Events

Kendall Qualls spent 30-years in the healthcare industry with innovative startup companies as well as major corporations leading sales and marketing teams.  Mr. Qualls is also the Founder and President of the nonprofit organization TakeCharge. TakeCharge strives to unite Americans regardless of background toward a shared history and common set of beliefs. At TakeCharge, they promote that the promise of America is available to everyone regardless of race or social standing. TakeChargeMN

Mr. Qualls has a unique vantage point to convey that message and to plant the seeds of change desperately needed. During his childhood, Mr. Qualls lived with his divorced mother and siblings in public housing projects of Harlem, NY in the late 1960s. Before middle school, Mr. Qualls left NYC to live with his father who lived in a trailer park in Oklahoma. Neither of his parents finished high school.

Despite the challenges and turmoil of his early life, Mr. Qualls worked full-time to pay for college, served as an officer in the U.S. Army, earned three graduate degrees including an MBA from the University of Michigan. He worked his way up the ranks at several Fortune 100 healthcare companies before he became Global Vice President of an $850M business unit. Mr. Qualls champions the principles of meritocracy and supports the notion that free enterprise, and the private sector are the fastest and most equitable way to lift people from poverty to prosperity.

Mr. Qualls has been married to his wife, Sheila for 40-years and they have five children together. He was a mentor at Minnesota Adult & Teen Challenge. He served on the Board for Lundstrum’s Performing Arts Center in North Minneapolis as well as Hope Farm School, a school for at-risk boys from Minneapolis.

Mr. Qualls has appeared as a guest on Fox & Friends, The Tucker Carlson Show, America’s Newsroom with Bill Hemmer, the Dennis Prager Show and Fearless with Jason Whitlock.

Mr. Qualls’ articles have been published in the New York Post, Washington Times, The Federalist, Real Clear Politics, The Christian Post and the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

Mark boldly tells others, "Nothing compares to the way Rotary clubs serve others every day, both locally and globally." 

He says that without a doubt, the leadership skills he has gained in his 30 years in Rotary have helped prepare him for several organizational roles and provided experiences that he uses daily in his career.  

Mark is:

•   Pastor at St. Peter’s - Edina, a Lutheran Church and Family Education Center for 25-years
•   Passionate about supporting families with children who have intellectual or developmental disabilities
•   A NASCAR chaplain for the Cup Series nationally and for Elko Speedway here in Minnesota 
•   Married to Joann for 40 years with three adult daughters with families in the Twin Cities Metro area
•   Blessed with five grandchildren
•   Together, they own a family business, "Memories of Home" a faith and family gift store in Eden Prairie
•   A member of the Rotary Club of Minnesota Veterans
•   Privileged to have served in many Rotary roles at the club, district, and zone levels

Heather Durenberger is an author, speaker, and mom of four whose work bridges generations—helping children embrace inclusion and self-discovery while guiding adults through the complexities of caring for aging parents. Whether writing for young readers or those in the “squeeze” of life’s biggest transitions, Heather brings warmth, humor, and practical wisdom to every story she tells.

Heather’s latest work shifts focus to adult readers navigating the challenges of aging parents. Drawing on her background in leadership development and biopsychology—as well as her own caregiving journey—she provides insight, humor, and practical strategies to help others through this deeply personal stage of life.

At the heart of Heather’s work is a commitment to meeting people where they are, whether they are children discovering the beauty of friendship or adults balancing love, loss, and responsibility. She believes in the power of stories to connect, heal, and illuminate the path forward—no matter where you are on the journey.

In addition to her children’s work, Heather has authored Seeing the Extraordinary in the Ordinary: Lessons in Hope and Healing, which invites readers to awaken to the divine in their everyday lives, transforming their routines into a source of meaning and possibility. Her second book, Seeing Yourself as God Sees You: Don’t Let Lies Be Your Truth, offers stories, scriptures, exercises, and questions designed to help readers reconnect with themselves and the Holy Spirit, replacing limiting beliefs with the truth of their potential and divine love.

