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Team Mindy

MINDY HORWITZ

Founder and CEO

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A St. Louis native, Mindy is married to a WashU alum and the mother of three children including one WashU grad. She has a BA in communications from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and her MSW from the Wurzweiler School of Social Work in New York. Mindy is passionate about this business, is an active volunteer, and is well-connected throughout the St. Louis community. She has worked in NYC, LA, and Minneapolis, and has a wealth of experience managing projects and people. Mindy excels at problem-solving, planning, execution, and organization but most importantly she thrives on making connections with people.

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Deena Samberg Shefsky

Hartford

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Deena Samberg Shefsky, mindyKNOWS Hartford

Deena is a Wash U grad where she earned her BA and she earned an MA in Education at University of Missouri in St. Louis. She was raised in New York and now resides in Hartford with her husband and two sons (one of whom is a UHart grad and is co-owner MK Hartford). Deena worked as the Hillel Director at UHart and at other non-profits and businesses in the Hartford area. She has also served as board member and co-president of the Foundation for West Hartford Public Schools.

 

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Jennifer Stringer

Northern Arizona University

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Jennifer Stringer, mindyKNOWS Norther Arizona University

Jennifer is an alumna of Northern Arizona University, where she earned a BS in Elementary Education. She and her husband, also an NAU alumni, are the proud parents of three children, including twins who are currently attending NAU. She understands firsthand the NAU experience from a parent’s perspective and is excited to help families support their Lumberjack. Jennifer is an active volunteer in the local schools and the Flagstaff community.

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Lisa Labaschin

Northwestern

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Lisa Labaschin, mindyKNOWS Northwestern

Lisa Labaschin was born in Chicago and is a lifelong Illinoisan. She received her B.S degree in Secondary English Education from Indiana University and a Master of Arts in Reading Education from Governors State University. She spent 10 years teaching at the high school level in both suburban Chicago Heights and in Lincolnshire, Illinois. More recently, she has spent the last 8 years teaching pre-kindergarten in Highland Park, Illinois. Lisa is a Wildcat supporter as her brother, nephew and niece are all NU graduates. Lisa currently lives in Riverwoods with her husband and is a proud mom and step-mom to 6 wonderful young adults who all reside in the Chicagoland area. She has been a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) for children in the Lake county region of Illinois for the past 2 years.

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Tara & Ron Banerjee

Penn State

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Tara & Ron Banerjee, mindyKNOWS Penn State

Tara and Ron are excited to partner with mindyKNOWS to offer a unique and much-needed service for Penn State University Park students. Understanding the challenges that college students face in balancing academics, extracurriculars, and daily life, they offer personalized support to ease the burden. Their services range from helping students with errands like grocery shopping to providing guidance on navigating university resources and local amenities. Tara and Ron aim to help students focus on their studies and personal growth while ensuring they have the practical support needed for a smooth college experience. Tara and Ron are both Penn State graduates and have two sons who attended Penn State. They are long-term residents of State College and well-connected members of the local community. Their professional backgrounds span from student affairs to financial services and they have extensive experience in the areas of Greek life, international student support, and performing and fine arts. Tara and Ron speak English and Bengali. We are! 

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Carrie Kaufman

Skidmore College

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Carrie Kaufman, mindyKNOWS Skidmore College

Carrie has been a Senior level leader with expertise in relationship management, problem solving, coaching/mentoring, and entrepreneurship. Carrie has a BA in Economics and Business from UCLA and an MBA from the Wharton School in marketing and Entrepreneurial management. She spent a 30 year career in Corporate strategy, Project Management, Operations, Business Development, Client Management, and Team Mentoring. In 2022 Carrie left her corporate career to spread her entrepreneurial wings. She is now bringing these skills to mindyKNOWS Skidmore so students and parents can obtain peace of mind while away at college.

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Gina Konwiser

UCLA

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Gina Konwiser, mindyKNOWS UCLA

A proud Bruin alum, Gina was born in Miami, FL and raised in Oakland, CA. She moved to Los Angeles to study Sociology at UCLA and after graduation worked as a case manager for teen parents, helping them access resources so that they could finish high school and learn valuable parenting skills. After meeting her husband and becoming a parent herself, Gina left the workforce and took on the job of full-time Mom.  With a son now a junior at  St. Andrews in Scotland, and a daughter who’s a senior in high school, Gina is excited to become a “Mindy” for UCLA families! 

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Katherine Osman

University of Florida- Gainesville

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Katherine Osman, mindyKNOWS University of Florida- Gainesville

Katherine Osman was born in Michigan, grew up in Canada, spent a year of college in Sweden, and lived in Saltillo, Mexico for three years, but has called Gainesville, Florida her home for over 20 years. She has been with Oak Hammock at the University of Florida since its inception and has risen to the position of Director of Community Services, a job she thoroughly enjoys.

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Laura Evans

University of Iowa

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"Aunt Laura" Evans, mindyKNOWS University of Iowa

As the heart and soul behind Mindy Knows Iowa, I am Aunt Laura, your local resource for all things support and guidance. Born and raised in Iowa, I carry the spirit of an Iowa farm girl with pride.

My journey in the park and recreation profession spans over two decades, where I managed and operated community recreation centers and aquatic facilities. The vibrant communities of Naperville and Hinsdale in the Chicago western suburbs witnessed my dedication to fostering recreational spaces for families and individuals alike.

