Greetings from the GiGi's Playhouse - Twin Cities Board of Directors!

We are pleased about your interest in GiGi's Twin Cities, where we offer a wide range of educational, therapeutic, skill-building, and social programs for people of all ages with Down syndrome and their families - for FREE. We are proud of the strong community we have built and we encourage your involvement. There are many opportunities to join committees, volunteer, and participate, and we welcome your input. Please contact our Operations Director, John Ward (jward@gigisplayhouse.org) for all Playhouse related questions and our Executive Director, Tim Hawley (thawley@gigisplayhouse.org) for board-related questions or comments.

GiGi's Playhouse - Twin Cities Board of Directors

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Matt McDonald, President

Matt McDonald is a medical technology sales leader with Medtronic. He earned a data-and-technology-driven MBA from Purdue University’s Krannert School of Management. Matt and his wife Ashley are graduates of St. Olaf College and currently live in Minnetonka. He will bring diverse experience to our board, helping GiGi’s Playhouse Twin Cities to achieve our mission.
Matt’s passion to increase accessibility to GiGi’s Playhouse support network stems from his daughter, Macy Rae. Macy has Down syndrome and is a proud daughter, sister to Margot, cousin to many, and grandchild. She brings an incredible smile and unbelievable will to try. The McDonald family wants to show the community the same support they have received.

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Tim Trujillo, Vice President

Tim Trujillo is Chief Compliance Officer and Deputy General Counsel, Optum. Tim provides oversight and strategic direction for Optum’s compliance programs, collaborating with leaders from across the organization to ensure that the business has processes in place to meet state and federal compliance requirements.

Tim previously served as Chief International Compliance Officer at UnitedHealth Group.  In this capacity, Tim oversaw and coordinated international compliance functions and activities across UnitedHealth Group companies.

Tim also previously served as Vice President, Risk Adjustment and Quality Operations of Optum, leading operations in connection with risk adjustment, quality and HEDIS services. In this capacity, he managed a team of over 2,000 onshore and offshore resources with a budget of over $250 M.

Prior to this role, Tim served as General Counsel for the international, pharmaceutical and medical device services and payer divisions of OptumInsight, leading teams that were responsible for legal matters relating to transactional, regulatory, compliance, privacy, litigation management and dispute resolution, mergers and acquisitions and integration of acquired companies. This work included serving as the General Counsel for Optum’s global pharmaceutical and medical device services company with operations in more than 50 countries. This work also included acting as the primary in house counsel in connection with over 15 U.S. and international acquisitions, divestitures and joint ventures.

Prior to joining UnitedHealth Group in 2004, Tim was an attorney with the Minneapolis law firm of Faegre & Benson, specializing in various aspects of complex mergers and acquisitions, corporate, securities and antitrust filings. He also clerked for the Honorable Ronald E. Longstaff, U.S. District Court Judge for Southern District of Iowa.

Tim earned his B.A., with distinction (top 20% in overall class and top 20% in each major), in Economics and Political Science from Stanford University and his J.D., with high distinction and the Order of the Coif, from the University of Iowa College of Law.

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Mark Van Ert, Treasurer

Mark Van Ert is a Managing Director with FTI Consulting’s Health Solutions practice, where he works with payers, providers and the organizations who support them optimize their business opportunities in the value-based care marketplace. Mark holds a bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering and a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Minnesota. Mark and his wife Pam are new empty-nesters living in Hopkins while their two girls are working on the next chapter of their adventures at college. Mark has a younger brother, Jeff, who has Down Syndrome who spends his time working on his golf game so he can beat his older brother the next time they play together.

Kelly Fermoyle, GiGi's Playhouse Twin Cities Board Member

Kelly Fermoyle, Secretary

Kelly is an attorney at Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath, focused on intellectual property litigation.  Kelly has a J.D. from Mitchell Hamline School of Law, an M.S. in Computer Science and Engineering from Penn State, and a B.A. from St. John’s University.  Kelly joined the GiGi’s board in January 2020.  Before that, Kelly was a camp counselor at Down Syndrome Camp in northern Minnesota, coached Special Olympics, and helped start a 5k to fundraise for Down Syndrome Camp.

Jason Pass, GiGi's Playhouse Twin Cities Board Member

Jason Pass, Treasurer

Jason Pass is a Finance executive with over 15 years of professional experience leading organizations and providing consulting services in a variety of industries including manufacturing, distribution, and retail. Jason holds multiple degrees including a BBA degree in Accounting as well as a Masters of Accountancy  degree from the University of Wisconsin - Madison and a MBA from the Carlson School of Management – University of Minnesota Twin Cities. Jason was introduced to GiGi’s through family friends who are active with the Playhouse through program offerings for their son with Down syndrome. Jason joined the Board of Directors in 2019.

