Leave it all on the field with the ACES Associate Board
The ACES Associate Board is a passionate team of young professionals championing ACES’s mission to close the academic opportunity gap and empower middle school students to succeed in school, in their community, and beyond.
As key ambassadors for the organization, members play a key role in expanding our community of supporters, leading high-impact initiatives, and developing as future changemakers. It’s a dynamic way to give back to our community, grow professionally, and help ACES go the distance.
The Associate Board meets on a quarterly basis and organizes several community-building and fundraising events per year to expand ACES’s reach and cultivate new supporters.
Associate Board members also engage more intentionally through one of three subcommittees, each designed to match a range of skills and interests:
Events Subcommittee: The Event Subcommittee plans and hosts creative, mission-driven events that raise awareness and rally support for ACES programming. Two of the Event Subcommittee’s key events are their annual Pints for a Purpose and Tacos and Trivia for Minnesota students.
Development Subcommittee: The Development Subcommittee focuses on fundraising strategy and donor engagement, helping ACES build sustainable support and reaching new champions for our cause. The Development Subcommittee helps support ACES’s Give to the Max Day campaign each year and has been an integral part of the All-Star Evening silent auction.
Community, Culture and Visibility Subcommittee (CCV): The CCV Subcommittee helps shape the culture of the Associate Board and creates fun and engaging ways for the Associate Board to connect with each other, the community, and ACES students. In addition to planning team-building events, they have organized professional development opportunities and volunteer activities with ACES youth.
Interested in joining the Associate Board?
Are you a passionate young professional looking to make a positive impact in your community? You’ve come to the right place – applications for the 2025-26 ACES Associate Board are now open until July 15th!
2024-25 Associate Board
Will Phelps
Bernstein Private Wealth Management
Adam Pribyl
SportsEngine / NBC Sports NEXT
Megs Pulvermacher
MCP Consulting LLC
Jennifer Schultz
Concordia University - St. Paul
Ahmed Siddiqui
JPMorgan Chase
Alison Spencer
Travel Beyond
Tyler Parsons
Josh Ruffin, Chair
Minnesota Twins
Tyler David, Vice Chair
Equitable Advisors
Zach Cohen
The International School of Minnesota
Molly Hynes
SportsEngine / NBC Sports NEXT
Maria Jollie
Esko
Arthur Parens
Techstars
Missy Woelfel
JPMorgan Chase
Past Associate Board Events
The Associate Board supports the ACES mission in many creative ways! See below for examples of past Associate Board events that make a difference for Minnesota students.
May 2025: Tacos + Trivia for Minnesota Students!
Tacos and Trivia is an annual spring event organized and hosted by the Associate Board to bring more awareness of ACES and our mission to the larger Twin Cities Community. This event is strategically held in advance of our All-Star Evening gala to grow our reach among other young professionals.
In addition to a competitive game of pub-style trivia, guests can enter a free raffle for awesome prizes. Previous raffle items have included premium seats to a Twins game, a Timberwolves City Edition jersey, and a signed Danielle Hunter football. $1 per pint sold during the event is also donated to ACES.
PAST EVENT: Tacos & Trivia for Minnesota students! Thursday, May 1st at La Doña Cervecería (241 Fremont Ave N, Minneapolis, 55405)
November 2024: Pints for a Purpose
Tacos and Trivia is an event hosted each fall by the Associate Board at various taprooms across the Twin Cities. The taproom will donate $1 to ACES for each pint sold! This event kicks off the Associate Board event year and launches the start of our Give to the Max Day campaign.
The past two years, Pints for a Purpose has also acted as a watch party, allowing our supporters and guests the opportunity to cheer on one of our sports partners, the Minnesota Wild! Between periods, Associate Board members raffle off prizes including Minnesota United FC tickets, a Barrel Theory Beer Company gift basket, and signed CJ Ham Vikings swag.
PAST EVENT: Pints for a Purpose and Wild Watch Party! Thursday, November 14 at Barrel Theory (248 7th St E, St. Paul, 55101)
November 2023: Give to the Max Day
Each year, our Associate Board helps create a Give to the Max Day campaign to bring more awareness of the ACES mission and drive donations to our organization.
Every November is another opportunity to step off the sidelines with our Associate Board’s Give to the Max Day Challenge to help ALL students receive an all-star education.
Previous challenges have included friendly competitions between Michael Boxall and Matt Dumba or Nordy, TC Bear, and Viktor the Viking. It’s also a way for Associate Board members, ACES partners, and our students to share how ACES transformative programming has impacted their lives.
PAST EVENT: Give to the Max Day
2023 Mascot Challenge