Adrienne Diercks is the founder and Executive Director of Project SUCCESS. Project SUCCESS is a youth-development organization that works with students over a seven-year period, from middle school through high school, to help them develop life skills that can transform their lives.

As a result of her passion of helping young people achieve their dreams, she began Project SUCCESS in 1994 serving 200 students and one school in Minneapolis. Today, she has grown the program to serving over 10,000 students and their families and 17 schools in both Minneapolis and Saint Paul. The creation of this innovative program has brought invitations for expansion both nationally and internationally. Her work has been written about in Paul Batz's book "Inspire, Persuade, Lead: Communication Secrets of Excellent Leaders." Adrienne's leadership has also been recognized in local and national press.

She was named a 2008 Minneapolis Saint Paul Business Journal “Woman to Watch”, and was honored with the Minneapolis Award for her outstanding accomplishments and contributions to the City of Minneapolis, the Community Member Arts Advocate Award from the Minnesota Alliance for Arts in Education and the 2000 Hispanic Heritage Month Award for work in education with the Hispanic community. Under her leadership, Project SUCCESS received the 2008 Ordway Center for the Performing Arts Sally Award for Excellence in Education. In 2010, Adrienne was honored with Ann Bancroft Foundation's Dream Maker Award for Achievement and Leadership and the first-ever Minneapolis Metro School Counselor Association Friend of Counseling Award.

In addition to her role at Project SUCCESS, Adrienne is a member of the Minnesota Women’s Economic Roundtable, and serves on the University of Minnesota Paddleford Scholarship Committee, the University of Minnesota Humphrey Institute Arts and Culture Study Group, the Minnesota Regional Arts Council Review Panel, the National Civic League Ambassadors in Education and Met Life Foundation National Selection Committee and is a recent graduate of the James P. Shannon Leadership Institute. 

Previously, she served as the founder of Possibilities, Inc., a non-profit whose mission was to inspire kids to dream about their lives. In that role, she traveled throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin conducting inspirational workshops.

Adrienne has a B.A. in English from Whittier College, CA.

"I am fortunate to have worked all of these years with so many wonderful people to serve kids and facilitate experiences and conversations that can lead to a better future and a stronger community for us all."

Jenny Batten, Program Manager. Jenny graduated with a B.A. in Theater Arts and a M.F.A. in Stage Management from the University of California, Irvine. She joined Project SUCCESS after having worked as a stage manager at the Guthrie Theater for ten years. There she served as a mentor to high school and college students who were interested in pursuing a career in the theater as well as worked with several young actors, ages 5 – 13, who were cast in the annual production of A Christmas Carol. She believes strongly in the educational power of theater and is thrilled that Project SUCCESS has allowed thousands of students to experience that vital part of their education. 

In addition to theater, Jenny's strong love of the outdoors and the lessons we learn from nature makes the Anwatin Boundary Waters Canoe Trip one of her favorite annual Project SUCCESS events!

Liz Bedard Halberg, Director of Development and Communications. (B.A. Journalism: focus Public Relations and Marketing, University of Minnesota). Liz has worked in development and communications for the last eleven years.  She was with Children's Safety Centers for five years prior to joining Project SUCCESS. Prior to nonprofits, she worked on state and national political campaigns as a finance director. She is a 2007 graduate of the Saint Paul Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Saint Paul. Her volunteer work includes Children's Safety Centers (Board Member) and the Assistance League of Minnesota (Advisory Committee Member).

Alex Brooks, Facilitator: South High School. Originally from Florida's Space Coast, Alex graduated from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia with a B.A. in Theater Studies, and before graduating he spent his last semester at a conservatory in Arezzo, Italy. Alex toured with Georgia Shakespeare to high schools all over the south and spent the following year acting in professional theaters around Atlanta. He then moved to Ohio to join the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company where a year of teaching workshops shifted his passion from being on the stage to being in the classroom.