Her children’s books, including Wake Up, Flowers, Wake Up, My Buddy, Forever, and Shine Bright Today, celebrate curiosity, friendship, and the power of seeing and valuing others. Inspired by her own experiences as a parent, these books create spaces where children feel encouraged to embrace their uniqueness and connect with the world around them.

Amidst her roles, Heather cherishes her title as a proud wife and momma to four incredible humans and her 100-pound black Lab Scout. A self-proclaimed nerd, her home brims with cherished books. She loves to volunteer and work with leaders! 

Chief Todd Milburn

Todd Milburn was appointed Chief of the Edina Police Department in 2021. A former Deputy Chief of the Brooklyn Park Police Department, Milburn came to Edina after 30 years in Brooklyn Park. In 1992, he began his career there as a community service officer, and held various roles including patrol officer, SWAT officer, patrol sergeant, public information officer, and police inspector. Milburn, a St. Paul native earned his degree in Organizational Management & Leadership from Concordia University. 

Officer Bennett Breyer and K9 Koda

Officer Bennett Breyer is a K9 Officer assigned to the night shift at the Edina Police Department. He works alongside his K9 partner Koda, who he got in December of 2024. He and Koda started on the road as a K9 team in May of this year after completing a 16-week program in St. Paul. Koda is a very level-headed dog with a great nose for both human and firearm odor. 

Officer Breyer started with the department in 2018 as a Community Service Officer. He graduated from the University of St. Thomas with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and a minor in Psychology.  He then attended a skills program at Alexandria Technical College before starting as a Police Officer in 2022. During his tenure at the Edina Police Department, he has held various positions within the department including as a member of the Mobile Field Force and UAS teams, Firearms Instructor, and Explorer Advisor. 

Jan is an executive coach, consultant, and international speaker. She understands the unique challenges of leading a busy professional life because she does it too. Running a company with three kids has made her fully understand the importance of work-life balance and the need to be productive.

Prior to launching CTC, Jan worked for a number of Fortune 100 companies, including an expatriate assignment in Stockholm Sweden with Kraft Foods, and a consulting role at Accenture. As a consultant, she was responsible for optimizing and streamlining the business processes for Fortune 500 companies, including:

• SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission)
• World Book Encyclopedia
• United Airlines

Her natural inclination for building productive, happy, efficient teams led her team to excel. While working to optimize her teams, she realized how critical it is to create effective teams to drive productivity. She saw happier and more engaged teams as a direct result of how productive and effective they were.

If there’s an easier way to do something, Jan will find it. Her passion for productivity and drive to improve her teams led her to found CTC Productivity.

She is currently a former board member for NAPO (National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals), and was named a Women Who Lead Honoree by Minnesota Business Magazine

Heather Boschke is a strategic marketing leader who helps small businesses with marketing strategy, key messaging and fractional marketing leadership.

Passionate about helping brands connect to customers in a meaningful way, her approach is centered on creating a marketing foundation that allows any size organization to quickly benefit from the power of marketing. 

Heather is an adjunct professor at Metro State where she has been teaching an undergrad marketing class for the past 18 years. She is also a bird lover, author, and artist and has published a series of children’s books called Little Birdie Buddies. 

King is a community educator for NAMI Minnesota (the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Minnesota) She is also the older adults program coordinator and faith community liaison. Kay is a family member and has worked for NAMI Minnesota for 17 years. Longer Bio: Kay King is a community educator for NAMI Minnesota (the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Minnesota) and is the older adults program coordinator and faith community liaison.

Each year she teaches about 4,000 families, professionals, community members and people living with mental illness about good mental health, suicide prevention and mental illness.

She is a former executive director of a retirement community with independent and assisted living and a general manager of large hotels and resorts nationally and internationally. Kay is a family member and has worked for NAMI Minnesota for 17 years

Jennifer Mayerle happily returned to Minnesota and WCCO, where she began her career as a summer intern. The Emmy and Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist returned to WCCO as a reporter in 2014 and later also anchored WCCO Saturday Morning for 6 years. Then in early 2024 she focused on her new role as Senior Investigative Reporter.

