Angie ElliotT, President
Angie’s passion is connecting people with resources. PACT is one of the best resources that local L&D practitioners have at their disposal. Her hope is that PACT will continue to be a thriving community for decades to come.
Angie holds a Bachelor of Science from Metropolitan State University in Human Resource Management. Currently, Angie provides learning consulting services to area organizations.
Laura Nedved, Vice President
Laura has been a PACT member for over a decade and has worked in Learning & Development for over 20 years. In her role as a Learning and Development Consultant with Mind the Performance Gap, LLC, she designs and develops learning and performance improvement solutions for global organizations across a broad range of industries. She is PMP certified through the Project Management Institute, CPLP certified through the Association for Talent Development, and a member of MnISPI and UXPA-MN. She is also a board member emeritus of UXPA-MN.
Laura is passionate about process and performance improvement, always looking for ways to use technology as a force for good. In her leisure time, she explores new technologies, her love of fitness, and a recently-acquired (and sometimes explosive) curiosity around the art of brewing kombucha.
Maureen Holtzman, PAST President
Maureen is a newer member of PACT with strong experience in both academic and corporate learning. Recently, Maureen landed the job of her dreams as an instructional designer in the Indian Motorcycle division of Polaris. Although riding isn’t a requirement, it’s an absolute perk!
Maureen gained a background in association leadership managing the distance learning team at the American Academy of Neurology. She currently consults with associations on eLearning strategy and implementation. She is also seeking her MBA with a concentration in Training and Development.
Maureen lives in Lindstrom and thoroughly enjoys the country life. She is an avid motorcycle rider, hiker, and lover of classical music.
Farien Masanz, Career Development Chair
Farien’s energy is infectious. Newer to the learning industry, she has quickly come up to speed at a tech company where she manages the learning management system, facilitates instructor-led training, creates e-learning content, and is building a new-hire orientation and onboarding program. She is the leader for the Minnesota chapter of Women of AVIXA, the audio-visual industry association.
Farien is an alum of the Seth Godin altMBA program and is very happy to talk about it! The saying “if you want something done, ask a busy person” might have been crafted for her. She lives in Richfield with her husband and two very energetic standard poodles who give great high fives!
Shannah Henk, Communications Chair
Shannah is a driven learning and development professional. She currently works as a Sales Training Lead for Best Buy’s B2B sales channel at the corporate headquarters. In her current role she consults, designs, and facilitates onboarding for the channel. She also has experience crafting the strategy and execution for communication and knowledge management capabilities.
Shannah received both her Bachelors degree and MBA from the University of North Dakota (UND). In addition to staying involved at UND and volunteering for PACT, she is also a member of the Twin Cities Society for Human Resource Management (TCSHRM). In her free time, she loves going to see live music, and her favorite place for a weekend trip is the North Shore.
Katie Caffrey, Vice Communications Chair
Katie is a second-time member of the PACT board, having served previously as the Vide Membership Chair. She currently works as an Instructional Designer and Training Specialist for Sagitec Solutions.
Katie received her BA in Psychology from St. Olaf College and her graduate certificate in Instructional Design from the University of Wisconsin-Stout. She began her post-college career as a teacher, working in the field of international education in France, Chicago, and most recently Saint Louis Park. Katie is also a member of the Junior League of Minneapolis and the Minnesota Pocket Pet Rescue, where she volunteers on a regular basis.
Joann Lynch, Membership Chair
Joann has been in the learning industry for the past 20 years. She is the VP of Client Services for Empowering Performance Inc., an organization that designs leadership development and custom learning solutions. Joann has served on the PACT board as both President and Program Chair, and she was also honored with the PACT Hall of Fame Award for outstanding service to the organization. She believes strongly that if you are in the training field you will not find a more supportive member group and fabulous technology-focused programs than PACT.
In her free time you will find her playing soccer with her son and daughter, hiking around Minnehaha Falls, and enjoying all that The Cities have to offer.
Lee Engeswick, Vice Membership Chair
Lee has been a PACT member since 2014, and this is his first time participating on the PACT board. Lee is the Learning & Development Analyst, Learning Experience Designer, and LMS content admin at Radisson Hotel Group. He partners with business stakeholders to create meaningful and engaging learning experiences which lead to behavior change and business impact.
Lee received his BFA from Minnesota State University-Mankato and his MS in Instructional Design from University of North Dakota. In his free time, Lee participates in the Highland Games Heavy Events and spends his summers at competitions all over the Midwest.
Annie Greenawalt, Program Chair
Annie leads the Technology Training group at SPS Commerce and has over 15 years of experience in facilitation, instructional design, and developing learning strategies for non-profit, healthcare, and technology-focused organizations. She believes in creating learner-centric solutions that can flex and transform, meeting the need to pivot and change as quickly as possible.
Annie loves learning culture and is constantly on the lookout for new and innovative ways to reach learners. She has been a PACT member since 2017 and gathers invaluable inspiration from members and speakers.
Becky Johnson, Vice Program Chair
Becky is a first-time member of the PACT board, serving this term as the vice program chair. She is the owner of Engine Company 791, a company specializing in custom learning design and development and related services for technology companies. Becky has over 15 years of experience in learning and development in diverse industries, and she has expertise in project management, instructional design, e-learning development, facilitation, and performance management.
Becky is also a firefighter with the City of Mendota Heights and an instructor with the Northern Dakota Training Academy, which trains first-year firefighters. In her spare time, she enjoys being outdoors, working out, motorcycling, and practicing firefighting skills with her husband and their friends.
Andrea Armagost, Technology Chair
Andrea has over 13 years of experience in the learning and development field designing and developing e-learning and mobile learning solutions. She has been a web developer for over two decades and runs her own learning technologies consulting firm, Level Nine Learning. She is also a Lead Learning and Development Consultant for Target Corporation.
Andrea has Masters degrees in Learning Technologies and Human Resource Development from the University of Minnesota. She lives with her husband and two daughters in Maple Grove.
Christopher Foster, Vice Technology Chair
Christopher has over 12 years of experience in the learning and development industry. He is passionate about designing and developing learner-centric e-learning, video, and performance support solutions. He works as a Principal Instructional Designer for C.H. Robinson, a third-party logistics and supply chain management provider.
Christopher lives in Minneapolis. Outside of work, he is an election judge, tech nerd, sci-fi lover, letterpress printer, and dog owner with ambitions of world travel.
Walt Jones, Treasury Chair
Walt returned to the board in 2019 after a four-year hiatus. He previously served in the Treasury and Communications roles, as well as on the boards of directors for other organizations. He began his professional life as a geologist before applying his skills to a career at Fredrickson Learning, where he has worked on projects involving instructional design, technical writing, and user experience.
Walt holds a BA in geology, with a minor in Italian, from the University of Minnesota and an MA in English from Northern Michigan University. He also completed all but the dissertation toward a PhD in Rhetoric and Scientific and Technical Communication at the U of M (at which point he had the choice of career, school, family – pick any two). His hobbies include home improvement (sometimes by choice), car repair (seldom by choice), yoga, outdoor activities, and continuing to learn.
Jenny Kafka, Vice Treasury Chair
Jenny is a first-time PACT board member with seven years of experience in corporate Instructional Design & Development roles. She has a passion for synthesizing information into meaningful and digestible learning experiences.
Jenny has a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) degree from Trinity University. In her free time, she enjoys photography and hiking.