Contact:

Carol Schuler

carol@cschuler.com

612.281.7030

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

MINNEAPOLIS, MN (August 6, 2024) - The Metropolitan Economic Development Association (MEDA) is pleased to announce six local leaders as its newest board members. Their expertise and commitment will further advance MEDA’s dedication to “Helping BIPOC Entrepreneurs Succeed”. They were elected at the board meeting in June.  

“With MEDA’s 2024 goal of “Dream Big, Scale Bigger”, we are delighted to welcome these six influential community leaders to our Board,” said MEDA President and CEO Dorothy Bridges. “Each of these individuals brings profound expertise and passion that will significantly benefit BIPOC Entrepreneurs and the MEDA mission.”

Christopher D. Pham, shareholder at Fredrikson & Byron P.A., is known for being a trusted advisor for his clients across business, sports, and entertainment sectors. Serving as outside general counsel, he excels in finding solutions and driving towards objectives while delivering

value. In addition to being co-chair of Fredrikson’s Sports and Entertainment group, Chris leads the firm’s initiatives in inclusion and diversity and is passionate about pro bono work.

Molly Dorgan joins the board with more than 20 years of experience in retail. In her current role as Target’s vice president of Strategy and Operations - Properties, Molly leads a team that is responsible for developing, measuring, and communicating portfolio strategy. In addition, her team is responsible for ensuring operational excellence by prioritizing efforts across data, analytics, and technology.

Michael J. Roberts , co-founder of Taičhetán, brings over three decades of executive experience and an invaluable combination of leadership, strategic thinking, and practical expertise to drive business development initiatives. Michael was recently awarded MEDA’s Business Champion of the Year.  

As the co-founder of Keyhubs, Priya Narula is dedicated to unlocking hidden organizational potential for leaders. With a passion for building businesses and fostering a sense of community, she serves as a bridge across cultural divides. Priya joins the board as MEDA’s Entrepreneur of the Year.  Priya is also the co-founder of Neighborhood Forest – one of the largest and fastest growing tree planting initiatives in North America involving children. Since 2010, Neighborhood Forest has served over 2,000 schools, libraries, and youth groups and planted over 197,000 trees through the hands of children in every US State, plus Canada and Mexico.

Robert Doty is the CFO and vice president of Museum Infrastructure for the Science Museum of Minnesota. Within his current role, Robert is responsible for finance, technology, facilities, safety and security and human resources. In addition to optimizing employee engagement and fostering a positive organizational culture throughout his career, Robert is dedicated to serving his community through leadership roles in community organizations. 

Shaun Coard is the director of National Specialty and Franchise Banking at Bremer Bank. Shaun and her team specialize in delivering commercial banking solutions, guiding clients to meet their financial needs and achieve their business objectives. With over 30 years of experience in the financial services industry, Shaun is passionate about building alliances within the community, connecting with stakeholders, and leveraging her expertise to provide resources to business owners. 

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About MEDA (Metropolitan Economic Development Association): 

MEDA was founded by a group of Minnesota business leaders who saw BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) business ownership as a positive, long-term response to rising economic inequity within minority communities in our state. MEDA provides business development services, access to capital, and corporate and governmental market support for BIPOC entrepreneurs. Over the years, MEDA has helped launch more than 500 BIPOC businesses and assisted more than 30,000 Minnesota BIPOC entrepreneurs. MEDA operates a growing fund as a Community Development Fund Institution (CDFI) that provides needed capital for minority businesses to become sustainable. MEDA is also the host organization for the Minneapolis Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) Business Center, which has been recognized by the MBDA as the top-performing center four consecutive years from 2016-2019. For more information, visit  MEDA.net.