Communication Advisory Board

Amanda Brennan
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As an Organizational Development Program Manager at Doosan Bobcat, Amanda Brannan loves the challenge of improving organizational performance through people-focused solutions, specifically team and leader effectiveness. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in PR & Advertising (now called Strategic Communication) at NDSU in 2014 and went on to graduate in 2016 with a master’s in Organizational Communication, also from NDSU. With deep roots in the learning and development world, she gains energy from problem solving, collaborating, and facilitating. Nearly a decade of experience in the talent development and learning space has given her the opportunity to be involved in many different types of projects, such as onboarding, talent management, executive leadership development, launching virtual learning campaigns, designing and delivering myriad leadership programs, and leadership coaching. In her free time, Amanda loves exploring the outdoors through camping and hiking with her husband, two small kids, and family dog.

Cody Harmon
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Cody Harmon is the owner and founder of Scratch Media - a production company based in West Fargo, ND. He spends his days creating inspiring and exhilarating videos and photography. His career was born locally, but raised around the world as his projects take place in North Dakota and across the nation. Since graduating from NDSU with a mass communications degree, he has accumulated nearly 20 years of videography experience. He has shot everything under the sun: Broadcast News. Weddings. Special Events. Commercials. Interviews. Agriculture. Aerials. Hospitality. Cody has held every role that exists in this biz, from cinematographer to graphic designer to director to editor and back again. He’s lucky to say he has found his passion and has been given the opportunity to follow it each and every day.

Katie Hasbargen
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Katie Hasbargen is employed by Microsoft and currently leads the Microsoft Dynamics 365 Fans and Technical Readiness team. She has served in many roles since joining Great Plains Software in 1998 and then Microsoft in 2001 via acquisition. She has been a global program manager, a product marketing manager, a product manager, and a strategic product communications manager and has run internal and external communications for Microsoft’s Fargo campus. Katie has a B.A. in Business Administration and Communication from Concordia College (Moorhead, MN) and a Ph.D. in Communication from North Dakota State University. She currently serves as a member of the NDSU Research Foundation Board of Directors, is President of Concordia College’s National Alumni Board, and sits on the Concordia College Board of Regents. Katie was born and raised in Fargo, ND.

Sean Kelly
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Sean Kelly serves as the Director of Internal Operations for the North Dakota Soybean Council (NDSC), where he is responsible for providing management, direction and administration of all aspects of the daily operations. In short, he serves as the behind-the-scenes leader, assisting the Executive Director in guiding NDSC’s day-to-day rhythm, by ensuring the team around him has the vision, structure, and resources needed to achieve organizational goals.

Prior to joining NDSC, Sean spent most of the previous 35 years in the video production industry. Most recently, he acted as a broadcast technical director for clients including ESPN, CBS, FOX, and others. Sean began his broadcast career at KVLY-TV in Fargo, where he began to develop both his leadership and technical skills.

Denise Kolpack
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While her parents were originally from this area, Denise was half of a pair of identical twins born on Norton Airforce Base in California after her dad enlisted and served in Vietnam and the Philippines. After the Airforce, both parents worked for the San Bernardino California Sheriff’s department before they headed back to North Dakota where her Dad became the Chief of Police for Northwood. This history gives Denise a great appreciation for all service families.

Denise’s family then moved to East Grand Forks, Minnesota where her Dad opened a gas and service station with his brothers and that is where Denise graduated high school.

Denise Kolpack won her first election in June, 2022, and has been serving as a Fargo City Commissioner since. She is a University of North Dakota graduate in Political Science and Public Relations. Upon graduation, she moved to Bismarck to work for the North Dakota Newspaper Association, later returning as their executive director after other jobs at a newspaper, an ad agency and also as the first executive director of the North Dakota Water Coalition.

It was Denise’s job with United Blood Services that moved her to Fargo, where she has lived for the past 20 years. For the last 15 years, she served as vice president of brand and marketing communications for Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota. Now, Denise is a recent retiree making it possible to hold public office for the first time in her career, a passion finally realized.

Denise’s family are all proud Fargo South Bruin graduates. Her husband, Dave Kolpack, works for the Associated Press and is in the Fargo South Hall of Fame. Her son, Andrew, and daughter-in-law, Siri, returned here after college at UND to set down roots in West Fargo.

Allison Weckman
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Allison Weckman is Program Manager for Community Engagement and Marketing for the FARMS; a National Science Foundation Engines program. She has a degree in Mass Communication from NDSU and has spent her career cultivating relationships to move organizations forward. Allison is married with two kids and a dog, and her hobbies include bowling league, reading and volunteering for various organizations.

Kimberly Wold Janke
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Kimberly is VP of Integration & Operations at Flint Group, where she drives organization-wide excellence through employee development initiatives and organizational structure, innovations and process assessments. With over 30 years of marketing communications experience, Kimberly previously served as VP of Client Services at Flint Group with a focus on healthcare and insurance. She has led award-winning campaigns, including a brand campaign that won the coveted Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Silver Anvil Award. Kimberly is a founding member of the NDSU Communications Advisory Board and has served in volunteer board leadership positions with the Make-A-Wish Foundation of ND, American Advertising Federation-Fargo Chapter and F-M Chamber Leadership program. She earned her bachelor’s degree in finance from Minnesota State University Moorhead and her master’s degree in business administration at North Dakota State University. Connect with Kimberly on LinkedIn.

Rylee Yakowicz
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Rylee Wznick is the Executive Administrator & Comms Manager for Microsoft’s Service Center organization. Since graduating with a Strategic Communications degree from NDSU in 2017, Rylee has had the opportunity to work in communications at a local and global level. Her current job with Microsoft sees her finding effective ways to streamline internal and external communications for her global team. Outside of work, she serves as the Chair for the Chamber's Women Connect committee where she helps to bring speakers to our community to further the development of professional women, and is now the President for NDSU CAB. Originally from Cavalier, North Dakota, she's grateful to call North Dakota "home" and plant roots in this community with her family!