Get to know us…
Redeemer Center for Life (RCFL) is the non-profit partner of Redeemer Lutheran Church, a faith community that has been part of the Harrison neighborhood landscape for over 100 years. RCFL started in 1999 as a ‘beacon of hope’ in the Harrison neighborhood of North Minneapolis in response to the identification of three primary needs: job growth, attainable housing, and youth development. As a faith-based community development organization, we love our neighbors and we invest in the children and families who make the neighborhood their home.
Rev. Marilu Thomas, Executive Director
Marilu brings both organizational experience and relevant education to her position. She has a BA in Journalism and started her career as Assistant to the Art Director in the Advertising Dept. of the Coca-Cola Export Corporation. Her experience includes small business owner, magazine editor, middle-school/high school teacher, non-profit manager, youth camp co-director and peer ministry trainer of trainers. She earned a dual-degree Masters in Social Work in Policy Development and Program Administration from Augsburg College (2008) and Masters in Divinity (2009) from Luther Seminary and was ordained in August 2010. Most recently, she earned a certificate in Executive Director Leadership at the Opus School of Business at the University of St. Thomas.
Babette Chatman, Assistant Director and Director of Housing and Facilities
An Augsburg College graduate, Babette has offered distinctive presence and service at Redeemer Center for Life for the past six years. Under her direction, Redeemer’s housing program has developed into a highly effective and well-regarded model for resident empowerment and community building. Ms. Chatman also anchors Redeemer Center’s young adult Housing and Transition Program, mentoring young people towards healthy, confident adulthood through training in life skills, empower, building relationships with residents and organizations on a daily basis. She also serves on the staff of Augsburg College’s campus ministry as a collaborative partner.
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Katharine Giteck, Finance Director
Katharine brought more than a decade of experience in finance, operations and human resources for non-profits with her to RCFL in June 2009. She earned an MBA with a finance concentration and possesses exceptionally strong analytical, problem-solving and communication skills. Ms. Giteck’s technical skills include financial and managerial reporting, financial and strategic planning analysis and advisement, operational and program budgeting, cash and investment management and financial software system conversion.
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Aster Nebro, Living Room Co-Manager
Aster facilitates hospitality, relationships, and resourcing within the Living Room and launched the Breakfast Club, an intergenerational, multiracial community-building conversation, which she hosts every Saturday. Aster continues to leverage the insights she cultivated living in Africa, Europe, and North America with her degree in human services and community leadership roles with the Jeremiah Program, Brian Coyle, and Our Savior’s Housing, to help engage diverse stakeholders in the Harrison neighborhood. She earned a 2010 Careership internship with LISC in community development training.
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Ben Masters, Administrative and Finance Assistant
Ben assists the Finance Director, Executive Director, and other supervisors in maintaining communications, writing grant proposals, and managing the office needs. Ben also helps out with planning and tending to the urban farm. He has been trained in grant writing by the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits, and has continued his anti-racist education through trainings provided by the National Coalition Building Institute, Crossroads, the People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond, and the Center for Progressive Leadership. Ben holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in conflict analysis and resolution.
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Francesca Mucciaccio, Communication Associate & Liaison
Francesca joined RCFL in August 2011 as a Lutheran Volunteer Corps volunteer to facilitate internal and external communications at Redeemer Center for Life. She graduated from Reed College in 2009, where she studied linguistics and linguistic anthropology. After college, she worked as a translator, eventually transitioning into a position as an English as a Second Language (ESL) instructor at the local community college. In 2011, she also began development work at a Portland, OR-based venture philanthropy organization providing financial and capacity building support to local nonprofits serving children and their families. More recently, Francesca has participated in anti-racism trainings compiled by Crossroads Antiracism Organizing and Training.