But my roots called me back home to Iowa City, where I now proudly call home. Family, always at the center of my universe, brought me back to the Hawkeye State. As a devoted mom to one amazing son and an auntie to a multitude of nieces and nephews.

Beyond the realm of recreation, you might catch me indulging in my passions for antiquing and thrift store shopping, swimming, and biking. Walking around campus, you just might spot me with a dog or two with my local pet care business.

At Mindy Knows Iowa, I provide the support and resources you need to make your university experience unforgettable.

So, whether you're navigating the challenges of college life or simply looking for a friendly face, Aunt Laura is here for you. Let's make your time at Iowa City truly extraordinary together!

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Beth & Joe Davidson

University of Southern California

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Beth and Joe Davidson, mindyKNOWS University of Southern California

Joe and Beth have been Angelenos since 2001 when they moved to Southern California from San Francisco. Joe is an artist and graduated from UMass Amherst and has an MFA from The San Francisco Art Institute. He has been an active member of the LA art scene for over two decades. Beth is a psychotherapist who specializes in working with young adults and teens. She is a graduate of the London School of Economics, Harvard Law School and the University of San Francisco. They have two college age kids in college, one at Wash U and one at Colorado College. They are incredibly excited to help USC students get to know this amazing city and to make sure they have a helping hand while at USC.

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Sally & Daron Lenzendorf

University of Wisconsin-Madison

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Sally & Daron Lenzendorf, mindyKNOWS University of Wisconsin-Madison

Excited to partner as a local husband-and-wife team, Sally and Daron are a dedicated University of Wisconsin family with deep roots and many personal and professional connections right in Madison. Their experience spans healthcare, real estate, hospitality, and raising five young adult children. Sally is a Chief Nursing Officer with over three decades of care coordination and operations experience. She has her doctorate in nursing practice and teaches executive leadership and quality improvement to both undergrad and graduate students. Daron, a UW Madison Alum, excels as a real estate agent with his own brokerage. They have been proudly hosting families from out of state at their midcentury modern vacation rentals near Devil's Lake State Park since 2019. With children attending UW Madison and thriving careers, they understand the importance of local support, especially in challenging times. Daron especially champions the MindyKNOWS mission as he experienced the essential support of a host family while attending the Naval Academy in Annapolis straight out of high school. They are excited to ensure students, parents, siblings, and extended families settle into Madison. Count on them to connect you and your Badger with anything you might need. On, Wisconsin!

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Our Operations Team

Shari Brooks

Marketing

Shari Brooks, Marketing

Shari is a Wash U alum who lives in NYC with her husband. She has two children in college - one is a senior at Wash U! Shari spent 15 years in the TV industry as a marketing guru at MTV Networks. In addition to freelance writing, she authored the award-winning food blog “My Judy the Foodie”, and co-founded Bake it Happen, a national fundraising campaign that has raised over $750k for Metastatic Breast Cancer research. Shari serves on the board of Concerts in Motion and volunteers extensively in her community.

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Karen Smoller

Finance

Karen Smoller, Finance

Karen is a CPA who grew up in Phoenix, AZ and graduated from Wash U in 1989. After graduation she began her career in STL and met her husband, and has lived here ever since. She is currently a part time tax manager at a top nationally ranked accounting firm. Karen is the mom of two college graduates, both of whom have continued on to graduate school, and is a master of all things business and organization. She serves on multiple boards in town and volunteers extensively in the St. Louis community.

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Leslie Zacks

Strategy

Karen Smoller, Finance

Leslie Zacks brings two decades of technology strategy experience to her role as Head of Strategy for mindyKNOWS. After having established her product management methodology in the trenches of Silicon Valley in the early 2000’s, Leslie made the leap to healthcare with product leadership roles focused on portfolio management, innovation pipeline development, new product development and commercialization. But it was between 2018 and 2022 when Leslie was living on campus at Washington University with her children and faculty member husband when she started to gravitate away from Corporate life to something closer to her heart. After consulting with Mindy and her business for several years, Leslie officially joined as a member of the leadership team in 2023. With Mindy, she focuses on corporate strategy, revenue expansion, and product development. Now the mother of two Washington University students and one dog who believes she is going to be the third, Leslie and her family currently live off campus and enjoy campus life from several blocks away. Leslie is a graduate of the Interlochen Arts Academy boarding school where she studied music, and is a member of Northwestern University Class of '93.

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Susie Rubin

Super Mom

Susie Rubin, Super Mom

Susie joined the mindyKNOWS team as a Super Mom. Susie is a St Louis native who lives steps from campus. Susie has a Masters in Clinical Psychology and a BS in Dietetics. Susie enjoys making connections with our families and is spontaneous, charismatic, and incredibly caring. Susie is the proud mom of a college student and a high school senior, and wife of a retired WashU Radiologist.

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Amanda Kravitz

Intern

Amanda Kravitz, Intern

Amanda is a fourth year student at WashU in the college of Arts & Sciences, studying psychology and marketing. Amanda hails from Boston, Massachusetts and has a food blog on Instagram known as @bostonfoodjunkie. She’s passionate about the services mindyKNOWS offers students and is excited to serve as the company’s intern this year!

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