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About

History

CBT originally started in 2004 as a community tutoring provider working in underserved neighborhoods. We’re proud of what we’ve accomplished in youth education through the years, and look forward to broadening our scope now to also elevate employment and health outcomes in the communities we serve.

2004

Birth of CBTutors, which has provided more than 10,000 hours of free tutoring to students in underserved communities

2005

Achieved 501c3 status

2005

First official Board meeting with 10 young working professionals coming together

2006

Expansion from 1 to upwards of 5 different programming sites through partnership with the Chicago Park District

2007

Lead sponsor and driving force behind “The Raven,” a community festival held in Ravenswood Chicago to raise money for a new playground at Chase Park

2008

In partnership with the Chase Park Advisory Council and government leaders, CBT assisted in raising over $150,000 to renovate the playground at Chase Park

2009-2016

Programming continued in various Chicago Park District locations with area educational institutions including DePaul, Loyola University, University of Chicago, and University of Illinois at Chicago that provided volunteer tutors

2013

CBT expanded to Minneapolis with the launch of a Minneapolis Board of Directors and partnership with Minneapolis Park District

2015

CBT transitioned its partnership to the Boys and Girls Club of the Twin Cities

2018

CBT launched STEMscape to facilitate volunteer tutors from the University of Minnesota and Normandale Community College

2018

$400,000, 3-year grant awarded by Minnesota Department of Education and Economic Development to create a healthcare, STEM-oriented education program with Normandale Community College (NCC) and Medtronic.

2020

First meeting on Project North Star with key partners of Medtronic, NCC, CBOs, and leading health systems

2022

Community Building Tutors reimagined into Community Building Together to drive the Project North Star vision starting with the Community Health Worker role

NOW

CBT and a variety of public and private partners launch Project North Star

2022 FALL

First cohort of CHW students are recruited and begin classes at accredited Minnesota-based colleges

Board of directors and staff

Bart Phillips, Founder and Chairman of the Board

Healthcare Data Science Leader

Bart Phillips founded CBT in Chicago in 2004 driven by a belief that shaping our communities is a responsibility we all share and must act on. Bart was a tutor and Program Coordinator for the Chase Park site for the first 5 years and continues to be a periodic professional speaker as part of CBTs curriculum. With the successful launch of the Minneapolis branch complete Bart continues to focus on launching new programs and building larger-scale relationships. Professionally, Bart works in healthcare analytics and has held leadership roles in both small and large healthcare companies.

Liz Harris, Board Member

Owner, Early Risers Day School

Liz Harris has over nine years of corporate experience in investments and treasury operations. After her first son was born she left the corporate world to open up an in-home day school for children 6 months to 12 years old. She currently runs two in-home day schools and is looking to expand further. Liz believes every child deserves the best education and opportunities that can be offered.

Anna Baish, Board Member

Program Director
Anna is a graduate from the University of Minnesota with bachelor’s degrees in Political Science and Spanish. She began as a tutor for CBT and subsequently became a Volunteer Coordinator. She has held the position for 5 years and is planning to attend law school in the fall.

Lainey Ballinger, Board Member

Site Coordinator
Lainey is a freshman at the University of Minnesota hoping to pursue a business degree. She started off as a volunteer for CBT and now works as a Volunteer Coordinator. She is passionate in mentoring youth and creating positive environments for all people to thrive in.

Celia Witt, Board Member

Site Coordinator
Celia is a first year student at the University of Minnesota who hopes to major in Industrial and Systems Engineering. She started out as a volunteer with CBT her freshman year and has since transitioned into the role of Volunteer Coordinator.

Jay Sivasailam, Board Member

Founder & Principal Consultant, JMS Digital Collaborative

Jay Sivasailam is the founder of JMS Digital Collaborative, a boutique strategic consultancy specializing in helping organizations bridge the gap between their data and marketing strategies.  He received his B.A. in Philosophy from the University of Minnesota and his M.B.A. from Capella University. Jay has volunteered for a number of non-profit organizations as a tutor, mentor, and youth chess coach and is looking forward to helping CBT develop its Minneapolis branch.

