YWCA Minneapolis Names First Chief Financial and Operating Officer

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:(Minneapolis, Minn.) – Laurie Ohmann is joining YWCA Minneapolis as its first Chief Financial and Operating Officer effective Sept. 6. In this position, Ohmann will exercise oversight of finance, IT and the organization’s Early Childhood Education, Girls and Youth, and Health and Wellness programs.

"As an enduring and storied social justice organization, YWCA Minneapolis could not be more pleased that someone of Ohmann's stature and caliber found her way to us," said President and CEO Shelley Carthen Watson. "We were looking for a skillful professional who could draw on an array of experiences that align with our mission to eliminate racism and empower women and girls. A tall order, but in Ohmann, we have exactly that."Ohmann comes to YWCA Minneapolis from Catholic Charities of St. Paul and Minneapolis where she served as the agency's Chief Operating Officer, leading administrative oversight of Human Resources, Data Analysis and Research, IT, Accounting and Finance, and the Legal department, in addition to helming directional efforts for Housing and Homeless, Aging and Disability, Children and Family, and Spiritual Care Services.Prior to her eight years with Catholic Charities, Ohmann’s litany of experiences included posts as Chief Executive Officer for The Public Strategies Group and Executive Director of the Minnesota Center for Crime Victim Services with the Minnesota Department of Public Safety. She also led initiatives to develop single-family housing with the Powderhorn Community Council and managed the Salvation Army Booth Brown shelter for families experiencing homelessness in St. Paul.

"We are excited to see Laurie establish herself as the leader she has already proven herself to be with an organization like YWCA," says Tracy McMillan, Managing Partner at BroadView Talent Partners. She has spent a lifetime working to help public and nonprofit organizations across the country produce better results, particularly for underserved populations. We are confident that she has the experience, commitment to mission, and drive to assist YWCA Minneapolis with the next phase of its evolution." 

Ohmann earned a Master of Planning from the University of Minnesota Humphrey School of Public Affairs.CONTACT:Lisa Ramirez | 612-215-4107Strategic Communications SpecialistYWCA Minneapolis###

About YWCA Minneapolis

YWCA Minneapolis is a nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating racism and empowering women and girls. For more than 130 years, we have worked to create opportunities to overcome social injustice, particularly in matters of race and gender. Annually, YWCA Minneapolis serves more than 30,000 people in our community through high-quality programs and advocacy focused on racial justice, early learning, youth development and wellness. To learn more, visit ywcampls.org or join the conversation at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.Issued: Aug. 29, 2022