Staff and Board
Ty Gaedtke
Executive Director
Ty grew up in Wabasha and started working at the DAC out of high school as a direct support professional. During that time he mainly worked on exercise programs and in the workroom helping clients reach their vocational goals.
He then attended the University of Minnesota receiving a bachelor of science degree in Biology. During his time at the U of M he was a grant winning researcher, landed on the dean's list multiple times, and was a graduate of the Dean's Scholars leadership program.
After graduation Ty worked at Chrestomathy Inc. in Minneapolis as a supervisor for a high behavior day program. In his time here he served as a physical intervention trainer for new staff.
In 2021 he returned to Wabasha as the Director of the DAC where he manages the finances, human resources, information technology, and overall programming.
In his free time Ty coaches football at Wabasha-Kellogg High School and likes to spend time being physically active by weight lifting or being in the outdoors.
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Brynn Tentis
Assistant Executive Director
Brynn grew up in Plainview and attended The University of Wisconsin: River Falls after high school. While there, she received a bachelors degree in agricultural studies and also worked at a group home where she got her start in the field.
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After college she moved back home and began working at the DAC as a Direct Support Professional. During this time Brynn primarily worked as a job coach helping our service recipients at their community jobs.
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In 2021 Brynn took over as the Assistant Executive Director. In this role she manages the state funding for the DAC and is the main point of communication for case managers of our service recipients.
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In her free time, Brynn is still involved with Wabasha County 4H and Plainview athletics. She also enjoys hiking and spending time with her family/friends.
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Brenda Sobottka
Off-Site Production Manager
Brenda grew up in Ernie and graduated from Durand High School. After graduation Brenda began working at the Pepin Nursing Home where she got her start in the field. Here she spent most of her time doing laundry services and CNA work.
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After leaving the nursing home Brenda began working at the Wabasha DAC as a Job Coach where she primarily helped service recipients at their job in the Wabasha-Kellogg High School Cafeteria. She then moved into a role as the production assistant at the Uni-Patch production site.
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In 2022 Brenda began her current role of Production Manager where she manages production procurement at Cardinal Health, job service billing, managing DOL requirements, and training service recipients on their technical job skills.
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In her free time Brenda likes to spend time with her husband, two kids, and two grandkids. She also likes to spend time outdoors fishing as well as spending time indoors reading.
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Celeste Jensen
On-Site Production Manager
Celeste grew up in Winona where she graduated from Winona Sr. High. After high school Celeste waitressed for few years before starting work at Cardinal of Minnesota working in a group home where she got her start in the field.
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Shortly after leaving the group home she briefly worked at Riverfront where she primarily did in home care and took service recipients into the community.
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Celeste then began working at the Wabasha DAC as a DSP, spending most of her time assisting clients with their financial goals in the workroom. In 2019 Celeste took over the role of On-Site Production Manager where she procures work contracts from community businesses, manage DOL regulations, and assist service recipients with their technical job skills.
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In her free time Celeste likes to spend time with her two kids and husband. She also likes to spend time in the outdoors hiking and camping.
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Tasha McDonough
Administrative Assistant
Tasha grew up in Plainview and moved to Kellogg shortly after graduation. After graduation Tasha spent a decade as a bartender and moved into a management role at Stubb's Pub in Kellogg.
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Tasha then began working at Great River Homes where she got her start in the field. She worked there for a total of 4 years before starting at the Wabasha DAC as a Direct Support Professional.
Tasha moved into her role as the Administrative Assistant in 2019 where she manages the day-to-day tracking paperwork as well as managing service recipient payroll and billing to community job sites.
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Tasha is the mother to 5 children and grandmother to 1 grandson. In her free time Tasha enjoys spending time with her kids and husband as well as spending time outdoors camping and ranger riding.
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Samantha Powell
Employment Support Coordinator
Sam grew up in Wabasha where she graduated from Wabasha-Kellogg High School. While in high school Sam began volunteering at Camp Winnebago and at the DAC where she mainly spent her time assisting service recipients with training in functional skills.
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After high school Sam enlisted in the United States Airforce where she was an airplane mechanic. She spent 4 years stationed in Mountain Home Idaho and then 4 years as a civilian contractor doing the same work.
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Sam then moved back to Wabasha and shortly after returning home, she began working full time as a direct support professional at the DAC. In 2021 Sam accepted a position as our employment supports coordinator where she assists our service recipients in finding out what jobs are available, skills needed for those jobs, how to fill out applications and resumes, training in job skills, and job coaching in the community.
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In her free time Sam likes to spend time with her husband and two children. She also likes to spend time outdoors and with her friends.
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Tara Kreidermacher
Life Enrichment and Positive Supports Coordinator
Tara grew up in Mabel MN and graduated from Mabel Canton High School. During school a close family friend would often take in foster children with intellectual disabilities where Tara first got her experience in the field. After high school Tara attended Winona State where she received a bachelors degree in therapeutic recreation.
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After college Tara began working at the DAC where she served as our therapeutic recreation specialist and assisted service recipients with exercise therapy and social recreation activities. After leaving the DAC she worked at Home and Community Options as the coordinator of the Personal Care Assistant Respite Program and also as a special education paraprofessional at Lewiston-Altura.
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During her time time away from the DAC Tara was diagnosed with a brain tumor which she battled for nearly a year. This was a defining time in Tara's life where she learned about valuing your experiences and making the best out of the hand you are dealt.
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Tara returned to the DAC in 2020 as our Life Enrichment and Positive Support Coordinator where her primary focus is still on social recreation activities and overall activities that increase our service recipients quality of life.
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In her free time Tara likes to spend time with her husband and attend her two sons' sporting events. She also likes attend concerts and live music with friends.
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Arlanda Vinje
Functional Skills Coordinator
Arlanda grew up in Bottineau North Dakota where she also graduated high school. After graduation she got her Certified Nurses Aid Certificate and worked in nursing homes/assisted living for over a decade. She also worked in the restaurant industry in every role from waitress up to management during this time.
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Arlanda then moved to Minnesota where she began working at Great River Homes doing residential care with some of our service recipients. After a brief time there she began working at the DAC as a direct support professional where she mainly focused on functional skill training.
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In 2021 she took over as the functional skills coordinator where she develops exercise plans and teaches service recipients skills they would need to be able to be active members in the community.
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In her free time Arlanda likes to spend time with her two kids. She also likes to spend time outdoors hiking, camping, and just general exploring.
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A special thank you to our great direct support professionals that are the engine behind everything we do here!
Direct Support Professionals
Tanja Evers
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Pam Wingo
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Molly Talle
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Jacquelyn Caneff
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Abby Meade
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Stacy Kreisher
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Josh Schreiber
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Katie Wolfe
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Kilee Jones
Board of Directors
Pat Holderbecker, Chairperson, Term 22-23-24
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Mike Wobbe, Vice Chairperson, Term 22-23-24
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Amy Gaedtke, Treasurer, Term 21-22-23
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Michael Walters, Secretary, Term 20-21-22
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Carol Cravath, Term 21-22-23
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Robin Moret, Term 21-22-23
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Diane Franke, Term 21-22-23
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Rhonda Wingert, Term 22-23-24
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Julie Moechnig, Term 23-24-25
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CONTACT
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VISIT
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Monday - Friday 8:00a - 4:00p
611 Broadway Ave, Wabasha, MN 55981