Jim Polzin, Board Member

Professor, Normandale Community College

Jim has been a Computer Science and Math professor at Normandale since 1988, teaching a wide variety of computer and mathematics courses and has many years of industry experience. He has a B.A in Physics & Math and a Masters in Math & Computer Science from Minnesota State University, Mankato. He works with Normandale and CBT to connect volunteers for tutoring. Jim recognizes the value of foundational education in attaining a brighter future for our children and for our society.

Brian Lynch, Board Member

Financial & Operations Strategist

Brian is a mission-focused financial and operations strategist experienced in both the non-profit and public sectors.  He received his B.A. in Business Administration from the University of St. Thomas and his M.B.A. from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota.

"The future of every community lies in capturing the passion, imagination, and resources of its people."

- Ernesto Sirolli, Author

Advisors

Chris Manderfield

Assurance Manager, CliftonLarsonAllen LLP

Chris Manderfield is an original member of the CBT board and has served as the treasurer since its inception. Professionally, Chris works with health care organizations providing audit, tax, and consulting services to organizations which include community health centers, continuing care retirement communities, and skilled nursing facilities. Chris is a licensed certified public accountant in Illinois and received both his Bachelors of Science in Accountancy and Masters of Accounting Science from Northern Illinois University.

Casey Thompson

Advisor

Since 2004, Casey Thompson has been a leading brand influencer in the Twin Cities market, serving the communications needs of clients like UnitedHealthcare, Medtronic, Optum, Target, Ameriprise Financial, and the University of Minnesota. Currently, he is Chief Bold Officer at BoldMN, which is dedicated to pursuing a thorough, scientific-level understanding of a brand’s audience and developing bold solutions that help clients maximize their potential through a wide range of creative media. Applying his passion for supporting progressive nonprofits like CBT, Casey has helped guide the organization’s marketing efforts since 2017.  He was named an official advisor of the organization in 2020.

Sarah Roddis

Vice President of Customer Experience, United Healthcare

Sarah is a recent addition to CBT’s group of Advisors. She brings 20+ years of experience at Fortune 500 companies.  Throughout her career she has applied curiosity and passion to her work, developing a unique skill-set that balances both strategy and operations.  She has specialized in using data and insights to develop innovative consumer experiences, products, and approaches to consumer engagement while also driving the operations.  Currently, Sarah is a Vice President of Customer Experience at United Healthcare (UHC).  Prior to UHC Sarah spent 12 years at Target. Sarah is also committed to giving back to the community, particularly when it comes to helping others with access to better education and jobs. She has applied that passion as a volunteer at organizations such as The Junior League of Minneapolis, A Better Chance – Edina, and the Washington DC Literacy Foundation.  She holds her B.A. from the University of Virginia and an M.B.A from Vanderbilt University. 

Christina Engstrom

Christina is a recent addition to CBT, bringing a wide variety of healthcare-related experiences.  She has provided administrative management services in outpatient environments for Duke Hospital and Clinics, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and Dartmouth Medical Center. Most recently she graduated from the University of MN with a Master of Nursing and plans to continue building on her healthcare career. At CBT, Christina is focusing her effort on building relationships between our industry and academic partners to strengthen the Community Health Worker educational programs being offered through Project North Star.

Partners

Community Building Together takes a diverse and inclusive approach to forging partnerships capable of creating positive change. Already, we have established relationships with Fortune 50 companies, dedicated individuals, and every type of individual or organization in between.

This includes:

  • Community Educators
  • Healthcare Providers
  • Government Agencies
  • Faith-based Groups
  • Local Businesses
  • Hiring Organizations
  • Corporate Foundations
  • Nonprofit Foundations
  • Quality Research Firms
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About us

Community Building Together is a non-profit organization specializing in promoting better education, employment, and health to underserved communities in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota.

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Help us develop collaborative community programs that equalize opportunity for the underserved. Let’s build a better community together.

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© 2005 – 2024 • Community Building Together

Community Building Together is a 501c3 organization