ONSITE LEADERSHIP TEAM
Elizabeth Bayer, Executive Director
Elizabeth Cabalka Bayer is the co-founder and Executive Director of the Annandale Art and Textile Center (AATC). In 2020, Elizabeth and her husband founded the non-profit which provides jobs with dignity in a joyful, whole-person place. Elizabeth is a noted speaker, workshop leader, and the author of three non-fiction books. In all things, Elizabeth endeavors to celebrate all people for who they are and what they can do in a world that too often excludes people for what they cannot do. In her free time, Elizabeth loves hiking, playing flute and piano, watercolor painting, biking and golf.
Veronica Kvam, Retail Sales Associate
Veronica recently retired from a 35+ year career in apparel & footwear product development and production. Prior to this she received a degree in Textiles & Clothing from North Dakota State University. She has always had the enthusiasm to learn while often mentoring those she has worked with.
Veronica began volunteering at the Annandale Art & Textile Center shortly after retiring and looks forward to continuing to support such a wonderful group of individuals. She has enjoyed learning more about the art of weaving from the AATC team, weavers and volunteers. It has been a rewarding experience to interact with everyone and celebrate the accomplishments.
During her free time Veronica continues to explore all things creative as well as spend time with family and friends.
Diane Nelson, Director, Heart of the Lakes Weavers Vocational Weaving Program
Diane started weaving in 1995 at St Cloud State while pursuing her art degree and never stopped. She moved often with her husband, a retired pastor, holding many diverse jobs and roles, most recently as a paraprofessional for special needs children.
Creatively, Diane began sewing at age 10 and loves creating new clothing. Weaving her own fabric brought this creative endeavor to a new level. Diane and Dave have three wonderful grown children, each with wonderful spouses, plus five grandsons all born in the last 5 years. As the Heart of the Lakes Weaving Program Director, she feels like she found her dream job and has no plans to retire.
Loree Callicott, Retail Sales Associate
Loree brings warmth, happiness and a lifelong appreciation for community to her role as Retail Sales Associate at the Annandale Art and Textile Center. Originally from the Buffalo area, Loree spent many summers at her family’s cabin on Pleasant Lake in Annandale, where Fourth of July celebrations and lake life created lasting memories and a connection to the area she still loves today.
Over the years, Loree has worn many hats, but her favorite role has always been raising her three sons as a devoted stay-at-home mom. Now that the boys are grown, she is excited for her newest chapter with the AATC Team-surrounding herself with creativity and craftsmanship that is woven into every piece created here at the center.
Loree lives in South Haven with her husband, Dave, and their dachshund, Cecelia. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with granddaughters, hanging out on the water and working in the yard, lots of doggie walks, gathering with friends, planning memorable family “field trips”, and helping Dave perfect his latest BBQ smoker creations.
Tiera Marsh, Gallery Manager
Tiera grew up in Rockford before heading off to New York for 6 years where she met her husband Jim. They then moved back to the area in 2005 and have lived just two blocks from AATC since 2018. Tiera and Jim have been married for 22 years and have two boys ages 16 and 20. Tiera has a degree in Early Childhood/Special Education from The College of St. Rose in Albany, NY.
Prior to working at AATC, Tiera owned two antiques shops - first in Rogers and then in Annandale. The job at AATC brings together Tiera’s love for the special needs community and design aspect of retail. It’s a perfect fit!
In her free time, Tiera enjoys spending time with her family, being at their little lake lot on Clearwater Lake and horseback riding.
Julie Lindstrom, Volunteer Coordinator for the Finishing Area
Julie recently moved to Minnesota after retiring from a 44 year career in education. Fabric work for Julie is a family tradition and she’s pleased to be a part of the Center’s textile creativity with talented volunteers, weavers and the AATC team.
Julie has BA and MA degrees from Iowa State University. She enjoys traveling, hiking, and biking with her husband, and cherishes spending time with her grandchildren in Annandale and Cheyenne, WY.
Julie’s participation in AATC began a few years ago; first as a class participant, then as a volunteer and now becoming part of the incredible team. She is grateful for this opportunity to use her creative skills, to support all those who are part of AATC, and to become involved in the Annandale community.
MEET OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Elizabeth Bayer
Board Chair
Elizabeth and her husband, Joe, are both native Minnesotans and have lived in Annandale for 30+ years. Elizabeth and Joe are co-founders of the Annandale Art and Textile Center (AATC). As AATC’s Executive Director, Elizabeth guides the organization to fulfill its mission: to provide jobs with dignity to individuals too often overlooked by society. In all things, Elizabeth endeavors to celebrate all people for who they are and what they can do.
Joe Bayer
Treasurer
Joe and his wife, Elizabeth are both native Minnesotans and have lived in Annandale for 30+ years. Joe and Elizabeth are the co-founders of the Annandale Art and Textile Center (AATC). His professional career included working as a sales and service partner for Physio Control and as the owner of Bayer Built Woodworks in Belgrade, MN. He is a past board member of the Stearns County History Museum.
