AUW Board Members

BOARD MEMBERS

Jane Jordan - President

I learned when I moved to Green Bay WI and knew no one, it was the church's women group where I found friends who became my community. Moved to Hopkins (Oct 2016) knowing no one other than my children. I knew I needed to find my church and the women's group. 2017 I joined the AUW Board as an at large member then 3 years as treasurer. I've helped coordinate many events including the spring retreat from 2023-2025. I actively participate because without active participants, each taking a piece of the need, there would be no organization. I want AUW to be there for the next women who are looking for a place of belonging and support in community.

April 2025 I graduated from the world of work (some call it retire) My picture was taken at the graduation ceremony. Now I'm exploring this next chapter of life. Actually exercising, reading books, connecting with friends, active on my HOA board, playing with 6 grand kiddos, 2 daughters and their husbands, watching too much Netflix, playing outside, Al-Anon, informal mentoring/pastoral care connections, women’s ritual group, discovering new opportunities to volunteer at First U and connecting with my traveling companion.

Jennifer Hains - Secretary

I love crafts and Leonard Cohen. More specifically, I especially enjoy sewing, knitting, and beading while listening to sad songs. My spouse and I and our cat Sophie live in St. Paul; Sophie loves to watch the world from the safety of our living room window, but hides away upstairs if ever the world should enter our little home.

As a data scientist at the MN Department of Health, I enjoy wrangling messy data with “R,” a statistical programming tool that can handle large amounts of data. Hopefully, this experience & my skills will prove useful in my new role as AUW Board Secretary! In my old life I received a PhD in chemistry from U. Maryland. So if we ever need to sampling air pollution from a small plane I can help 🙂

I attend BODYPUMP & Zumba classes at the Y. I also love exploring the bike paths in the Cities as well as camping my way through the state parks.

Jill Andersen - Treasurer

This is my first term on the AUW board, and I look forward to what will unfold. I have been a member and friend of First Universalist for over 30 years serving in a variety of roles: RE teacher, Board of Trustees, Foundation Board, greeter, and coffee hour server extraordinaire. I am still employed full-time with MNDOT.

I live in Richfield with my cat Finn; both of my children have flown the coop. In my free time, I serve on the Richfield Foundation as a volunteer tax preparer during the tax season, and I like to hike, bike and swim.

Alison Kemlitz - At Large

A diagnostic medical sonographer specializing in women's health, I work in a local clinic and volunteer on international medical missions. As a single mom, life is busy and has some big milestones ahead! My daughter begins high school this fall and my son heads off to his first year of college!

I’ve called a few places home over the years - New Jersey, Baltimore, Oakland, England - before I put down roots in Minnesota. Nature walks, visits to art museums & trying out local restaurants are some of my favorite ways to relax and have fun. And all of the above are better with dear AUW friends!

I found First Universalist Church and the AUW three years ago. Both have offered me a spiritual home and a nourishing sense of community that I deeply needed after some challenging years. Now, serving as an AUW board member is a joyful way to give back to this incredible group of women who have given me so much!

Evelyn Browne - Vice President

I am a retired clinical psychologist, living with my husband, Bill, not far from First Universalist. When I moved to Minneapolis about 18 years ago, AUW was the source of my first friendships and it continues to be an important part of my sense of community.

This is my second time serving on the AUW Board and I am glad to put energy into keeping this great organization humming. I am a potter, a reader, a gardener, an advocate for reproductive rights, and I love to travel. I grew up in New York and before moving here, I lived in many states from coast to coast. I am happily settled in Southwest Minneapolis and am delighted to call Minnesota my home.

Nancy Mischel - At Large

This is my first term on the AUW Board, and I'm excited to collaborate with such a great group of women. In 2023, I joined AUW because I found it to be full of caring, interesting and fun women.

Having just retired in June from work I loved, I still feel like I'm on an extended vacation. In my (now more expansive!) free time, I love to read and belong to two book clubs. I enjoy doing art projects, travelling, walking, hearing live music - especially outdoors in summer - and making new recipes. My sister is teaching me how to play pickleball, so maybe that will become a new passion. My husband Jerry and I live in St. Louis Park.

I’m hoping my experience working with Boards and volunteers will come in handy in my new role as an “At Large” member of the Board. I’m looking forward to the year; we need one another now more than ever.

Rita Langteau - At Large

Rita first joined First Universalist Church over 30 years ago. After spending some time away from the church, she has been active in the church the past 12 years. She sang in the choir, volunteered in classrooms at Augsburg Fairview Academy (AFA), serves at memorial services and served on the Daytime Connections programming committee. She has been a Small Group participant for 11 years.

This is Rita’s first time serving on the AUW Board. She has enjoyed getting to know other women at AUW activities and retreats and looks forward to serving on the AUW Board. Now retired from working in litigation related marketing research, she loves to sing in choirs, take voice lessons, work hard in her garden, read, walk/hike, attend theater/orchestra/vocal concerts and relax with friends -- and Rose and Aria, her cats.

Mary Kelley - At Large

This is the second term on the AUW board for Kelley (as she prefers to be called). Beginning in 2013 when she joined First Universalist, she has been a greeter, has volunteered at the Augsburg Fairview Academy food shelf, and helped with the Daytime Connections committee. She currently staffs the Church’s office one afternoon a week.

At every stop, she has enjoyed meeting new people and is looking forward to this next term on the board. In her leisure time, Kelley is an avid fan of women’s basketball, loves to read, garden, go to the theater, movies and art galleries. She shares a bungalow in south Minneapolis with her 18 year old cat, Hillary.

Margaret London - At Large

My introduction to all things AUW started in 2019 with my first trip to Camp Unistar. With no history of UU nor of camping, my life started changing after meeting so many cool folk there. I was touched by the many who helped me pitch my tent and so openly welcomed and encouraged me. After Covid shut things down, I didn’t actually come to an AUW event until 2022. After attending Spring Retreat that year, I was hooked on you people - my people!!

In my free time, I like to learn how to do new things that turn out to be much harder than I ever imagined and then make myself crazy trying to perfect it. Years ago I was a middle school English teacher (did not perfect that); hopefully my skills here on the Board will be more appreciated than they were by those 12-13 year olds. While living in SW Minneapolis with my husband Rob and his 2 cats, I read a lot, sew odd things, putter with plants, and am looking forward to becoming a grandma this fall.