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Maren Weaver

Maren Weaver is currently a Product Manager at UnitedHealthcare, focused on product strategy for individuals eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid. Previously, she worked on mergers and acquisitions across both UnitedHealthcare and Optum.

Maren lives in Minneapolis and has three brothers, including an older brother with Down syndrome. Prior to joining the GiGi's Twin Cities Board, she enjoyed coaching and volunteering for Special Olympics.

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Al Saffert

Al graduated from St. John's University with a degree in Business Management and has an MBA from St. Thomas University. He and his wife Anne live in Golden Valley with their three kids. Their family's connection to Gigi's started when the TC Playhouse opened, and they've benefited greatly from the programming and camaraderie of the community. Their daughter Brenna has particularly enjoyed programs with a focus on developing her independence. Al's excited to lend a voice to the organization's continued evolution.

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David Oehler

David has over a dozen years of marketing experience in the consumer packaged goods retail industries. He currently works as a Marketing Director at Target, where he leads marketing initiatives across several categories. He’s also spent time at General Mills and PepsiCo, managing brands and partnering with key retailers. David has a BS and an MBA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He joined the Board in 2021, and was introduced to GiGi’s through family friends who have a daughter with Down syndrome.

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Sarah Warbuck

Sarah is the Owner and CEO of Warbuck Consulting, providing marketing strategy and digital advertising consulting services to small businesses and nonprofit organizations. She is a Luther College graduate with bachelor's degrees in Business Management and Psychology and also completed Mini-MBA coursework at the University of St. Thomas in Nonprofit Management. She had the opportunity earlier in her career to work in the nonprofit world partnering with local county government agencies and families on pilot programs working collaboratively to create unique, supported living housing solutions to help adults with Down syndrome to live independently. This is how she first discovered GiGi's Playhouse in 2014 and has been volunteering ever since, currently helping out as the Math Tutoring Program Coordinator and now also as a Board Member!

Fran Fabrizio, GiGi's Playhouse Twin Cities Board Member

Fran Fabrizio

Fran Fabrizio is the IT Director for the Institute of Social Research and Data Innovation at the University of Minnesota, and has spent much of his career in higher education IT. He holds bachelor's and master's degrees in computer science from Washington University in St. Louis and the University of Alabama at Birmingham, respectively.

Fran and his wife Katie live in Edina with their 9-year-old son, whose extra chromosome brought them through GiGi's Playhouse Twin Cities' doors on the day it opened! After attending many programs over the years with their son, Fran joined the board in 2017 and has served as president since 2018.

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Christine Broder

Christine Broder received her BS in Elementary Education from the University of MN, Twin Cities. She worked in Minneapolis Public Schools teaching 1st and 2nd grade and as a Differentiation Specialist. During this time, she completed her Masters of Education from the University of St. Thomas. Christine is passionate about working with children and families, especially in the Down Syndrome Community. In 2016, Christine’s oldest daughter, Kit, was born with Down syndrome. Kit, with her younger sisters Bella and Frankie, bring Christine so much joy! Her family resides in Southwest Minneapolis, where they can be found playing at parks, enjoying the community, and of course, eating lots of Broders’ pizza.

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Tom Ferguson

Tom Ferguson is the Vice President of U.S. Sales for Medtronic Spine & Biologics. Tom started his career in sales at Medtronic in 1998. Tom earned a BA from St. John’s University. He and his wife Julie reside in the Twin Cities with their three children – Emma (16), Lauren (14), and Tommy (12). When not at work, he enjoys traveling and volunteering with his family, spending time on the lake & outdoors, and watching his kids’ sports.

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Sheila Longie

Sheila is retired from a career in document management, including serving as President of Document Destruction Services for 8 years. Sheila is active in the Lakeville community, where she is a member of the Rotary Club and has served on the Economic Development Commission and the Executive Board of the Lakeville Chamber of Commerce. Sheila’s number one hobby is curling. As a USCA Certified curling instructor, she has assisted clubs throughout Minnesota and has served as coach of the USA Deaf Women’s Curling Team. Sheila enjoys spending time with her children and grandchildren, especially at cabins up north with summer weekends filled with children, dogs, tons of laughter, and memorable nights around the campfire.