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  • Flavored Tobacco | ANSRMN.ORG

    FLAVORED TOBACCO Nearly all commercial tobacco products come in a variety of candy, fruit, mint and novelty flavors. Flavored products are especially appealing to youth, who are much more likely to use flavored products than adults. Young people think flavored commercial tobacco products taste better and are safer than unflavored products, even though they are just as dangerous and addictive. Download Flavored Tobacco Factsheet Flavored Tobacco Factsheet Citations Flavored Tobacco at the Federal Level Due to the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act of 2009 , retailers can no longer sell cigarettes containing flavors other than menthol in the United States. However, other commercial tobacco products such as cigars, chewing tobacco, e-cigarettes/vapes, blunt wraps and shisha are still available in flavors such as bubble gum, mint, strawberry, grape and mango. These products help the tobacco industry get around the FDA’s 2009 ban of flavored cigarettes and attract more youth to their products. Most young people who use commercial tobacco products report using products that are flavored. ​ ​ ​ The flavored e-cigarette market has changed dramatically in recent years. While brands such as JUUL dominated the market and ignited the youth use epidemic, JUUL and other similar brands have lost market share while under extreme scrutiny from the FDA. A 2020 nationwide ban of flavored “pods” marked the end of JUUL’s reign. ​ ​ Today the market is overrun with thousands of “disposable” vapes in myriad flavors with increasing amounts of nicotine. Brands like ElfBar (now EBCreates) and Loon are among the most popular brands among youth. They come in flavors like “Hawaii Punch,” “Blue Razz” and “Strawberry Lemonade”, underscoring the industry’s efforts to appeal to young people. ​ While thousands of brands, varieties and flavors are available for sale in the United States, almost all flavored e-cigarettes on the U.S. market lack FDA authorization. Until 2024, no flavored e-cigarette device had received an FDA marketing order and only 23 unflavored (tobacco-flavored) vapes received approval. ​ Unfortunately, in June 2024, the FDA approved four menthol e-cigarette products, including two pods and two “disposable” devices made by NJOY, a subsidiary of the tobacco giant Altria, the makers of Marlboro. ​ Menthol Ban Fact Sheet This decision comes on the heels of several delays to the 2021 FDA proposal to ban menthol in cigarettes and all flavored cigars. A federal menthol ban would address public health disparities in commercial tobacco use created by the aggressive marketing of menthol products to African Americans, Indigenous communities, LGBTQ+ people and youth. The rule remains in limbo, and it is unclear when the FDA will complete its rulemaking process and issue its final rule. In the meantime, local leaders continue to work on local and statewide policies that end the sale of all flavored commercial tobacco products, including menthol. Policy Momentum in Minnesota State and local governments can adopt laws that restrict or prohibit the sale of flavored commercial tobacco products within their jurisdiction. Limiting the sale of products, setting minimum prices or creating a minimum pack size are some of the ways communities can protect their youth by making flavored commercial tobacco products less accessible and less appealing. ​ In 2015 and 2016, Minneapolis and Saint Paul became the first cities in Minnesota to restrict fruit- and candy-flavored commercial tobacco products to adult-only stores and set a minimum price for cheap, flavored cigars. Minneapolis' ordinance passed on July 10, 2015, and Saint Paul's passed on January 6, 2016. A majority of Saint Paul residents supported the ordinance .​ In 2017, with support from the Minnesota Menthol Coalition, Minneapolis and Saint Paul added menthol to their flavored commercial tobacco restrictions. Fruit-, candy- and menthol-flavored tobacco products can only be sold in adult-only tobacco stores and liquor stores in the two cities. Since then, many other Minnesota cities have restricted or fully banned the sale of flavored commercial tobacco products. See below for an up-to-date map of flavored commercial tobacco restrictions and prohibitions in MN.​​​ The Ramsey County Board of Commissioners issued a resolution supporting restricting flavored commercial tobacco sales in Ramsey County in 2017. In partnership with Saint Paul – Ramsey County Public Health, ANSR evaluated flavor policies in Ramsey County cities in 2023 and found that flavor policies reduce youth access . ANSR is proud to be a member of the Minnesotans for a Smoke-Free Generation (MSFG) coalition. One of the coalition's main policy priorities is to prohibit the sale of all flavored commercial tobacco products, including menthol, at the state level. The bills to end the sale of all flavored commercial tobacco products in Minnesota (SF2123/HF2177) have made significant progress in the State Legislature in recent sessions. Visit the MSFG website to learn more about the coalition's statewide flavor policy work and access additional resources. Minnesota Flavor Policy Map As of January 2024, 11 Minnesota municipalities have prohibited the sale of all flavored commercial tobacco products, including menthol. 25 Minnesota cities have restricted or prohibited the sale of flavored commercial tobacco products in some manner. 5 Minnesota counties have restricted or prohibited the sale of flavored commercial tobacco products in some manner. *Click on the map to download as a PDF. 3 Facts to Know About Flavored Tobacco 1. The tobacco industry targets youth with flavored products to encourage addiction. Almost 90% of adults who smoke started smoking as teenagers. Candy- and fruit-flavored commercial tobacco products mask the harsh taste of tobacco and are shown to be attractive to youth. Many of these products are hard to distinguish from candy, gum and breath mints. As one industry official said in internal industry documents, “Flavored products would have appeal in the under-35 age group, especially in the 12-24 group.” 2. Flavored products may not taste like tobacco, but they are just as addictive and dangerous as other commercial tobacco products. Research shows that youth believe flavored commercial tobacco products are less dangerous and less addictive than unflavored tobacco. Commercial tobacco products contain nicotine, a highly-addictive substance known to be detrimental to adolescent brain development. Cigar smoke contains the same toxins as cigarette smoke. Smokeless tobacco causes oral, esophageal and pancreatic cancers. 3. An increasing number of young people are using flavored commercial tobacco products, including menthol. From 2000 to 2014, menthol cigarette use by Minnesota high school students increased from 20% to 44%. By comparison, only 25% of Minnesota adults who smoke use menthol. A recent Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) survey found that nearly 13% of Minnesota kids use e-cigarettes, which come in kid-friendly flavors like gummy bear and cotton candy. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 42% of students who smoke use flavored products. Once kids start using one commercial tobacco product, they are more likely to experiment with others.

  • Association for Nonsmokers - Minnesota | Reduce harm from commercial tobacco | Minnesota, USA

    Association for Nonsmokers-Minnesota Our Core Commitments: To protect young Minnesotans from a lifetime of addiction; To ensure that all Minnesotans can breathe clean, smoke-free air everywhere; and Reduce health inequities and other disparities in relation to commercial tobacco, nicotine and other drugs. The Association for Nonsmokers-Minnesota is a membership organization. Become an ANSR member to support our continued efforts. Donate Donate Our experienced staff are dedicated to protecting Minnesotans from the harms of commercial tobacco, nicotine and other drugs. Our Team Our Team Mission ANSR is dedicated to reducing the human and economic costs of commercial tobacco use in Minnesota. Learn more about our mission here. ​ Mission Live Smoke Free ​ LEARN MORE Prevention Programs LEARN MORE Policy Initiatives LEARN MORE Minnesota History LEARN MORE LATEST NEWS May 1 Minneapolis City Council Passes Price Discounting Ordinance The Minneapolis City Council passed a comprehensive amendment to the city’s tobacco ordinance on April 25, 2024. Dec 14, 2023 Dec. 13, 2023 Named ‘Jeanne Weigum Day’ in Saint Paul The Saint Paul City Council named December 13, 2023 ‘Jeanne Weigum Day' to celebrate Jeanne’s decades-long dedication to Saint Paul. Nov 15, 2023 Donate to ANSR this Give to the Max Day Making a donation to ANSR on Give to the Max Day is a powerful way to stand up for the health of Minnesotans. 1 2 3 4 5 Get Involved TODAY! Protecting the next generation from the harms of commercial tobacco starts with community members like you! Sign Up POLICY ISSUES Flavored Tobacco MN Flavor Policy Map Menthol Tobacco Electronic Cigarettes Tobacco Price Discounting Environmental Impact Tobacco-Free Spaces Tobacco 21 RESOURCES MPRC Tobacco 101 Stop Sales To Minors Free Signage Retailer Compliance Project WATCH Smoke-Free Housing Tools for Schools Toolkit

