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.
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.
Sandy Hay, Master Seamstress and Designer
Sandy worked in the medical profession in various roles for 50 years. Creatively, she learned to sew and craft from her grandmother when she was 13. She always loved creating things so sewing was a craft she took to quickly and has always enjoyed. Sandy has owned a lake property in the Annandale area for 36 years and moved permanently to Annandale in 2018. She has four children, five grandchildren, two dogs and two cats. In addition, she loves the outdoors, travel, reading and the arts.
Jackie Frauenholtz, Gallery Manager
Jackie’s background in business, management and consulting goes back three decades. She also enjoys volunteering and has done so on boards and booster clubs. Being a Certified Healing Touch Practitioner for seven years, she helped launch Healing Touch at Coborn's cancer infusion and healing center. She has a passion for the great outdoors, being on the water and in the forest year round. She loves creating beauty with landscaping, the home, and AATC’s gift gallery, artfully displaying the Heart of the Lakes Weavers’ woven goods and the art of over 45 local artisans. Jackie and her husband live in Sartell and have two sons.
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.
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.