Mike was born and raised in White Bear Lake. He has been a member of the White Bear Lions Club since 1999, and enjoys helping the Historical Society spread the message about our great city.

Kathy loves everything about our community, and being a board member allows her to keep learning about it’s rich history. She has been a Realtor since 1999 and feel very fortunate to work with so many amazing clients. However her proudest accomplishment is, and always will be, her three kids.

Rob is currently the Development Director for History Theater after spending over six years as Executive Director at Lakeshore Players Theatre in White Bear Lake, MN. Rob is of Dakota ancestry and his research of the lives of the Dakota people before, during, and after the Dakota/U.S. War of 1862 culminated in a commissioned work for the History Theatre’s Raw Stages Series entitled 38: The Dakota-U.S. War of 1862. His Grandmother gave him the name Wokiksuye Yuha Mani, which translates from Dakota to “walks with memories,” because of his early love of hearing, documenting, and telling family history and stories. Mr. Thomas has served on and presided over several nonprofit boards and also currently sits on the board of directors for Minnesota Citizens for the Arts.

Cynthia Vadnais has deep roots in the White Bear area and a well-developed love of history. In 2004 she published the book, Looking Back at White Bear Lake: A Pictorial History and has been a main stay around the WBLAHS ever since serving in a number of capacities. 

Sara Hanson has been the executive director at the White Bear Lake Area Historical Society since 2001. Through her position, she has been able to develop programming objectives that meet the needs of the community and fit her enthusiasm for research, writing and sharing the past. A focus on community involvement, building relationships and maintaining a strong sense of place are key components to Hanson’s role as a leader in the White Bear area. She embraces the challenge to uncover new information and continue adding to the collective story. Connecting people to the past through commemorative events, publications and programs are her passion.

Hanson earned a bachelor’s degree in American Studies with minors in English and Anthropology and a master’s degree in Public History, both from St. Cloud State University.

Dan grew up in White Bear Lake and graduated from White Bear High School Class of 1984. After college and working typical various jobs trying to “find a career”, he settled into the kitchen industry and spent over 25 years in sales, training, product development, marketing, and manufacturing. For the last 15 years, he worked for an online cabinet manufacturer providing training, video, voice-over, photography, and graphic materials for the company. In 2022, he made the worst financial decision of his life by accepting the position of Creative Director for the White Bear Lake Area Historical Society but couldn’t be happier with the career change. His wife Sallie and he moved back to White Bear Lake in 1998 to raise their three daughters, who are all White Bear graduates. Go Bears! He has also volunteered for various community organizations and served on the White Bear Lake City Council from 2008 – 2023.

Allison Lincoln is the Community Engagement Director at the White Bear Lake Area Historical Society, where she plays a pivotal role in fostering connections between the organization and the local community. Allison thrives on creating meaningful interactions and building relationships that enhance WBLAHS’s outreach and impact.

In her role, Allison is responsible for developing and implementing strategies to engage the community through a variety of programs and events. She excels in leveraging innovative approaches to fundraising, ensuring that WBLAHS remains at the forefront of exciting and effective techniques in the nonprofit sector — significantly contributing to the organization’s success in securing vital resources and expanding its reach.

Allison holds a bachelor’s degree in History with a minor in psychology from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota and a master’s degree in Museum Studies from Johns Hopkins University.

Beyond her professional achievements, Allison is known for her love of sports, good food, and bad TV. She is also an avid dog lover, often sharing her work and personal life with her adopted dog, Beau, who can usually be found napping in an office chair beside her.