Morrison Leadership Summit

Keynote Speaker

Marybeth Hays

Public + PE Board Member Advisor, Reckitt

Marybeth Hays enjoys a portfolio career following 25+ years in retail and consumer products. She is a member of public, private equity, and ESOP corporate boards:

1. Reckitt Benckiser  {LON: RKT}  the UK based $12B global provider of health, hygiene and nutrition brands (including Lysol, Mucinex, Enfamil and more)
2. Leapfrog Brands - houseware brands includiung Swig, Ello, Zulu
3. Decowraps - floral packaging
4. AMS Retail Solutions - store service and training

Marybeth stays closely connected to business challenges and customer trends through her consulting work. She is a senior advisor with Kearney since 2019, and works directly with clients through her company, Hays Advising. 

Marybeth is the former EVP of Consumables and Health & Wellness for Walmart US, an $85 billion portfolio with 65,000 associates. Prior to that, she was the (expat) Chief Merchandising, Marketing, and Supply Chain Officer for Walmart China and held additional executive P&L roles within Walmart US, Sam’s Club, Lowe’s Home Improvement, and Hanesbrands. 

She is a Trustee of Wake Forest University where she earned BA and MBA degrees, both with honors.  She and her husband Rick live between Winston-Salem NC and New York, NY.

Round Table Leaders

Tom Ford

County Administrator

Tom Ford Administrator Grand Forks County Ford serves as the Grand Forks County Administrator. He has been with the County for thirteen years. Ford is responsible to the Grand Forks County Commission for the daily administration of County affairs, counseling the Commission, and County departments in areas of administration, county internal and external affairs, policy, laws, and procedures. Ford represents the County with the United States Air Force and North Dakota National Guard, Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation (formerly OEA), federal, state, and local elected officials, and UND. Ford also manages, directs, and coordinates programs and activities for governmental relations, to include working with Federal and State legislative and executive officers, officers of local government and community groups. At the State level, Ford manages, directs, coordinates, and communicates the County’s legislative priorities/concerns prior to and during each North Dakota Legislative session. He also oversees the Grand Sky project on Grand Forks AFB, a 50-year Enhanced Use Lease partnership with the United States Air Force. Ford serves the community through various other activities such as Governor Armstrong’s North Dakota Military Commission, Grand Forks Region Base Retention & Investment Committee, Grand Forks Region Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors, Grand Forks Young Professionals Advisory Board, Chamber of Commerce Military Affairs Committee, UND’s Research Institute for Autonomous Systems’ Public Sector Board of Directors, and serves as President on the Association of Defense Communities Board of Directors. Ford graduated with a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of North Dakota. He currently resides in Grand Forks, ND with his wife, and son.

Nancy Pederson

Vice President of Finance and Operations, UND Alumni Association & Foundation

Nancy Pederson is Vice President of Finance & Operations for the University of North Dakota Alumni Association & Foundation (UNDAAF). She provides executive leadership for the organization’s financial and operational functions, including oversight of the Foundation’s endowment portfolio, organizational budgets, risk management, and compliance. In her role, she works closely with the Board of Directors, investment advisors, and University leadership to safeguard donor assets and align resources with UND’s mission.

In addition to her financial leadership, Nancy directs key operational areas such as, facilities, technology and information systems, ensuring organizational efficiency and a culture of accountability. She joined UNDAAF in 2006 as Controller after serving as Controller and HR Manager at Mayo Manufacturing and prior work as an accountant at Ecolab and a local accounting firm. She holds a Bachelor of Accountancy degree from the University of North Dakota and is a Certified Public Accountant.

An active community leader, Nancy has served as President of the Hatton Booster Club, the Grand Forks Chapter of CPAs, and the Northeastern Dakota Area Human Resource Association (NDAHRA). She has also contributed her expertise on numerous nonprofit and community boards, reflecting her commitment to advancing education and civic engagement.

Haley Rosaasen

Human Resource Manager, City of Grand Forks

Haley Rosaasen serves as a Human Resources Manager for the City of Grand Forks, bringing more than 12 years of experience. She specializes in employee relations, recruitment and retention, labor compliance, and organizational development. Throughout her career, Haley has led initiatives to strengthen workforce engagement, streamline HR processes, and support citywide goals through effective people management. Passionate about public service, she is dedicated to fostering a positive workplace culture and helping employees thrive in their careers with the City of Grand Forks. Haley lives in Grand Forks with her husband, Shawn who is a fellow UND alum and their two children Zoe and William.

