EAST BANK STAFF
Chris has been a dedicated leader in Minneapolis' neighborhood development, serving as the Executive Director of the Marcy-Holmes Neighborhood Association (MHNA), the Southeast Como Improvement Association (SECIA) and the Nicollet Island-East Bank Neighborhood Association (NIEBNA) before the formation of the East Bank Neighborhoods Partnership in November 2024. With a passion for fostering vibrant, inclusive communities, Chris has played a pivotal role in driving neighborhood initiatives, supporting local residents, and building partnerships that strengthen the city's East Bank neighborhoods.
Throughout his tenure, Chris has been instrumental in guiding strategic planning, advocating for neighborhood priorities, and enhancing collaboration among stakeholders. His leadership has set the foundation for the newly merged East Bank Neighborhoods Partnership, ensuring it is well-positioned to serve the diverse needs of its communities and promote sustainable growth for years to come.
A long-time Minneapolis resident, Chris has lived in South Minneapolis since 2006 with his wife and three children. He has served as President of his neighborhood association and contributed his expertise to several community advisory committees with the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board. Academically, Chris earned a Bachelor of Science in Geography and a Bachelor of Arts in Cultural Studies & Comparative Literature at the University of Minnesota, as well as a Master's Degree in Visual & Cultural Studies from the University of Rochester in New York.
Lily is a Minneapolis native with a background in urban planning, community development, GIS, and the arts. She earned her degree in Urban Studies with a minor in Art from the University of Minnesota, where she grew her love for figuring out how cities work—and, more importantly, how they can work better for the people who live in them.
Her work has taken her from mapping and surveying Minneapolis parks to working in local government, where she gets to combine problem-solving and creativity. She loves the little details that make places interesting and is always curious about how a neighborhood, building, park, or street came to be the way it is.
Outside of work, Lily enjoys printmaking, exploring the city, hanging out with her cat, Gila, and finding the next best restaurant that she can ride her bike to. She’s particularly interested in the intersection of cities, art, and community—and believes the best places are the ones that have tons of personality!
Dani’s lifelong practice in art led her to gardening professionally a decade ago. While earning her degree from California College of the Arts, she worked in horticulture, quickly becoming enamored with plants and the sculptural elements of landscaping. Since then she has worked for San Francisco Botanical Garden, Filoli Historic House and Garden, and UC Santa Cruz Arboretum. Dani is a California-native new to Minnesota in 2025 and is excited to get involved in her new community.
Hanna Hekkanen
Como Community Garden Associate
Hanna is originally from California’s Central Valley, where growing up competing in trail running sparked her passion for ecological restoration, sustainable agriculture, soil conservation, plant identification, and community development. She earned bachelor's degrees in Plant Science and Agroecology from the University of California, Santa Cruz, where she also worked as a farm assistant with Blue House Farm in Pescadero, California, and as a laboratory and field assistant researching organic soil health and crop physiology. After graduation, Hanna worked as a laboratory technician studying plant pathology at California State Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo. She then moved to Minnesota in the summer of 2026 to pursue a master's degree in Weed Science and Conservation Biology at the University of Minnesota. As a newcomer to the state, Hanna has quickly fallen in love with the Twin Cities and is excited to become involved in the local community while continuing to promote sustainable and resilient ecosystems. Outside of work, Hanna enjoys running, biking, home gardening, reading, and creative writing.
