Our Team
CEO & President
Amanda Sappa joined the CIS-TC team as CEO in January 2019. She has over 20 years’ experience in youth program development and nonprofit administration. She is passionate about designing programs that help youth succeed in every aspect of their lives. Amanda earned her Master of Public and Nonprofit Administration from Metropolitan State University in St. Paul MN in 2013. She is a lifelong resident of Richfield MN, a devoted wife and mother, and enjoys travel and photography in her spare time.
Program Director
Kel has been with CIS since 2020. She graduated from Bethel University with a degree in Communications. She has worked with teens and communities through various nonprofits over the last seven years. She is deeply passionate about creating meaningful relationships with young people in order to help them succeed in school and life. Kel actively seeks out new and exciting ways to connect with young people. Whether she was leading a dirt bike restorative justice program, on a week-long Boundary Waters camping trip for teens who have experienced trauma or leading a youth voice community art cohort, she believes in the value of connection. Kel is excited to bring her passion for relationships to CIS and to see the powerful impact it can have on students and the Hastings community.
Development Director
Susan Yancura Pinon joined CIS in spring of 2026. She holds a bachelor’s degree in legal studies and obtained her graduate studies in nonprofit management from the University of Texas, Austin. She joined CIS with her own lived experience struggling through school to graduate and understands the importance of having resources for students often overseen in BIPOC communities.
Susan has worked with several Twin Cities nonprofits focused on community wellbeing and equity. She has also led development initiatives that secured funding from private foundations, government sources, and individual donors while building systems that strengthen long-term nonprofit growth.
Susan is originally from the East coast and now lives in White Bear Lake, where she enjoys gardening, and serves on several nonprofit boards in the Saint Paul area.
Kyna has over 20 years of experience working in the field of education in multiple facets. She is passionate about including diversity, equity and inclusion into learning experiences and received a Bachelor of Arts in Ethnic Studies from Mills College. She completed a Master of Jewish Education from Hebrew Union College and went on to serve as a senior educator for several summer camps. After that she taught English overseas living in Israel for 2 years. Kyna is excited to bring all of her experiences in education as a student advocate and support. She grew up in the Hamline-Midway Midway neighborhood blocks from Hamline Elementary and is a long time resident of St. Paul Newell Parks area. Kyna can’t wait to bring her passion and knowledge of her community into advocacy for students. Outside of work, you’ll find her in her yard gardening and walking around lakes within the metro.
Sarah graduated from Saint Louis University in 2020 with a Bachelor's degree in English and American Studies. In college, she focused on providing tutoring and mentoring to youth at a local homeless shelter and juvenile detention center in St. Louis. This ignited a desire to pursue a career in education focused on equity. After graduating during the pandemic, she tutored and mentored three students in Minneapolis at her own former middle school as they navigated distanced learning. This solidified her decision to join Teach for America in Kansas City, where she taught middle school English for two years and graduated with her Master's degree in Secondary Education. Sarah loved building relationships with students in her role as a teacher but felt disheartened and overwhelmed by the lack of support and resources provided to students, which led her to find a new career path focused specifically on providing this kind of support. She is passionate about pursuing equity in education by means of building strong relationships with students and partnerships with the community. Originally from Minneapolis, Sarah is excited to be back in Minnesota supporting students at Hastings High School.
We welcomed Lori to the team summer of 2026. Lori has spent the last 10 years in a variety of roles including Parent Volunteer Coordinator, Intervention teacher, classroom teacher for both 2nd and 5th grade and teaching art. She has taken on extra creative outlets like yearbook, graphic design and school apparel. Even though this will be her first job with a non-profit organization, she has served countless years as a volunteer in her local church group and enjoys being supportive of a great cause. She is excited to be at Justice Alan Page Elementary this year connecting with families and students.
She may be from Utah, but she has lived in Minnesota for the past 27 years. Lori resides in Maplewood and is a wife and a mother of four grown children. In her free time she likes to be creative, go to the movies and try new restaurants.
Originally from Saint Louis Missouri I relocated to Minneapolis after attending Iowa State where I studied Design. Upon moving to Minneapolis I served with City of Lakes AmeriCorps as a Youth Worker at Anwatin Middle School and Ella Baker Global Studies & Humanities Magnet School. Shortly after finishing my time with City of Lakes I became a Special Education Paraprofessional at Hiawatha Leadership Academies for a year and a half before becoming a Behavior Specialist for two years. Wanting to explore the arts more I left my school to join the Public Education Learning and Impact (PELI) department at the Walker Art Center where I supported teen programs for two years as the Youth Program Coordinator. I'm currently attending Augsburg to obtain my teaching license through the Black Men Teach Fellowship program.
Matt is excited to bring his experience to Hastings Middle School. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Iowa State University in 2011, and completed his Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) coursework at Eastern Washington University.
Matt returned to his home state after working for a K-12 Special Education program in Bellevue, WA for the past 11 years. He has held roles including Recreation Therapist and Behavior Intervention Specialist, and has trained across multiple evidence-based frameworks. In these positions, he has supported individuals with complex educational and behavioral needs, trained staff in effective intervention strategies, and developed systems that promote growth, resilience, and independence for both students and their families.
Whether working directly with students and families or professionals in special education and mental health settings, Matt’s goal remains the same: to illuminate pathways for meaningful, lasting growth. He believes that centering empathy in practice not only clarifies the most effective and ethical routes forward, but also strengthens the connections that make that growth possible.
Miya has been with CIS since 2023 and is excited to work with students at Murray Middle School. She graduated in 2021 with a dual degree in non-profit administration and intercultural studies and for the past 5 years she has worked with youth in various settings including after school and camp based environments. She is passionate about providing safe spaces for students to thrive and succeed in. She is eager to continue to impact the lives of the youth she works with and support her school staff. In her personal free time she loves to go out with her friends discovering new places to dine at in the metro area. She also enjoys spending quality time with her family.
Maley Bazaldua was born and raised in Texas and earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Texas at San Antonio. While in college, Maley discovered her passion for working with young people and underserved communities. Through that work, she saw firsthand how meaningful relationships and having a trusted adult can positively influence a student’s growth, confidence, and outlook on their future.
Before moving to Minnesota to be closer to family, Maley worked with Communities In Schools in Waco, Texas, giving her firsthand experience with the CIS model and its impact on students and families. She is excited to continue that work with Communities In Schools Twin Cities, helping students discover their “why,” connecting families with resources, and collaborating with the CIS team to help students grow and succeed.
Outside of work, Maley enjoys running and traveling, especially exploring different parts of Mexico whenever she gets the opportunity.