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Gracie Lian, MPA

Project Coordinator, County of Grand Forks 

Gracie Lian, MPA, serves as a Project Coordinator for the County of Grand Forks, bringing expertise in managing complex public-sector projects that foster community and economic development. Since joining the county in 2022, she has overseen capital construction and public-private partnership projects valued at over $350 million. Gracie leads coordination efforts with diverse stakeholders, including local leaders, federal agencies, and the U.S. Air Force, ensuring seamless collaboration on key initiatives. 

In her role, Gracie also manages grant compliance and administration, including tracking American Rescue Plan Act expenditures and identifying new funding opportunities for the county and its nonprofit partners. She plays a critical role in advancing the county’s Enhanced Use Lease and Site Development Lease for the Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Business and Aviation Park, supporting regional innovation and growth. 

Gracie holds a Master of Public Administration and dual Bachelor of Arts degrees in Political Science and English from the University of North Dakota. She lives in Grand Forks and is passionate about leveraging her skills to help the community thrive through effective project management and strategic development. 

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Amy Sansaver

Corporate Marketing Manager

Amy Sansaver is the Corporate Marketing Manager at Edgewood Healthcare, a senior living and healthcare company with 65 locations across the midwest. Based at the corporate office, she oversees marketing strategy for all communities and healthcare divisions, including both traditional advertising and social media – from writing posts, crafting ads to obsessing over the perfect scroll stopping visuals. Amy leads the development and execution of marketing plans that elevate Edgewood’s mission while strengthening its presence in senior living and healthcare.

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Steve Moser

Score Member/Former Associate Dean of UND CoBPA

Steve Moser earned his Bachelor’s degree from North Dakota State University and his MBA and PhD in Business Administration from University of Cincinnati.  He worked at the University of North Dakota in the College of Business and Public Administration from 1990 until 2013.  He taught in the Management Department and went on to hold various administrative positions in the College.  From 2000 until 2013, he was the Associate Dean of the CoBPA.

Steve has been a SCORE member since April of 2015.  He served as chair of the GF SCORE group (2016 – 2019) and now helps each week with scheduling for clients and mentors.  He manages the SCORE – GF website as well as Facebook and Instagram pages.  He helps to publicize webinars that are part of the Business Builders (SBA Partners) series via Facebook, website, and Chamber calendar.  He is also active in UpNext, a group that invites entrepreneurs to appear at our monthly meetings to talk about their experiences.  Three years ago, he pushed to establish the Grand Awards.  We ask people to nominate entrepreneurs for awards in various categories.  This year we had a very successful event in which we gave out 6 awards at the Opal.   

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Brennen Bergdahl

CEO of Premier Wealth Management Group

Brennen Bergdahl joined the Premier Wealth Management Group in 2015, bringing a fresh perspective and the same dedication to the firm that his father had when he founded it in 1993. He first managed an office in Grand Forks before opening the Fargo office in 2020, expanding Premier’s reach to serve both rural communities and North Dakota’s largest metro area.

At the end of 2024, his father Brad retired, and Brennen became the CEO of Premier Wealth Management Group in 2025. This smooth transition was the result of intentional succession planning, ensuring Premier’s values, client relationships, and commitment to service continued seamlessly into the next generation.

Brennen was raised in Cando, ND and graduated from the University of North Dakota in 2015 with a Bachelor of Business While at UND, he served as Managing Director of Dakota Venture Group (DVG), a student-run venture capital fund, and spent time in Washington D.C. working with North Dakota’s Congressman Kevin Cramer. He later served as a board member for Edgewood REIT. Prior to graduating college, Brennen spent eight years working for a local farmer. 

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Alyssa Berhardt

Chief Development Officer for BIO Girls

Alyssa proudly received both her degree in Marketing and Masters degree in Higher Education from The University of North Dakota. As a student, she was highly involved in student activities and credits her time at UND for instilling a sense of confidence that has allowed her to take risks in her career. After graduating, She worked in higher ed for seven years (5 of which were at UND) before transitioning to a sales role for the last 8 years.

As a lifelong advocate for the development and growth of girls & women, the mission of BIO Girls, to improve the mental health of adolescent girls through self-empowerment & connection, deeply resonated with Alyssa. She joined the BIO Girls team in February 2025 as the Chief Development Officer. In this role, Alyssa leads the development team in fundraising strategy and efforts to advance the organization's mission and impact.

A proud North Dakotan, she calls West Fargo home. Her favorite moments are spent with her son, Hudson, and their mini Goldendoodle, Rex. When she’s not chasing after Huddy or doling out snacks, you’ll find her trying to keep her sourdough starter alive, organizing closets, laughing at memes in group texts with friends, spending time with her family, listening to podcasts, planning her next adventure, or squeezing in a workout.