Jennifer likes to tell stories that positively impact the community. Her investigations have exposed gaps in law, prompted federal and state Attorney Generals investigations, launched legislative hearings and the passage of state laws designed to protect people while holding businesses and people accountable.

In 2019, Jennifer began her yearslong investigation into Water Gremlin's manufacturing plant with a history of pollution, which led to Minnesota's notable status as the first state in the country to ban the toxic cancer-causing chemical TCE. Her investigation documented the migration of lead into worker's homes and the poisoning of children, which forced the state to order the temporary shutdown of the plant and ultimately court oversight of its operations. Water Gremlin filed for bankruptcy in 2023 following many lawsuits accusing the plant of causing cancer, chronic illness and wrongful death.

Jennifer led the team that won an Emmy for the groundbreaking special "State of Policing." The killing of George Floyd provoked widespread outrage and demands for changes in policing. This special brought together law enforcement and the community for remarkably candid, informed discussions and an in-depth look at how training has evolved to meet demands for transparency and accountability.

Her ongoing series "Cost of Gunfire" explores the true cost to the persons, families and community. Stories focus on those who survived, as well as the trauma endured by family and loved ones, the doctors and nurses who work to save lives, and community members who witness the aftermath of gunfire and offer hope and healing to those affected.

Jennifer was on the 'CCO news team recognized with a regional Murrow award for its coverage of the Jacob Wetterling case. It marked the end of the mystery of who took the 11-year-old St. Joseph boy 27 years earlier.

She has also been recognized in Minnesota with numerous other awards. She felt particularly honored by her Murrow for Spreading Kindness: the uplifting story of a young girl with cancer who, along with her sisters, formed a friendship with their garbage men, exchanging greetings on their arrival with signs, happy waves, excitement and smiles.

Just prior to joining WCCO, Jennifer worked at CBS in Atlanta, where she was recognized for excellence in reporting and for community involvement. Her in-depth look at the long-lasting impact of concussions and repeated hits to the head to athletes from youth to the pro level helped prompt Georgia legislators to pass The Return to Play Act, a law designed to protect young athletes.

She was born and raised in Edina and graduated from the University of San Diego

Dawanna S. Witt was elected as the Hennepin County Sheriff on November 8, 2022 and she was sworn in on January 3, 2023. She is the first woman and person of color to hold the office.

Born in Chicago and raised in Minneapolis, Sheriff Witt became a mother at 15 but nevertheless excelled at school. She earned several scholarships to college, including the Justice Alan Page Scholarship. As a condition of that scholarship, she volunteered in several community organizations in various roles and saw firsthand how her actions could make a positive difference in the lives of young people. Her passion for working with kids remains to this day.

In college, Sheriff Witt studied chemical dependency and family therapy and her first jobs were in the nonprofit field. When she heard that the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office was looking for female detention deputies, specifically women of color, she decided to apply, and was hired in 2000. Working as a detention deputy opened her eyes to the people and possibilities in law enforcement.

In 2004, after returning to school to become a licensed peace officer, Sheriff Witt was hired by the Dakota County Sheriff's Office. During her career at Dakota County, she worked in a variety of roles, including bailiff, transport, school resource officer, detective, crisis negotiator, recruitment coordinator, diversity and inclusion coordinator, and more. Ultimately, she became the first woman in the agency’s history to reach the rank of captain. Through it all, she focused on reaching out to young people and communities that have historically had poor relationships with the police. During her time as a school resource officer, working with children with mental health and behavioral difficulties, the school experienced a noticeable drop in kids entering the juvenile justice system.

While working at Dakota County, Sheriff Witt earned a police science degree, and then a dual master's degrees in public safety administration and management, which included an internship with the Northamptonshire Police in the UK.

