Jensen Steps Down from Blandin Foundation

After 25 years with the Blandin Foundation, Kathryn L. Jensen is stepping down as senior vice president responsible for the foundation's nationally recognized leadership programs. Jensen is forming a consulting business specializing in independent and family foundations, which will include special projects for the foundation.

"Kathryn's 25 years of service to the Blandin Foundation have been outstanding," said foundation president Jim Hoolihan. "We are very pleased to be continuing our relationship with Kathryn as a consultant for some of our key programs."

James Krile, who joined the foundation in 1986, will serve as interim director for the leadership programs. Prior to his new assignment, Krile was director of the foundation's core leadership development program, the Blandin Community Leadership Program (BCLP); the Reservation Leadership Program; and the Partners In Leadership Program.

Jensen started with the Blandin Foundation in 1979 as a program associate. In 1985, she launched the initial model for BCLP, which has served more than 245 rural Minnesota communities and to date has more than 4,000 alumni. In a major evaluation, John F. Jones, Ph.D., said BCLP "is among the best I've seen and could serve as a model for training anywhere in the world."

In 1988, Jensen was promoted to vice president and assumed responsibility for convening and grantmaking. She launched the foundation's convening effort that included conferences such as "Front Porch Dialogue on Rural Minnesota's Future," "One Minnesota," Ending Gun Violence: A Minnesota Action Plan," Connecting Kids with Community," and the Rural Community Healthcare Summit.

In 1993, Jensen was promoted to senior vice president. She worked with community leaders to help initiate the Center for School Change, Center for Reducing Rural Violence, Youth Leadership for Vital Communities and Children First! initiatives. She was pivotal in shaping the foundation's Community Economic Advantage strategy, for which Jensen developed and launched three new leadership programs - Community Advantage Leadership Program, the Health Care Leadership Program and the Education Leadership Program.

"To her special credit, and in less than a year, Kathryn helped to initiate three programs that serve education and health care institutions and community leaders concerned about growing their economic assets," said Hoolihan. "Her portfolio of accomplishments is deep and wide."

"It has been an honor to work with the Blandin Foundation and all of our outstanding community leaders and grantees," said Jensen. "I'm excited to continue my work with the foundation, and share my experience and knowledge with other independent and family foundations."

Jensen has volunteered for a variety of local and statewide nonprofit boards including United Way, Bridges Mentoring and the Myles Reif Performing Arts Center. She served on the board of the Minnesota Council on Foundations, a statewide membership association for philanthropy, from 1993 to 2001, and was as the Council's board chair for three years, from 1997 to 2000.

top