SESSION 3: Don't Let Your Zip Code Determine Your Life Span​
This session dug into how geography, race, and income intersect to shape health and business outcomes. It highlighted systemic barriers that make it harder to thrive and showcased how equity and place-based investment can make all the difference. We explored how business ownership and entrepreneurship can be powerful tools for healing, liberation, and community transformation—especially for those navigating economic stress, food insecurity, and burnout.
Thank you to those who joined NEON’s President, Warren McLean, on the panel as prominent leaders in the health community, including:
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Bukata Hayes, Chief Community Health Officer, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Minnesota
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Dr. Myriam Roby, Health Equity Clinical Outcomes Director, Hennepin Healthcare
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Kimberly Spates, CEO, NorthPoint Health & Wellness Center
Bukata Hayes is a respected community leader, strategist, and equity advocate whose work focuses on expanding economic opportunity and advancing systems change across the Twin Cities region. He currently serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer at Greater MSP, where he leads regional efforts to ensure inclusive growth, equitable access to opportunity, and shared prosperity. In this role, Hayes works across sectors to align business, government, and community partners around strategies that center equity as a driver of long-term regional success.
Prior to joining Greater MSP, Hayes spent many years in public service with the City of Minneapolis, including serving as Director of the Minneapolis Employment and Training Program (METP), where he oversaw workforce development initiatives connecting residents to meaningful employment and career pathways. Throughout his career, Hayes has been known as a thoughtful connector and collaborative leader, bringing together stakeholders to address complex challenges with practical, people-centered solutions. Guided by a deep commitment to service and accountability, he continues to play a key role in shaping inclusive economic outcomes for communities across the region.
Kimberly Spates is the Chief Executive Officer of NorthPoint Health & Wellness Center, a federally qualified health center serving over 30,000 residents in North Minneapolis and Hennepin County. Established in 1968, NorthPoint provides comprehensive medical, dental, behavioral health, pharmacy, radiology, laboratory, and human services.
Ms. Spates embodies a two-decade commitment to community wellness through culturally responsive programs and whole-person care. As the former NorthPoint Human Services Chief Operations Officer, Ms. Spates managed an annual $12 million budget to serve 15,000 individuals, specializing in integrated health and human services. Her strategic leadership and collaborative spirit have driven impactful policy development and program improvements.
Her expertise lies in implementing innovative solutions while maintaining effective communication and fostering relationships across organizations, with the community and external stakeholders. Ms. Spates is dedicated to building impactful internal and external relations leading to organizational growth.
Adept at managing funding initiatives, she orchestrated over $2 million in American Rescue Act housing assistance. Prior to NorthPoint, Kimberly’s tenure at Hennepin County showcased her visionary leadership, fostering high school graduation rate improvements for youth of color.
Ms. Spates has previously served on community boards, including Restorative Justice Community Action, Alliance Housing, the Council of Minnesotans of African Heritage, and The Bridge for Youth. She volunteers in the community through mentoring and coaching the Minnesota Diamond Elite girls’ basketball team. Ms. Spates is also a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., and a recent recipient of the Sons of Bransford Community Award. Additionally, she serves on the Minnesota Integrated Care for Early Childhood Initiative Advisory Committee and the North Memorial Community Engagement Advisory Team.
Ms. Spates holds a Master of Public Administration from Metropolitan State University and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Texas A&M University-Commerce.
Dr. Myriam Roby is a healthcare provider that has over 20 years of experience in primary and urgent care, occupational medicine, critical care, and now as a hospitalist. In August 2023, she became the Health Equity Clinical Outcomes Director at Hennepin Healthcare, focusing on improving health equity metrics across the organization. Her leadership journey, which began unexpectedly, grew from community volunteering to creating events which focused on closing disparity gaps in communities of color.
Leadership is about empowerment, collaboration, and creating growth opportunities. It’s not about authority but inspiring others to make a positive impact. Serving as a board director for organizations like YouthPrise, Phyllis Wheatley Community Center, NEON, and the African American Leadership Council has shaped my understanding of leadership as a tool for addressing inequities and empowering communities.
Dr. Roby has an insatiable pursuit of knowledge and is committed to lifelong learning, as demonstrated by her educational progression. From obtaining her Associates and then her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from Metropolitan State University, followed by a Master of Science in Family Nurse Practitioner from Georgetown University to her completion of her Doctor of Nursing Practice from St. Catherine University. In addition, she has obtained several certificates to enhance her practice, such as Fundamentals in Critical Care Support, Licensed, Qualified Administrator of the Intercultural Development Inventory, and Reducing Racial Disparities in Healthcare certificate from Harvard University.
