Dakota is a good listener who wants to truly understand what you are saying. He is consistent and makes sure programs and services run correctly. He is very dedicated to the Reach Program as the Executive Director. He has a genuine interest in people. He is a born leader that embraces and leads the mission to provide learning and leadership through youth-adult partnerships in Carlton County.

Vision: REACH envisions a community where every youth experiences a variety of positive and encouraging relationships that provide a sense of belonging and allows each youth the ability to achieve their full potential both individually and as members of the community. REACH provides opportunities with youth who are looking for youth-adult partnerships in their life, to foster self-esteem, build developmental relationships, and a sense of belonging within themselves, their families, their school, and our community.

The goal of our organization is to build protective factors in youth that will lead them to thrive in our community. Positive indicators include: increase attendance and participation in school, prosocial behavior and activities, or engaging in the community with peers and supportive adults. REACH personalizes each goal with each youth. REACH Program challenges youth to step outside their comfort zone, to build trust, and to share fears and successes with their peers and adult supporters. One of our goals for the upcoming year, is to create stronger developmental relationships and youth-adult partnerships in a mutually respectful and safe community. We will do this together through group programming, Students Offering Support (SOS) Program, Youth Advisory Board, and service-learning community projects. We are increasing group activities created and developed by REACH participants, which helps REACH to develop innovative programming that positively address youths’ challenges. REACH engages and motivates youth, encouraging them to discover their strengths within our community. REACH’s safe, respectful, and caring environment helps young people to discover they are resilient and that their future is hopeful.

Dakota, a life long Cloquet resident, graduated from UWS with a bachelors in Business Management and Marketing. His hobbies include tennis, golf, hunting, camping, 4-wheeling, watching movies and watching his boy play hockey. He likes trying his hand at cooking too. In his down time, Dakota likes traveling, especially to tropical locations. He has a Chocolate Lab – Australian Shepherd named Jax.Lastly and most importantly, he loves spending time and doing these hobbies with family and friends. Family isn’t always about blood, but someone you’d do anything for and they’d gladly return the favor, knowing that whatever happens, they will always be there.