2026 LHENA Board Candidates
Voting will happen at our May 2nd Annual Meeting at Phoenix Theatre. To learn more about running, check out the Board Candidate Form here.
Elise Moore
Why do you want to serve on the LHENA board?
“I love this neighborhood and have loved building community and friendships my last 4 years living here. I would like to continue to serve on the LHENA board because I believe in the change we have made so far and see the vision of the work we can continue to do.”
What skills, knowledge, and abilities make you uniquely qualified to serve on the LHENA board?
“As a pharmacist with a public health background I would like to continue to support our harm reduction efforts. As a leader and strong communicator, I would like to continue serving as LHENA President.”
What is your commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) as a LHENA board candidate? Diversity may be expressed in race, culture, gender, ability, and diversity in interests.
“As a black woman with lived experience and a background in health equity work, I believe that your neighborhood should be somewhere where you feel confident in your ability to play, learn, grow, find community, and build a home. This mission can be achieved with the aid of structure, resources, and support.”
What goals do you have for the neighborhood, and how would you work to accomplish them?
“I would like to continue to grow our harm reduction initiatives as well as continue to strengthen the visibility and resources/programming offered by LHENA. Since joining the board 2 years ago, I am proud to share in the growth that we continue to pursue.”
Julian Fernandez-Petersen
Why do you want to serve on the LHENA board?
“I want to continue serving as board member for The Wedge because I love The Wedge, and believe firmly in the power of neighborhood associations to improve their neighborhoods. I want to be a part of that process, and use my position as a board member to make the best neighborhood in Minneapolis an even more awesome place to live for all of my neighbors.”
What skills, knowledge, and abilities make you uniquely qualified to serve on the LHENA board?
“One thing that I can promise above all is that I will show up! Since being elected into a vacant board seat at the Nov 2025 board meeting I have attended every board meeting and all but 1 committee project night, voted on every online board motion, and kept active in both online and board meeting discussions.
I’m already well acclimated with LHENA Board responsibilities from the past 6 months of serving on the board. Before graduating and moving to The Wedge I also worked for the Southeast Como Improvement Association (another neighborhood association, now merged into EBNP) as an intern for 2 years, so I know what neighborhood associations can do and how they run.
I’m also a Transportation Planner for Hennepin County. My professional work is focused on multimodal, ADA, and Safe Routes to School related infrastructure improvements among other things. I believe I bring a useful perspective to the board, as well as to my more recently adopted role as LHENA’s Community and Economic Development Chair.”
What is your commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) as a LHENA board candidate? Diversity may be expressed in race, culture, gender, ability, and diversity in interests.
“The thing I want most for this neighborhood is to be a welcoming place for more and more neighbors! I want The Wedge to be a neighborhood where anyone can not only afford to live and experience a full life at human scale, but to afford and be comfortably able to stay.
If elected to continue serving as a Board member, I pledge to fight for my neighbors and for the working class of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds when it comes to every decision I make as a board member. Even if I am not elected, I pledge the same when it comes to volunteering my time as LHENA’s Community and Economic Development Chair as well as when it comes to my professional life as a worker in the public sector.
I dream of a world where all humans can live fulfilling lives in peace and community, and hope for the privilege to spend my life in pursuit of this passion (even and especially on this hyperlocal scale).”
What goals do you have for the neighborhood, and how would you work to accomplish them?
“My primary goal is to continue representing my neighborhood with a perspective that centers neighbors and the workers and renters of Minneapolis regardless of age, ability, or background. One of the most important roles of neighborhood associations is to represent neighbors in a dialogue with the City of Minneapolis and other local municipalities. I want to ensure city and neighborhood resources are used in ways that benefit our community.
I”m especially interested in advocating to make our neighborhood safer to walk, bike and roll within and without. I hope to use my role within LHENA as a vehicle to secure funding for pilot and quick-build infrastructure projects through grant writing and municipal program applications. My plan would be to involve neighbors in the prioritization of locations with engagement and by working through the CED committee.
I also want to assist other passionate neighbors to make The Wedge a greener neighborhood more resilient for native flora and fauna, and to explore increasing avenues for food-forest-ification of our public spaces. Additionally, I want to assist in board initiatives or events that help increase the resilience of our local business community.
And every once in a while I want to throw a fun shindig or party for the neighborhood… by the neighborhood!”