Our People

As Learning & Evaluation Manager, Kate Boyle-Steed infuses learning in all aspects of the Foundation’s work, manages the Foundation’s measurement and evaluation activities, and leads the Young Women’s Initiative Council and Duluth Cabinet.

She brings enthusiasm for and a decade of experience in evaluating initiatives. She enjoys working with partners to design evaluations that offer insights for program improvement. She has worked as both an internal evaluator and an external evaluation consultant in nonprofit, for-profit, and government organizations. With a background in the public health field and a grounding in intersectional feminism, she is excited to continue serving communities and advancing systems change through the Women’s Foundation.

She has a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from the University of New Hampshire, and a Master of Public Health in epidemiology from Drexel University. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, biking, dancing, and basking in the hot/cold therapy of sauna. She lives in Minneapolis with her delightful partner and two hilarious chihuahua-terrier dogs.

Alexa McIndoe (she/her) is a passionate advocate with a dedication to amplifying the voices of the unheard. Her career has revolved around crafting impactful marketing and communication strategies to foster connections both within organization and across communities. Born and raised in southern California, she made her way to the Midwest graduating from the University of Minnesota Duluth with her BA in Journalism and Women’s Studies. She’s honed her expertise at a consulting and strategy agency specializing in diversity, equity, and inclusion. Prior to that, she was in the non-profit world for eight years including working for marginalized communities. She was at YouthLink, an organization supporting young people experiencing homelessness, as part of their fundraising team. And while at Proof Alliance for six years, hosted events like Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Day at the Capitol, managed the FASD Public Awareness Grant Program, and created public awareness campaigns. Today, Alexa proudly calls Minnesota her home, where she resides with her loving wife, cherished daughter, and their sneaky corgi companion. As a true believer in the transformative potential of equitable practices, she remains steadfast in incorporating this lens into her daily life.

Janett Jimenez joined the WFM as the new Wenda Weekes Moore intern in June 2023. Southside Minneapolis is home for Janett, who graduates from the College of Saint Benedict this fall with a double major in sociology and Spanish and a minor in Latino/a American Studies. She is passionate about social justice and social change and would like to contribute to positive changes for women and gender-expansive people in her community and other Minnesota communities. 

Cynthia Bauerly has extensive experience in law, management, and public policy, serving in key public sector leadership and management roles in Washington D.C. and in Minnesota. She has also worked and volunteered for national, state, and local campaigns and recounts for over thirty years.

Most recently, Cynthia served as Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Revenue from 2015 to 2020. She led over 1,400 employees as they helped Minnesotans access the economic opportunities of the tax code and collected over $23 billion annually to fund state services. Prior to joining Revenue, she served as Deputy Commissioner of Workforce Development at the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) where she led the department’s work of providing economic security for transitioning workers and workforce training and readiness.

From 2008 to 2013, living and working in Washington, D.C., Bauerly served as a Commissioner of the United States Federal Election Commission and as Chair of the agency in 2011. She also served as Legislative Director for Senator Chuck Schumer developing and implementing a broad policy agenda that included working with the Senate Rules, Judiciary, and Finance Committees and the Joint Economic Committee of Congress. She has also worked in private practice in both Minnesota and Washington, D.C.

Bauerly earned a BA from Concordia College in Moorhead, a JD from Indiana University School of Law-Bloomington, and a MPA from Indiana University’s School of Environmental and Public Affairs. She grew up in central Minnesota and now lives in Minneapolis with her husband and their dog, Kiko.

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Nadia Siddiqui is a fundraising and partnerships executive with over 18 years of passion for uniting teams in achievement of impactful business objectives. This includes delivery of transformative work through immersive and meaningful engagement offerings with organizations such as Alight (formerly American Refugee Committee), MDA (Muscular Dystrophy Association), Big Brothers Big Sisters, and MEDA (Metropolitan Economic Development Association). She values the opportunity to serve as a trusted partner to external funders and donors, advising them through fundraising and partnership opportunities that offer strategic alignment. Through her collaborative leadership style, she believes that all voices have valuable perspectives. She is an unconditional advocate for marginalized communities.

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Heidi Walsh received her BA in elementary education from St. Catherine University and her BA in accounting from Metropolitan State University. As vice president of finance and operations, Heidi enjoys aligning the mission and values of the Foundation with our investments and was an early leader in Program Related Investments (PRIs). With a tenure spanning 18 years at the Women’s Foundation, Heidi can understand the story and impact of NGOs through their financials. Heidi sits on the advisory board at her children’s school. In her free time, Heidi enjoys gardening and raising poultry with her children and husband, Kevin.

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Erika Idrovo-Cuesta, previously the Wenda Weekes Moore Intern and Dr. Reatha Clark King Fellow, returned to WFMN in August 2019 after working as a legal assistant in immigration law and participating in policy training. She graduated from Augsburg University, and plans to continue as the first in her family to pursue higher education by obtaining a master’s degree in public policy.

“Philanthropy to me means opportunity. It wasn’t until I was introduced to philanthropy that I realized a community of supporters believed in this opportunity for all people to thrive, regardless of legal status, educational experience, skin color, gender or sexuality. As a Fellow, I find impact in the relationships, support, and opportunities to lead that strengthen my skills. In this role, I hope to learn more from my community and from influential leaders to grow in my leadership. I hope to respond to the growing needs from communities impacted by the coronavirus, anti-Black racism, and anti-immigration policies.”

Hailing from Minneapolis, LaCora Bradford has over two decades of experience living, volunteering and working in the Twin Cities metro area. She is a Northside Community Member in the Camden-Lind Bohanon neighborhood. LaCora graduated from the College of St. Scholastica and completed two years of AmeriCorps, completing over 3,400 service hours for her community.

Previously, she worked for the federal government at the agency the Corporation for National and Community Service as a Program Officer and the African American Leadership Forum as the Program Director for Collective Impact. She is board co-chair for Hope Community, where she has served for five years.

In her free time, she enjoys spending quality time with family, going on bike rides, walks, and salsa dancing.

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