Jason Brown, Program Manager. Jason completed his B.A. in English Literature with a concentration on Education at Mount Union College in Alliance, OH. He was an AmeriCorps member for two years working as a VISTA with the Urban Corps and as an AmeriCorps Promise Fellow at the Volunteer Center. In both jobs he helped young people develop marketable skills through volunteering and service work. He also worked at the Bridge for Runaway Youth as a Counselor in their Emergency Crisis Shelter. He has worked for several theaters and theater companies, including the Guthrie Theater, Chaos Theories and Outward Spiral Theatre Company, and co-founded Emigrant Theater. 

Harleigh Gabrielson, Facilitator: Washburn and Southwest High Schools; Jefferson Middle School.  Harleigh is a graduate of Minneapolis Public Schools and a beneficiary of Project SUCCESS’s work in her middle and high school.  After studying history and community development at the Evergreen State College in Olympia Washington, she’s returned to the Midwest to participate in the continuing growth and development of her beloved Twin Cities community.  In college, Harleigh interned with two youth development organizations, Gateways for Incarcerated Youth, a co-education partnership between Evergreen and the Washington Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration, and a farm-based community and youth development organization, Garden Raised Bounty.  Harleigh believes that inspired, supported youth are integral to the vibrancy of communities and this guides her work at Project SUCCESS.

Laura Garcia, Facilitator: Olson Middle School and Patrick Henry High School. Laura is excited to be part of a program that incorporates both her passions; theater and education. Laura grew up in Boulder, CO where she attended the University of Colorado at Boulder. Her major was Theater Performance and her minor was Ethnic Studies. She grew up in a family of educators and therefore pursued a career in education, but never leaving out theater. She traveled and studied Drama in Prague, Czech Republic, as well as toured Europe in order to change her perspective on life. Acting brought Laura to Minnesota which she is now calling home.

Haily Gostas, Theater Coordinator. Haily graduated from the University of Minnesota with a B.A. in Arts Journalism and a minor in Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature. A performer throughout childhood and high school, she is a longtime advocate of the arts being accessible to and enjoyed by all. Back in 2008 Haily wrote a feature about Project SUCCESS for a student theater magazine, and she is thrilled to now be part of the little-big, happy family that helps facilitate the life-changing experiences her story subjects recounted. In addition to freelance writing about local arts, Haily has also worked as an event coordinator and counselor for the National Scholastic Press Association, and as a customer service representative and administrative assistant for the Wedge Community Co-op. She enjoys listening to music, reading, cooking and riding her bicycle.

Emily Heagle, Director of Development and Communications. Prior to joining Project SUCCESS in 2008, she worked for seven years at the University of Minnesota's Minnesota Medical Foundation. Emily has also worked in development and communications for the Guthrie Theater, Intermedia Arts, and the Madison Civic Center. Emily graduated with an M.A. in Business from the Bolz Center for Arts Administration at the University of Wisconsin – Madison School of Business, and with a B. A. in Fine Arts from St. Olaf College. She loves bringing together her passion for youth development and for the performing arts at Project SUCCESS.

Naheeda Hirji-Walji, Facilitator: Southwest and Washburn High Schools and Anne Sullivan Communication Center. Naheeda is very thankful to be with Project SUCCESS. She graduated from the University of St. Thomas, where she double-majored in Education and Sociology. She has worked with a variety of youth organizations, community centers, schools, non-profits, and with the government. Through her experiences she has seen the value and need of Project SUCCESS for young people. Most recently she worked to help inspire and motivate students to get civically involved in Washington, D.C. Naheeda is passionate about the world around her; she loves traveling. She has been to over 20 countries, most recently as a volunteer in Morocco.

Julia Hutchinson, Facilitator: North Community High School and Northeast Middle School. Julia joined the Project SUCCESS staff after being involved with the program, in many capacities, for 13 years. A Minnesota native, Julia was introduced to Project SUCCESS when she was a student, first at Anwatin Middle School and then at Southwest High School. Julia received a B.A. in both Sociology and Religious Studies from Colby College in Maine. She spent a year traveling, working, and studying abroad after graduating in 2007. She is passionate about community and the idea of being a global citizen. A dancer at heart and a closeted singer, Julia is thrilled to be back in the vibrant Twin Cities working for an organization in which she believes in so deeply. 

