West Central Initiative welcomed four experienced professionals to its growing team, including Philip Hintz as Loan Officer, Amanda Quam as Grants Officer, and April Rog and Cedar Walters as Climate Officers. 

“We’re committed to local action that improves the lives of people in our region, all 237,000 of them,” said West Central Initiative President Anna Wasescha. “The growth and evolution of our team positions us to empower big dreams and bold actions to help bring prosperity to our people, communities, region, and planet.” 

Philip Hintz, a seasoned professional in banking, joined in January as Loan Officer. Philip most recently served as a Loan Officer for American National Bank of Minnesota. As Loan Officer, he helps manage all aspects of loan development related to rural business start-up, expansion, and transition across west central Minnesota. Philip grew up in Fergus Falls and now lives there with his wife and two children. In his spare time, he enjoys playing music and games with his family and friends. “The opportunity to use what I have learned over the years to build up our community drew me to West Central Initiative,” Philip said. “I’m excited by the chance to take on a new challenge and meet new people.” 

Amanda Quam, with over a decade of experience in the nonprofit sector, most recently serving as the Director of Sales Support at Scholarship America, assumed the role of Grants Officer in December. She oversees the grants program and ensures grantmaking alignment to the organization’s strategic framework and strategic priorities of people, planet, and prosperity. Amanda serves on the Living Earth Center Board of Directors and is the Co-Chair of the Development Committee. She lives with her husband and two dogs near Otter Tail Lake. In her spare time, she enjoys dancing, doing yoga, traveling, spending time outdoors, and enjoying live music. “I love west central Minnesota, and I’m happy to do impactful work that supports this area,” Amanda said. 

April Rog, an expert in sustainable food systems, joined in January as Climate Officer. April has her master’s degree in agroecology and food sovereignty from the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Italy. Since 2020, April has provided consulting services for organizations aiming to increase fresh food accessibility and eliminate food waste. As a Climate Officer, she works with universities, Tribal Nations, and local, state, and national stakeholders to strategize around sustainable agriculture, food systems, and land conservation. April lives in Minneapolis and enjoys spending weekends in the summer on Marion Lake in Richville, Minnesota. “I’m excited to be able to focus my effort directly on building resilience that ensures that communities have not only planned to adapt for ongoing challenges related to climate change but are prepared to thrive,” April said.  

Cedar Walters joined in January as Climate Officer, drawing on her five-year tenure as the Public Information & Education Officer for the Otter Tail County Solid Waste Department. As a Climate Officer, she collaborates closely with counties, communities, schools, and regional stakeholders to achieve energy solutions, with an initial focus on municipal and public buildings. Cedar lives in Fergus Falls with her husband and two children. She enjoys spending her free time in nature and with her family. She likes reading, gardening, knitting, and thrift-store shopping. “I’m excited to work on climate and sustainability initiatives in our region that will positively impact so many aspects of our lives and the generations that will come after us,” Cedar said. “I look forward to building relationships and partnerships across the region that will help move us toward a more sustainable future.” 

As West Central Initiative’s first-ever Climate Officers, April and Cedar will collaborate with communities to implement the region’s first Climate Action Plan, write grants related to climate action, green energy, and sustainability, and work to attract funding from state and federal agencies and philanthropic organizations.