Five RSDP board leaders bridging campus and community

Bob Backman 

• Former Northwest RSDP board member

• Emeritus board member of the Statewide RSDP Executive Committee

A former resident of Moorhead, Backman has been living in Becker County for the last decade. He previously served as executive director of River Keepers, a nonprofit dedicated to the Red River. 

Prior to that, Backman held a career in hospital administration, spanning public relations, wellness, volunteer management, fundraising, and training. He and his wife also owned and operated a pet and wild bird supply store. Now retired, he enjoys cabin life while staying active in local environmental causes.

How do you see RSDP making a difference in your community or region?

I see RSDP as an organization with very smart people, connected to a world-class university. It’s like a giant search engine of knowledge and experience. Being able to take that knowledge and spread it out across Minnesota is a good thing. The entire state, its people and land, all benefit. It demonstrates that the University is not just cranking out journal articles, it's impacting the lives of us “every day” folks outside of academia. 

"In a democracy and in a community, it’s our responsibility to work together for the good of all." —Bob Backman

What’s one project or experience with RSDP that has been especially meaningful to you? 

One of the first projects I got to see in-person was a nature-based playground project. Regular folks using University expertise, created a place where kids could play without expensive, corporate-developed machines was a joy to see. That was over 10 years ago. Today nature based playgrounds are becoming common. I like to think that RSDP helped bring this to the region.

Rumbidzai Faith Masawi 

• Northeast RSDP board member

• Statewide RSDP executive committee chair

Born and raised in Zimbabwe, Masawi draws on rural, urban, and global experiences that have shaped her understanding of cultural resilience and ecological stewardship. After a successful career in aviation, Masawi transitioned into sustainable development. Today, she’s based in Northeast Minnesota, where she serves as Executive Director of the Land Access Alliance. 

What inspired you to get involved with RSDP?

What drew me most to RSDP was its mission of community-driven, place-based sustainability. It resonates deeply with my belief that lasting change must rise from the ground up, shaped by the wisdom, resilience, and leadership of the people it serves.

"Learning about RSDP felt like less of a coincidence and more like alignment; an affirmation that my purpose and values had a home in Northeast Minnesota." — Rumbidzai Faith Masawi

How does your background influence the contributions you make on the RSDP boards?

I grew up in a high-density suburb that was rich in community ties and simplicity. Holidays spent in my family’s rural home deepened my sense of togetherness, rooted in culture and shared responsibility. I was shaped by strong matriarchs: my aunt, a midwife, and my grandmother, a healer. Colonial influence led to undervaluing these ways of knowing, but today I cherish the wisdom and resilience they embodied, and mourn the knowledge that faded with them. My Christian upbringing was equally formative, giving me an extended family and opportunities to travel, build discipline, embrace compassion, and commit to service.

These experiences taught me that solutions already exist within communities. People self-organize, innovate, and lead because of their lived experience. Alongside these roots, my global perspective from working in sustainable development helps me see the value of local knowledge everywhere. I carry this blend of faith, community grounding, and global perspective; listening deeply, learning humbly, and honoring the wisdom that communities hold.

Sharon Nordrum

• Central RSDP board member 

Nordrum has lived in Laporte for nearly 30 years. A proud mom, artist and lifelong animal advocate, she is a member of the Red Lake Nation with Anishinaabe and Saami heritage. As “Ricky Tics Arts" Nordrum creates artwork inspired by nature and her heritage. She is a dog rescuer and trainer, and serves as an evaluator for the American Kennel Club. Nordrum also serves as a board member for the MAHUBE-OTWA Community Action Partnership Inc. and the Coalition to Re-Authorize Minnesota Lottery Funds.

What inspired you to get involved with RSDP?
I learned about it from my late sister, Shirley Nordrum. She served as a RSDP board member and worked at the University of Minnesota Extension, teaching courses on food systems and healthy living. She often asked me to help with her big ideas, which drew me into supporting community organizations and events. Now in its eighth year, I helped launch the annual Bemidji Holiday Artist Market. When I needed funding to keep it going, I applied for and received RSDP support. After that, RSDP encouraged me to stay involved. When Shirley passed, I stepped into her seat on the board.