Joe has three adult children, all working in the family business, and each with terrific spouses. His nine grandchildren bring him great joy. Joe has been an avid photographer for nearly sixty years and loves mountain biking, puttering in his workshop and understanding how things work. He is learning to love golf.
Robin Welter
Board Member
Robin has 28 years of work force experience in various sales and leadership roles, most recently as General manager Welter Implement and MTD Super Service Center.
Her most important and meaningful job in the last 22 years is as a mom and advocate for children and adults with special needs. In this role she has been a researcher, scheduler, taxi driver, para sub, lunch lady, a volunteer for PTO, cub scouts leader, and classroom volunteer providing art and activities to preschool through 5th grade students with special needs. Robin also ensures the Heart of the Lakes weavers are socially involved outside of work with activities such as bowling, kickboxing, dances, movies and gatherings with their peers.
Robin treasures her role serving on the AATC board and brings a deep passion for supporting the Heart of the Lakes Weavers to this role.
Steve Niklaus
Secretary
Steve and his wife, Sandy, moved to Annandale in 1986 and never looked back. They feel very fortunate to have found a community that has so much energy and optimism. Steve was fortunate to serve as Superintendent of Schools in Annandale for 25 years and has unlimited pride in the future of Annandale’s children and the community. AATC is symbolic of the quality of people that call Annandale home!
John Daniels
Board Member
John has been a proud member of the Annandale community for 25+ years, first as a second home owner and in recent years as his wife Lisa and his primary residence. He is an attorney and partner in Willeke & Daniels, a law firm based in Minneapolis, with a small office located at his home in French Lake Township. He has practiced law for 50 years.
John has spent much of his career doing volunteer or public interest work in a number of fields. For example, he was appointed a member of Minnesota's first Amateur Sports Commission, followed by an appointment to the Minnesota Amateur Sports Foundation, serving as its board of directors chairperson for 24 years. During that time, he was daily involved in building the Blaine Sports Center into becoming the world's largest amateur sports facility. He has a long time interest in small non profit entities-as well as with children and young adults with intellectual disabilities.
Bill Lindstrom
Board Member
Bill spent his career leading arts and culture non-profits and government programs before he retired to Annandale with his wife, Julie. Most recently, he was Executive Director of Arts Cheyenne, the local arts agency for Cheyenne and Laramie County, Wyoming. He has also served as the staff or board leader for the Wyoming Arts Alliance, Cheyenne Chamber Singers, Historic Cheyenne and the Association of Film Commissioners International.
Bill grew up in Nebraska and Iowa. He graduated from Iowa State University with a degree in communications and filmmaking. He enjoys spending time with his WY and MN kids and grandkids, along with outdoor activities and house projects.
Bill has long admired the mission of AATC and looks forward to helping create an even brighter future for the organization and its partners.
Lisa Daniels
Board Member
Lisa’s family has been a part of the Annandale community for the past 20 years and she loves to see it grow and prosper in diverse and inclusive ways. She has a long-standing deep appreciation for the world of handcrafted textiles. In her work, she is the Executive Director and founder of Windustry, a non-profit that works to grow community renewable energy. She focuses on initiatives that will help bring about an equitable transition to clean renewable energy. Lisa enjoys canoeing, kayaking, bicycling and cross-country skiing. Her new love is hanging out with her young grandchildren.
Mary Barkley Brown
Board Member
In 27 years as Annandale Youth First Coordinator, Mary has created and helped lead several mentorship programs for local, at-risk youth. She is the mother of three boys and grandmother to one sweet little boy. Sheldon Brown is her husband. Mary “grew up on Annandale’s Main Street” – as her family owned Dayton’ Furniture Store for 49 years. As a graduate of the University of Minnesota, she studied Interior Design, Art and Music. Mary enjoyed serving on the Annandale School Board for 17 years. She has always been a booster for the City of Annandale.
Mary Jo Swanson
Board Member
Mary Jo Swanson, known to many as MJ, is an experienced, adaptive, progressive, results oriented leader with 35 plus years of leadership experience in hospitals and health care systems. Over the span of her career, she has served on both public and non-profit boards, which included Guardian Angels (a long-term care board), Centracare Foundation, Goodwill Easter Seals of Minnesota, State of Minnesota Emergency Medical Services Regulatory Board, and district 728 school board. She holds a Doctorate in Nursing Practice, Master’s in Public Health and a Bachelor of Science in nursing.
Retirement in 2022 opened the door to new opportunities which included more time with family and friends, hiking and somewhat unexpectedly, weaving. Her identity as a weaver has evolved over the past 4 years and she is excited to be on a fascinating artistic journey.
Since November of 2023, MJ has volunteered at AATC. Past board experiences and a love of weaving fosters a passion for serving on the AATC board. She values the connection with the gifted weaver artists, the dedicated and talented AATC staff, and her fiber artist colleagues connected with AATC.