Over the past 108 years, the Junior League of Saint Paul has been instrumental in helping nonprofits start and sustain themselves. Established in 1917 by Saint Paul native Elizabeth Ames Jackson, the Junior League of Saint Paul was the 19th Junior League created following the inception of the first Junior League in New York City in 1901.

We were honored to be featured in a full issue of Ramsey County Historical Society publication in Spring 2017 to celebrate our 100 year anniversary.

Community Service Timeline

Throughout our history, we have engaged in many community service projects, independently and in collaboration with other organizations. The focus of these projects has changed with the evolving needs of the Saint Paul community. Our legacy of community impact includes the following initiatives:

• World War I Red Cross Relief Campaign 1917
• Children’s Hospital Association Free Bed Fund 1933
• Keystone Community Services, started by JLSP in 1938
• Saint Paul Rehabilitation Center (now Lifetrack Resources) Co-Sponsor 1948-54
• Eye and Ear Alert Program (now pre-kindergarten screening, a community standard) 1961
• Community Arts Survey resulting in first Arts and Science Center which evolved into the Science Museum of Minnesota and the Saint Paul Arts Council (now United Arts) 1965
• Warner Nature Center development with Saint Paul Science Museum 1965-70
• Bucket Brigade and the Omnibus Program, early tutoring programs in the Saint Paul Public Schools for both students not achieving their potential and for high achieving students 1970s
• Hmong Art Project to help Hmong women promote and sell their needlework 1981-82
• Educational Program for Too Early Pregnancy – “Too Far, Too Fast” 1981-85
• Shaken Baby Syndrome public awareness and education project 1992-99
• DreamSacks™ to benefit homeless children in crisis shelters 1996-99
• Silent Witness – Minnesota chapter established by JLSP; League participated in March on Washington 1997
• Partnership with Women’s Advocates battered women’s shelter to renew their volunteer program 2003-07
• Extreme Home Makeover 2007 & 2009
• Building Bonds Through Reading and Play – partnership with the City of Saint Paul Parks and Recreation 2007-10
• Backpack Buddies with John A. Johnson Elementary School, providing weekend food to students 2010-14
• Family Food Boxes and Junior Chef Program 2015-16
• Junior Chef 2016-2018
• Human Trafficking Awareness – Blue Dress Initiative 2017-2018
• Stable Housing, Thriving Community initiative launched 2019, working with organizations Rebuilding Together working to keep people in their homes, providing full move in kits for Women’s Advocates, with Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative on their advocacy initiative, Wilder Foundation meal kits, Emma Norton, and other organizations like these that are all working toward more housing stability for the people of Saint Paul and surrounding areas

Past Presidents

The Junior League of Saint Paul continues to thrive in part due to the leadership, guidance and commitment of the women who have served as President.

Front Row, L-R: Jennifer Sampson 2013–14; Judy Kishel 1986–87; Ginger Overbye 1977–78; Carole Olson 1978–79; Molly Bigelow McMillan 1957–59; Jean Hart 1971-72; Carolyn Brusseau 1976–77; Mary Mork Harvey 1975-76; Linda Moore 1984-85; Dianna Peterson 2010–11; and Katie Pan 2011–12. Middle Row, L-R: Beth Nault 2012–13; Jill Skogheim 2015–17; Dinah Swain 2006–07; Loralee DiLorenzo 2008–09; Christine Park 1988-1989; Barbara Roy 1980–81; Liz Boyd 2004–05; Paula Soholt 2000–01; Rosemary Gruber 1989–90; Debbie Lee 2007–08; Louise Jones 1991–92; Susan Sorenson 1992–93; Sandy Kiernat 1979–80; Mari Oyanagi Eggum 1996–97; Cindy Werner 1997–98; Carol Horsman 1993–94; Donna Moores 1994–95; Sonya Šustáček 2014–15; Molly McGlynn Varley 1998–99; Elizabeth Streeper 1983–84; and Barbara Westgard 2003–04. Back Row, L-R: President Kimberly Mills 2017–18; Julia Adams 1999–00; Jennifer Swensen 2005–06; Genevieve Freier 2001–02; and Christine Sand 2009–10.