  • Technical Assistance | ANSRMN.ORG

    TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE Minnesota Technical Assistance National Technical Assistance Minnesota Technical Assistance ANSR provides technical assistance (TA) to grantees in Minnesota working on projects through the Minnesota Department of Health's Commercial Tobacco-Free Communities, Statewide Health Improvement Partnership and Youth E-Cigarette Prevention and Cessation Initiative grants. A NSR provides TA and training to grantees for commercial tobacco-specific policy areas and general skills development through various methods, including: individual consultation via in-person, phone, email or video conversations; group trainings via conference calls, webinars, lunch-and-learns, presentations or workshops; and providing materials and other resources for commercial tobacco -specific areas, general policy development or skills developmen t . Grantees Served Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP) Commercial Tobacco-Free Communities (CTFC) Youth E-Cigarette Prevention and Cessation Initiative (YEPCI) Strategy Expertise Commercial tobacco- and smoke-free policies Tobacco control Smoke-free housing Tobacco-free campuses Point-of-sale/retail environment Smoke-free foster care and/or child care Tobacco-free or smoke-free outdoor spaces (parks and recreation, transit stops, healthcare sites, etc.) Population-Specific Expertise Urban, suburban and rural populations Black, African American, Hispanic/Latino, Asian and Native American populations 2SLGBTQ+ populations Youth and young adults Adults over 60 Persons with mental illness and/or experiencing substance misuse Foundational Skill Expertise Community Engagement Advocacy/community mobilization Coalition building and sustaining Partnership/leadership development Identifying and developing key relationships Asset and power mapping Leading and facilitating effective meetings Building teams Assessment, Planning & Evaluation Assessment or survey development Strategic planning Evaluation planning Evaluation tool development Continuous program improvement (quality improvement) Understanding of Policy, Systems & Environmental Change (PSE) General PSE knowledge and skills Policy development and analysis Policy implementation guidance Communications Communications tools and planning Earned and paid media campaigns Factsheet/material development Branding Effective messaging Identifying and using success stories Meet the TA Team Jeanne Weigum President Email Jeanne Contact Jeanne for: Questions about state-level tobacco control work General policy strategy assistance Inquiries about the history of tobacco control Emily Anderson Director of Policy Email Emily Contact Emily for: Assistance with outdoor air policy work (parks, grounds, campuses, etc.) Information about menthol tobacco Point-of-sale policy development and implementation Community outreach and coalition building tips Preparation for meetings and public hearings with decision makers Community assessment Youth engagement tools Kara Skahen Program Director, Minnesota Prevention Resource Center Email Kara Contact Kara for: Technical assistance to property owners, property managers, and public health professionals Smoke-free housing community assessments and data tracking Policy implementation in affordable, market rate, and common interest communities Housing industry outreach and engagement Resident outreach and engagement Creation and utilization of educational materials Molly Schmidtke Policy and Technical Assistance Manager Email Molly Contact Molly for: Point-of-sale policy advocacy assistance Community outreach and coalition building help Youth engagement and advocacy best practices Resource development Information about the environmental impacts of commercial tobacco Planning for meetings with decision makers Community assessments Public hearing organization Katie Engman Program Director, Policy & Compliance Email Katie Contact Katie for: Commercial tobacco-free policy adoption and implementation at schools Help reaching out to decision makers and organizing public hearings Point-of-sale policy advocacy Community outreach, youth engagement and coalition building best practices Development of new resources Planning for meetings with decision makers Community assessments Alex Eberhart Community Outreach Coordinator Email Alex Contact Alex for: Smoke-free property signage Resident outreach and engagement Smoke-free housing resources for property, managers, renters, and common interest communities Social media content and best practices Technical Assistance Resources Available These are examples of available resources for grantees. Click to view and download. Factsheets Electronic Cigarettes Factsheet (PDF) Hookah Factsheet (PDF) Little Cigars Factsheet (PDF) Swiss Cheese Prevention Model (PDF) Sign Order Forms E-Cigarette School Sign Order Form Tobacco-Free Property Sign Order Form Smoke-Free Window Cling Order Form Smoke- & Tobacco-Free Grounds Signage Templates 2023 MYTS Highlights Factsheet (PDF) Toolkits and Trainings Build Your Quit Kit (PDF) Environmental Impact Toolkit Tools for Schools Toolkit K-12 Schools Policy Guide (PDF) More Information Flavored Commercial Tobacco Minnesota History of Tobacco Control Project WATCH Industry Monitoring Price Discounting Point of Sale Assessment & Engagement Tool (PDF) Stop Sales to Minors Retailer Training Tobacco 101 Curriculum National Technical Assistance ANSR’s boots-on-the-ground experience and commitment to best practices prepares us to assist tobacco programs at all levels of need and expertise. ANSR will help you accomplish your goals whether you’re taking your first steps toward educating your community about the harms of commercial tobacco, working on smoke-free multi-unit housing or developing cutting-edge point-of-sale policies. We tailor our approach to meet your needs and can customize a contract for you from our wide menu of services. ​ Contact us at ansrmn@ansrmn.org to learn more about our fee-for service model. Example of Past National TA Project: Clean Air for All ANSR was awarded a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in March 2018 to support public housing agencies (PHAs) nationwide with implementation of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Smoke-Free Public Housing Rule. With this grant, ANSR created Clean Air for All: The Smoke-Free Public Housing Project, a partnership between our Live Smoke Free program and the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO). Clean Air for All provided resources, technical assistance and a variety of training opportunities to public health agencies and PHAs in all 50 states, with a focus on 13 Tobacco Nation states where smoking rates are high and there are fewer resources to support tobacco prevention. Clean Air for All created a Smoke-Free Public Housing Compliance and Enforcement Toolkit (pictured right) that was distributed to 436 stakeholders in 34 states. ANSR's Live Smoke Free team can work with you to build a smoke-free housing compliance and enforcement toolkit for your state or region. Visit the Live Smoke Free website to learn more.​

  • 2020 Audited Financials - ANSR | ANSRMN.ORG

    OUR MISSION ANSR is dedicated to reducing the human and economic costs of commercial tobacco, nicotine and other drug use in Minnesota. Our core commitments are: ​ to protect young Minnesotans from a lifetime of addiction; to ensure that all Minnesotans can breathe clean, smoke-free air everywhere; and to reduce health inequities and other disparities in relation to commercial tobacco, nicotine and other drugs.​ ​ In 1975, ANSR helped pass the nation’s first comprehensive state clean indoor air legislation. Since then, ANSR has continued to play a leading role in shaping tobacco policy and has been involved in every major state-wide policy, such as the Freedom to Breathe Act in 2007 and raising the tobacco tax in 2013. ANSR helped Minneapolis and Saint Paul restrict the sales of flavored tobacco, including menthol, and also helped Edina become the first Minneapolis city to raise the tobacco sales age to 21. ​ Financial Documents 2023 ANSR Audited Financial Statements 2023 Federal Form 990 Annual Reports 2023 Annual Report 2022 ANSR Audited Financial Statements 2022 Federal Form 990 2022 Annual Report 2021 ANSR Audited Financial Statements 2021 Federal Form 990 2021 Annual Report 2020 ANSR Audited Financial Statements 2020 Federal Form 990 2020 Annual Report 2019 ANSR Audited Financial Statements 2019 Federal Form 990 2019 Annual Report 2018 ANSR Audited Financial Statements 2018 Federal Form 990 2018 Annual Report 2017 ANSR Audited Financial Statements 2017 Federal Form 990 2017 Annual Report

  • 2022 990 - ANSR | ANSRMN.ORG

    OUR MISSION ANSR is dedicated to reducing the human and economic costs of commercial tobacco, nicotine and other drug use in Minnesota. Our core commitments are: ​ to protect young Minnesotans from a lifetime of addiction; to ensure that all Minnesotans can breathe clean, smoke-free air everywhere; and to reduce health inequities and other disparities in relation to commercial tobacco, nicotine and other drugs.​ ​ In 1975, ANSR helped pass the nation’s first comprehensive state clean indoor air legislation. Since then, ANSR has continued to play a leading role in shaping tobacco policy and has been involved in every major state-wide policy, such as the Freedom to Breathe Act in 2007 and raising the tobacco tax in 2013. ANSR helped Minneapolis and Saint Paul restrict the sales of flavored tobacco, including menthol, and also helped Edina become the first Minneapolis city to raise the tobacco sales age to 21. ​ Financial Documents 2023 ANSR Audited Financial Statements 2023 Federal Form 990 Annual Reports 2023 Annual Report 2022 ANSR Audited Financial Statements 2022 Federal Form 990 2022 Annual Report 2021 ANSR Audited Financial Statements 2021 Federal Form 990 2021 Annual Report 2020 ANSR Audited Financial Statements 2020 Federal Form 990 2020 Annual Report 2019 ANSR Audited Financial Statements 2019 Federal Form 990 2019 Annual Report 2018 ANSR Audited Financial Statements 2018 Federal Form 990 2018 Annual Report 2017 ANSR Audited Financial Statements 2017 Federal Form 990 2017 Annual Report

