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Board of Directors
These area residents are the founding members of Friends of Diamond Lake and currently serve on its board of directors.
Check back to learn more about the people who dedicate their time and energy to restoring, protecting, and improving our community's premier water resource.
Melanie Countryman
I have lived in the Hale neighborhood,
with my husband and two sons, since 1995. My work experience
includes over 20 years in the health care industry,
primarily in the areas of information systems and
data analysis. Since 2005, I have worked as an Epidemiologist,
most recently at Dakota County. I served for four
years on the Hale-Page-Diamond Lake Community Association
Board, including two years as chair. During this
time, I became involved with the development of the
Diamond Lake Management Plan.
One of the things that I love about living in Minneapolis is the accessibility of natural areas within the city. I think it is important for citizens to become involved to ensure that these resources are preserved. As a lifelong nature lover, I appreciate the unique birds and wildlife that make their homes near Diamond Lake.
Scott Foss treasurer
I have lived on Second Avenue for 11 years, and have always had an affinity for Diamond Lake and the wildlife that it attracts. We've got a real prize in our midst, and my concern is that it is overlooked by our local government entities and will be allowed to degrade at a pace faster than nature intended. In the past I've been on the HPDL Environment Committee and have served many years by helping put on the Earth Day cleanup at Pearl Park. My goal working with FoDL is to help make it into a viable organization and to put citizen and official attention on the lake in order to improve the lake's natural condition.
Stuart Goldstein
I've lived on Diamond Lake with my wife, Mary Martini, since 1979. I'm on the faculty of the College of Biological Sciences at the University of Minnesota. I continue to be impressed with the diversity of living things in and around Diamond Lake. However, in the few decades we've lived here, I've seen the effects of using it as a reservoir for freeway runoff without paying adequate attention to its needs. I would like to see citizens work to improve and maintain Diamond Lake.
Larry Jeutter
I have a degree in Electrical Engineering from the University
of Minnesota and work as a development/project engineer in the
design of embedded systems — the process of adding microcomputer
‘smarts’ to just about any gizmo imaginable. I have lived in
my home in the HPDL neighborhood for more than 30 years where
my wife Fran and I have raised three kids.
Shelley Johnson
I have lived in the Diamond Lake area
since 1999. I enjoy organic gardening, photography,
and being outdoors with my two golden retrievers
and my partner. I graduated from the University
of Minnesota in journalism and photography and studied
graphic design while working in Marketing Communications
at Iowa State University. In 2002, following 11
years at Carleton College, I founded Johnson Creative,
a small marketing communications firm.
I joined Friends of Diamond Lake to work toward improving the health of the lake's ecosystems and preserving habitat for the lake's diverse populations. I am saddened by the decline in water quality due to silt deposits and runoff pollution. I believe as concerned citizens we can collaboratively work to preserve and improve Diamond Lake and its watershed, making it a showcase for Minneapolis.
Mary Martini
I moved to Roslyn Place with my husband, Stuart Goldstein, in 1979. We have raised two daughters in our home overlooking Diamond Lake. I work at HealthPartners, Inc. as a Senior Consultant in Health Informatics, and have a bachelors Degree in biology from the University of California at Santa Barbara. I enjoy entertaining, gardening, outdoor sports, off-beat humor, and traveling.
I have seen degradation to Diamond Lake over the last three decades that I have lived in the neighborhood. As a result, I am committed to working with other concerned citizens to create partnerships to restore and protect the lake.
Mary Moilanen
I have lived near Diamond Lake for only a short time but
have already gotten so much enjoyment from its beauty. As a city girl
at heart but a nature lover as well, I am delighted that the lake provides
our neighborhood with ‘the best of both worlds.’ I love seeing all the
different birds and animals that I wouldn’t normally have the opportunity
to see in the city. I look forward to meeting new neighbors and working
together to help protect our neighborhood treasure.
Dave Oltmans president
I have been a nearly life long resident of the Diamond Lake area,
growing up and living in two different homes on Clinton Avenue. I have many memories of playing around the lake as child. My
desire is to preserve this wonderful wildlife resource for young and
old to ‘play’ around, observing and savoring its natural beauty and diversity. My
goal as president of Friends of Diamond Lake is to build an active and
forward looking organization to protect, improve, and promote this unique
resource.
In the late seventies I served as president of the Diamond Lake Neighborhood Association, precursor to HPDL. More recently I have served on the HPDL Environment Committee, and was appointed one of the Minneapolis representatives serving on the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District Visioning Initiative along with persons representing communities bordering the full length of the Minnehaha Creek corridor.
Founding Board Members
Sue Buettgen
Scott Foss
Stuart Goldstein
Dan Heine
Shelley Johnson
Mary Martini
Dave Oltmans