She enjoys working out, community service, reading, participating in church activities, and being a mom to her eighteen-year-old daughter.
SESSION 2: Commitment to Investing in North Minneapolis​
Thank you to those who attended the second session of the NEON Community Conversation 6.0 series focusing on the Commitment to Investing in North Minneapolis! It was inspiring to gather with passionate entrepreneurs, community members, and supporters to celebrate and discuss the exciting transformation taking place on the Northside. Your continued support of NEON and our work helps make this happen!​​​
Greg Cunningham is Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Community Impact and Inclusion Officer for U.S. Bank and a member of the bank’s managing committee. Since joining U.S. Bank in 2015, he has held several leadership roles, including Vice President of Customer Engagement and Chief Diversity Officer, and now oversees inclusion, financial health, and community engagement efforts. Greg leads the U.S. Bank Access Commitment®, the company’s long-term strategy to help close the wealth gap through Access Business, Access Capital, Access Home, and Access Wealth, and serves as Chairman of the U.S. Bank Foundation Board. His work and thought leadership have been featured in national and global outlets such as Fortune, Bloomberg, USA Today, Harvard Business Review, and the Economist, earning him multiple honors including Ebony Magazine’s Power 100 and Twin Cities Business Magazine’s “Person of the Year.”
Before U.S. Bank, Greg spent 16 years at Target Corporation, where he led Lifestyle Marketing and played a key role in brand growth through cultural leadership, multicultural marketing, and major initiatives including Target’s expansion into Manhattan. He is widely regarded as a visionary and bridge builder, guided by his leadership philosophy that “it’s not about you; it’s about your team.” Outside of work, Greg serves on the National Board of Directors for the United Negro College Fund, is a member of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, and advises Commerce Ventures. A Pittsburgh native, he holds a bachelor’s degree from Clark Atlanta University and an MBA from Fordham University, and values time with his wife Jacqueline and their children, Myles and Whitney. His personal brand, “I Bring Life to Brands,” reflects his focus on inclusive growth through innovation.
Kiera Fernandez is the executive vice president and chief community and stakeholder engagement officer for Target. In her role, she leads teams responsible for the company’s external stakeholder engagement; community and philanthropic efforts, including the Target Foundation; and enables Target’s enterprise strategy through a sense of belonging. Kiera has extensive leadership experience across human resources, retail operations, process and project management, and large-scale frontline leader and team development.
Kiera started her career with the company in 2001, serving as an executive team leader at her store in Arizona. Throughout her more than two decades with the company, she has held a variety of human resources leadership roles in support of business areas from finance to operations, to global supply chain and logistics.
Kiera has served on the board of directors for the Greater Twin Cities United Way and the Institute for Corporate Productivity (i4cp). She’s also a member of the Executive Leadership Council (ELC). Additionally, Kiera is a certified yoga instructor and spends much of her free time teaching and practicing in the community.
Laura Oberst is an Executive Vice President and Vice Chair at Wells Fargo where she is actively involved in client engagement and strategic initiatives designed to support continuous improvement. She brings decades of experience building partnerships that fuel business growth and economic mobility.
Commercial Banking’s relationship-focused coverage businesses serve companies with annual sales generally between $25 million and $2 billion, while its specialized lending businesses deliver products to companies of all sizes. In addition to traditional lending products, Commercial Banking is a market leader in asset-based lending, equipment finance and leasing, global receivables and trade finance, floor plan finance, renewable energy, and environmental finance, and strategic capital investments.
Based across the U.S. and in Canada, the Commercial Banking coverage teams provide the full range of Wells Fargo’s services and capabilities to new and existing clients. Relationship and portfolio managers combine Wells Fargo’s strength with local, industry, and client segment expertise to provide customized solutions from lending and treasury management to investment banking and hedging alternatives to help clients achieve their goals.
Laura has held a series of progressive leadership roles throughout her 40 years with Wells Fargo. Most recently, she led the Central region team for Commercial Banking and prior to that led the Business Banking Group, which served more than 100,000 businesses with annual sales between $5 million to $50 million. Additionally, Laura has served in other leadership roles in Middle Market Banking and as a as a retail branch manager.
Laura earned her B.A. degree in business administration from North Dakota State University, and her accounting degree from Minnesota State University Moorhead.