  • Madeline Bremel

    STAFF DIRECTORY Jeanne Weigum President Jeanne Weigum has served as the President of ANSR since 1980, though her path to leading the organization for nearly four decades has somewhat humble roots. The Association for Nonsmokers’ Rights, as it was called at the time, was in the midst of fighting for the nation’s first statewide clean indoor air law in 1975. Jeanne saw an ad in a local paper about the association’s work and decided to become a member, which only cost $1. After becoming a member, Jeanne soon joined the ANSR board and eventually moved her way up to the full-time President, a role for which she has never taken a salary. From ground-breaking smoke-free housing work to innovative approaches to preventing youth tobacco use, she has provided strategic direction for numerous public policy wins in Minnesota. She remains deeply committed to enhancing public health and her community. When not fighting the good fight at ANSR, you’ll find Jeanne baking in the winter, gardening in the spring and summer, and up to her ankles in rescue dogs year round. Email Jeanne Emily Anderson Director of Policy Emily Anderson is a Program Director who focuses on point-of-sale policy work and clean outdoor air in parks and on college campuses. Since her first year at Macalester College in Saint Paul, Emily knew she wanted to work at a nonprofit and contribute to a greater good. After graduate school and stops at a few other nonprofits, she found her niche in public health policy and tobacco prevention at ANSR. Emily has supported dozens of Minnesota communities in passing tobacco-free parks policies and has worked closely with colleges and universities, including the University of Minnesota, in adopting tobacco-free campus policies. She advocated for a first-of-its-kind cigar pricing ordinance in Brooklyn Center. She has presented at several public health conferences, including the National Summit on Smokeless and Spit Tobacco and the National Conference on Tobacco or Health. Outside of work Emily enjoys spending time with her family in Minneapolis and heading into the great outdoors to bike, camp and skijor. While Minnesota is now home, she takes pride in teaching her two young daughters to say “Go, Pack, Go!” Email Emily Esha Seth Director of Technical Assistance Esha Seth serves as the Technical Assistance Program Coordinator. In her role, Esha works with county health departments across the state and community organizations that represent various diverse communities to provide resources and guidance on their tobacco prevention initiatives in schools, worksites, grounds, parks, and point of sale policy initiatives. During her time at ANSR, Esha has worked on developing relationships with individuals and provides guidance and resources to assist with the implementation and enforcement of tobacco prevention policies and initiatives. Esha has also worked to help create the free online retailer training that helps educate tobacco retailers on state laws on selling tobacco. Most recently, Esha worked with the Isanti County public health department and their local substance abuse prevention coalition to increase the tobacco sales age from 18 to 21 for all licensed tobacco retailers in the county. Esha is currently working on wrapping up her Master’s in Public Health from the University of Minnesota. Outside of school and work, Esha enjoys travelling and is making travel plans for her next big adventure around the world. Email Esha Katie Engman Program Director Policy & Compliance Katie Engman is a Program Director. Since 2002, Katie has coordinated and supported diverse school- and community-based tobacco prevention programming and advocacy work. Katie is currently working to reduce the amount of tobacco advertising and marketing aimed at youth. Much of Katie’s career has been focused on youth prevention, education, advocacy and engagement resulting in national awards for students. Some of her policy accomplishments include: numerous tobacco-free park policies, a smoke-free workplace ordinance in Ramsey County, an imitation tobacco ordinance and sign ordinance updates in St. Paul, flavored tobacco restrictions in multiple metro communities, numerous city ordinance updates to reflect the changing landscape of tobacco. She also directs the North Suburban Tobacco Compliance Project working to reduce youth access to commercial sources of tobacco. This is a one of a kind model with coordination with cities, law enforcement and youth. Outside the office one might find Katie in the middle of a lake, having arrived there via swimming, boating, or paddling. She also enjoys planning family adventures, such as trips to the beach and cheering on her kids at their activities. Email Katie Jackie Siewert Program Director Live Smoke Free Jackie Siewert is the Program Director for the Live Smoke Free Program. Jackie joined the ANSR team in 2014 with a background in property management and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Minnesota. As Program Director for the Live Smoke Free program she works with local and national stakeholders, such as renters, homeowners, property managers, property owners, and public health advocates, to educate decision makers and promote smoke-free housing. Jackie has supported hundreds of multi-housing properties in adopting smoke-free policies, developed numerous educational tools and resources, and spoken at many health and housing events. Jackie also manages Live Smoke Free communications, including quarterly newsletters, social media, and website content. Inside Jackie’s office one will find a variety of cacti and vining plants. In her spare time, Jackie enjoys running, biking, art festivals, and cats. Email Jackie Kara Skahen Program Director Minnesota Prevention Resource Center Kara serves as the Project Director for the Minnesota Prevention Resource Center (MPRC). In her role she provides programmatic oversight and manages administrative duties. Kara has worked in public health prevention for over ten years, primarily in commercial tobacco prevention. Kara is also a Program Director for the Association for Nonsmokers-MN where she leads smoke-free housing policy initiatives and provides tobacco technical assistance to Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP) grantees. Outside of work Kara enjoys running with her dog, cooking, reading, and gardening. Kara has a Master of Social Work and Master of Public Policy degree from the University of Minnesota- Twin Cities. ​ Email Kara Chris Smith Community Policy Advocate Chris started at ANSR as a contracted Campaign Organizer in 2020 and officially joined the team as a Community Policy Advocate in 2022. Chris enjoys connecting communities with lawmakers and city leadership. He believes that community engagement is key to developing sound equitable policies. Chris holds a bachelor’s degree in business and a master’s in advocacy and political leadership -both from Metropolitan State University. He comes to ANSR with a breadth of community organizing experience, from working closely with faith communities as a congregational organizer, to field organizing during numerous election cycles for political and issue campaigns. At ANSR Chris is focused on local tobacco prevention policy at point of sale and smoke-free housing. While not working in the office, Chris spends much of his time biking, developing bikepacking routes for his next adventure, and cheering on the St. Paul Saints with friends and family. Chris is a downtown St. Paul resident and considers himself to be an “armchair Urbanist” since he often criticizes street design, even though he does not hold a degree in engineering or urban planning. Email Chris Jason Lind Director of Finance Jason Lind is ANSR’s Director of Finance. He joined ANSR in 2020 and has more than 16 years of accounting experience, including six in the nonprofit world. Jason helps manage the overall ANSR budget and helps each program budget spend appropriately. He is passionate about technology and enjoys teaching and discussing tech of almost any kind. Personally, he enjoys going for long walk-and-talks with his wife and throwing not-so-perfect spirals to his twin boys. Email Jason Molly Schmidtke Community Outreach Coordinator Molly Schmidtke is a Community Outreach Coordinator. In this role, Molly is responsible for conducting outreach and education events, supporting youth policy and advocacy efforts, and supporting all other ANSR tobacco prevention efforts. Some of her accomplishments include: multiple flavored commercial tobacco restrictions in MN communities, working with youth to create, disseminate and evaluate vaping prevalence surveys with youth partners, as well as creating and disseminating a toolkit focused on the environmental impacts of commercial tobacco products. She has a BS from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in Public Health – Community Health Education and is a Certified Health Education Specialist. She is currently pursuing a Master’s in Public Health degree at the University of Minnesota. She is passionate about many public health topics, such as health equity, policy and advocacy. Outside of work, Molly loves to be out on the Mississippi River, cooking, and watching the Minnesota Wild. Email Molly David Olson TITLE Description Email Jack Madeline Bremel Events Manager Madeline is the Events Manager for the Minnesota Prevention Resource Center, and is responsible for planning and coordinating MPRC events, including the annual MN Prevention Program Sharing Conference, and supporting MPRC’s technical assistance and communications needs. Madeline has worked in Public Health in Minnesota, Oregon, and New Mexico, and has found a niche doing planning, organization, and communication-related work at the systems level. Madeline has an MPH from Oregon State University in Health Promotion and Health Behavior. Outside of work you might find Madeline cross-country skiing, crafting, or studying her dog, Pearl’s, personality. Email Madeline Kayla Baker Regional Alcohol Tobacco and Other Drugs Prevention Coordinator MN Metro - Region 7 Kayla is the Metro Regional Prevention Coordinator, which she works with coalitions and communities to promote substance misuse prevention. Kayla has her Bachelor’s degree in Community Health Education from North Dakota State University, and her Master’s degree in Wellness and Health Promotion Management from Nebraska Methodist College. She is also a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES). Prior to becoming a Regional Prevention Coordinator, Kayla spent time working in various health related roles including chemical and mental health, Responsible Beverage Server Training (RBST), alcohol compliance checks, diabetes prevention, and most recently, COVID-19. During her free time Kayla enjoys hiking, baking, and crocheting. Email Kayla Curtis Neff Campaign Organizer Curtis is the Campaign Organizer working to end the sale of flavor tobacco products in Minnesota. Much of his work is focused on recruiting community partners to educate and advocate for this change. Curtis comes to ANSR from a long career in organized labor and activism. He is a graduate of Iowa State University with a BS in Political Science. Outside of work he collects vinyl from many genres and enjoys a quiet life in St. Paul. Email Curtis Morgan Hamernik Administrative & Communications Specialist Morgan Hamernik is an Administrative and Communications Specialist. She joined the ANSR team in 2023 and is responsible for managing the organization’s social media accounts, writing newsletters, and supporting the staff’s education and advocacy efforts. She recently graduated from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities with a BA in English and a minor in public health. Morgan is passionate about digital accessibility, inclusive health communication, and public libraries. Outside of work, you will likely find Morgan cheering on the Packers or playing with her dog, Happy. Email Morgan

