jodi harpstead 
Chief executive officer, foundation trustee
Jodi Harpstead became the Chief Executive Officer of Children’s Home Society of Minnesota on July 1, 2012, when the organization entered into a management agreement with Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota. She is also the Chief Executive Officer of LSS, a post she has held since September 2011. From May 2007 to September 2011, Jodi was the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for LSS, where she led efforts in Services, Human Resources, Information Technology and Finance. Jodi first came to LSS in 2004 to serve as its Chief Advancement Officer as LSS was kicking off the Movement of Hope capital campaign to build the Center for Changing Lives in Minneapolis.
A native of the Chicago area, Jodi received a Master of Business Administration degree in finance and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Michigan State University in East Lansing before settling in Minnesota. Prior to joining LSS, Jodi spent 23 years with Medtronic, Inc., where she held several key positions, including president of Global Marketing and U.S. Sales in the Cardiac Rhythm Management Division. Most recently, she was vice president and general manager of Cardiac Surgery Technologies. An exceptional leader and staff developer, she helped to grow revenue in a variety of businesses at the pioneering medical device organization.
Jodi currently serves as a regent on the Board of Regents for Augsburg College in Minneapolis and recently completed a term as Chair. She has volunteered in leadership capacities for a variety of other organizations as well, including the Plymouth Christian Youth Center, Lutheran Campus Ministry of Minnesota, and her own congregation, the Lutheran Church of the Resurrection in Shoreview. She formerly served on the Board of Directors for Delta Dental Plan of Minnesota and the Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Mutual Fund Board.
Jodi and her husband, Stan, live in Arden Hills, MN, and have two grown children.
Michael huray
senior director of finance, chief financial officer
Mike Huray became the Senior Director of Finance for Lutheran Social Service of MN on July 1, 2012, and with the support from five Finance Managers, is responsible for overseeing budgeting, forecasting, monthly financial review and variance analysis for all LSS and Children’s Home services. On July 1, 2015 he was appointed the additional role of Chief Financial Officer of Children’s Home. Previous to July 2012, he served for ten years as a Finance Manager supporting several lines of service with their financials.
Mike received his bachelor’s degree in Accounting from the University of Minnesota – Duluth. Mike volunteers through his congregation and is very involved with Special Olympics.
maureen warren
president
Along with acting as President, Maureen Warren oversees the following lines of service offered by LSS: behavioral health and financial counseling, youth services, refugee services, housing and development services and operations of the Center for Changing Lives in Minneapolis. Previously, she served as Vice President of Special Projects for the organization.
Maureen’s nonprofit leadership experience also includes serving as Director of Supportive Housing and Employment Services for the Amherst H. Wilder Foundation and as the Chief Administrative Officer of William Mitchell College of Law. Earlier in her career, Maureen held senior leadership positions in affordable housing and community development with Fannie Mae in Chicago and the Office of the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in Washington DC. She also practiced law for three years and served as a policy aide to the Mayor and Director of Intergovernmental Relations for the City of St. Paul.
Maureen earned her Juris Doctor at the University of Minnesota Law School and her Bachelor of Arts degree at the College of Saint Catherine in St. Paul, MN. She currently serves as Chair of the Board of the Twin Cities Family Housing Fund and has served on numerous nonprofit boards focused on creating healthy, sustainable communities and opportunities for low and moderate income families and individuals.
She currently lives in St. Paul with her son, Samuel, whom she adopted from Vinh Long, Vietnam in January of 2002 with the support of the Children’s Home Society.
alexis oberdorfer
executive director of adoption
Alexis Oberdorfer joined Children’s Home in 2008 and has worked in both the private nonprofit sector and across the public child welfare continuum for more than 18 years. Alexis previously worked for the Minnesota Department of Human Services where she was responsible for adoption policy and contracts that delivered adoption services throughout Minnesota.
She held a position in Illinois Department of Children and Family Services coordinating its Post-Adoption and Guardianship Services, and was the Foster Care Manager for Illinois. Alexis also has experience training, facilitating support groups, working in early childhood prevention/early intervention with at-risk families and in Child Protection Service.
Alexis earned a master’s degree in social work. In 2011, she received the Voices of the Heart award from the North American Council on Adoptable Children.
board of directors
Children’s Home and LSS maintain two separate boards of directors. The board of directors is responsible for the overall policy and direction of each organization. Board members demonstrate commitment to each organization’s mission and actively advocate for Children’s Home and LSS and their programs. Each director’s vision, dedication and generosity helps to make the work of Children’s Home and LSS possible.
