Duluth Sister Cities International

Hanna Erpestad
Hanna Erpestad serves currently as Dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Lake Superior College. Prior to that, she was an English instructor at LSC for eight years. A native of Finland, Hanna also volunteers her services to individuals and non-profit organizations, serving as a translator, an interpreter, a language instructor, and a consultant.

Irina V. Haller, PHD
Irina moved to the United States from Russia in 1995. Together with her husband Edwin, she participated in medical and scientific exchanges between Petrozavodsk and Duluth since the early years of these programs. From the time of her first visit to the United States in 1991, she realized that despite differences, people in both countries have much in common; that much can be done through people-to-people communication. Since the late 90’s, Irina has been actively involved with the Duluth Sister Cities organization. She served as an interpreter, a host for international visitors, and was a member of Duluth’s official delegations to Petrozavodsk, Russia in 2003 and Ohara, Japan in 2005. Currently, Irina is a member of the Duluth/Petrozavodsk & Duluth/Ohara-Isumi City Sister City Committees; she also participates in the Peace Bell Japanese Garden project.

Dr. Haller is a Senior Research Scientist at the Division of Education and Research at the Duluth Clinic, SMDC Health System and an Assistant Professor at the University of Minnesota Medical School Duluth.

Bruce Hansen
A graduate of Augsburg College, St. Mary’s University, and The University of Minnesota, Bruce moved to Duluth following retirement from teaching in Minneapolis and from employment as a business agent with The Minneapolis Federation of Teachers. In Minneapolis, he participated in sister cities activities with its sister city, Uppsala, Sweden. Today, Bruce is Treasurer for the Board of Directors of Duluth Sister Cities International, and Co-Chair of the Duluth/Ohara-Isumi City Committee. He also volunteers at The Tweed Museum of Art, The Duluth Superior Sailing Association, and his church.

Peter Hedstrom
After 20 years in the Twin Cities, Peter Hedstrom and his family moved to Duluth in 2003. He is currently the Manager of the Commercial Banking Department at US Bank. As a native of Stockholm, Sweden, Peter has a strong interest in cross-cultural partnerships and global economic development and collaboration. Peter holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Bethel University and a Masters of Business Administration in Finance from University of St. Thomas. Peter serves on the boards of the United Way of Greater Duluth, the Area Partnership for Economic Expansion (APEX), and the Swedish-American Chamber of Commerce – MN. Peter enjoys traveling, skiing, coaching soccer, and spending time with his family.

Glenn Peterson
The current president of the Board of DSCI. Glenn is a retired music teacher from Duluth Public Schools. He grew up on farm in southwestern Minnesota and has always had an appreciation for gardening. He now owns and operates a local landscaping business. Glenn and his wife Erna have traveled extensively throughout the U.S. and the world since 1965. As their children were growing they planned summer trips and traveled as a family in all of the 48 contiguous states. (Since then Glenn and Erna have also traveled to Hawaii and Alaska.) Foreign travel has included trips to Europe, Scandinavia, Israel, Egypt, and China. Glenn has been an active member of Duluth Sister Cities since 1987. That year Växjö, Sweden became a Sister City of Duluth. Since Glenn’s father was born and grew up in that area of Sweden, this Sister City relationship holds a special interest. Other than Glenn’s family all of the other Peterson family live in Sweden. Glenn is also the current chair of the Duluth/Växjö Sister City Committee.

Cherie Sawinski
Currently advises international and study abroad students at the University of Wisconsin-Superior. Her interest in intercultural education began when she was a young child and received the book Four Ways of Being Human from a Peace Corps returnee. As life evolved she became active in international Scouting exchanges, AFS Intercultural Programs and international adoption. She is a graduate of the University of Minnesota and St. Mary’s University of Minnesota. Cherie serves as Vice President for the Board of Directors of Duluth Sister Cities International, Co-chair for the Open World Program, member of the Duluth/Petrozavodsk Sister City Committee, and is a member of the Cookbook Committee. She loves to host international dinners and is especially interested in developing regional collaborations to further citizen diplomacy.

Susan Stenerson
Susan is the Vice President for Strategic Development at Lake Superior College. She received her Master’s degree at UMD and her doctorate at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. She and her husband Mike enjoy international travel, having visited six foreign countries to date, with more to come. Their son’s participation in a 9-month exchange in Italy affirmed the invaluable experience intercultural education has for us all.

She joined the Board of Directors in 2001 and has served as the Treasurer and a member of the Thunder Bay committee.

Elizabeth (Liz) Taylor
Liz grew up a Canadian on the Canadian/United States border, as part of a Scottish immigrant family. At an early age she realized the importance of understandings between nations especially as she was encouraged by her politically active family to watch, discuss, and participate in activities and exchanges on both sides of the border. She has lived, studied, and worked in several parts of Canada, but has called Duluth home since 1978. Liz is retired from UMD, and currently a part-time employee at the Benedictine Health Center. She is actively involved in several civic, environmental, and charitable organizations, but her greatest love is learning about other cultures and religions. She has been fortunate to travel to many European countries and to house a Chinese foreign exchange student. Liz serves as Co-Chair of the Duluth/ThunderBay Sister City Committee.

Michelle Wiklund
A graduate of the College of St. Scholastica, she is employed as Vice President of Corporate Relations with Sansio, here in Duluth. Michelle serves as Secretary for the Board of Directors for Duluth Sister Cities International and a member of the Duluth/Växjö Sister City Committee. Past Board/Commission experience includes work in healthcare, higher education, private industry, and community involvement at the national, regional, and local levels. Michelle, husband Tim, and sons Jordan and Jared reside in Duluth.