  • 2019 Audited Financials - ANSR | ANSRMN.ORG

    OUR MISSION ANSR is dedicated to reducing the human and economic costs of commercial tobacco, nicotine and other drug use in Minnesota. Our core commitments are: ​ to protect young Minnesotans from a lifetime of addiction; to ensure that all Minnesotans can breathe clean, smoke-free air everywhere; and to reduce health inequities and other disparities in relation to commercial tobacco, nicotine and other drugs.​ ​ In 1975, ANSR helped pass the nation’s first comprehensive state clean indoor air legislation. Since then, ANSR has continued to play a leading role in shaping tobacco policy and has been involved in every major state-wide policy, such as the Freedom to Breathe Act in 2007 and raising the tobacco tax in 2013. ANSR helped Minneapolis and Saint Paul restrict the sales of flavored tobacco, including menthol, and also helped Edina become the first Minneapolis city to raise the tobacco sales age to 21. ​ Financial Documents 2023 ANSR Audited Financial Statements 2023 Federal Form 990 Annual Reports 2023 Annual Report 2022 ANSR Audited Financial Statements 2022 Federal Form 990 2022 Annual Report 2021 ANSR Audited Financial Statements 2021 Federal Form 990 2021 Annual Report 2020 ANSR Audited Financial Statements 2020 Federal Form 990 2020 Annual Report 2019 ANSR Audited Financial Statements 2019 Federal Form 990 2019 Annual Report 2018 ANSR Audited Financial Statements 2018 Federal Form 990 2018 Annual Report 2017 ANSR Audited Financial Statements 2017 Federal Form 990 2017 Annual Report

  • Sheila Watercott

    STAFF DIRECTORY Jeanne Weigum President Jeanne Weigum has served as the President of ANSR since 1980, though her path to leading the organization for nearly four decades has somewhat humble roots. The Association for Nonsmokers’ Rights, as it was called at the time, was in the midst of fighting for the nation’s first statewide clean indoor air law in 1975. Jeanne saw an ad in a local paper about the association’s work and decided to become a member, which only cost $1. After becoming a member, Jeanne soon joined the ANSR board and eventually moved her way up to the full-time President, a role for which she has never taken a salary. From ground-breaking smoke-free housing work to innovative approaches to preventing youth tobacco use, she has provided strategic direction for numerous public policy wins in Minnesota. She remains deeply committed to enhancing public health and her community. When not fighting the good fight at ANSR, you’ll find Jeanne baking in the winter, gardening in the spring and summer, and up to her ankles in rescue dogs year round. Email Jeanne Emily Anderson Director of Policy Emily Anderson is a Program Director who focuses on point-of-sale policy work and clean outdoor air in parks and on college campuses. Since her first year at Macalester College in Saint Paul, Emily knew she wanted to work at a nonprofit and contribute to a greater good. After graduate school and stops at a few other nonprofits, she found her niche in public health policy and tobacco prevention at ANSR. Emily has supported dozens of Minnesota communities in passing tobacco-free parks policies and has worked closely with colleges and universities, including the University of Minnesota, in adopting tobacco-free campus policies. She advocated for a first-of-its-kind cigar pricing ordinance in Brooklyn Center. She has presented at several public health conferences, including the National Summit on Smokeless and Spit Tobacco and the National Conference on Tobacco or Health. Outside of work Emily enjoys spending time with her family in Minneapolis and heading into the great outdoors to bike, camp and skijor. While Minnesota is now home, she takes pride in teaching her two young daughters to say “Go, Pack, Go!” Email Emily Esha Seth Director of Technical Assistance Esha Seth serves as the Technical Assistance Program Coordinator. In her role, Esha works with county health departments across the state and community organizations that represent various diverse communities to provide resources and guidance on their tobacco prevention initiatives in schools, worksites, grounds, parks, and point of sale policy initiatives. During her time at ANSR, Esha has worked on developing relationships with individuals and provides guidance and resources to assist with the implementation and enforcement of tobacco prevention policies and initiatives. Esha has also worked to help create the free online retailer training that helps educate tobacco retailers on state laws on selling tobacco. Most recently, Esha worked with the Isanti County public health department and their local substance abuse prevention coalition to increase the tobacco sales age from 18 to 21 for all licensed tobacco retailers in the county. Esha is currently working on wrapping up her Master’s in Public Health from the University of Minnesota. Outside of school and work, Esha enjoys travelling and is making travel plans for her next big adventure around the world. Email Esha Katie Engman Program Director Policy & Compliance Katie Engman is a Program Director. Since 2002, Katie has coordinated and supported diverse school- and community-based tobacco prevention programming and advocacy work. Katie is currently working to reduce the amount of tobacco advertising and marketing aimed at youth. Much of Katie’s career has been focused on youth prevention, education, advocacy and engagement resulting in national awards for students. Some of her policy accomplishments include: numerous tobacco-free park policies, a smoke-free workplace ordinance in Ramsey County, an imitation tobacco ordinance and sign ordinance updates in St. Paul, flavored tobacco restrictions in multiple metro communities, numerous city ordinance updates to reflect the changing landscape of tobacco. She also directs the North Suburban Tobacco Compliance Project working to reduce youth access to commercial sources of tobacco. This is a one of a kind model with coordination with cities, law enforcement and youth. Outside the office one might find Katie in the middle of a lake, having arrived there via swimming, boating, or paddling. She also enjoys planning family adventures, such as trips to the beach and cheering on her kids at their activities. Email Katie Jackie Siewert Program Director Live Smoke Free Jackie Siewert is the Program Director for the Live Smoke Free Program. Jackie joined the ANSR team in 2014 with a background in property management and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Minnesota. As Program Director for the Live Smoke Free program she works with local and national stakeholders, such as renters, homeowners, property managers, property owners, and public health advocates, to educate decision makers and promote smoke-free housing. Jackie has supported hundreds of multi-housing properties in adopting smoke-free policies, developed numerous educational tools and resources, and spoken at many health and housing events. Jackie also manages Live Smoke Free communications, including quarterly newsletters, social media, and website content. Inside Jackie’s office one will find a variety of cacti and vining plants. In her spare time, Jackie enjoys running, biking, art festivals, and cats. Email Jackie Kara Skahen Program Director Minnesota Prevention Resource Center Kara serves as the Project Director for the Minnesota Prevention Resource Center (MPRC). In her role she provides programmatic oversight and manages administrative duties. Kara has worked in public health prevention for over ten years, primarily in commercial tobacco prevention. Kara is also a Program Director for the Association for Nonsmokers-MN where she leads smoke-free housing policy initiatives and provides tobacco technical assistance to Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP) grantees. Outside of work Kara enjoys running with her dog, cooking, reading, and gardening. Kara has a Master of Social Work and Master of Public Policy degree from the University of Minnesota- Twin Cities. ​ Email Kara Chris Smith Community Policy Advocate Chris started at ANSR as a contracted Campaign Organizer in 2020 and officially joined the team as a Community Policy Advocate in 2022. Chris enjoys connecting communities with lawmakers and city leadership. He believes that community engagement is key to developing sound equitable policies. Chris holds a bachelor’s degree in business and a master’s in advocacy and political leadership -both from Metropolitan State University. He comes to ANSR with a breadth of community organizing experience, from working closely with faith communities as a congregational organizer, to field organizing during numerous election cycles for political and issue campaigns. At ANSR Chris is focused on local tobacco prevention policy at point of sale and smoke-free housing. While not working in the office, Chris spends much of his time biking, developing bikepacking routes for his next adventure, and cheering on the St. Paul Saints with friends and family. Chris is a downtown St. Paul resident and considers himself to be an “armchair Urbanist” since he often criticizes street design, even though he does not hold a degree in engineering or urban planning. Email Chris Jason Lind Director of Finance Jason Lind is ANSR’s Director of Finance. He joined ANSR in 2020 and has more than 16 years of accounting experience, including six in the nonprofit world. Jason helps manage the overall ANSR budget and helps each program budget spend appropriately. He is passionate about technology and enjoys teaching and discussing tech of almost any kind. Personally, he enjoys going for long walk-and-talks with his wife and throwing not-so-perfect spirals to his twin boys. Email Jason Molly Schmidtke Community Outreach Coordinator Molly Schmidtke is a Community Outreach Coordinator. In this role, Molly is responsible for conducting outreach and education events, supporting youth policy and advocacy efforts, and supporting all other ANSR tobacco prevention efforts. Some of her accomplishments include: multiple flavored commercial tobacco restrictions in MN communities, working with youth to create, disseminate and evaluate vaping prevalence surveys with youth partners, as well as creating and disseminating a toolkit focused on the environmental impacts of commercial tobacco products. She has a BS from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in Public Health – Community Health Education and is a Certified Health Education Specialist. She is currently pursuing a Master’s in Public Health degree at the University of Minnesota. She is passionate about many public health topics, such as health equity, policy and advocacy. Outside of work, Molly loves to be out on the Mississippi River, cooking, and watching the Minnesota Wild. Email Molly David Olson TITLE Description Email Jack Madeline Bremel Events Manager Madeline is the Events Manager for the Minnesota Prevention Resource Center, and is responsible for planning and coordinating MPRC events, including the annual MN Prevention Program Sharing Conference, and supporting MPRC’s technical assistance and communications needs. Madeline has worked in Public Health in Minnesota, Oregon, and New Mexico, and has found a niche doing planning, organization, and communication-related work at the systems level. Madeline has an MPH from Oregon State University in Health Promotion and Health Behavior. Outside of work you might find Madeline cross-country skiing, crafting, or studying her dog, Pearl’s, personality. Email Madeline Kayla Baker Regional Alcohol Tobacco and Other Drugs Prevention Coordinator MN Metro - Region 7 Kayla is the Metro Regional Prevention Coordinator, which she works with coalitions and communities to promote substance misuse prevention. Kayla has her Bachelor’s degree in Community Health Education from North Dakota State University, and her Master’s degree in Wellness and Health Promotion Management from Nebraska Methodist College. She is also a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES). Prior to becoming a Regional Prevention Coordinator, Kayla spent time working in various health related roles including chemical and mental health, Responsible Beverage Server Training (RBST), alcohol compliance checks, diabetes prevention, and most recently, COVID-19. During her free time Kayla enjoys hiking, baking, and crocheting. Email Kayla Curtis Neff Campaign Organizer Curtis is the Campaign Organizer working to end the sale of flavor tobacco products in Minnesota. Much of his work is focused on recruiting community partners to educate and advocate for this change. Curtis comes to ANSR from a long career in organized labor and activism. He is a graduate of Iowa State University with a BS in Political Science. Outside of work he collects vinyl from many genres and enjoys a quiet life in St. Paul. Email Curtis Morgan Hamernik Administrative & Communications Specialist Morgan Hamernik is an Administrative and Communications Specialist. She joined the ANSR team in 2023 and is responsible for managing the organization’s social media accounts, writing newsletters, and supporting the staff’s education and advocacy efforts. She recently graduated from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities with a BA in English and a minor in public health. Morgan is passionate about digital accessibility, inclusive health communication, and public libraries. Outside of work, you will likely find Morgan cheering on the Packers or playing with her dog, Happy. Email Morgan

