Hanna Getachew-Kreusser

Tell us about your background.

I have over 25 years of nonprofit leadership experience including health and human services work for populations across the lifespan. I came to Face to Face in 2015 as the Director of Programs and was eventually promoted to the Director of Operations. In 2018, I was selected to be the Executive Director after a national search conducted by the Board of Directors. During my tenure, I have led the organization in focusing its work on health and economic equity for youth, which has brought stability and tremendous growth, enabling Face to Face to meet the rising needs of youth in the community.

I received her B.A in Psychology and International Business Management from Gustavus Adolphus College, and my M.A. in Behavioral Science/Counseling and Psychological Services from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota. I

currently serve on various boards including the Minnesota International NGO Network (MINN), the St. Paul and Ramsey Community Health Advisory Committee, and the WIB. I am also co-founder of a nonprofit that works to enrich African lives (R.E.A.L Inc.- Resources for Reaching African Lives). 

Share about your work at Face to Face.

Close your eyes and imagine an environment where all young people are valued for who they are and realize their potential. Is that a reality in your environment? At Face to Face, a nonprofit providing essential support for marginalized young people since 1972, that is our vision.

Our mission is to advance economic and health equity for youth while providing support, opportunities, and access to resources as they build on their strengths and achieve their aspirations.

Face to Face began as a volunteer-run walk-in crisis counseling and reproductive health clinic for youth and has grown to more than fifty full-time staff that provide wraparound services in six core areas, including a medical clinic. No other organization in Ramsey County provides the breadth of services for young people that we do, making us uniquely able to respond to the multiple challenges young people are navigating.

Face to Face supports youth ages 11-24 through six core service areas:

• Medical clinic including health education
• Mental health
• Housing
• Education and employment
• Youth justice
• Community programs

All services areas include comprehensive wraparound services, with a relational and principle-based approach.

What are some of the most significant employment challenges for young people today?

Starting from the word “young”, it implies the start of a life journey with no employability experience. The young people we serve face multiple challenges. The complexity of the trauma they face throughout their lives, including lack of stability such as housing, makes it hard to maintain employment and build work history and experience. When they secure employment, it is hard to maintain it with lack of transportation, childcare, etc. Another challenge is the lack of belief in their abilities to be successful let alone have a dream or goal for their future due to having to be in consistent survival mode.

Where do you see the most opportunities for young people looking to start a career?

It is an important time for employment opportunities for young people as employers are willing to train at entry-level jobs, have people grow in their companies and invest in young people for a mutually beneficial arrangement in this tight labor market.

Ramsey County supports the workforce program at Face to Face. It includes personal development training for career readiness and internship opportunities. It aims to increase young people’s self-awareness, improve their ability to manage emotions (an important skill for young people) and enhance their overall sense of overcoming obstacles, gain fulfillment and satisfaction in life.

This self-awareness is essential for career success. It enables young people to make informed decisions about their career paths and goals. For example, young people aware of their strengths and weaknesses may be better equipped to choose a career that aligns with their strengths and allows them to work on their growth areas. The vocational, trade and credential programs (healthcare, transportation, IT, manufacturing) are also opportunities for young people to start their careers.

At Face to Face, we believe in valuing all young people for who they are and providing them access and opportunities to build on their strengths and realize their potential.