Cassie Karan, Program Coordinator. Cassie studied English at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities and spent a year studying abroad in London, England. She has four years experience working with non-profits in Minneapolis. Cassie loves the arts, yoga, reading and writing. She feels honored to be a part of Project SUCCESS and its awesome power to inspire youth. 

Jeffry Lusiak, Resident Artist: Jeffry has been working with Project SUCCESS for the past seven years as co-director of the Anwatin Musical, and just completed his fifth year as a facilitator at Southwest High School and Northeast Middle School. Jeffry has also been working in Minneapolis for eleven years as a director and performer and is currently the Artistic Director of Outward Spiral Theatre Company. Locally, he has worked at: Illusion Theatre as an educator and director; the Guthrie Theater as a Directing Intern, and has directed and produced new shows at the Bryant Lake Bowl. Jeffry began working with young people at the Illusion Theatre where he traveled to small towns around the country helping kids to become peer educators and performers. He is originally from Toledo, Ohio and is a graduate of St. Mary's University of Minnesota in Winona with a B.A. in Theater.

Adam Gabriel Napoli-Rangel, Facilitator: Olson  and Anwatin Middle Schools and Edison High School. Adam, a Twin Cities native, took a leap of faith in 2001, and moved to Chicago where he made a name for himself as a Hip Hop Artist and freelance educator. Working with schools and organizations across the Chicago metro area, he became a sort of fuse box for collaboration across education, theater, music production, cross-disciplinary workshop facilitation, spoken word and hip hop performance. Adam returned to the Twin Cities in 2007, and has continued his passionate commitment to the Arts, Community and Education through partnerships with a plethora of schools, organizations, and artists. Always interested in the various modes of inspiration, Adam has led workshops, mentored youth, taught music production, been the keynote speaker at several youth conferences and is constantly creating new works in poetry and hip hop while sharing thoughts on culture and art on his blog. You can find him all over the Twin Cities and the Midwest as the award-winning Hip Hopper SEE MORE PERSPECTIVE. Adam is overjoyed to contribute his skills and talents to the work of Project SUCCESS and to bring his path of youth education and mentorship full circle, yet again, with students.

Leah Russell, Theater Coordinator. A Minneapolis native, was a product of Project SUCCESS in high school and later graduated with a B.A. in Psychology and Spanish from Grinnell College. While at Grinnell, Leah gained experience in theater through her work as a Stitcher in the Costume Studio and as a dancer in various productions. She also interned in Public Relations at Hennepin Theatre Trust and studied contemporary Spanish theater and flamenco while in Spain. Working for Project SUCCESS merges her strong interest in theater and desire to improve the community she grew up in. To be able to support a program that had such a great influence in her own development is a dream. When not at work, Leah enjoys running and Nordic skiing, sewing, and exploring vintage shops.

C. Ryan Shipley, Facilitator: Southwest High School and Anwatin and Marcy Open Middle Schools. Ryan was born and raised in Newton, Iowa and is a graduate of St. Olaf College with a B. A. in Theatre. During his time at St. Olaf, Ryan participated in the music and dance departments as well as performing & directing in the theatre. Ryan also studied theatre in London in 2004. After graduating in 2005 he moved to the Twin Cities and has been performing regularly as well as teaching in various workshops for youth with a musical theatre focus. Ryan is thrilled to be combining his passions for theatre and connecting with youth in & out of the classroom. An overall goofball, Ryan can also be found going to movies, the theatre, reading & running.