The Junior League of Saint Paul continues to thrive in part due to the leadership, guidance and commitment of the women who have served as its President:

2024-2025 Angela Urbanek
2023-24 Marisa Garcia
2021-23 Erica King
2020-21 Anna Kirkness
2019-20 Rachel Tierney
2018-19 Chanda Brandt
2017-18 Kimberly Mills
2015–17 Jill Skogheim
2014–15 Sonya Smith Šustáček
2013–14 Jennifer Sampson
2012–13 Beth Nault Schatz
2011–12 Katie Misukanis
2010–11 Dianna M. Peterson
2009–10 Christine M. Sand
2008–09 Loralee DiLorenzo
2007–08 Debbie Lee
2006–07 Dinah Swain Schuster
2005–06 Jennifer Birkeland Swenson
2004–05 Elizabeth Rodgers Boyd
2003–04 Barbara Westgard
2002–03 Judy Nelson
2001–02 Genevieve Everson Freier
2000–01 Paula Bergin Soholt (Mrs. Jeffrey)
1999–00 Julia Daley Adams (Mrs. James)
1998–99 Molly McGlynn Varley
1997–98 Cindy Werner
1996–97 Mari Oyanagi Eggum (Mrs. Thomas)
1995–96 Susan K. Markoe (Mrs. Peter)
1994–95 Donna Wilson Moores (Mrs. Terry, III)
1993–94 Carol Kurtz Horsman (Mrs. Darryl)
1992–93 Susan K. Sorenson (Mrs. Owen)
1991–92 Louise G. Jones (Mrs. Richard)
1990–91 Judy M. Cummins (Mrs. Carl W., III)
1989–90 Rosemary W. Gruber (Mrs. Donald F.)
1988–89 Christine Van’t Hull Park (Mrs. Gary)
1987–88 Joanne Kay Haugen Knoll (Mrs.Leonard W.)
1986–87 Judy Moy Kishel (Mrs. Edward F., Jr.)
1985–86 Fran Bureau Yoch (Mrs. E. Ted)
1984–85 Linda S. Moore (Mrs. Charles)
1983–84 Elizabeth Blackett Streeper (Mrs. Richard)
1982–83 Judi Bergmann Blomquist (Mrs. John E., Jr.)
1981–82 Jane Gilje Clements (Mrs. Gary)
1980–81 Barbara Blanch Roy (Mrs. Philemon)
1979–80 Sandy Moore Kiernat (Mrs. Bruce)
1978–79 Carole Groth Olson
1977–78 Ginger Mears Overbye (Mrs. John)
1976–77 Carolyn Jens Brusseau
1975–76 Mary Mork Harvey (Mrs. Robert)
1974–75 Carol Crawford Ryan (Mrs. Lehan)
1973–74 Janet Koehn Muellerleile (Mrs. Richard)
1972–73 Catherine Myers Buscher (Mrs. Herbert)
1971–72 Jean Elmquist Hart (Mrs. B.C.)
1969–71 Jean Whitaker Ambler (Mrs. R.J.)
1967–69 Virginia Dahleen Brooks (Mrs. Edward, Jr.)
1965–67 Marjorie Bolz Allen (Mrs. Andrew)
1963–65 Emily Fensterwald Seesel (Mrs. H. James, Jr.)
1961–63 Joyce Carlton Hartzell (Mrs. Thomas)
1959–61 Martha Butler Cammack (Mrs. Roger)
1957–59 Molly Bigelow McMillan (Mrs. Richard)
1955–57 Elizabeth Kennedy Moore (Mrs. Richard)
1953–55 Lucy Sargent Fricke (Mrs. Walter)
1951–53 Betty Ruth Lawrence Cless (Mrs. Howard)
1949–51 Geraldine LeVeille Seldon (Mrs. Earl)
1946–49 Mary Elizabeth Crosby Sommers (Mrs. Ben)
1945–46 Josephine Henry Ford (Mrs. Silas M.)
1943–45 Margaret Weyerhaeuser Harmon (Mrs. Reuel D.)
1941–43 Margaret Weyerhaeuser Driscoll (Mrs. Walter B.)
1940–41 Catherine Beattie Harmon (Mrs. Reuel D.)
1939–40 Katherine G. Grubbs Fobes (Mrs. Robert)
1937–39 Catherine Beattie Harmon (Mrs. Reuel D.)
1936–37 Katherine G. Grubbs Fobes (Mrs. Robert)
1935–36 Sally Davidson (Mrs. Owen Wangensteen)
1934–35 Mary Catherine Richardson Cook (Mrs. Charles)
1932–34 Eileen Bigelow
1931–32 Margaret McDonald Jackson (Mrs. Archibald B.)
1929–31 Josephine McCormack
1928–29 Harriet Adams (Mrs. Alan Stephens)
1927–28 Evelyn Finch Lightner (Mrs. Milton C.)
1925–27 Mary H. Davis
1924–25 Margaret Buckley (Mrs. Paul C. Buhlig)
1923–24 Josephine Green Ordway (Mrs. Lucius P., Jr.)
1922–23 Eleanor Jackson Lightner (Mrs. Drake) and Dorothy Q. Grinnell Noyes (Mrs. Charles Reinold)
1921–22 Linda Baker Ames (Mrs. C. Lesley)
1920–21 Linda Baker White (Mrs. Edwin)
1919–20 Helen Johnston Kennedy (Mrs. Rodger, Jr.)
1918–19 Margaret Ames Wright (Mrs. Cushing F.)
1917–18 Elizabeth Ames Jackson (Mrs. Norris)