  • 2017 Audited Financials - ANSR | ANSRMN.ORG

    OUR MISSION ANSR is dedicated to reducing the human and economic costs of commercial tobacco, nicotine and other drug use in Minnesota. Our core commitments are: ​ to protect young Minnesotans from a lifetime of addiction; to ensure that all Minnesotans can breathe clean, smoke-free air everywhere; and to reduce health inequities and other disparities in relation to commercial tobacco, nicotine and other drugs.​ ​ In 1975, ANSR helped pass the nation’s first comprehensive state clean indoor air legislation. Since then, ANSR has continued to play a leading role in shaping tobacco policy and has been involved in every major state-wide policy, such as the Freedom to Breathe Act in 2007 and raising the tobacco tax in 2013. ANSR helped Minneapolis and Saint Paul restrict the sales of flavored tobacco, including menthol, and also helped Edina become the first Minneapolis city to raise the tobacco sales age to 21. ​ Financial Documents 2023 ANSR Audited Financial Statements 2023 Federal Form 990 Annual Reports 2023 Annual Report 2022 ANSR Audited Financial Statements 2022 Federal Form 990 2022 Annual Report 2021 ANSR Audited Financial Statements 2021 Federal Form 990 2021 Annual Report 2020 ANSR Audited Financial Statements 2020 Federal Form 990 2020 Annual Report 2019 ANSR Audited Financial Statements 2019 Federal Form 990 2019 Annual Report 2018 ANSR Audited Financial Statements 2018 Federal Form 990 2018 Annual Report 2017 ANSR Audited Financial Statements 2017 Federal Form 990 2017 Annual Report

