The Minnesota Rovers has a board of directors which oversees the administrative activities of the club. Board members are elected in February and any members are eligible to run for any position except directors at large.
Board meetings are usually held on the first Monday of each month at 7:00 p.m. Non-board members may attend as observers. Certain decisions which concern the operations of the Minnesota Rovers are made at the Board level. “Member meetings” are called periodically where members provide input and vote on specific issues.
Read about the responsibilities of the directors:
Board Members
Trips Director / Vice President
Ruth Robinson
Joined Rovers: 2018
Favorite Activities: Hiking, backpacking, bicycling, camping, canoeing
All-time favorite trip: That’s a toss-up between trekking the Haute Route in Switzerland, or backpacking a Black Rock Pass loop in the Sierras when I was in my 20s and then doing it again in my 50s and it was NOT harder for me!
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Treasurer
Stephanie Rasley
Joined Rovers: 2014 / 2021
Favorite Activities: Backpacking, day hiking, cross country skiing, kayaking
All-time favorite trip: Hostel takeover at Itasca State Park. I enjoyed making dinner on Regina’s crew, sleeping in bunk beds, and biking. Favorite non-Rovers trip would be rafting the Grand Canyon.
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Recording Secretary
Sue Wittkop
Joined Rovers: 2011
Favorite Activities: Road biking and cycling vacations, kayaking, hiking, discovering new places near and far
All-time favorite trip: They’re all fabulous in their own way, but winning a cycling trip to Catalonia Spain edges out the rest
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Trips Assistant
Venke Davis
Joined Rovers: 2011
Favorite Activities: Biking, cross country skiing, backpacking
All-time favorite trip: Backpacking in the Eastern Sierra Mountains
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Treasurer Assistant
Jeff Odendahl
Joined Rovers: 2017
Favorite Activities: Canoeing, XC skiing, hiking, camping, biking
All-time favorite trip(s): 2018 Canal Boat trip with Bob Jarvis and Itasca Hostel winter and fall trips
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Equipment Director
Bruce Mielke
Joined Rovers: March 2020
Favorite Activities: Paddling, camping, hiking and biking.
All-time favorite trip: Tent camping across Alaska’s expansive wilderness and hiking the four spectacular ecosystems of Olympic National Park, WA.
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Equipment Assistant
David Byrne
Joined Rovers: 1998
Favorite Activities: Bicycling, XC skiing, paddling, building igloos
All-time favorite trip: reCycling the World with Julie
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Membership Director
Lori Chase
Joined Rovers: 1998
Favorite Activities: Climbing, paddling, XC skiing, and discovering new places to enjoy
All-time favorite trip: South Dakota Black Hills for climbing and on to Utah for canyoneering
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Membership Assistant
Bruce Clark
Joined Rovers: December 2016
Favorite Activities: (Formerly) sea kayaking, hiking, domestic and foreign travel, camaraderie with other Rovers at events
All-time favorite trip(s): 2017 Boat canal trip, 2018 trip to Costa Rica, 2023 trip to Croatia, Bayfield ski weekends
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Database Director & Archivist
Bob Jarvis
Joined Rovers: 1970
Favorite Activities: Cycling, hiking, canal boating in England
All-time favorite trip: First trip to Britain with Rovers
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Presentation Director
Stacey Grimes
Joined Rovers: March 2021
Favorite Activities: Hiking, camping, backpacking, kayaking, botany, conservation
All-time favorite trip: Boundary Waters canoe trip to “Cannonball Island,” with a perfect campsite including cliff jumping into the lake!
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Publicity Director
Roger Clay
Joined Rovers: 2013
Favorite Activities: Paddling, cross country skiing, biking, conservation
All-time favorite trip: Kayaking Glacier Bay National Monument
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Events Director
Rosie Dauth
Joined Rovers: 2007
Favorite Activities: Paddling, hiking, snowshoeing, mushroom hunting, post activities socializing and games
All-time favorite trip: Ooh, that’s a tough one, so many epic and fun trips to choose from … the Quetico trip with Adam the summer before the pandemic is one that was up there in lights!
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Events Assistant
Tina Broberg
Joined Rovers: 2014
Favorite Activities: Camping, kayaking, stand up paddle boarding, swimming, urban hiking, cross country skiing, and snowshoeing
All-time favorite trip: All the Spring and Fall Extravaganzas; I love the mix of both Rovers and prospective members, and the wide variety of activities offered over the weekend!
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Conservation Director
Open Position
Joined Rovers:
Favorite Activities:
All-time favorite trip:
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Web Administrator
Jodi Stammer
Joined Rovers: June 1998
Favorite Activities: Mountain biking, road biking, canyoneering, hiking, cross-country skiing
All-time favorite trip: Oh, too many to list! Hiking in Switzerland; Cycling in Spain, Scotland, and Italy; Fleeing an erupting volcano in Ecuador; XC Skiing in British Columbia, etc.!
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Director at Large
Melissa Brown
Joined Rovers: 2004
Favorite Activities: Exploring while biking, kayaking, camping or hiking
All-time favorite trip: Theodore Roosevelt State Park
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Director at Large
Fran Lesicko
Joined Rovers: 2007
Favorite Activities: Kayaking
All-time favorite trip: The last one I did. Standouts are kayaking around a Pacific Island off of New Zealand, the 2017 total eclipse, kayak camping and blue whale encounters in Baja just before the pandemic (and randomly running into other Rovers who happened to be passing through).
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