Rashmi Seneviratne, Executive Director
Rashmi Seneviratne has more than a decade of experience working for and with underserved communities. Growing up as an immigrant in a low-income household, Rashmi intimately understands the need and impact of programs such as Heart of Dance. Having previously served traumatized communities, Rashmi is looking forward to spreading joy and building relationships through dance! When not working or chasing down their 160-pound St. Bernards, Rashmi enjoys spending time with her husband and kids.
Andrea Mirenda, Cofounder and Program Director
Andrea has spent more than 30 years as a certified ballroom dance educator and is registered with the National Dance Council of America and USA Dance. She is an experienced choreographer, multi-studio owner, regional director, and competition and event organizer. Andrea coaches college dance teams and competes with students of all genders and ages in Pro-Am divisions. She also judges and emcees ballroom dance competitions and was the founding chairperson of the Gender Neutral Dancesport Committee of USA Dance, the national governing body of dance for the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee.
Sue Klaseus, Director of Development
With her extensive experience in executive leadership in both the private and nonprofit worlds, Sue brings to Heart of Dance a wealth of experience and knowledge to help bring the positive power of dance to communities across the Twin Cities and Minnesota. Sue has held roles as a senior executive in the financial services sector, resource and business development, external relations/institutional advancement and as a nonprofit consultant in strategic growth. Sue has shared her skills as a board member and community service volunteer for a number of nonprofit organizations locally, nationally and globally. She has been attracted to Heart of Dance ever since Ember Reichgott Junge and Andrea Mirenda co-founded Heart of Dance in 2014.
Janine Premil, Finance Director
Janine is a financial and accounting professional with experience in corporate accounting. She enjoyed competing as an amateur ballroom dancer for many years.
Carrie Sandgren, Operations Director
Carrie's corporate career included leading teams in project management, IT, and reservations. Since leaving the corporate world, she has worked on projects for several nonprofit organizations in the Twin Cities area. She enjoys social ballroom dancing including a former role as co-chair for a dance club in the Twin Cities area.
Kirstin Nelson, Program Outreach Coordinator, Teaching Artist, Educational Liaison
Kirstin is a recent transplant to Minnesota. Having been gifted dance in her youth, it is a passion of hers to ensure that all children have access to the arts. She is a dancer, actor, singer, choreographer and director with well over 200 credits to her name. Locally she has performed with the Guthrie Theatre, ShadowHorse Theatre, Pacific MidWest Ballet, Triple Threat Entertainment and many others. She directs and choreographs musical theatre in many venues and continues to expand and elevate her knowledge and skills with ongoing training.
Ella Boyer, Administrative Assistant, Teaching Artist, Educational Liaison
Ella is a graduate of Carleton College, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies and picked up minors in Dance and French. Through Carleton she explored a range of dance styles, from experimental to krump, but social dancing has always had a special place in her heart. She has danced ballroom competitively and socially for six years, and has taught social dance and west coast swing classes to college students for five. Outside the ballroom she enjoys studio art, downhill skiing, knitting, and baking pies.
