Prior to his election as Mayor, Chris was an investment advisor for RBC and he served for six years on the St. Paul City Council. Chris was born and raised in St. Paul and earned bachelor’s and law degrees from the University of Minnesota.

Learn more about Chris.

Robyn Bipes-Timm as Chief Strategy and Operations Officer leads Habitat’s strategic planning and special initiatives and aligns strategy with effective operational leadership of finance, lending, people and culture, technology and retail. She is president of Habitat’s nonprofit lending subsidiary and CDFI. Prior to Habitat, Robyn led statewide affordable rental and homeownership programs, financing, and lending at other CDFIs. Robyn is passionate about affordable housing and creative ways to bring equitable access to communities. She has a master’s degree in public policy from the Humphrey School, is a CDFI graduate of the Wharton School of Business, and holds MN mortgage originator and realtor licenses. She is on several boards and national housing groups.

Cathy Lawrence joined the TCHFH team in 2015. Cathy brings a wealth of experience in many fields including philanthropy, nonprofit leadership, advocacy, and low-income housing. She is a graduate of the University of Minnesota-Duluth and earned her law degree from William Mitchell College of Law. Cathy has experience serving on non-profit boards of directors and on the advisory council to the University of Minnesota Athletic Department. In her past, Cathy worked as Director of Development at Twin Cities R!SE. Cathy’s role as Chief of Staff includes strategic advisor to CEO; connector of workstreams, and reduction of workplace silos; works with leadership to develop, monitor and communicate progress toward goals to improve accountability and organizational effectiveness.

Shereese Turner joined TCHFH in 2018 and leads the Programs and Services division which includes Homebuying program, Coaching, Neighborhood Revitalization, Community Engagement and Foreclosure Prevention. Before joining Habitat, Shereese was Director of Programs and Operations at Twin Cities R!SE (TCR) where she worked at TCR for 11 years. Shereese is an inspiring and passionate leader who builds bridges with community partners and advocates for underrepresented communities. Shereese is a co-founder of Stop the Violence Bring the Unity Movement and serves on the board at Haven Housing as Chair. She also serves as Co-Chair Community Well-Being and Steering Committee for Minnesota Business Coalition of Racial Equity (MBCRE). She has a degree in Public/Non-Profit Management from Metropolitan State University and a Master’s in Health & Human Services from St. Mary’s University.

Cecile joins the executive leadership team after serving as the Executive Vice President of Real Estate at Common Bond Communities since 2018. Cecile has an extensive background in real estate purchase and development, property asset management, construction management, investor relations and compliance. Her collaborative approach to working with teams, decades of experience in affordable housing and proven track record in driving strategic real estate initiatives will innovatively lead the Real Estate division forward at Twin Cities Habitat. Cecile holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and English and Masters of Public Affairs from the University of Minnesota.

Jake Kirchgessner has been working with TCHFH since 2005 with roles as a Site Supervisor, Senior Site Supervisor and Construction Field Manager. Prior to working with TCHFH, Jake worked as a carpenter and in hardscape landscaping. Kirchgessner supervises 4 project managers, 20 site staff, 2 warranty employees, the panel plant and 20 AmeriCorps members all tasked with preparing for and completing the on-site construction process while providing a safe and meaningful build experience for home buyers and volunteers.

Kate Loe brings more than 15 years of fundraising experience to her role leading Resource Development. She oversees Fundraising, Volunteer Programs, and Global Engagement. She has led Global Village Teams in Costa Rica, Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic. Kate holds a BA from Gustavus Adolphus College and prior to joining Habitat, she managed national client accounts for a market research company. She volunteers with Girls on the Run and serves on the SANBE Foundation Board.

Betsy Mills joined Habitat in 2013. She currently oversees all finance operations for Habitat and all mortgage operations for TCHFH Lending, Inc. including mortgage origination and long-term servicing of the mortgage portfolio. Before joining Habitat, Betsy worked in a local community bank as a personal banker and mortgage lender. She has degrees in Accounting and Business Administration from Concordia College in Moorhead, MN.

Anna is an inclusive leader who excels at creating impactful work environments where everyone feels welcome and valued, with key skills leading transformational culture change within organizations. Prior to joining Habitat, Anna worked as the Head of People and Culture at DEED, and held positions at the City of Minneapolis for over a decade, most notably as the Director of the Step Up Program. Academically, Anna has earned her Master of Education degree at Teachers College, Columbia University and Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities.

Shannon has been serving the community for over 20 years. Her experience includes roles as Principal Accountant with Hennepin County and Controller at Washburn Center for Children. She has a BS in Business Administration and Psychology, an MBA with an Accounting focus, and is an active CPA. She believes leadership includes serving her team in a way that empowers them to do their best for Habitat’s mission. The strength of any nonprofit relies on collaborative strategy and diverse perspectives – both strong qualities in Habitat’s culture, which drew her to serve at Habitat. In her free time, she enjoys cooking for friends and family, travel, volunteering, yoga, and all things healthy.

