Speakers

Minnesota State Representative Jess Hanson represents District 55A for Savage and NW Burnsville in the south metro. She has served in the Minnesota Legislature since 2021.

She grew up in Lakeville in poverty, and she always says she was never supposed to become a politician. Her life has brought her on a journey from being a high school drop out and teen mom to a first-generation college graduate, a solo parent and homeowner, an experienced professional and educator, and a three-term state legislator. Hanson earned a Bachelor of Science in Social Work from St. Catherine University and a Master of Arts in Advocacy and Political Leadership (MAPL) from Metropolitan State University.

Hanson serves as co-vice chair of the Children and Families Finance and Policy. She is serving her third term on the Higher Education Finance and Policy and is in her first term on the Taxes Committees. She co-teaches the Model Legislature course at Metropolitan State University in the MAPL program where she brings young people to St. Paul for a 2-day mini session where they perform as legislators by electing leaders, participating in committees, and debating and voting on bills.

She believes that politics is how we care about each other, that we deserve a responsible government, and that we can and must do the most good for the most people by working together.

Karen Wojahn was raised in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, a suburb of Milwaukee. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin School of Business with a degree in Accounting. She worked in government and public accounting and has actively volunteered with many non-profits, including the Embroiderers’ Guild of America. In her spare time, she enjoys embroidery, traveling, reading, golf, and cross-country skiing.

In March, 2025, Karen and 16 other Global Travelers shared an amazing experience in the Brazilian Amazon. They combined service and learned about grant opportunities with incredible sight-seeing.

Tony Loyd is a former Fortune 500 executive who knows what it means to endure. As a lifelong marathoner, he has raced across continents, pushing his limits in pursuit of something deeper than a finish line. But in 2025, everything changed. After undergoing cancer surgery that removed 25 percent of his lung capacity, Tony faced a new kind of challenge: learning how to keep going when the path forward looked nothing like the one behind him.

Now, he is training for the 2026 Age Group World Championship marathon. His goal is not just to compete, but to discover what it takes to get 100 percent out of 75 percent of his lungs. That journey, equal parts grit, humility, and science, mirrors the message he brings to leaders around the world.

Tony is the founder of Culture Shift Advisors and the architect of Endurance Leadership, a field-tested, science-backed framework for building resilient, high-integrity organizations. At its core are five Aid Stations: Calm, Clarify, Change, Connect, and Continue, each grounded in research from psychology, neuroscience, and organizational behavior. These pillars help leaders regulate stress, align with purpose, navigate change, foster trust, and sustain momentum at a sustainable, human-centered pace.

Tony’s work is shaped by decades of executive experience and a deep commitment to service. He is a TEDx speaker, best-selling author, and the host of Social Entrepreneur, a podcast ranked in the top 1 percent globally. Through keynotes, workshops, and executive coaching, he equips mission-driven leaders to endure, adapt, and make a lasting impact.

Tony’s message is not about bouncing back. It is about moving forward, deliberately, authentically, and together. His story is proof that resilience is not an individual trait. It is embedded in the company’s texture. That is The Endurance Advantage.

Long time employees Scott Farrell and Steven Williams recently purchased both Down In The Valley locations. The pair bought the locations from Brandon and Taryn Hyland, the adult children of late founder, Steve Hyland, who opened the business in 1972. 

Farrell has been working for the business for 25 years, and plans on continuing the store’s legacy for years to come. “Steve Hyland created and nurtured this shop, and it’s become a vital voice in the record store scene in Minneapolis and beyond," said Farrell in a press release. “We’re proud to continue his legacy by giving customers a great selection, outstanding customer service, exclusive merchandise, and cool events.”

Scott and Steven were leading the brand for more than a decade; Farrell as the general manager and Williams as its music buyer and assistant general manager. Now they add co-owners to their titles.

Voted Minnesota's Best Record Store from 2021 through 2025, Down in the Valley celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2022 and currently employs 25 people.

Sierra Lyon is the Manager of Corporate Partnerships at Make-A-Wish Minnesota, where she connects companies with opportunities to help grant life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. Her presentation will highlight the lasting impact of a wish on children, families, and communities, as well as opportunities for Rotary members to support Make-A-Wish through volunteer engagement and community partnerships. A former member of the Rotary After Hours Club of La Crosse, Sierra is passionate about community engagement and continues to live out the Rotary value of “Service Above Self” through her work. She joined the Make-A-Wish Minnesota team in March, 2025. She is originally from La Crosse, Wisconsin, and moved to Minnesota in 2024. Sierra got started in nonprofit fundraising when she started the organization Abilities in Harmony that provides show choir camps to individuals of all abilities. In her free time, she takes dance classes, travels, water skis, and golfs. Sierra has two brown tabby cats, Julian and Willoughby.

Joe Cavanaugh is a nationally-renowned speaker promoting timeless values and personal character to audiences of all ages. Whether it is at the Nobel Peace Prize Forum, a commencement speech at his alma mater, a conference with business leaders, or in a room filled with 200 teenagers, Joe loves to be in front of a crowd sharing the message that character matters. His message is guided by the belief that character is the thread that will reweave the frayed fabric of our society.

In 1987, Joe founded Youth Frontiers (YF), a Minnesota-based nonprofit organization that provides experiences that inspire character, civility, and community. YF has impacted more than 2 million youth, educators, and community members and has received national acclaim because of its powerful programs. Joe also leads YF’s newest division, Leadership Frontiers, which focuses on inspiring character-driven leaders in all sectors.

Joe has been featured on local, regional, and national media programs including a 90-minute PBS television special titled, “Respectfully, Joe Cavanaugh”. Additionally, he has been recognized by the late General Colin Powell of America’s Promise as being “a leader in our nation’s effort to rescue America’s young people.”

Joe received his B.A. degree in Humanities from Saint John’s University in Collegeville, MN, where he also was given an Honorary Doctorate in 2016. He was also named Social Entrepreneur of the Year by Saint John’s in 2012. Joe and his wife, Jane, live in Edina, MN. Their daughter, Tess, is attending the College of Saint Benedict in St. Joseph, MN.

Ember Reichgott Junge, former Minnesota state senator (for New Hope, Crystal, Robbinsdale, and a small part of Golden Valley), journalist, and nonprofit executive, is an attorney and broadcast political analyst. She is an alumna of the international cast of Up with People and a late-blooming ballroom dancer. Her first book, "Zero Chance of Passage", won the 2013 Grand Prize for Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards and was cited as an expert resource in a 2025 U.S. Supreme Court case. Ember is a graduate of St. Olaf College, Duke University Law School, and University of St. Thomas (MBA). She and her husband, Michael Junge, commute between their Hutchinson and Minneapolis, Minnesota, homes with their miniature schnauzer, Maya. Ember's new book, "The Dance of Resilience: Transforming Lives and Staying Vibrant Through Partner Dance", will be published in January, 2026.