Family Tree Clinic is a nonprofit community clinic governed by a volunteer Board of Directors. Our mission is to provide quality, confidential reproductive and sexual health care services to diverse communities.
The clinic, which has been in operation since 1971, provides medical, educational and referral services to many different groups. Discrimination at any level of the organization on the basis of sex, race, religion, sexual orientation, disability or age is prohibited. Family Tree Clinic maintains a strong commitment to reproductive freedom and provides service in a manner that maximizes patient access to all legal medical options.
Board members are selected on the basis or their commitment to
the vision and mission of the organization. Family Tree Clinic Board members are expected to serve on at least one committee or task force as well as the Board. The standing committees are Program & Policy, Governance, Development, Marketing, Legislative and Executive.
Our Board members include patients, community leaders, professionals in the health care field and nonprofit leaders.
The Family Tree Clinic Board of Directors respects and values the diversity of all its patients, staff, and Board members.
The Board of Directors defines diversity as individuality. This individuality includes a wide spectrum of attributes, such as personal style, age, race, gender, ethnic heritage, sexual orientation, language, physical ability, religious affiliation, family, citizenship status, socio-economic circumstances, education, political affiliation, and life experience.
A diverse Board of Directors creates an inclusive environment in which a full range of ideas and information can be exchanged, leading to fuller and richer Board decisions that will best serve the clinic and its patients.
A diverse Board of Directors makes good business sense and will help ensure the on-going and future growth and success of the Family Tree Clinic.
The ability of the Board of Directors to know its patients depends on the Board members’ understanding the diverse communities that the clinic serves.
To be most successful, the Family Tree Clinic must fully integrate diversity into the clinic’s culture and standard practices and processes and this will be facilitated by a diverse Board of Directors.
To download the diversity statement click here
There are many reasons individuals become Board members:
Gain Board experience
Get involved in public policy discussions
Influence the legislative process
Actively put one’s passion for reproductive health to work
Have a rewarding and dynamic volunteer experience
Get involved in the community on a grassroots level
We invite you to consider serving on our Board. The Family Tree Clinic Board of Directors currently meets ten times a year.
For more information contact:
Deb Wilkens-Costello, Executive Director
1619 Dayton Ave
Saint Paul, MN 55104
651-523-0171 ×129
debwc@familytreeclinic.org
Emily is the program supervisor for Sexual Offense Services (SOS) of the Saint Paul – Ramsey County Department of Public Health and joined the Board in 2006 because of SOS’s long-standing relationship with Family Tree. She also joined because of the excellent services the clinic provides to the community.
Jessica practices Indian Law at the Jacobson Buffalo law firm and joined the Board in 2005. She supports the clinic’s objective of providing quality, respectful, and affordable reproductive health care to diverse populations.
Sarah is the Managing Editor at Iconoculture, a consumer research firm. Sarah joined the board because she believes that all women need access to affordable reproductive health care and sexual health education. To strengthen the position of the clinic in the greater Twin Cities is a step toward securing these vital services for women everywhere.
Jane is a family practice physician and joined the Board in 2007. She was a volunteer at the clinic in the late 1970’s, served on the Board until 1982, and was Clinic Coordinator from 1983-1995. She is very happy to be able to rejoin the Board recently.
Kristine, Development committee chair, works for Best Buy Community Relations. She manages the growth of Best Buy’s Tag Team employee volunteer program, and leads the integration of existing and new field-directed philanthropy initiatives. Kris joined Best Buy in 2006 after a 15-year career in the non-profit sector, including development and volunteer management positions at the University of Minnesota and Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Twin Cities.
Mary is the President and Founder of Millennia Leaders, an organizational consulting firm focusing on the success of women – at home, at work, in the community. She joined the Board in 2008 because she believes that the reproductive rights of women is a critical factor of success for women around the world and it starts where we live.
Nicole is a Medical Assistant student and works part time at a pharmacy. She joined the Board in 2004 after seeing a poster about it in the clinic and felt she should become more active regarding the health care she and others like her receive.
Erin is the Director of Outreach and Communications the Minnesota Women’s Consortium which is an association of organizations and individuals committed to achieving full equality for women and girls. She joined the Board in 2006 because of a strong belief that access to affordable reproductive and sexual health care services is an important factor in achieving women’s equality.
Karmann, Program & Policy committee chair, is an MPIRG (MN Public Interest Research Group) Campus Organizer at Augsburg, Carleton and St. Kate’s, and joined the Board in 2007. She also benefited from the clinic’s services as a student and is honored to be a part of the important work the Tree does and the services that it provides the metro area.
Sally, Board Secretary, is a clinical social worker for Guild Incorporated, a not-for-profit agency assisting those with mental illnesses lead quality lives. She joined the Board in 2004 to participate in an organization that is dedicated to providing quality health care that is accessible to all.
Lynelle, Treasurer & Chair of the Finance committee, works in Human Resources and Labor Relations and became a board member in 1996. She has volunteered at the Tree as a health educator for many years and joined the Board to become more involved in the policy and governance of the clinic.
Grit is the Adolescent Health Coordinator with the Saint Paul Ramsey County Department of Public Health and joined the board in 2008. Grit has a long history of involvement with the clinic. Among other things, she credits the clinic with her decision to pursue a graduate degree that focused on adolescent development and sexual health.