Chad Dipman’s first experience with Habitat was at the tender age of 18 on a college spring break trip to work with the Homestead, FL, Habitat affiliate shortly after Hurricane Hugo. Apparently, that experience touched a nerve, because after two more trips, a year of AmeriCorps, a few years as a site supervisor, and 18 years in Land Development, Chad continues his tenure at Twin Cities Habitat as the Land Development Director. Chad has a BS in Chemistry from Carleton College and a Master’s in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Iowa and is a certified Housing Development Finance Professional. Chad lives with his wife and 3 kids on their farm in Kerrick, MN.

Danielle Duncan joined Twin Cities Habitat in September 2022 and has spent more than 20 years of her career as a public servant – ensuring that at-risk individuals, families, and communities receive equitable access to a multitude of opportunities. Danielle will oversee the development and implementation of DEI-specific initiatives, designed to foster an inclusive environment for everyone. Academically, Danielle has received a Bachelor of Science with Cum Laude honors in Psychology from Augsburg University and Master of Business Administration from the Carlson School of Management and is an accredited facilitator and qualified administrator of the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI).

Greta Gaetz leads Habitat’s efforts to increase public support for affordable homeownership and advance equitable housing policy. Prior to joining Habitat, Greta worked with a range of local nonprofits providing health and disability services. She studied History, Sociology, and Anthropology at St. Olaf College and received her Master of Social Work degree from Augsburg University. Greta is a licensed social worker with an emphasis on macro practice, as well as a registered lobbyist.

Robin Henrichsen leads the donor development, sales, growth planning, and retail management operations for our ReStore Home Improvement Outlets. In her role, Robin collaborates on expanding business, marketing and volunteer opportunities. Robin has been with TCHFH since 2016. Before joining Habitat, she spent 28 years in leadership and management roles in retail merchandising with Target. Robin completed the Minnesota School of Business management program, mini-MBA for Non-Profit Organizations, and holds a PMP-Project Management Professional Certification.

Portia Jackson comes to Habitat with many years of housing experiences across the entire housing continuum. Portia spent years working across a couple of our referral partners such as PRG, Washington County CDA, Hennepin County, and most recently, Ramsey County as their FirstHome DPA Administrator. She has worked directly with homebuyers and homeowners through pre-purchase advising, financial coaching, homebuyer education, foreclosure prevention and community engagement. Portia has a passion for connecting people to affordable, sustainable and successful homeownership.

Erin Jordan brings a multi-disciplinary understanding of creative strategy, emotional intelligence, and organizational development to communication, as she develops and executes cross-cultural strategies that are practical and collaborative. Before joining Habitat, Erin was the Director of Marketing and Communications at the Minnesota Council on Foundations, in addition to 20+ years of consulting and collaboration with a wide variety of organizations globally to utilize marketing and communication strategies as problem-solving solutions. She holds a B.S. in Graphic Design from the Art Institutes International Minnesota, M.S. in Education Media Design and Technology from Full Sail University and pursued a Doctor of Education in Organizational Development with an emphasis in Organizational Leadership from Grand Canyon University (ABD).

Ben Post joined Habitat in 2018. Ben leads the Strategy team which is responsible for managing the organization’s strategic plan. Ben’s team also implements new, strategic initiatives designed to improve and increase Twin Cities Habitat’s impact. Ben earned his Bachelor’s degree from Bethel University and has worked in affordable housing for more than 18 years. His experience includes multi-family rental, ownership, program delivery, and management.

Melissa Schmidt joined the Habitat team in fall of 2017. In this role, Melissa heads up the development and execution of the HR strategic plan through the key functions of people, policy, and process. She is a certified Senior Professional in HR (SPHR) through the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI); Certified Compensation Professional (CCP) through World at Work Society of Certified Professionals, and HR Compliance through Mitchell Hamline School of Law. Prior to joining Habitat, Melissa spent 10+ years in various HR capacities.

Laura Tanner has been in non-profit fundraising for the past seventeen years, with experience in capital campaigns, major and planned gifts, development operations, sponsorship, special events, and membership. As Director of Development, Laura leads teams responsible for growing donor and volunteer engagement to support expanding affordable homeownership in our community. She has a BA from Grinnell College and prior to joining Habitat raised funds for cultural and healthcare nonprofit organizations in the Twin Cities. Laura is an avid reader, enthusiastic traveler, and member of the VocalEssence Chorus, a community choir singing everything from Bach to Bluegrass.