Friends of the Brainerd Public Library Board of Directors
Board President: Karen Johnson
Karen has called Brainerd home for over 40 years. She has two grown daughters who graduated from BHS and is blessed to have 5 grand daughters. Karen retired from Essentia Health where she was involved with Crow Wing Energized. Prior to that, she worked at Northern Orthopedics for 35 years. Joining the Friends seemed like a great fit since she loves reading in her spare time. An ideal day includes reading to her grand girls.
2nd 3 Year Term ends February 2027
Board Treasurer: Mary Susan Anderson
Mary Susan was born and raised in Fort Wayne, IN, and graduated from Ball State University. She spent 30 years as a CPA in Rochester, MN. In retirement, Mary Susan enjoys reading, biking, knitting, gardening, and kayaking on North Long Lake. She is pleased to be part of the Friends of the Brainerd Public Library as the treasurer.
1st 3 Year Term ends February 2025
Board Secretary: Amanda Niemann
Amanda works in healthcare and has been in the Brainerd area for 9 years. Originally from Foley, MN, she attended Concordia College in Moorhead for her undergraduate degree in Biology and Spanish and then received her master’s degree from the University of South Dakota. When she is not reading or working, she enjoys mountain biking, camping, baking, any type of skiing, and hiking or snowshoeing with her 2 dogs. She is trying to make it through the 39 “yet to be read” books on her shelf, but the number continues to increase, and she truly believes in “too many books, too little time”.
1st 3 Year Term ends February 2026
Kristin Thoennes
Kristin moved to the Brainerd Lakes in 2020 and is a full-time community college English instructor. She is very passionate about literacy and the power it holds for individuals, families, and communities. In addition to her love of reading, Kristin been in a writers group with six other writers for 26 years. She often takes creative writing classes and had a short story published by The Wisconsin Review literary journal. Kristin has also written over 40 children’s nonfiction books for the school library market.
1st 3 Year Term ends February 2028
Board Member: Judy Rardin
Judy started as a volunteer with the Friends of the Library book sales, following her recent retirement, now serving as Book Sale Co-Chair. As a non-traditional college student, she graduated from the Minnesota University system with a B.S. degree while working full time and raising a family, Judy worked 42+ years for the State of MN Human Services Division. Her favorite genres include mystery/suspense, pioneer, and WWII biographies. Family, travel, photography, home gardening, and landscaping are among her favorite activities.
3rd 3 Year Term ends February 2027
Board Member: Jenna Pettit
Jenna served as an AmeriCorps VISTA at the Brainerd Public Library after graduating from the College of Saint Benedict with a BA in Global Business Leadership and minors in Political Science and Writing. Currently, she works as the Marketing Manager for Catholic Charities. In her free time, Jenna loves to spend time with friends and family, binge-watch The Great British Baking Show, and add books to her ‘To Be Read’ collection.
1st 3 Year Term ends February 2026
Board Member: Peg Mann
Peg grew up in Browerville, MN and graduated from The College of St. Benedict. After a career as an Analyst in the Healthcare Insurance Industry, she moved to Brainerd in 2019. She soon found her “people” through the Brainerd Library and its Wednesday Book Club. Peg enjoys volunteering weekly at The Friends of the Library Tuesday Book Sales. When she’s not reading you’ll find her quilting, baking, traveling, attending teas, and spending time with her three grandchildren.
1st 3 Year Term ends February 2027
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Board Member: Theresa Bourke
Theresa grew up in Wisconsin and has lived and worked as a journalist in the Brainerd Lakes area since 2016. She has degrees in journalism and Spanish from the University of St. Thomas and started out her working career at the PineandLakes Echo Journal in Pequot Lakes. She's been a reporter at the Brainerd Dispatch since 2018 and covers all sorts of topics, including city government, education and books. She spends as much of her free time as possible reading, playing trivia and nerding out about Harry Potter.
1st 3 year term ends February 2028​
The Friends Of The Brainerd Public Library Board of Directors consists of 9 members, including the officers. Vacancies on the board will be filled through appointment by the President Of The Board, subject to the approval by a majority of the Board Of Directors.