  • Emily Anderson

    STAFF DIRECTORY Jeanne Weigum President Jeanne Weigum has served as the President of ANSR since 1980, though her path to leading the organization for nearly four decades has somewhat humble roots. The Association for Nonsmokers’ Rights, as it was called at the time, was in the midst of fighting for the nation’s first statewide clean indoor air law in 1975. Jeanne saw an ad in a local paper about the association’s work and decided to become a member, which only cost $1. After becoming a member, Jeanne soon joined the ANSR board and eventually moved her way up to the full-time President, a role for which she has never taken a salary. From ground-breaking smoke-free housing work to innovative approaches to preventing youth tobacco use, she has provided strategic direction for numerous public policy wins in Minnesota. She remains deeply committed to enhancing public health and her community. When not fighting the good fight at ANSR, you’ll find Jeanne baking in the winter, gardening in the spring and summer, and up to her ankles in rescue dogs year round. Email Jeanne Emily Anderson Director of Policy Emily Anderson is a Program Director who focuses on point-of-sale policy work and clean outdoor air in parks and on college campuses. Since her first year at Macalester College in Saint Paul, Emily knew she wanted to work at a nonprofit and contribute to a greater good. After graduate school and stops at a few other nonprofits, she found her niche in public health policy and tobacco prevention at ANSR. Emily has supported dozens of Minnesota communities in passing tobacco-free parks policies and has worked closely with colleges and universities, including the University of Minnesota, in adopting tobacco-free campus policies. She advocated for a first-of-its-kind cigar pricing ordinance in Brooklyn Center. She has presented at several public health conferences, including the National Summit on Smokeless and Spit Tobacco and the National Conference on Tobacco or Health. Outside of work Emily enjoys spending time with her family in Minneapolis and heading into the great outdoors to bike, camp and skijor. While Minnesota is now home, she takes pride in teaching her two young daughters to say “Go, Pack, Go!” Email Emily Esha Seth Director of Technical Assistance Esha Seth serves as the Technical Assistance Program Coordinator. In her role, Esha works with county health departments across the state and community organizations that represent various diverse communities to provide resources and guidance on their tobacco prevention initiatives in schools, worksites, grounds, parks, and point of sale policy initiatives. During her time at ANSR, Esha has worked on developing relationships with individuals and provides guidance and resources to assist with the implementation and enforcement of tobacco prevention policies and initiatives. Esha has also worked to help create the free online retailer training that helps educate tobacco retailers on state laws on selling tobacco. Most recently, Esha worked with the Isanti County public health department and their local substance abuse prevention coalition to increase the tobacco sales age from 18 to 21 for all licensed tobacco retailers in the county. Esha is currently working on wrapping up her Master’s in Public Health from the University of Minnesota. Outside of school and work, Esha enjoys travelling and is making travel plans for her next big adventure around the world. Email Esha Katie Engman Program Director Policy & Compliance Katie Engman is a Program Director. Since 2002, Katie has coordinated and supported diverse school- and community-based tobacco prevention programming and advocacy work. Katie is currently working to reduce the amount of tobacco advertising and marketing aimed at youth. Much of Katie’s career has been focused on youth prevention, education, advocacy and engagement resulting in national awards for students. Some of her policy accomplishments include: numerous tobacco-free park policies, a smoke-free workplace ordinance in Ramsey County, an imitation tobacco ordinance and sign ordinance updates in St. Paul, flavored tobacco restrictions in multiple metro communities, numerous city ordinance updates to reflect the changing landscape of tobacco. She also directs the North Suburban Tobacco Compliance Project working to reduce youth access to commercial sources of tobacco. This is a one of a kind model with coordination with cities, law enforcement and youth. Outside the office one might find Katie in the middle of a lake, having arrived there via swimming, boating, or paddling. She also enjoys planning family adventures, such as trips to the beach and cheering on her kids at their activities. Email Katie Jackie Siewert Program Director Live Smoke Free Jackie Siewert is the Program Director for the Live Smoke Free Program. Jackie joined the ANSR team in 2014 with a background in property management and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Minnesota. As Program Director for the Live Smoke Free program she works with local and national stakeholders, such as renters, homeowners, property managers, property owners, and public health advocates, to educate decision makers and promote smoke-free housing. Jackie has supported hundreds of multi-housing properties in adopting smoke-free policies, developed numerous educational tools and resources, and spoken at many health and housing events. Jackie also manages Live Smoke Free communications, including quarterly newsletters, social media, and website content. Inside Jackie’s office one will find a variety of cacti and vining plants. In her spare time, Jackie enjoys running, biking, art festivals, and cats. Email Jackie Kara Skahen Program Director Minnesota Prevention Resource Center Kara serves as the Project Director for the Minnesota Prevention Resource Center (MPRC). In her role she provides programmatic oversight and manages administrative duties. Kara has worked in public health prevention for over ten years, primarily in commercial tobacco prevention. Kara is also a Program Director for the Association for Nonsmokers-MN where she leads smoke-free housing policy initiatives and provides tobacco technical assistance to Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP) grantees. Outside of work Kara enjoys running with her dog, cooking, reading, and gardening. Kara has a Master of Social Work and Master of Public Policy degree from the University of Minnesota- Twin Cities. ​ Email Kara Chris Smith Community Policy Advocate Chris started at ANSR as a contracted Campaign Organizer in 2020 and officially joined the team as a Community Policy Advocate in 2022. Chris enjoys connecting communities with lawmakers and city leadership. He believes that community engagement is key to developing sound equitable policies. Chris holds a bachelor’s degree in business and a master’s in advocacy and political leadership -both from Metropolitan State University. He comes to ANSR with a breadth of community organizing experience, from working closely with faith communities as a congregational organizer, to field organizing during numerous election cycles for political and issue campaigns. At ANSR Chris is focused on local tobacco prevention policy at point of sale and smoke-free housing. While not working in the office, Chris spends much of his time biking, developing bikepacking routes for his next adventure, and cheering on the St. Paul Saints with friends and family. Chris is a downtown St. Paul resident and considers himself to be an “armchair Urbanist” since he often criticizes street design, even though he does not hold a degree in engineering or urban planning. Email Chris Jason Lind Director of Finance Jason Lind is ANSR’s Director of Finance. He joined ANSR in 2020 and has more than 16 years of accounting experience, including six in the nonprofit world. Jason helps manage the overall ANSR budget and helps each program budget spend appropriately. He is passionate about technology and enjoys teaching and discussing tech of almost any kind. Personally, he enjoys going for long walk-and-talks with his wife and throwing not-so-perfect spirals to his twin boys. Email Jason Molly Schmidtke Community Outreach Coordinator Molly Schmidtke is a Community Outreach Coordinator. In this role, Molly is responsible for conducting outreach and education events, supporting youth policy and advocacy efforts, and supporting all other ANSR tobacco prevention efforts. Some of her accomplishments include: multiple flavored commercial tobacco restrictions in MN communities, working with youth to create, disseminate and evaluate vaping prevalence surveys with youth partners, as well as creating and disseminating a toolkit focused on the environmental impacts of commercial tobacco products. She has a BS from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in Public Health – Community Health Education and is a Certified Health Education Specialist. She is currently pursuing a Master’s in Public Health degree at the University of Minnesota. She is passionate about many public health topics, such as health equity, policy and advocacy. Outside of work, Molly loves to be out on the Mississippi River, cooking, and watching the Minnesota Wild. Email Molly David Olson TITLE Description Email Jack Madeline Bremel Events Manager Madeline is the Events Manager for the Minnesota Prevention Resource Center, and is responsible for planning and coordinating MPRC events, including the annual MN Prevention Program Sharing Conference, and supporting MPRC’s technical assistance and communications needs. Madeline has worked in Public Health in Minnesota, Oregon, and New Mexico, and has found a niche doing planning, organization, and communication-related work at the systems level. Madeline has an MPH from Oregon State University in Health Promotion and Health Behavior. Outside of work you might find Madeline cross-country skiing, crafting, or studying her dog, Pearl’s, personality. Email Madeline Kayla Baker Regional Alcohol Tobacco and Other Drugs Prevention Coordinator MN Metro - Region 7 Kayla is the Metro Regional Prevention Coordinator, which she works with coalitions and communities to promote substance misuse prevention. Kayla has her Bachelor’s degree in Community Health Education from North Dakota State University, and her Master’s degree in Wellness and Health Promotion Management from Nebraska Methodist College. She is also a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES). Prior to becoming a Regional Prevention Coordinator, Kayla spent time working in various health related roles including chemical and mental health, Responsible Beverage Server Training (RBST), alcohol compliance checks, diabetes prevention, and most recently, COVID-19. During her free time Kayla enjoys hiking, baking, and crocheting. Email Kayla Curtis Neff Campaign Organizer Curtis is the Campaign Organizer working to end the sale of flavor tobacco products in Minnesota. Much of his work is focused on recruiting community partners to educate and advocate for this change. Curtis comes to ANSR from a long career in organized labor and activism. He is a graduate of Iowa State University with a BS in Political Science. Outside of work he collects vinyl from many genres and enjoys a quiet life in St. Paul. Email Curtis Morgan Hamernik Administrative & Communications Specialist Morgan Hamernik is an Administrative and Communications Specialist. She joined the ANSR team in 2023 and is responsible for managing the organization’s social media accounts, writing newsletters, and supporting the staff’s education and advocacy efforts. She recently graduated from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities with a BA in English and a minor in public health. Morgan is passionate about digital accessibility, inclusive health communication, and public libraries. Outside of work, you will likely find Morgan cheering on the Packers or playing with her dog, Happy. Email Morgan

