ATTENTION RIVER BEND NATURE CENTER MEMBERS

River Bend Nature Center 2025 Board of Director Candidates

The River Bend Nature Center’s nominating committee is submitting the following individuals to be elected to serve on the River Bend Board of Directors. Directors elected at the annual meeting on July 24th, 2025 will be seated on the board at the first business meeting on August 25th, 2025 and serve the terms noted in their nomination information:

 

Candidate: Dr. Karen Zeller (incumbent)

Proposed term: 1 year* (requires a ⅔ vote)

The nominating committee is pleased to nominate Karen Zeller to a special 1 year term in accordance with our bylaws following her two consecutive 3 year terms. Zeller is a lifelong community supporter helping organizations like the Faribault Foundation, Paradise Center for the Arts, and River Bend raise the philanthropic funds necessary to carry out our work. Beyond philanthropy, Zeller and her late husband, Simon founded The Cedar House, a mental health and crisis support service organization in Faribault providing mental health services in a safe, therapeutic environment to  promote individual growth, life skill development and a steady path to recovery. Zeller has served as River Bend’s treasurer for the last six years and has been instrumental in the organization’s financial growth and has helped the organization triple its budget during her time as treasurer. Given the historic level of growth River Bend is experiencing, the nominating committee believes it is wise to maintain Zeller’s institutional memory on the board and is honored to nominate her to this special 1-year term.

 

Candidate: Dr. Abby Malmanger (incumbent)

Proposed term: 3 years

The nominating committee recommends the re-election of Dr. Abby Malmanger. Abby is a family dentist with Southern Heights Dental. Born and raised in Faribault, she grew up exploring the south side of the nature center’s trails and is an advocate for our youth camp programs that had such an impact on her growing up. She completed her undergraduate education at Augustana University in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. After completing her dental education at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, Oregon, she returned to the midwest. For the last year, Abby has served as the board secretary and is a frequent volunteer at River Bend special events like Bones, Bats, and Bonfires. In her free time, Dr. Malmanger likes to travel, hike, garden, and spend time with her family, friends, and her dog, Baci. The nominating committee is excited to have Abby serve a second term on the board of directors.

 

Candidate:  Ibrahim Khalif (incumbent)

Proposed term: 3 years 

The nominating committee recommends re-electing Ibrahim Khalif. Khalif was first elected to fill the vacant board position due to a resignation in 2023. He is the executive director of Faribault Youth Empowerment, a startup youth service/mentoring organization providing out-of-school time and mentorship opportunities for youth. He formally worked for Rice County United Way helping to ensure that River Bend and organizations like it have the resources we need to carry out their work.Khalif is a Rotarian and is involved in the rehabilitation of the Faribault Youth Summer Camp and increasing Rotary’s DEI efforts. Khalif is passionate about environmental conservation and outdoor education and aims to expand his impact by seeking a role on the River Bend Nature Board and support the mission. The nominating committee is excited to have Ibrahim Khalif continue service on the River Bend board.

 

Candidate:  Greg Simons (incumbent)

Proposed term: 3 years 

The nominating committee recommends re-electing Greg Simons. Simons is Science Department Chair and Senior Class Dean at Shattuck-St. Mary’s School in Faribault. He currently teaches AP Environmental Science and is professionally interested in ways environmental science teachers incorporate social justice themes when framing global environmental issues. He holds a BA from St. Olaf College and both an MA and EdD from Hamline University. During his first term, Simons has been instrumental in helping River Bend staff ensure that our STEAM curriculum and environmental education programming meets State of Minnesota science standards. The nominating committee appreciates Greg’s content expertise and encourages the membership to reelect him to the board of directors.

 

Candidate: Sara Caron

Proposed term: 3 years 

The nominating committee wholeheartedly recommends the election of former Faribault City Council Member Sara Caron to the River Bend Board of Directors. Growing up in Faribault,  Sara developed a love for RBNC, which happened to be in her backyard.

She believes all children should have access to quality nature-based education programs much like she had growing up. During her time on the City Council, Sara was instrumental in the passage of a revised operating agreement between River Bend Nature Center and the City of Faribault to provide park visitor services, capital improvements, and environmental education programs. She is also a member of the Paradise Center for the Arts. When she’s not working hard for the betterment of Faribault, she spends her free time crafting and spending time with her family and their puppy, Bunny. Please join the nominating committee in electing Sara Caron to the River Bend Board of Directors.

 

Candidate: Alex Lopez

Proposed term: 3 years

The nominating committee nominates Alex Lopez to join the River Bend board. Alex grew up in Faribault and is a community banker at Reliance bank and former longtime store manager  at T-Mobile. If you’ve ever had a banking or phone question, chances are that Alex has helped you. Growing up in Faribault, Alex is a long-time user of the nature center and enjoys the “passive recreation” opportunities the nature center offers including quiet trails and opportunities to connect with nature. Alex first started volunteering at River Bend about three years ago assisting with IT an

d internet access issues. He’s excited to bring his customer service experience to River Bend to help make sure that we continue to provide welcoming experiences for everyone to build life long connections with nature. Thank you for supporting Alex’s nomination to the River Bend board.

 

Candidate:  Cory Jensen

Proposed term: 3 years

Though he is modest about it and wouldn’t claim it, River Bend staff believes Cory Jensen to be one of the fastest people in Faribault! Jensen began running the trails of River Bend Nature Center during the pandemic, he is now an accomplished “ultra marathon” runner who still does a lot of his training on our trails. As an avid runner, he began volunteering to help with route design and community outreach for River Bend’s Maple Syrup Fun Run helping (along with board member Sarah Hammer and others) to grow the Fun Run into one of the premier kickoff events of the long distance racing community’s season each year. In addition to his volunteer work with the Fun Run, Cory is the owner of Marathon Tech, a startup IT solutions company in Faribault and provides many hours of volunteer and below market rate IT support for the nature center. The nominating committee believes that Jensen will be a great addition to the River Bend Board.