Be Bold UND Women in Leadership Summit
This conference will provide a thought-provoking discussion regarding women in leadership and inspire us all to be bold and become a fearless, determined, leader.
2024 Be Bold | Thursday, April 11
UND Memorial Union/Small Ballroom
A panel discussion of distinguished UND alumnae and distinguished leaders will kickoff the event, followed by a luncheon and fireside chat with Dean Amy Henley and Jill Sando, Executive Vice President and Chief Merchandising Officer for Apparel and Accessories, Home & Hardlines for Target.
Schedule
11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Panel Discussion/Luncheon/Fireside Chat
*This event is invitation based - RSVP required event.
Hultberg Panelists
Julie Fedorchak, Commissioner of the ND Public Service Commission
Julie Fedorchak has served on the Commission since 2013. She heads the pipeline, electric transmission and energy conversion siting; gas economic regulation, railroad safety and regulation portfolios and is the state’s liaison to the Midwest Independent System Operator (MISO) and the Organization of MISO states (OMS).
Julie is currently the President of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC). She serves on the advisory board for the Electric Power Research Institute. Julie has held numerous leadership roles including president of the Organization of MISO States (OMS), vice-chair of the NARUC Gas Committee and vice president of the Gas Technology Institute’s advisory board. She is a member of the Aspen Institute’s Rodel Class of 2015.
A North Dakota native, Julie was appointed to the Public Service Commission in December 2012 by Gov. Jack Dalrymple. She was confirmed by voters in 2014 and was elected to a full six-year term in 2016 and again in 2022.
Julie is a strong voice regionally and nationally for a sustainable transition of the electricity industry. She advocates that utilities, policy makers and regulators must maintain the reliability and affordability of the U.S. power grid, which is the backbone of our society. In North Dakota, she developed and received legislative approval for a state rail safety program, pushed for innovative ways to connect rural areas to natural gas service and led efforts to enhance the Commission’s pipeline reclamation program. She has led the Commission’s siting portfolio for more than a decade and has overseen the permitting of more than $10 billion of investments. In this process, Julie helps oversee a transparent process that invites public input, provides regulatory certainty and mitigates landowner concerns, safety risks and long-term environmental, historic and cultural impacts.
Julie graduated with honors from the University of North Dakota. She is married to Mike Fedorchak of Minot and they have three children. Julie is a trustee for the University of Mary, a volunteer for her local homeless shelter and enjoys many hobbies including golfing, entertaining, swimming and reading.
Kristi Hall-Jiran, Executive Vice President & Chief Philanthropy & Partnership Officer at Altru Health System
Kristi Hall-Jiran serves as Executive Vice-President and Chief Philanthropy and Partnership Officer at Altru Health System in Grand Forks, where she is passionate about the power of generosity and authentic partnerships to heal our communities.
Kristi leads region-wide philanthropic and partnership strategies, bringing together like-minded organizations to transform the health and wellness of our residents. Prior to joining Altru, Kristi served as President/CEO of the Community Violence Intervention Center (CVIC) in Grand Forks, where her leadership paved the way for the development of the Safer Tomorrows Road Map, a bold vision to ultimately end violence in the Grand Forks community in two generations.
Kristi has served in many leadership roles throughout the community and is known for her collaborative and visionary leadership style. Kristi and her husband, Brent, live in Grand Forks and are parents to three adult daughters.
Sarah Horak, Co-Owner and CFO of three hospitality businesses in Grand Forks & Founder of Real Good Cookies
Sarah Horak is the Co-Owner and Chief Financial Officer of three hospitality businesses in downtown Grand Forks, including Brick & Barley, O’Really’s and Level 10.
Sarah’s latest venture, Real Good Cookies, was born during the height of COVID during a professional pivot. As an online only company, Real Good Cookies has continued to grow through online direct to customer sales, fundraisers and wholesale partners.
Although extremely numbers, budgets, and spreadsheets focused, Sarah also works with their management team to design, plan and execute projects, events, and promotions and also acts as an adviser to management with topics relating to human resources, marketing, vendor outreach and communications, and general operations. Her time spent serving as an Analyst in the ND Air National Guard taught her about the importance of accurate number and data entry and how crucial a spreadsheet full of information can be to overall mission success, so the majority of her workload includes financial analysis and working with their management team to communicate goals and necessary milestones for the businesses.
Sarah was a founding board member of the Grand Forks Downtown Development Association, formed in 2013, which advocates for the needs of the Grand Forks-East Grand Forks downtown area. She served as Treasurer for the first four years of the organization, creating the proper financial policies and controls to ensure financial security before serving as President and Past-President. She currently continues to serve the GFDDA as their Accountant.
Sarah resides in Grand Forks with her husband, Nick, and their kids, Avery, Will, and Norah. In her free time, she loves to bake in a quiet kitchen, read books anyplace warm and enjoy a hot cup of coffee...anywhere.
Panel Moderator
Mary Fischer, Director of Sponsorships, UnitedHealth Group
Mary Fischer is Director of Sponsorships for UnitedHealth Group. In her role, Mary is responsible for developing and leveraging strategic partnerships to facilitate business growth and brand advancement. She has provided strategic oversight for hundreds of sponsorships and enjoys being able to combine her love of sports with her business expertise.
Mary serves on the board of Sports Minneapolis and has served on the Nistler College of Business & Public Administration Advisory Council. In addition, she mentors UND students and is an avid cyclist. She earned a Bachelor’s of Business Administration degree from the University of North Dakota and an MBA from the University of St.Thomas in Minneapolis.
Keynote Speaker
Jill Sando, Executive Vice President and Chief Merchandising Officer for Apparel & Accessories, Home & Hardlines for Target
Jill Sando is the executive vice president and chief merchandising officer of apparel & accessories, home and hardlines, and a member of Target’s leadership team. Jill is responsible for all buying across the company's discretionary categories. She also oversees the product design and packaging team, bringing an eye for trend and curation, while anticipating guests’ needs across Target’s assortment.
Jill joined Target in 1997 as an associate buyer and has held roles throughout merchandising, planning, and product design & development. In recent years, Jill has played a critical role in reimagining Target’s multi-billion-dollar owned brand portfolio and revamping the company’s affordability strategy, with a strong focus on delivering the kind of affordable joy that differentiates Target.
Prior to joining Target, Jill started her retail career with Younkers department store in Des Moines, Iowa. Jill received her bachelor’s degree in marketing and communications from the University of North Dakota.