Board of Directors
Jerry McCarter
Board Chair
I’ve experienced the painfulness of decisions made by family while dying. I have lost all six of my siblings to painful deaths. Most at ages under age 67. I want everyone to die with dignity. I want to be part of encouraging everyone to document their end of life care preferences.
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Mike LaFountaineBoard Vice chair
My reason for becoming a board member is simple. I recognize from both personal and professional experience that there needs to be an organization that gets the word out to everyone that end-of-life decisions are necessary and valuable choices that we all should make before a crisis occurs. Honoring Choices is the organization that is best suited to help educate people on exactly how to do that.
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Dick ShankBoard Member
Working as a hospitalist physician required me to manage countless family conferences in end of life situations. Commonly a health care directive was not available, or too vague to provide direction to loved ones. I saw this as a huge missed opportunity for both patients and families, which has motivated me to help promote advance care planning in our community.
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Ed HollandBoard Member
I’ve been a strong advocate of ACP for decades in and through Park Nicollet Methodist, HealthPartners, my United Methodist and other denominations, the MN Network for Hospice & Palliative Care, the MN Coalition for Death Education & Support, the Faith Community Nurse Network and, importantly, with my own family, colleagues and friends. I’m honored to share my knowledge, years of experience, commitment, advocacy, and compassion as a member of the HC Board. I know through personal and professional experience the importance and value of ACP. I also view volunteer service as a way for me to continue learning and growing personally and vocationally.
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Staff
Heather ThonvoldExecutive Director
Heather (they/them) assumed the role of Executive Director of Honoring Choices in December 2023. Prior to that, Heather worked for over a decade in the healthcare and senior services fields, most recently as an Assisted Living Executive Director. Heather is a Board-Certified Chaplain with the Association of Professional Chaplains and served patients and families in the Allina Hospice program for seven years. Heather is a proud veteran and served in the Air Force Reserve as a chaplain candidate.
Heather holds a Master of Divinity from Seattle University, a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership from Saint Catherine University, and a BA from Marquette University, where they competed on the Division-I Track and Field Team. They originally hail from Washington State and love being outside, preferably while drinking a good cup of coffee. However, Heather’s greatest accomplishment in life is being married to the amazing Aubrey for 12 years and building a life of compassion, authenticity, and joy. |