  • Christopher Smith

    STAFF DIRECTORY Jeanne Weigum President Jeanne Weigum has served as the President of ANSR since 1980, though her path to leading the organization for nearly four decades has somewhat humble roots. The Association for Nonsmokers’ Rights, as it was called at the time, was in the midst of fighting for the nation’s first statewide clean indoor air law in 1975. Jeanne saw an ad in a local paper about the association’s work and decided to become a member, which only cost $1. After becoming a member, Jeanne soon joined the ANSR board and eventually moved her way up to the full-time President, a role for which she has never taken a salary. From ground-breaking smoke-free housing work to innovative approaches to preventing youth tobacco use, she has provided strategic direction for numerous public policy wins in Minnesota. She remains deeply committed to enhancing public health and her community. When not fighting the good fight at ANSR, you’ll find Jeanne baking in the winter, gardening in the spring and summer, and up to her ankles in rescue dogs year round. Email Jeanne Emily Anderson Director of Policy Emily Anderson is a Program Director who focuses on point-of-sale policy work and clean outdoor air in parks and on college campuses. Since her first year at Macalester College in Saint Paul, Emily knew she wanted to work at a nonprofit and contribute to a greater good. After graduate school and stops at a few other nonprofits, she found her niche in public health policy and tobacco prevention at ANSR. Emily has supported dozens of Minnesota communities in passing tobacco-free parks policies and has worked closely with colleges and universities, including the University of Minnesota, in adopting tobacco-free campus policies. She advocated for a first-of-its-kind cigar pricing ordinance in Brooklyn Center. She has presented at several public health conferences, including the National Summit on Smokeless and Spit Tobacco and the National Conference on Tobacco or Health. Outside of work Emily enjoys spending time with her family in Minneapolis and heading into the great outdoors to bike, camp and skijor. While Minnesota is now home, she takes pride in teaching her two young daughters to say “Go, Pack, Go!” Email Emily Esha Seth Director of Technical Assistance Esha Seth serves as the Technical Assistance Program Coordinator. In her role, Esha works with county health departments across the state and community organizations that represent various diverse communities to provide resources and guidance on their tobacco prevention initiatives in schools, worksites, grounds, parks, and point of sale policy initiatives. During her time at ANSR, Esha has worked on developing relationships with individuals and provides guidance and resources to assist with the implementation and enforcement of tobacco prevention policies and initiatives. Esha has also worked to help create the free online retailer training that helps educate tobacco retailers on state laws on selling tobacco. Most recently, Esha worked with the Isanti County public health department and their local substance abuse prevention coalition to increase the tobacco sales age from 18 to 21 for all licensed tobacco retailers in the county. Esha is currently working on wrapping up her Master’s in Public Health from the University of Minnesota. Outside of school and work, Esha enjoys travelling and is making travel plans for her next big adventure around the world. Email Esha Katie Engman Program Director Policy & Compliance Katie Engman is a Program Director. Since 2002, Katie has coordinated and supported diverse school- and community-based tobacco prevention programming and advocacy work. Katie is currently working to reduce the amount of tobacco advertising and marketing aimed at youth. Much of Katie’s career has been focused on youth prevention, education, advocacy and engagement resulting in national awards for students. Some of her policy accomplishments include: numerous tobacco-free park policies, a smoke-free workplace ordinance in Ramsey County, an imitation tobacco ordinance and sign ordinance updates in St. Paul, flavored tobacco restrictions in multiple metro communities, numerous city ordinance updates to reflect the changing landscape of tobacco. She also directs the North Suburban Tobacco Compliance Project working to reduce youth access to commercial sources of tobacco. This is a one of a kind model with coordination with cities, law enforcement and youth. Outside the office one might find Katie in the middle of a lake, having arrived there via swimming, boating, or paddling. She also enjoys planning family adventures, such as trips to the beach and cheering on her kids at their activities. Email Katie Jackie Siewert Program Director Live Smoke Free Jackie Siewert is the Program Director for the Live Smoke Free Program. Jackie joined the ANSR team in 2014 with a background in property management and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Minnesota. As Program Director for the Live Smoke Free program she works with local and national stakeholders, such as renters, homeowners, property managers, property owners, and public health advocates, to educate decision makers and promote smoke-free housing. Jackie has supported hundreds of multi-housing properties in adopting smoke-free policies, developed numerous educational tools and resources, and spoken at many health and housing events. Jackie also manages Live Smoke Free communications, including quarterly newsletters, social media, and website content. Inside Jackie’s office one will find a variety of cacti and vining plants. In her spare time, Jackie enjoys running, biking, art festivals, and cats. Email Jackie Kara Skahen Program Director Minnesota Prevention Resource Center Kara serves as the Project Director for the Minnesota Prevention Resource Center (MPRC). In her role she provides programmatic oversight and manages administrative duties. Kara has worked in public health prevention for over ten years, primarily in commercial tobacco prevention. Kara is also a Program Director for the Association for Nonsmokers-MN where she leads smoke-free housing policy initiatives and provides tobacco technical assistance to Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP) grantees. Outside of work Kara enjoys running with her dog, cooking, reading, and gardening. Kara has a Master of Social Work and Master of Public Policy degree from the University of Minnesota- Twin Cities. ​ Email Kara Chris Smith Community Policy Advocate Chris started at ANSR as a contracted Campaign Organizer in 2020 and officially joined the team as a Community Policy Advocate in 2022. Chris enjoys connecting communities with lawmakers and city leadership. He believes that community engagement is key to developing sound equitable policies. Chris holds a bachelor’s degree in business and a master’s in advocacy and political leadership -both from Metropolitan State University. He comes to ANSR with a breadth of community organizing experience, from working closely with faith communities as a congregational organizer, to field organizing during numerous election cycles for political and issue campaigns. At ANSR Chris is focused on local tobacco prevention policy at point of sale and smoke-free housing. While not working in the office, Chris spends much of his time biking, developing bikepacking routes for his next adventure, and cheering on the St. Paul Saints with friends and family. Chris is a downtown St. Paul resident and considers himself to be an “armchair Urbanist” since he often criticizes street design, even though he does not hold a degree in engineering or urban planning. Email Chris Jason Lind Director of Finance Jason Lind is ANSR’s Director of Finance. He joined ANSR in 2020 and has more than 16 years of accounting experience, including six in the nonprofit world. Jason helps manage the overall ANSR budget and helps each program budget spend appropriately. He is passionate about technology and enjoys teaching and discussing tech of almost any kind. Personally, he enjoys going for long walk-and-talks with his wife and throwing not-so-perfect spirals to his twin boys. Email Jason Molly Schmidtke Community Outreach Coordinator Molly Schmidtke is a Community Outreach Coordinator. In this role, Molly is responsible for conducting outreach and education events, supporting youth policy and advocacy efforts, and supporting all other ANSR tobacco prevention efforts. Some of her accomplishments include: multiple flavored commercial tobacco restrictions in MN communities, working with youth to create, disseminate and evaluate vaping prevalence surveys with youth partners, as well as creating and disseminating a toolkit focused on the environmental impacts of commercial tobacco products. She has a BS from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in Public Health – Community Health Education and is a Certified Health Education Specialist. She is currently pursuing a Master’s in Public Health degree at the University of Minnesota. She is passionate about many public health topics, such as health equity, policy and advocacy. Outside of work, Molly loves to be out on the Mississippi River, cooking, and watching the Minnesota Wild. Email Molly David Olson TITLE Description Email Jack Madeline Bremel Events Manager Madeline is the Events Manager for the Minnesota Prevention Resource Center, and is responsible for planning and coordinating MPRC events, including the annual MN Prevention Program Sharing Conference, and supporting MPRC’s technical assistance and communications needs. Madeline has worked in Public Health in Minnesota, Oregon, and New Mexico, and has found a niche doing planning, organization, and communication-related work at the systems level. Madeline has an MPH from Oregon State University in Health Promotion and Health Behavior. Outside of work you might find Madeline cross-country skiing, crafting, or studying her dog, Pearl’s, personality. Email Madeline Kayla Baker Regional Alcohol Tobacco and Other Drugs Prevention Coordinator MN Metro - Region 7 Kayla is the Metro Regional Prevention Coordinator, which she works with coalitions and communities to promote substance misuse prevention. Kayla has her Bachelor’s degree in Community Health Education from North Dakota State University, and her Master’s degree in Wellness and Health Promotion Management from Nebraska Methodist College. She is also a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES). Prior to becoming a Regional Prevention Coordinator, Kayla spent time working in various health related roles including chemical and mental health, Responsible Beverage Server Training (RBST), alcohol compliance checks, diabetes prevention, and most recently, COVID-19. During her free time Kayla enjoys hiking, baking, and crocheting. Email Kayla Curtis Neff Campaign Organizer Curtis is the Campaign Organizer working to end the sale of flavor tobacco products in Minnesota. Much of his work is focused on recruiting community partners to educate and advocate for this change. Curtis comes to ANSR from a long career in organized labor and activism. He is a graduate of Iowa State University with a BS in Political Science. Outside of work he collects vinyl from many genres and enjoys a quiet life in St. Paul. Email Curtis Morgan Hamernik Administrative & Communications Specialist Morgan Hamernik is an Administrative and Communications Specialist. She joined the ANSR team in 2023 and is responsible for managing the organization’s social media accounts, writing newsletters, and supporting the staff’s education and advocacy efforts. She recently graduated from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities with a BA in English and a minor in public health. Morgan is passionate about digital accessibility, inclusive health communication, and public libraries. Outside of work, you will likely find Morgan cheering on the Packers or playing with her dog, Happy. Email Morgan

