MDI announces that its board of directors has appointed Y. Elaine Rasmussen to its board. Rasmussen is chief executive officer (CEO) of Social Impact Strategies Group and will join MDI’s board effective immediately.
Rasmussen brings over 20 years of experience in leading positive change and organizational development. She has a proven track record of strategic positioning with effective PR and communications, as well as uniting fractured groups for a shared sense of purpose. These talents combined with her innate ability for developing strong relationships with community partners for win-win outcomes and driving revenue, impact & organizational effectiveness has been recognized in small organizations such as Native-American nonprofits and high-profile organizations such as Warner Bros., DreamWorks, US State Department. More recently, Ms. Rasmussen is driven by the mission to mainstream social impact investing and democratizing access to capital by and for underserved communities including people with disabilities.
“After school I used to help my step-dad run the press at Braille Institute and I spent many weekends at the Braille Institute community center…now my husband works with people with disabilities, so I’m thrilled to join the MDI board and I look forward to sharing my talents and skills to help them build on their success as Minnesota’s largest social enterprise employing persons with disabilities,” says Rasmussen.
“MDI is excited to have Elaine join our board. Elaine brings a strong business and marketing background and deep understanding of the positive impact a social enterprise like MDI has on the community” stated Peter McDermott, MDI President & CEO.
Rasmussenholds a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing and International Business from Woodbury University and a Master of Science degree in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from Nova Southeastern University. Additionally, she’s actively involved in a variety of professional and civic organizations including: Association for Black Economic Power Executive Committee, MNVest Board Member, member of the Impact Hub Impact Investing and Measurement & Evaluation Communities of Practice.
