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After spending 20+ years in small business, Gunnar realized that he wanted to pursue a career that better aligned with his personal values. This led him to pursue an MPA at the Humphrey School. After acquiring his MPA, Gunnar joined the Leadership in Affordable Housing certification program through Hamline University and discovered his passion for equitable housing. Gunnar currently works for Riverton Community Housing at the University of MN where he works with seven cooperative boards to increase their capacity to best represent their members while also improving their quality of life through good governance and community development. 

He’s a lifelong resident of Minnesota and loves the outdoors. Gunnar spends his personal time advocating for all outdoor recreation to be more inclusive. He currently serves as the Chair of the board for the Voyageur Outward Bound School, the Minnesota Consortium of Community Developers, and is a member of the Minnesota Recreational Trail Users Association and Our Streets MN boards.

Jim Erchul has served as the Executive Director of Dayton's Bluff Neighborhood Housing Services (DBNHS), in Saint Paul, Minnesota, since 1991. He holds a graduate degree in Social Development from the University of Minnesota, and completed a Fellowship in Community Development at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. Jim has more than 40 years of work experience in the affordable housing and community development fields.

Since its inception, DBNHS has been directly responsible for the rehabilitation, new construction and assisted purchase of over 3,939 affordable housing units at a total cost of more than $401,359,773. In addition to working at DBNHS, Jim is a founding Board Member of the Minnesota Home Ownership Center, the Minnesota Housing Partnership, and a former Board Member and past President of both the Minnesota Consortium of Community Developers, and the North Country Cooperative Foundation.

He is committed to ensuring that Minnesota’s cannabis industry isn’t dominated by corporations, and that local entrepreneurs drive the market.

Kit Fordham is an experienced nonprofit executive and consultant with more than a decade of leadership in community development finance. As Executive Director of Mni Sota Fund, he grew the organization from $30,000 in assets to over $17 million, expanding its impact across Minnesota. He now leads Fordham & Company, advising nonprofits, CDFIs, and foundations on strategy, leadership transitions, and organizational growth. Kit is recognized for his ability to combine financial acumen with creative problem-solving to help mission-driven organizations scale their work and deepen community impact. He has a love for cooperatively-owned business and the role they play in the small business ecosystem.

Calandra Revering is an attorney and justice advocate with over 22 years of experience in private practice. She specializes in Criminal Defense, Cannabis Law. Family Law, Mediation, and conducting neutral workplace employment investigations. In addition to her legal career, Calandra is the owner of Good Zen, a dispensary located in Brooklyn Park, and the co-founder of SLAY Beverage, a THC elixir brand created in partnership with her son. Both ventures are dedicated to supporting BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities. She brings a wealth of expertise and a deep commitment to empowering Black-owned businesses and professionals across Minnesota. She is the founder of CUJI-Communities Unifying Thru Justice & Inclusion and Minnesota Association for Black Cannabis Professionals (MABCP).

AsaleSol Young is the Executive Director of Housing in Action, a Minneapolis-based nonprofit that advances housing justice through affordable housing, homeownership pathways, and resident-led policy advocacy. AsaleSol was appointed Executive Director in 2021, following an interim period that began in 2020. Their journey with the organization began in 2017—then known as Urban Homeworks—as a Grants Manager. Over the years, they also served as Marketing and Development Director and led the Equity and Engagement Team, transforming the organization into an unapologetically anti-racist community-led institution.

A recipient of the Black Legacy Fellowship, AsaleSol is recognized for their leadership in reimagining and transforming a 30-year-old institution. They bring a rich background in organizing, theater, education, and housing to the Propagate Board.

Originally from Evanston, IL, AsaleSol is a fourth-generation member of a Black legacy family that helped integrate the Chicago suburb. They graduated from Carleton College and are enrolled in the  Master of Arts in Social Justice program at Union Theological Seminary.  They live in North Minneapolis with their partner and their turtle, Tully. AsaleSol’s work is rooted in a deep commitment to equity, community power, and systems change.