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6 • arden hills notes • o ctober 2023 <br />Inside <br />Arden Hills, MN . 55112-5734 <br />ECR-WSS <br />PRST STD <br />U.S. Postage Paid <br />TWIN CITIES, MN <br />Permit #1710 <br />Rice Creek Commons (TCAAP) <br />THC/Cannabis Updates <br /> <br />Grand Openings <br />City News <br /> <br />Fall Cleanup Tips <br />Postal Customer <br />New City Staff <br />Meet Elena Fransen, Arden Hills' new Senior Planner. Elena is part of the Community <br />Development team reporting to Director Jessica Jagoe. <br />After growing up in Southwest Minneapolis, Elena attended Marquette University in Milwaukee. <br />After graduation, she did a five-year stint in Madison, working in software project management <br />and nonprofit volunteer services. Elena, her husband, and their two cats then moved to the Twin <br />Cities. Since moving back to Minnesota, she has earned a Master's degree in Urban and Regional <br />Planning at the University of Minnesota Humphrey School of Public Affairs. <br />Elena's passion for working with people and using her skills to support community-oriented <br />development led her to city planning as a career path. She enjoys digging into complex issues, <br />using creative problem-solving, and being a resource to those around her. <br />In addition to the beautiful natural environment and friendly people, Elena loves the great sense of history and curiosity <br />about Arden Hills within the community. "There is a lot of passion for what comes next in the City, and I am excited to <br />support what that next chapter holds for residents, businesses, and visitors," said Elena. <br />Luke Cardona joined the Arden Hills team in April as the Senior Communications Coordinator. <br />An Albert Lea native, he attended college at South Dakota State University, earning his degree in <br />Journalism and Mass Communications. He now lives in Fridley with his wife and their <br />two-year-old son. <br />A career that started in marketing agencies, startups, and tech, Luke also lent his marketing skills <br />to volunteer organizations like the Young Professionals of Minneapolis and Sigma Phi Epsilon. <br />His volunteer work for those groups led him to take his career in the direction of public service. <br />Before coming to Arden Hills, he led communications for the City of Fridley and the Minnesota <br />Chiefs of Police Association. <br /> <br />Luke says: "I love using my marketing and communications background for community-focused <br />initiatives. Arden Hills has a ton of engaged residents, and it's been great hearing from many of them already about <br />what they want to see in our City communications."