Previous Board Directors

Yolanda Cotterall

Yolanda Cotterall has been working with micro-enterprise development for diverse communities in California, and Minnesota for the past 15 years. As the Greater Minnesota Rural Program Manager she provides capacity building for organizations, and technical assistance providers doing micro-enterprise development work in rural areas. Yolanda also provides a variety of trainings for LEDC partner’s clients. She brings innovation and understanding of the industry to her work with LEDC. Yolanda was born in California and is proud to call herself a “Chicana” of Mexican, and Native American descent

Liz Johnson

lizjojohnson@gmail.com
Liz Johnson is the Director of Operations and Community for VoteRunLead, a national organization that supports the aspirations of women who want to transform our country and democracy through their participation as leaders. Liz has worked with countless women leaders to inspire, inform and equip them to pursue positions of influence and elective office. A leader in the design and implementation of training programs for rural women, Liz has worked with thousands of women from hundreds of cities and towns in the Midwest. She is one of the founders of Plate to Politics in collaboration with the Women Food and Agriculture Network that supports women leaders from the healthy food and farming movement. Across the country, Liz has delivered training programs through unique partnerships with women’s civic, non-profit, and business organizations. Her work is characterized by her asset-based approach and the number and diversity of women. She is a member First Witness Child Advocacy Center and serves as a Duluth, Minnesota Tree Commissioner. Previously, she has worked in philanthropy, as a legislative consultant, and with a variety of nonprofit organizations. She is the recipient of the Minnesota Women’s Press Change Maker Award. Liz is an avid vegetable gardener who lives in Duluth, Minnesota next to the largest freshwater lake in the world.

Shirley Yang

chefspy@gmail.com
Chef Shirley Yang is a “Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts”-trained caterer and personal chef. She blends a foundation of classical training with a flair for fusing bold and imaginative flavors into an unforgettable, customized culinary experience. Shirley has shared her passion for food with high-end resorts in the Southwest, event centers in the Midwest, and international clients. As a personal chef, she has worked throughout the greater Los Angeles area, including a number of celebrity clientele, dreaming up menus to create a balance between daring flavors and delicious food. As a caterer, Yang has worked with numerous organizations throughout the Twin Cities working with various budgets and dietary requirements all the while infusing her food philosophy that food brings people together.