She serves on the board of directors for the Greater MSP Economic Development Partnership, Minnesota State Chamber of Commerce, and Minnesota Business Partnership. Laura has also been actively involved in Minnesota Women’s Economic Roundtable and Minnesota Economic Club. She has been recognized and awarded the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal Women in Business; Finance and Commerce Top Women in Finance; and Twin Cities Business Notable Women in Commercial Banking.
SESSION 1: Northside Transformation from Drive Thru to Destination Northside
Thank you to those who attended the first session of the NEON Community Conversation 6.0 series focusing on the Northside Transformation: From Drive Thru to Destination Northside! The Conversation brought together more than 150 hardworking entrepreneurs, community members, and supporters with great discussion and networking. Your continued support of NEON and our work helps make this happen!
Serial entrepreneur Teto Wilson is the founder, owner, and barber at Wilson’s Image Barbers and Stylists. Through his business, Teto created a college scholarship program that has provided over $175,000 to roughly 40 African American Scholars from North Minneapolis. He serves as president and board chair at Wilson's Image College Scholarship. Teto also founded and coordinates Live Your Healthy Lyfe, an annual community health block party to promote physical and mental health, housing stability, and financial literacy. Teto's work encompasses needed community recovery for underserved and underrepresented Minneapolis communities; his barbershop serves as a community hub where he hosts community conversations with local leaders on education, healthcare, police-community relations, and more. For his community-focused work, Teto has received awards from Hope Project, Hawthorne Huddle, and Positive Image, among others, and recognition from leading Twin Cities business magazines. He is also among the 2024 Black Legacy Fellows, a fellowship co-created by the Pohlad Family Foundation and Cultural Wellness Center. Originally from Decatur, Illinois, Teto relocated to Minneapolis in 2000. In all aspects of his life the husband and father of four values human transformation over transactions.
Teto resides in and runs all of his businesses in North Minneapolis, where he has formed countless relationships with key community leaders and stakeholders. He bought the building which houses his barbershop at 2126 West Broadway Ave, which was his first efforts in commercial redevelopment. Recently, he purchased 328 West Broadway, formerly the 4th St. Saloon and has plans to extensively renovate the old building to convert it into a family friendly food-hall. Teto is an emerging developer, with plans to purchase and redevelop many more commercial buildings.
Adair Mosley has served as the Chief Executive Officer at the African American Leadership Forum since 2022, after a distinguished tenure as the president and CEO of Pillsbury United Communities. Adair is recognized as a passionate change-maker and relentless strategic innovator. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated radical and inclusive solutions to the community’s most urgent needs.
During Adair’s tenure at Pillsbury United, he moved the agency’s focus upstream – addressing multi-dimensional social issues. This led to over $3M in incremental funding to launch a community health partnership with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota, a policy department with the Kresge Foundation, and increased resources on narrative justice. In 2020, he launched Justice Built Communities, an equitable economic development corporation to prevent gentrification while prioritizing wealth creation in black and brown communities, securing $5M for its launch. In his time at Pillsbury, he also led a $7M capital campaign to build North Market, a grocery store that’s transforming food access in North Minneapolis. One of his career highlights was securing $1M in scholarship funds for the graduating class of 2022 at North High School (Minneapolis.)
Adair serves on the boards of the Women’s Foundation of MN and MinnPost and the Community Advisory Board for the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. In 2019, he was selected to represent the Twin Cities region at Harvard Business School’s Young American Leaders Program and named by Twin Cities Business Magazine as 100 People to Know in 2022. He has an Executive MSc in Cities from the London School of Economics, having previously attended the University of Minnesota and the University of Michigan’s Executive Leadership Institute. He earned a certificate in Human Centered Design at Stanford’s d.school.
Devean George is deeply committed to giving back to the communities that shaped him, with a long-standing focus on youth development, mentorship, and access to opportunity. Drawing from his own journey, he has consistently worked to empower young people through basketball clinics, educational outreach, and mentorship initiatives that emphasize discipline, confidence, and life skills beyond sports. His approach is rooted in showing up—being present, accessible, and intentional about creating safe spaces where kids feel seen and supported.
Beyond youth programming, George has been involved in community engagement efforts that promote education, wellness, and positive role models, particularly in underserved communities. Whether speaking with students, supporting local organizations, or mentoring the next generation of athletes and leaders, he prioritizes service over spotlight. His work reflects a belief that success carries responsibility—and that lasting impact is built not just through achievements, but through consistent investment in people and community.