Board of Directors
Darlynn Benjamin
Co-Chair
Darlynn is the is the Executive Assistant to the Chief Impact Officer and SVP at the Minneapolis Foundation. She has over 30 years of proven leadership within public and private sectors. A strong focus on building solid internal and external relationships, cultivating trust, creating a culture where teams can be effective and work to advance the organization’s mission. She holds a MS in Public Management and Policy from Carnegie-Mellon University and a BS in Business Administration from Duquesne University. Darlynn brings her nonprofit experience, entrepreneurial spirit and love of cooking and baking to Appetite For Change.
Lee Friedman
Co-Chair
Lee is Chief Operating Officer for Jewish Family and Children’s Service of Minneapolis. He has overall strategic and operational responsibility for JFCS’s 30 programs that serve people of all backgrounds, and he leads wonderful colleagues in human resources, facilities, data and outcomes, diversity/equity/inclusion, and foundation and government grants. Lee was previously Associate Director for Wilderness Inquiry. Before starting his nonprofit leadership career, he was an attorney and partner with Briggs and Morgan, where he specialized in employment law. Lee’s volunteering has included Jewish Community Action, Hopkins Ultimate Frisbee, Nechama, and Golden Valley Little League. He enjoys biking, concerts, and ice cream with family and friends.
Ariel Tauer
Treasurer
Ari is a Principal at Boston Consulting Group and a leader in their social impact practice with experience in portfolio strategy, digital transformation, operating models and governance. Prior to BCG, she worked at Target and Apple in a variety of merchandising and negotiations roles. Ari is a college basketball enthusiast and enjoys practicing left-handed reverse layups with her young son.
Dominique Harris
Dominique Harris serves as a Strategic Account Manager at Cargill. In this role, she works with large CPG customers supporting their strategic initiatives with Cargill’s salt division. Prior to her role in Salt, Dominique served as the Global Strategy and Business Development Lead for Alternative Proteins and also worked as a Senior Business Development Analyst in Cargill Protein. Ms. Harris started her Cargill career in the company’s Washington, DC office where we she held numerous positions, including Director of International Government Relations where she managed Cargill’s Asia-Pacific and international trade portfolio.
A native of Chicago, IL, Dominique earned a Bachelor of Applied Science in Bioengineering from the University of Pennsylvania and a MPA from The George Washington University’s Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration.
Gwen McFadden-Vincent
Gwen McFadden-Vincent is the founder and owner of Risk Management Consulting Services, LLC, and focuses on delivering insurance and risk management consulting services to corporate clients. Prior to that, Gwen worked for Norwest (Wells Fargo) Insurance Services as Vice President and National Accounts Manager and Alexander & Alexander, Inc. as Vice President, Senior Casualty Marketing Specialist. Gwen has a passion for improving the lives of children and enhancing opportunities for success of disenfranchised and under-resourced organizations. She has served on the boards and in volunteer positions of non-profit organizations and provides pro-bono risk management and business consulting services to small minority owned and emerging business enterprises.
Joselynne Fynboh
Joselynne has 15 years of experience building brands across General Mills and ConAgra Foods. With a Master’s degree in Marketing from the Carlson School of Management her vision is to transform the landscape of health through the healing power of food. By day Joselynne regenerates our food system as the Sr. Sustainability Manager at General Mills, by night she enjoys canning, volunteering and spending time with her husband, daughter and their pet dog.
Lauretta Dawolo Towns
Lauretta is a Middle School English Language Arts teacher in the Twin Cities Metro Area. Her professional background is in community and ethnic media, specializing in coverage of underrepresented and underserved populations. Lauretta has worked for Insight News, KFAI-Fresh Air Community Radio, and The Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder. She has also worked as a program manager for Girls in Action, a curriculum-based leadership program for urban high school girls. On a mission to help youth realize their self-worth, Lauretta aspires to not only be a good teacher but an instructional leader in the classroom and the community.
Lester Royal III
Lester is the founder and owner of Tri-Construction and possesses over 15 years of expertise in the areas of construction and carpentry. Lester’s leadership and experience with diverse and large construction projects have cultivated his ability to prioritize the support of women and minority groups in workplace and social systems. Lester provides leadership and direction for all aspects of construction throughout the company, including project management, negotiations, and building community partnerships. He teaches at Summit OIC, and has many years experience mentoring young people and working alongside community.
Malik Rucker
Malik Rucker serves as the Director of Community Engagement and Strategic Partnerships for V3 Sports. V3 Sports is a non-profit located in North Minneapolis, Minnesota that is working to combat health and wellness inequities, reduce drowning disparities, and to contribute to social and economic transformation in Minneapolis. Malik is passionate about being able to work in the community he was born and raised in as well as being a part of a vision and mission that directly serves the Minneapolis community. Prior to joining V3, Malik held positions working in Community Relations for the Minnesota Twins and as a Program Coordinator for Big Brothers Big Sisters Twin Cities. Malik earned an MBA from the University of North Texas G. Brint Ryan College of Business and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Sport Management from Western Michigan University where he also played football.