Meet Our Newest Governing Board Member, Taya Kaufenberg!

This spring, the MN HMIS Governing Board elected Taya Kaufenberg as our newest member, filling the End User seat. After receiving 11 applications during the open submission period, the Governing Board went about reviewing the candidates and making their selection. In May, the Governing Board deliberated and selected a candidate through rank choice voting. Each candidate brought unique perspectives and experiences to the table and the decision was difficult. In the end, the person selected is Taya Kaufenberg!

We asked Taya to introduce herself and you can read more below. Congratulations to Taya! The Governing Board is looking forward to working with you!

I am a Senior Social Worker with Housing Stability at Hennepin County and work with veterans experiencing homelessness. As a veteran myself, with ten years of active duty in the United States Coast Guard, I am happy to be giving back to my brothers and sisters who have served our country. I am also the treasurer of the Indigenous Employee Resource Group at Hennepin County. As a Native American from the Lower Sioux Indian Community in Southwest Minnesota, I have a penchant for working towards a more equitable society. I also serve on the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion work group through the Minnesota Department of Veterans Administration (MDVA).

In my free time, I like to keep my kitchen skills sharp (pun intended). As a former executive chef, I love bringing joy to friends and family through good food. I have a wife, a seven-year-old daughter, and two small dogs. We enjoy travelling and have recently spent time on Grand Cayman, Puerto Rico, and St. Thomas. Now that the weather is beautiful here in Minnesota, I spend a lot of time in my yard planting flowers and tending to pesky weeds.

I am very excited to have this opportunity to serve on the HMIS Board and hope to bring a unique voice to the team.