Ginny Snow, Facilitator: Washington Technology Magnet and Humboldt and Battle Creek Middle Schools. Ginny was born and raised in Paducah, Kentucky. She received her B.A. in English at Murray State University and was an active participant in the dance, theatre, and choral departments. In 2002, Ginny followed her heart to Minneapolis and eventually earned her teaching license through Hamline University. Ginny has observed, volunteered, and taught at many schools throughout the Twin Cities, as well as in the surrounding suburban districts, and just finished a year of teaching English at Fridley High School. In her free time, Ginny enjoys reading, going to the movies, discovering new restaurants, and working off her new finds at dance class.

Jane Townsend, Managing Director of Development and External Relations. Formerly the Director of Trusts and Estates and Associate Director of Planned Giving for the University of Minnesota Foundation. Prior to joining the University she practiced law, worked as a trust officer with US Bank and then served as an Estate Planning Consultant for US Bancorp Piper Jaffray. Jane holds a B.A. from Colorado College and a J.D. from Hamline University School of Law. Jane is a member of the American, Minnesota and Hennepin County bar associations and their respective probate and trust law sections. She is a past chair of the Minnesota Planned Giving Council and currently serves as chair of the board of Xelias Aerial Arts, a circus arts school in northeast Minneapolis.

Tria Vang, Facilitator: Sanford Middle School and South High School. (B.A. History and Philosophy, University of MN – Twin Cities) As a high school senior, Tria performed with the first-ever Hmong spoken word collective F.I.R.E. (Free Inspiring Rising Elements) at Minnesota colleges and events. His passion for the arts led him to the Center for Hmong Arts and Talent where he helped plan monthly I.C.E. open mics, lead creative writing workshops for Hmong youth, and was part of “the H Project” that organized a national campaign for social awareness on the genocide in Laos. This experience led him to an internship at Wellstone ACTION! where he organized the first-ever Hmong Youth Training camp on grassroots organizing — focusing on leadership, networking, and power training. Tria has also mentored at-risk immigrant youth through the Family Improvement Network and Hmong Youth Education Services, was part of the Hmong Circle as an interpreter and educator at the Jane Addams School for Democracy, a youth mentor with the Youth Apprenticeship Project, and a community outreach coordinator at the Immigrant Law Center of MN. During his free time, Tria creates music and performs with his Hip-Hop/Rap group Hilltribe.

Paige Ware, Theater Partnerships Associate. Paige graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in Broadcast Journalism. She worked in the television news business for six years before joining Project SUCCESS. Paige has volunteered for theaters in both Minnesota and Wisconsin and loves that her job combines her passions for the performing arts and education.

Liz Welsh McGonagle, Administrative Manager. Before joining Project SUCCESS, Liz worked in Washington, D.C. for six years at the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a non-profit dedicated to providing leadership, education, advocacy, and resources to save America's diverse historic places. She’s a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a B.S. in Conservation Biology. Raised in Minnesota, Liz is thrilled to be home with her family and friends!

Dominic Xiong, Theater Coordinator. Dominic is a 2011 graduate from Gustavus Adolphus College, with a degree in English. While attending Gustavus, he participated in several vocal assembles, going on domestic and international tours. Dominic is proud to be a part of the Project SUCCESS team because of its long-term commitment to students in and outside of the classroom. He can be found out on the golf course throughout the summer, playing flag football, or enjoying an old book.   

AsaleSol Young, Facilitator: Washington Technology Magnet and Humboldt Middle School. AsaleSol, although coming straight from New Orleans, is not completely unfamiliar with the Minnesota chill, as she received her B.A from Carleton College in Theatre Arts and African-American Studies. While at Carleton AsaleSol - then known as Cassie - became known for her work directing and producing plays dealing with the African-American experience. She also interned at Penumbra Theatre in Saint Paul, The Gate Theatre in London, and studied Multiculturalism and Social Change in South Africa, and dance through the African Diaspora in Jamaica. Sol has spent the past three years, post-graduation, as an educator: teaching high school English and Theater, through Teach for America for two years, and as a curriculum designer, facilitator and arts-educator in the non-profit world during this past year. She is incredibly excited to be back in the Twin Cities working with an organization she believes so fully aligns with her own beliefs and values around working with, and developing youth.