Gather with neighbors and select leaders for the coming year. First-time attendees encouraged! Hear from your elected officials, get neighborhood updates from the past year, and run for our Board.

LHNA Annual Meeting
Tuesday, May 19 • 5 pm social, 6 pm meeting
First Unitarian Society of Minneapolis (900 Mount Curve Ave)

Agenda

• 5–6 pm: Meet and socialize with neighbors over wine and appetizers.

• 6–7:30 pm: Hear from city and neighborhood leaders, learn about LHNA’s activities over the past year, and elect new board members.

Speakers TBA

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Board Nominees

• Heather Harnisch

  Time in the Lowry Hill neighborhood?
  15 years

  Renter or Property Owner?
  Owner

  Why do you wish to serve on the LHNA board?
  I care deeply about this community as a resident, a parent of a Kenwood Elementary student, and an election judge. I've been actively involved through the University of Minnesota, the Downtown Council, and by supporting families during recent challenges. I bring a background in strategy and operations at Target and would use that experience to help the board drive clarity, alignment, and execution ensuring we're not only addressing today's needs, but setting our community up for a strong future.

  Which committees would you like to serve on? Crime & Safety, Communications & Outreach, Events

  Previous board experience? Minneapolis Downtown Council, Kenwood / MPLS school district volunteer, University of Minnesota School of Design

• Andrew Sun

  Time in the Lowry Hill neighborhood?
  1 year

  Renter or Property Owner?
  Property Owner

  Why do you wish to serve on the LHNA board?
  Lowry Hill is home, and I want to help take care of it. I've spent my career working at the intersection of community, culture, and civic life, and what I've learned is that the institutions closest to where people actually live matter most. Neighborhood associations are where abstract ideas about belonging and shared investment become real and tangible. I want to be part of that work.
  
  Consistent presence is how equity and inclusion move from aspiration to practice. It's easy to hold those values privately — the harder and more meaningful thing is to be in the rooms where decisions get made, ensuring that a range of voices and perspectives are part of the conversation. That's as true for a neighborhood board as anywhere else.
  
  My background in nonprofit administration, fundraising, civic coordination, and board operations means I can contribute from day one — not just with enthusiasm, but with practical experience. More than what I bring, this is about investing in a community I'm proud to call home and helping make Lowry Hill a place where neighbors feel connected and invested in what comes next.

  Which committees would you like to serve on?
  Events, Neighborhood Revitalization Program, Communications & Outreach

  Previous board experience?
  I have not served on a nonprofit board as a voting member, but I have led board operations throughout my career. At Minnesota Opera, I served as Executive Manager where I took point on board relations — preparing materials, coordinating governance logistics, and managing follow-up with board leadership. At the Saint Paul Downtown Alliance, I currently lead board and executive meetings across three nonprofit organizations. My role there also includes financial oversight — coordinating with fractional accountants, tracking expenses and receivables, and preparing internal financial statements. I also sat on the Knight Foundation Cultural Opportunity Fund committee, and planned and executed four galas that collectively raised nearly $2 million. Outside of work, I currently serve as President-Elect of my condo association, where I am preparing to take on direct board leadership.

  Other applicable experience or information you'd like to share with us?
  A few other things that might be relevant: I currently consult on fundraising and development for an opera company in Stillwater, where I've had some real success with grant writing and launching their first annual fund campaign, exceeding our goal by 30%. I'm a certified Mental Health First Aid responder and have been a mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters Twin Cities for several years. On a more personal note, I'm a classically trained pianist, opera coach, and conductor with an active performing career alongside my day job — which means I'm someone who knows what it's like to care deeply about craft and detail and to show up for something bigger than yourself. I'd be genuinely glad to contribute in whatever way would best serve the neighborhood.

Run for the Board

Up to 15 board members serve on the board for 2-year terms. Board members are elected each year by Lowry Hill residents at the Annual Meeting. LHNA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit without barriers to entry; all donations to LHNA are tax deductible. Board eligibility is limited to:

• Lowry Hill residents aged 16+.

• 1 member per household or family may serve on the Board at any given time.

Lowry Hill is bound by I-394 (north), I-94/Hennepin Ave (east), 22nd St (south) and Lake of the Isles Pkwy, Logan Ave and Morgan Ave (west).