Our Team

Sam Sleeman, CVA

Executive Director

Sam has been certified in volunteer administration and nonprofit leadership & a bachelors in human resource management from Western Michigan University. Sam has 20 years nonprofit experience in the Twin Cities in social services, education, and senior care orgnaizations. She is a Dementia Friends Champion and facilitator of A Matter of Balance (MOB), Powerful Tools for Caregivers (PTC), & Tai Ji Quan: Moving for Better Balance (TJQMBB). Sam is a Master Trainer for MOB. She has worked with ASL Interpreters and is currently learning ASL. She has additional dementia training through PHS, Teepa Snow, & Alzheimer's Association.

Cheryl Lanigan,

MA, BSN, PHN, faith community nurse

Director of Evidence-Base Programs

Cheryl received her BSN from the University of Minnesota and MA (Health and Human Services) from Saint Mary’s University in Winona, MN. She is retired from a greater than 40-year career of providing direct care or administration focused in infant and adult critical care and public health. Cheryl serves as the Faith Community Nurse at Grace University Lutheran Church and is a Stepping On Leader and Master Trainer, a Leader and Master Trainer for the Living Well suite, a Master Trainer for Matter of Balance and a Leader for Powerful Tools for Caregivers.

Sondra Weinzierl,

MA, BA, RN, faith community nurse

Director of Education, Lead Faculty

Sondra received her Bachelors in Nursing degree from Gustavus Adolphus College and her Masters of Arts degree from the University of St. Thomas in Adult Education. She’s provided workshops, team facilitation, strategic planning and health promotion consultation to a wide variety of organizations in government, health care, education and industry. She served as an FCN in faith communities in Boston, MA and in Minnesota. She currently serves as Director of Education for the Faith Community Nurse Network designing and delivering education programs for health professionals.

Jill Lein

Program & Outreach Specialist

Jill earned her BA in speech communications from Winona State University. She has three decades of experience in business growth and development, and partnership building.  With a decade working with non-profits, she is skilled at doing outreach, volunteer management, event planning, program and project management, and strategic planning and execution. She has a passion for mind and body wellness, and helping others reach their personal goals.  Jill enjoys music, tennis/pickleball, biking, reading and anything outdoors.   

Carolyn Klaver, 

RN, faith community nurse

Dementia Specialist

Carolyn has over 41 years of nursing experience from hospital, faith community, community, school, long term care and home settings, Carolyn has two decades of concentrated work in the dementia field, working with people living with dementia in mild cognitive impairment, early- and mid-stages providing cognitive and socially stimulating programming, as well as support and resources to caregivers, and training volunteers in dementia work. Having been a long-distance caregiver for 3 parents with dementia, she understands the struggles that people living with dementia and their families experience, and sees the stigmas that need to be broken. She knows firsthand how important it is for all of us to keep our brains active and happy – whether we have dementia or not.

Erin Trobec

Administrative Assistant

Erin is an occupational therapist by trade, and up until fall of 2024 had been working on-call for Presbyterian Homes & Services for 13+ years. Her favorite part of working as a therapist was working with older adults, and helping them achieve their maximum level of safety and independence. She also have a passion for whole person wellness in both my professional and personal life.

Carolyn Orttel, RN, BSN, PHN, faith community nurse

Stepping On Coordinator

Carolyn attended the Swedish Hospital School of Nursing in Minneapolis and received her 3-year RN diploma. She completed her BSN at Bethel University. She worked the majority of her career in long term care in supervisory, management and administrative positions for a total of 49 + years before retiring in 2018. She joined FCNN in 2013 because she has a passion for helping seniors live safely in the community. She currently chairs the FCNN Education committee and is a Master Trainer for Stepping On and the programs in the Living Well suite. She is the volunteer FCN at Waite Park Church in NE Minneapolis.

Paula Forte, Ph.D, MSN, BSN, RN, faith community nurse

Continuing Education Coordinator

FCNN contracts with Co-Create for Life and their founder, Paula Forte, to assist with coordination of our Continuing Education Programs.

For 45 years, Paula has worked as a Registered Nurse in small and large healthcare facilities. In 2013 my husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and, in addition to her role as a professional nurse, she became a family caregiver. Within five years, Paula retired from her nursing career and became a Health & Wellness Coach, so she could work from home and look after the ever-increasing needs of my husband.

Her training and education were great preparation for addressing his physical needs. Still, it did not prepare her for the personal and emotional pain that accompanies the increasing disability of a loved one.

During this misfortune, she realized that she never learned how to properly care for herself in spite of all of my training, degrees, and credentials.

She realized that to help others to the best of my ability, she had to first be a genuine friend to myself.