Here, we take action.

Tim has lived in West Maka Ska for six years. He previously worked for WorkJam as an account-based marketing specialist and currently does freelance copywriting, marketing strategy, and campaign development. A native of Grand Forks, Tim served on several non-profit boards focusing on affordable housing and downtown development.

When he’s not at home, he’s likely walking his dog, Vada, around the lake or enjoying the great restaurants and shops in the neighborhood. He has a passion to build a neighborhood that is someplace people love to call home.

Melanie Fehlberg is a first-time homeowner and purchased her West Maka Ska condo in 2018. Her father went to North High and her mother to South, so she has deep roots in Minneapolis. She has a Liberal Arts degree from the University of Minnesota and works in IT for a large agricultural co-op.

She is passionate about Native Landscaping and, as a board member of her Association, is leading in the effort to convert their green space to native plants. She is looking forward to Spring when their “Prairie in Progress” will take root and sprout. She joined the West Maka Ska neighborhood association to advocate for the use of Native Plants in our green spaces making them even stronger pollinator habitats. She is also an advocate for Social Justice. Our choices can and do affect the daily lives of our neighbors.

Allan and his wife Louise moved to West Maka Ska from New Jersey in 2013 to be closer to their daughter and son-in-law. Before retiring in 2011, Allan worked in state government and in the mutual fund industry, and had chaired a municipal planning board.

Allan joined the board to help make West Maka Ska a more pedestrian-friendly neighborhood at a time when we face the challenge and opportunity of a proposed light rail line as well as increasing traffic and development along our northern Lake Street border.

Allan is also active in the Sierra Club. His interests include sailing, cycling and cross country skiing.

Bob has lived in the neighborhood since 2007 and in Minneapolis since 1972. He grew up in Los Angeles, graduated from UCLA, went to grad school at the U of M and worked in software. Now he’s retired but still enjoys coding. He and his wife Christine have two children.

When not coding or on his daily walks to the Bakken, Bob collects fictional events (e.g. September 22 is Bilbo’s and Frodo’s birthday). He also tells cow jokes at the State Fair in the Cattle Barn. Check it out here: 2023 State Fair Kare 11 Featured Story

Lynette has loved living in Minneapolis for almost 30 years. She is a retired ophthalmologist who raised three sons (with her husband, Chip) within blocks of beautiful Bde Maka Ska.

Lynette loves to bike, paddleboard, cross country ski, and walk around our magnificent neighborhood. She is passionate about preserving Minneapolis’ green space and tree canopy.

Lynette joined the council five years ago in hopes of preserving this place for future generations to experience and love. She is currently serving as council vice chairperson.

Richard is a retired Professor of Human Development from UW- Green Bay. He and his wife Carol have lived in West Maka Ska since retiring in 2005.

He has served on several non-profit boards, including Moving Forward Africa, a clean water project in Kenya where he is Vice Chair. He is also president of the national Society for Secular Humanistic Judaism. He joined the council six years ago, motivated by the growing numbers of accidents in our neighborhood.

Richard is married to the former Carol Zazove, Russian language and culture specialist. They have two sons, David and Jonathan.

Dylan moved to the West Maka area after graduating from Minnesota Duluth in 2005. He has spent his career as a pioneer and successful entrepreneur. Dylan began his career in the music industry at the infamous Pachyderm Studios, later to found his own label, take leadership roles at McNally Smith College of music and to produce 100’s of national acts at Ausitn’s SxSw Music/Tech Festival.

Learning the power of herbal medicine at the School of California Studies, he would later merge his passions for music and medicine to establish an herbal apothecary and alternative medicine practice.

Dylan loves Minnesota’s winters, snowboarding the fresh snow and pond hockey on the frozen lakes.

He joins the council to engage the neighborhood, bring a sense of community, safety and togetherness.

Leyden moved to the West Maka Ska neighborhood around four years ago. She works as a secretary, interpreter, and translator in downtown Minneapolis.

In her free time, Leyden loves to walk around the lakes, dance around the Twin Cities area, and spend time with family.

Leyden has been part of the council for two years. Through her volunteer time with the West Maka Ska Neighborhood, she looks forward to helping maintain a safe and clean, community-based home.

Matt moved to West Maka Ska from Richmond Virginia in 2018 and currently works in operations and enterprise learning for a local corporate office. He has a degree in Political Science from Virginia Commonwealth University, served in the National Guard, and is passionate about people, community, and history.

As a transplant, he is enamored with the local neighborhood and state of Minnesota as whole. When not at work, he can be found around one of our neighboring lakes, restaurants, or coffee shops.

His “why” for joining the council, is to learn from the existing leaders, support, and help preserve the splendor of our community.