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Alli Bauman

Technical Program Manager II

Alli, a 2018 alumna of the University of North Dakota, holds a degree in supply chain management. Currently, she serves as a Technical Program Manager at Amazon Web Services (AWS), specifically within the Infrastructure Security Organization. Her role involves delivering weekly security briefings to AWS Infrastructure Leadership. Before her current position, Alli worked as a Finance Manager supporting Alexa Advertising and prior to that Denver and Fargo Amazon Fulfillment centers. Her career with Amazon has taken her across the United States, with previous stints in Seattle and Denver. Prior to joining Amazon Alli lived in St. Paul and worked for 3M. Recently, Alli has returned to Minneapolis, settling back in her home state. Alli has a passion for giving back to UND students, and loves to mentor students through the Pancratz Center.

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James Lyght

Senior Vice President & Community Lending Executive

An award-winning banker, James leads the Empowerment Loan Program in the Minneapolis, Greater Minnesota, North Dakota and Western Wisconsin markets to enhance lending strategies and access to capital, with a focus on underserved communities. James has in experience in Wealth Management, Community and Commercial banking. Most recently, James served as a Vice President of Nonprofit and Commercial Lending at Bremer Bank, now a division of Old National Bank.

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Cassie Gerhardt

Senior Associate Vice President for Student Affairs

Cassie Gerhardt serves as UND’s Senior Associate Vice President for Student Affairs. A committed advocate for student success and personal development, Cassie’s work focuses on student development, orientation and transition programs, student support services, affinity building, and crisis response. She currently provides leadership and strategic vision for various departments and co-curricular initiatives that contribute to student engagement, belonging, well-being, retention, and leadership development. 

Cassie serves as a National Vice President for Alpha Chi Omega and previously served as President of the National Housing Corporation and as a member of the Board of Trustees. She is an engaged leader within NASPA – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education and was recently elected to serve on the 2026-2028 NASPA Board of Directors. In addition, Cassie is a member of the Make-A-Wish North Dakota Board of Directors Cassie is a proud two-time alumna of UND, where she earned bachelor’s degrees in political science and secondary education and later a Ph.D. in educational leadership. She also holds a master’s degree in counseling and student personnel from Oklahoma State University. 

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Michelle Schumacher, CPA

Chief Financial Officer, Stoneridge Software

Michelle Schumacher is the Chief Financial Officer at Stoneridge Software, a fast-growing Microsoft partner that sells and implements Microsoft business solutions. Over Michelle’s tenure at Stoneridge, the company has tripled in size and grown from regionally based to operating internationally as one of Microsoft’s 10 largest partners. In addition to her role on the Executive Leadership Team, she oversees the company’s Accounting, Financial Planning & Analysis, IT, People and Legal teams. Prior to Stoneridge, Michelle worked in both Corporate Accounting and the Cloud + Artificial Intelligence groups within Microsoft. She started her career in public accounting, at PwC and Eide Bailly. 

Michelle is actively involved in the CPA profession both nationally and globally, currently serving as a board member for the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants (Association). The Association board is comprised of American Institution of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) members and directs the strategic vision of both organizations, serving around 700k members, students and professionals. The combined effort of these two groups empowers the world’s most highly-skilled accountants – CPAs and CGMA designation holders – with the knowledge, insight and forethought to meet today’s demands and tomorrow’s challenges. In her role, Michelle works alongside other leaders in the accounting profession to execute and influence initiatives designed to advance both management and public accounting globally. 

Michelle has been involved with the AICPA since 2018 when she was selected to attend the AICPA Leadership Academy.  She served as the North Dakota designated Representative of Governing Council in 2022. She was also selected to the Board of Examiners which is a senior committee of the AICPA responsible for setting policy for the Uniform CPA Exam as well as the Board of Examiners Financial Oversight Group which is responsible for financial oversight of the Uniform CPA Exam. 

She is also active in the local community, having served on Boards for the North Dakota CPA Society (past President), Greater Fargo Moorhead Economic Development Corporation Growth Initiative Fund (past Board Chair), YWCA Cass Clay, Junior Achievement, the Fargo Moorhead CPA Society, along with the University of North Dakota Department of Accountancy Advisory Board.  Michelle is also a graduate of United Way’s 35 Under 35 Women’s Leadership Program, and a North Dakota CPA Exam Award winner, given to the top 3 scores in the state. 

When not solving the world’s accounting problems, she loves watching her two girls play volleyball, eating McDonalds, and shopping at Lululemon.