Tess (Manley) Degeest Email & Phone Number

Anoka, Mn

Comprehensive organizational management, public relations and fundraising for the largest school district in the State of Minnesota. The Anoka-Hennepin School District serves approximately 38,000 students in 13 communities from Brooklyn Park to Blaine to Ham Lake. The foundation cultivates equitable and innovative opportunities for students in partnership with our communities and district. Accomplishments to date include successful completion and ongoing implementation of a strategic plan; comprehensive board policy review and revisions; streamlined organizational processes, and; consistent growth in funds raised from an expanding base of individual and corporate donors.

Ham Lake, Minnesota

Serving as a board member and elected Vice President in January 2023 for the Ham Lake Area Chamber of Commerce. The Ham Lake Area Chamber serves over 140 local businesses and nonprofits, as well as the families in the community.

Anoka County

Volunteer co-chair of a group of 25 Anoka County based nonprofit organizations who come together regularly to share lessons learned, best practices, board networking, and training opportunities. Our work is designed to demonstrate that we as nonprofits collaborate more than we compete and that together we are weaving a web of support for our families and communities.

Arden Hills, Mn

Elected volunteer chair and member of neighborhood nonprofit corporation responsible for managing co-owned lakefront property.

Brooklyn Park, Mn

Occasionally teach classes of 50 motivated and diverse students about the rights and responsibilities of being a US citizen. Affectionately referred to as the "I'm Just a Bill" class.

Worked in close collaboration with the school board and administration of Yinghua Academy, a Mandarin Chinese Immersion public charter school, to successfully establish the Yinghua Academy Foundation, a 501c3 non-profit organization and to develop a strategic plan for the new Foundation. Raised friends and funds to support the students and growing community of Yinghua Academy.

Worked as a freelance fundraising consultant specializing in grant-seeking from corporate, foundation and government sources for higher education, K-12, and other non-profit organizations.

Working with the college foundation staff and board, responsible for overall fundraising strategy and implementation to secure gifts from individuals, foundation, corporate, and public sources. Key accomplishments include raising five times the department's budget, expanding the donor database, designing and conducting a college-wide needs identification process to better align fundraising strategies, facilitating the upgrade of the constituent management database, and building an alumni relations program.

Prior to directing the women's leadership program I taught in the global studies and political science programs.

Taught international relations and American Government courses to a group of approximately 30 non-traditional, adult students. These courses were part of an on-site, workforce development program to encourage and assist these employees in earning their associate's degree. The program was a partnership with Minnesota's Department of Workforce Development, Winona State University and Watlow Electronics.

Selected for the prestigious Presidential Management Intern (PMI) program, worked in the US Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the US State Department's office of Marine Law and Policy, as a legislative fellow in the US Senate on energy and environment issues, and in the Ofice of the Vice President. Gained valuable experience and honed skills in adaptability, flexibility, interpersonal communications and persuasive writing for executive audiences.

Abd, Ma, International Relations/Environmental Policy

Passed both international relations and environmental policy qualifying exams with distinction. Recipient of the Outstanding Teaching.

Ma, Political Science/Public Administration

Recipient of the Dwight Ink Graduate Research Grant.

Ba, Political Science And Philosophy

Activities and Societies: Speech and debate.

Education record