MAKING WISHES WI TH BILLI JO ZIELINSKI

By Jill N. Kandel

Photography by Jill Ockhardt

Born in Redfield, SD, Zielinski participated in everything she could from music and theater to sports and volunteering. "My grandparents inspired me to be civic-minded and to create the kind of community I wanted to live in," Zielinski said. She moved to Fargo, graduated with a political science degree, and worked for a steel company while learning the fundamentals of small business. "I always enjoyed volunteer work," Zielinski said, "and became a Big Sister through the Big Brother Big Sister Program. I also helped the League of Women Voters and other causes. I was invited to be part of Project Tomorrow to envision what the FM area could be like by 2010. Later, I was recruited to become part of the implementation process of all the wonderful things that had been planned."

Zielinski married Marc in 1996 and the couple decided they wanted to experience the ultimate volunteer opportunity and applied for the Peace Corps. "We signed up for a twenty-seven month tour and were accepted to go to Turkmenistan to work in business development." About half way through their Peace Corps assignment, the Twin Towers in NYC were attacked on 9/11. Zielinski and her husband were evacuated back to the United States. "It was difficult," Zielinski said, "We were immersed in the language and life of Turkmenistan and were pulled out very quickly."

The couple moved to St. Paul where Zielinski worked for the Minnesota Legislature and Governor Pawlenty's transition team. When Marc got a job in Washington, D.C., Zielinski worked briefly for Congressman Jim Ramstad. "I worked right in the halls of Congress," Zielinski said. "It was great! We were in D.C. six and a half years. Serving as Governor Pawlenty's Deputy Director of Federal Affairs covering issues from health to education to military affairs comprised the bulk of my career there. Both our children were born in our nation's capital: our son Aurek and our daughter Ruby."