  • Katie Engman

    STAFF DIRECTORY Jeanne Weigum President Jeanne Weigum has served as the President of ANSR since 1980, though her path to leading the organization for nearly four decades has somewhat humble roots. The Association for Nonsmokers’ Rights, as it was called at the time, was in the midst of fighting for the nation’s first statewide clean indoor air law in 1975. Jeanne saw an ad in a local paper about the association’s work and decided to become a member, which only cost $1. After becoming a member, Jeanne soon joined the ANSR board and eventually moved her way up to the full-time President, a role for which she has never taken a salary. From ground-breaking smoke-free housing work to innovative approaches to preventing youth tobacco use, she has provided strategic direction for numerous public policy wins in Minnesota. She remains deeply committed to enhancing public health and her community. When not fighting the good fight at ANSR, you’ll find Jeanne baking in the winter, gardening in the spring and summer, and up to her ankles in rescue dogs year round. Email Jeanne Emily Anderson Director of Policy Emily Anderson is a Program Director who focuses on point-of-sale policy work and clean outdoor air in parks and on college campuses. Since her first year at Macalester College in Saint Paul, Emily knew she wanted to work at a nonprofit and contribute to a greater good. After graduate school and stops at a few other nonprofits, she found her niche in public health policy and tobacco prevention at ANSR. Emily has supported dozens of Minnesota communities in passing tobacco-free parks policies and has worked closely with colleges and universities, including the University of Minnesota, in adopting tobacco-free campus policies. She advocated for a first-of-its-kind cigar pricing ordinance in Brooklyn Center. She has presented at several public health conferences, including the National Summit on Smokeless and Spit Tobacco and the National Conference on Tobacco or Health. Outside of work Emily enjoys spending time with her family in Minneapolis and heading into the great outdoors to bike, camp and skijor. While Minnesota is now home, she takes pride in teaching her two young daughters to say “Go, Pack, Go!” Email Emily Esha Seth Director of Technical Assistance Esha Seth serves as the Technical Assistance Program Coordinator. In her role, Esha works with county health departments across the state and community organizations that represent various diverse communities to provide resources and guidance on their tobacco prevention initiatives in schools, worksites, grounds, parks, and point of sale policy initiatives. During her time at ANSR, Esha has worked on developing relationships with individuals and provides guidance and resources to assist with the implementation and enforcement of tobacco prevention policies and initiatives. Esha has also worked to help create the free online retailer training that helps educate tobacco retailers on state laws on selling tobacco. Most recently, Esha worked with the Isanti County public health department and their local substance abuse prevention coalition to increase the tobacco sales age from 18 to 21 for all licensed tobacco retailers in the county. Esha is currently working on wrapping up her Master’s in Public Health from the University of Minnesota. Outside of school and work, Esha enjoys travelling and is making travel plans for her next big adventure around the world. Email Esha Katie Engman Program Director Policy & Compliance Katie Engman is a Program Director. Since 2002, Katie has coordinated and supported diverse school- and community-based tobacco prevention programming and advocacy work. Katie is currently working to reduce the amount of tobacco advertising and marketing aimed at youth. Much of Katie’s career has been focused on youth prevention, education, advocacy and engagement resulting in national awards for students. Some of her policy accomplishments include: numerous tobacco-free park policies, a smoke-free workplace ordinance in Ramsey County, an imitation tobacco ordinance and sign ordinance updates in St. Paul, flavored tobacco restrictions in multiple metro communities, numerous city ordinance updates to reflect the changing landscape of tobacco. She also directs the North Suburban Tobacco Compliance Project working to reduce youth access to commercial sources of tobacco. This is a one of a kind model with coordination with cities, law enforcement and youth. Outside the office one might find Katie in the middle of a lake, having arrived there via swimming, boating, or paddling. She also enjoys planning family adventures, such as trips to the beach and cheering on her kids at their activities. Email Katie Jackie Siewert Program Director Live Smoke Free Jackie Siewert is the Program Director for the Live Smoke Free Program. Jackie joined the ANSR team in 2014 with a background in property management and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Minnesota. As Program Director for the Live Smoke Free program she works with local and national stakeholders, such as renters, homeowners, property managers, property owners, and public health advocates, to educate decision makers and promote smoke-free housing. Jackie has supported hundreds of multi-housing properties in adopting smoke-free policies, developed numerous educational tools and resources, and spoken at many health and housing events. Jackie also manages Live Smoke Free communications, including quarterly newsletters, social media, and website content. Inside Jackie’s office one will find a variety of cacti and vining plants. In her spare time, Jackie enjoys running, biking, art festivals, and cats. Email Jackie Kara Skahen Program Director Minnesota Prevention Resource Center Kara serves as the Project Director for the Minnesota Prevention Resource Center (MPRC). In her role she provides programmatic oversight and manages administrative duties. Kara has worked in public health prevention for over ten years, primarily in commercial tobacco prevention. Kara is also a Program Director for the Association for Nonsmokers-MN where she leads smoke-free housing policy initiatives and provides tobacco technical assistance to Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP) grantees. Outside of work Kara enjoys running with her dog, cooking, reading, and gardening. Kara has a Master of Social Work and Master of Public Policy degree from the University of Minnesota- Twin Cities. ​ Email Kara Chris Smith Community Policy Advocate Chris started at ANSR as a contracted Campaign Organizer in 2020 and officially joined the team as a Community Policy Advocate in 2022. Chris enjoys connecting communities with lawmakers and city leadership. He believes that community engagement is key to developing sound equitable policies. Chris holds a bachelor’s degree in business and a master’s in advocacy and political leadership -both from Metropolitan State University. He comes to ANSR with a breadth of community organizing experience, from working closely with faith communities as a congregational organizer, to field organizing during numerous election cycles for political and issue campaigns. At ANSR Chris is focused on local tobacco prevention policy at point of sale and smoke-free housing. While not working in the office, Chris spends much of his time biking, developing bikepacking routes for his next adventure, and cheering on the St. Paul Saints with friends and family. Chris is a downtown St. Paul resident and considers himself to be an “armchair Urbanist” since he often criticizes street design, even though he does not hold a degree in engineering or urban planning. Email Chris Jason Lind Director of Finance Jason Lind is ANSR’s Director of Finance. He joined ANSR in 2020 and has more than 16 years of accounting experience, including six in the nonprofit world. Jason helps manage the overall ANSR budget and helps each program budget spend appropriately. He is passionate about technology and enjoys teaching and discussing tech of almost any kind. Personally, he enjoys going for long walk-and-talks with his wife and throwing not-so-perfect spirals to his twin boys. Email Jason Molly Schmidtke Community Outreach Coordinator Molly Schmidtke is a Community Outreach Coordinator. In this role, Molly is responsible for conducting outreach and education events, supporting youth policy and advocacy efforts, and supporting all other ANSR tobacco prevention efforts. Some of her accomplishments include: multiple flavored commercial tobacco restrictions in MN communities, working with youth to create, disseminate and evaluate vaping prevalence surveys with youth partners, as well as creating and disseminating a toolkit focused on the environmental impacts of commercial tobacco products. She has a BS from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in Public Health – Community Health Education and is a Certified Health Education Specialist. She is currently pursuing a Master’s in Public Health degree at the University of Minnesota. She is passionate about many public health topics, such as health equity, policy and advocacy. Outside of work, Molly loves to be out on the Mississippi River, cooking, and watching the Minnesota Wild. Email Molly David Olson TITLE Description Email Jack Madeline Bremel Events Manager Madeline is the Events Manager for the Minnesota Prevention Resource Center, and is responsible for planning and coordinating MPRC events, including the annual MN Prevention Program Sharing Conference, and supporting MPRC’s technical assistance and communications needs. Madeline has worked in Public Health in Minnesota, Oregon, and New Mexico, and has found a niche doing planning, organization, and communication-related work at the systems level. Madeline has an MPH from Oregon State University in Health Promotion and Health Behavior. Outside of work you might find Madeline cross-country skiing, crafting, or studying her dog, Pearl’s, personality. Email Madeline Kayla Baker Regional Alcohol Tobacco and Other Drugs Prevention Coordinator MN Metro - Region 7 Kayla is the Metro Regional Prevention Coordinator, which she works with coalitions and communities to promote substance misuse prevention. Kayla has her Bachelor’s degree in Community Health Education from North Dakota State University, and her Master’s degree in Wellness and Health Promotion Management from Nebraska Methodist College. She is also a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES). Prior to becoming a Regional Prevention Coordinator, Kayla spent time working in various health related roles including chemical and mental health, Responsible Beverage Server Training (RBST), alcohol compliance checks, diabetes prevention, and most recently, COVID-19. During her free time Kayla enjoys hiking, baking, and crocheting. Email Kayla Curtis Neff Campaign Organizer Curtis is the Campaign Organizer working to end the sale of flavor tobacco products in Minnesota. Much of his work is focused on recruiting community partners to educate and advocate for this change. Curtis comes to ANSR from a long career in organized labor and activism. He is a graduate of Iowa State University with a BS in Political Science. Outside of work he collects vinyl from many genres and enjoys a quiet life in St. Paul. Email Curtis Morgan Hamernik Administrative & Communications Specialist Morgan Hamernik is an Administrative and Communications Specialist. She joined the ANSR team in 2023 and is responsible for managing the organization’s social media accounts, writing newsletters, and supporting the staff’s education and advocacy efforts. She recently graduated from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities with a BA in English and a minor in public health. Morgan is passionate about digital accessibility, inclusive health communication, and public libraries. Outside of work, you will likely find Morgan cheering on the Packers or playing with her dog, Happy. Email Morgan

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