Class of 2024 Legendary Women

Elissa Hansen

EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS

Associate of Arts with Honors, Central Lakes College, 1999

B.S. Business Admin, Northern Arizona University, 2001

MBA/Management Emphasis, NAU, 2002

Certified Exit Planning Advisor, Exit Planning Institute, 2020

Intercultural Development Inventory

Qualified Admin, 2020 ToP Facilitator, Institute of Cultural Affairs USA, 2019 Leadership Duluth graduate, 2012

Blandin Community Leadership Program graduate, 2009

Honors And Awards

2014 Mid-America Economic Development Council’s Annual Economic Development Awards, 1st place in its division for APEX’s Data Center Attraction Strategy

2013 Mid-America Economic Development Council’s Annual Economic Development Awards, 1st place in its division for APEX’s newsletter, The Pinnacle

2013 Economic Development Association of Minnesota Excellence in Economic Development Marketing Award for APEX’s Lake County Data Center Strategy

2013 Duluth News Tribune 20 Under 40

“To know is nothing at all; to imagine is everything.”

- Anatole France

Elissa Hansen (BHS 1997) with her “calm yet adventurous energy, quick wit and authenticity” is remembered by BHS classmate Lissa Waller as a strong female role model to look up to. “She helped me through a very difficult chapter in my life. Had it not been for her, I would not have felt empowered enough to use my voice.”

Currently, as President and CEO of The Northspan Group Incorporated of Duluth, Elissa invests her time creatively advancing others’ capabilities, facilitating tough conversations, moving organizations forward with action-oriented strategic planning models. She creates settings for meaningful communication that respects diverse perspectives, creates joint resolve, and inspires individual and group action. She leads the organization with more than 20 years of experience in business, community, organizational, and economic development across Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Elissa earned her undergraduate and Master’s degrees from Northern Arizona University. She is a Certified Exit Planning Advisor, an Intercultural Development Inventory Qualified Administrator, and a Certified Economic Development Finance Professional. She is a graduate of both the Leadership Duluth and Blandin Community Leadership programs. Elissa has been a board member or officer of over 30 organizations including Duluth City Council President and Duluth City Council Finance Chair. She has served as an Area Partnership for Economic Development (APEX) board member, Duluth Economic Development Authority Commissioner and served on the Duluth Mayor’s Economic Development Coalition.

Elissa has earned multiple awards including 2014 Mid-America Economic Development Council’s Annual Economic Development Awards first place for APEX’s Data Center Attraction Strategy. She has been honored as one of the Duluth News Tribune’s “20 under 40,” which celebrates professionals who are making a positive impact and working for change in the region.

Prior to her work at Northspan, Elissa was Managing Partner of Steam Creative Consulting and Director of Marketing and Business Development of Lake Superior Consulting. She was a NE MN SHIP Regional Coordinator for the Carlton-Cook-Lake-St. Louis Community Health Board and an Economic Development Specialist for the Brainerd Lakes Area Development Corporation.

In fact, Elissa began her business career even before her high school graduation, becoming the general and assistant manager of the Nisswa Country Store in Nisswa in 1994. She says, “I think the person who really helped to inspire the trajectory I am on right now was Sheila Haverkamp who I worked with at the Brainerd Lakes Area Economic Development Corporation (BLAEDC). Sheila’s passion for community and prosperity just completely fit my personal mission to unleash human passion. I now get to do that every day in my work at Northspan.” Her lifelong friend from BHS Lissa Waller concurs, “Elissa is truly deserving of being a Legendary Woman of Brainerd Public Schools.”