Sheriff Witt returned to the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office in September 2019 to take charge of the agency’s largest bureau, Adult Detention and Court Services. In her role as a major, she oversaw court security for two of the most high-profile trials in modern history. She also dealt successfully with the pandemic in Minnesota’s largest jail, leading the development of new protocols to help limit institutional and community spread of COVID-19.

In 2022, Hennepin County voters overwhelming selected her to be the next Hennepin County Sheriff. She campaigned on her years of experience and a platform of safer communities, improved law enforcement recruitment and retention, reform, collaboration, and transparency.

Sheriff Witt is the Vice Chair of the North Central High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) and the Region three representative of the Major County Sheriffs of America. Sheriff Witt serves seasonally as a Minnesota State Fair Police Officer and is a board member of the MN Crisis Intervention Team, MN 100 Club, Northern Star Scouting, the Boys & Girls Club – Twin Cities, and Secretary of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement – Northstar Chapter. She also serves on the MN Youth Intervention Working Group, Jewish Community Relations Council Steering Committee, and the Major County Sheriffs of America (MCSA) Nomination and Award Committee, which recognizes outstanding employees and units from MCSA member Sheriff’s Offices. Sheriff Witt has served on advisory panels including the State of Minnesota Legislative Task Force on Child Protection and the State of Minnesota Task Force on Law Enforcement Education Reform.

Sheriff Witt also works as an adjunct professor at Inver Hills Community College, teaching Juvenile Justice and American Corrections.

Sheriff Witt is married with two adult daughters and three grandchildren.

Tyler Williams enters his fourth season with the Minnesota Vikings and third as vice president of player health and performance in 2025.

Introduced as the executive director of player health and performance in 2022, he helped the Vikings achieve a 34-17 (.667) regular-season record over the past three seasons (2022-24), including a 14-3 mark and playoff appearance in 2024, the second-most wins in team history. The team's nine-game win streak from Week 9 to Week 17 tied the third-longest win streak in club history.

In 2022, his first season in Minnesota, Williams was a key element in the Vikings winning the NFC North for the first time since 2017 and tying for the third-most wins (13) in a single season in team history.

Under Williams' leadership, Minnesota's training staff received a resounding stamp of approval when the NFL Players Association released the results of its "free agency report cards" for all 32 teams during the 2025 offseason. The Vikings training staff, which earned an "A", ranked second out of 32 teams, as the report cited "94% of Vikings players report that they receive enough one-on-one training treatment" and "the players feel that their training staff significantly contributes to their overall success."

Prior to joining the Vikings, Williams spent 15 seasons with the Rams in both St. Louis and Los Angeles, serving as the team's director of sports science/assistant athletic trainer during their Super Bowl LVI victory.

Williams, who worked with Head Coach Kevin O'Connell from 2020-21, was named the NFC recipient of the Professional Football Athletic Trainers Society's (PFATS) Tim Davey Assistant Athletic Trainer of the Year after the 2020 season. Named after longtime New York Jets assistant athletic trainer and team/NFL game operations employee Tim Davey, the award is "emblematic of the commitment, dedication and high level of integrity that Davey brought to the profession of athletic training and is representative of his level of service which he dedicated to his surrounding community."

In 2015, Williams was a member of the Rams athletic training staff that won PFATS' Ed Block NFL Athletic Training Staff of the Year, an award that is voted on by the PFATS membership and recognizes one NFL athletic training staff annually for their distinguished service to their club, community, and athletic training profession.

Besides his involvement in PFATS and serving as their foundation president since 2021, Williams is also a member of the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA), certified in Functional Movement Screen (FMS-C) and Chairs the Sports Science Task Force on the NFL Research and Innovation Committee.

Prior to joining the Rams in 2007, Williams was the assistant athletic trainer at Fontbonne University in St. Louis from 2006-07. Williams holds a master's degree from California University of Pennsylvania, earning a performance enhancement specialist certification. He completed his bachelor's degree in exercise science with an emphasis in athletic training at Truman State. He and his wife, Katie, have a daughter.