The Northwest Minnesota Foundation has announced the appointment of three new members to its Board of Directors, including Bemidji State Alumna and adjunct faculty member Alisha Everwind.

Everwind, who currently teaches at Bemidji State University, has a long history of leadership in Indigenous and regional organizations. She previously served as chief operating officer of Red Lake Incorporated and vice president of operations at the Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center.

“I’ve always appreciated NMF’s approach to supporting the necessary services and growth of our communities,” Everwind said in a news release.

“My heart recognizes that my cultural community is based in both Obaashiing (Ponemah) and Red Lake as they are the communities my ancestors have left for me and my family to call home, even if it is not our place of residence.”

Everwind began her work as an adjunct professor at Bemidji State University in the spring of 2022 with an online course. She followed that with in-person courses in the fall of 2024 and is currently in her third semester of teaching.

“In the fall I taught Indigenous business accounting one and two,” she said. “This spring I am currently teaching financial literacy.”

As a Bemidji State alumna, Everwind said returning to the university in a teaching role has been a meaningful experience.

“The nice thing about having been a BSU student myself, a lot of the same faculty that taught me is still at the institution and they’re around to help give me advice when I need it now with being an adjunct professor,” she said. “That’s probably my favorite part, just getting to reconnect with everybody on campus.”

Everwind said she sees her new role on the board as a way to give back and elevate underrepresented voices from her home region.

“My goals for serving on this board are multifaceted. Growing up in Kelliher, we don’t really have a lot of members from our area that are engaged on the board and it just felt like the perfect opportunity for me to give back to the communities that mean a lot to me and speak up for a small community that doesn’t get seen very often,” she said.

“I like to be engaged and feel like I’m giving back so I definitely stay busy. I have my professional career, my job as an adjunct professor and now I’m happy to be serving on the Northwest Minnesota Foundation board as well.”