"This work has broadened my horizons and shown me new areas where I can help my community. That’s what I do everything for, my community." — Sharon Nordrum

What’s one experience with RSDP that has been especially meaningful to you?
I love being a part of the decision-making process, especially reviewing the project ideas and the inspiring ways people want to make change in their communities. Being able to speak up for those projects, by saying, “Yes, that one deserves funding, let’s move it forward,”  is amazing. Each year, I look forward to seeing how communities are working to create positive change. There are no words to describe how wonderful it feels to leave those meetings, knowing that so much good is going to come from it.

Clement Loo

• Southwest RSDP board member

• University of Minnesota Morris faculty member

Loo is an assistant professor of environmental studies at the University of Minnesota Morris and a coordinator in the Office of Equity, Diversity and Intercultural Programs. His research focuses on sustainability governance, particularly how government agencies and institutions can better collaborate with communities. At UMN Morris, he leads the Intercultural Sustainability Leaders program, which focuses on creating pathways in the sustainability industry for Indigenous students and students of color. Originally from rural Canada, Loo has lived in southwest Minnesota since 2013.

What inspired you to get involved with RSDP?

I spend a lot of my professional time exploring how government agencies and various institutions might better partner with communities in making decisions and implementing projects. RSDP is a really good example of how a state government and institutions should work with communities to improve the sustainability of small towns. I’ve been an enthusiastic observer of RSDP since I moved to Minnesota. When Anne Dybsetter [Southwest RSDP Executive Director] invited me to join the board, I jumped at the opportunity to be more directly involved. 

"A common mistake that people make is to assume that if one wants amenities, culture or shopping, that one needs to go to a city. I would argue that small towns have very distinctive cultural and arts experiences, and are often the most innovative when it comes to sustainability." — Clement Loo

What would you tell someone who is considering serving on a RSDP board?

If you have the time and energy, as well as any interest in building thriving communities, you should serve on an RSDP board. It’s an opportunity to support good work, learn about all the amazing things that are happening in Minnesota outside of the Twin Cities, plus get to know and hang out with cool folks. RSDP is full of the loveliest, most interesting, and brilliant folks.

Lauren Jensen

• Southeast RSDP board member

Lauren Jensen is the sustainability manager for Destination Medical Center Economic Development Agency in Rochester, where she provides expertise on sustainable design and construction for public infrastructure projects and leads community education on sustainability topics. A native of Austin, Minnesota, Jensen previously served as sustainability coordinator for the City of Rochester. She was inspired to pursue a career in sustainability after studying the subject in college and remains passionate about protecting the natural resources and outdoor spaces that shaped her upbringing.

How do you see RSDP making a difference in your community or region?

Collaboration within and between neighboring communities is what builds bridges and the foundation that fosters a thriving environment for all. RSDP helps pour that foundation. It takes great ideas from local leaders and gives them the foundational support to grow and make their communities a better space. I’ve seen local food systems and entrepreneurial efforts grow in tandem, the intersection of clean energy and affordable housing, and the development of programs that foster safe and welcoming spaces for all individuals who might call our Southeast communities home. 

"I liked the idea of being more involved across my entire region, not just Rochester. I wanted the opportunity to introduce resources to community groups in need." — Lauren Jensen

What’s one RSDP project that has been especially meaningful to you?

I enjoyed our project in Northfield, Hillcrest Village. For too long, housing development has focused on the cheapest way to build a home. That approach overlooks the health of the homes and the broader elements of true affordability. I love that RSDP helped Hillcrest Village to create net-zero affordable housing. It’s a prime example of innovation, as it was the first housing development of its kind in the nation. The learnings have spread, and the next iteration of net-zero affordable housing has broken ground in Rochester!