Who We Are - Exodus Lending - Exodus Lending

Exodus Lending works with financially excluded Minnesotans to advance economic justice through consumer lending, community organizing, and advocacy.

What We Do

We get Minnesotans out of predatory loan debt and back on track financially by enrolling and supporting them in a 0% interest refinance program, lending up to $1,500 to qualified participants.

Why We Do It

We envision a financial system where everyone, particularly those who’ve been historically and systemically excluded, can access, protect, and build wealth.
View our Strategic Plan here

Meet Our Staff

Anne Leland

she/her
Executive Director

Anne Leland joined as Executive Director on February 7, 2022 after serving on the board for 4 years. Anne is an experienced and passionate advocate for financial inclusion and economic justice. For the previous decade, she worked as the Financial Capability + Learning Director at Prepare + Prosper designing and supporting financial coaching and inclusion programs. Before that she earned her Masters Degree in Public Policy from the Humphrey School and ran an English school for immigrant and refugee adults.

Kaitlyn Szabo

she/her
Finance and Operations Director

Kaitlyn studied urban studies and sociology of law at the University of Minnesota. During her undergraduate career, she spent time working with a research group focused on supporting military families and interning with a tenant’s rights advocacy organization as well as a community foundation supporting social justice initiatives throughout Minnesota.

Maxwell Poessnecker

he/they
Development Director

Maxwell is a farm kid at heart who brings a decade of experience in higher education and talent acquisition to Exodus Lending. He is the founder of Drop Deadlift Gorgeous, a grass-roots event designed to empower, support, and create visibility regarding the importance of trans+ inclusion in sport. As a neurodivergent, non-binary educator and community organizer - Max values the power of storytelling to foster genuine connections.

Meghan Olsen Biebighauser

she/her
Policy and Partnerships Director

Meghan Olsen Biebighauser joined the staff as Organizing Director in September of 2022. She has worked the last ten years as a community organizer – first at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Minneapolis and later at the Minneapolis Area Synod of the ELCA. Meghan was one of the founders of Exodus Lending as it was born out of Holy Trinity’s organizing work, and she’s thrilled to return to Exodus and continue to convene the Minnesotans for Fair Lending coalition.

Anika Riewe

she/her
Communications and Marketing Manager

Anika has been with Exodus Lending since 2018, she considers herself a people-person and is committed to building up communities and fighting for equity within social systems. She graduated from the University of St. Thomas where she earned degrees in Justice & Peace Studies and Psychology.

Ben Lien

he/him
Northern Minnesota Organizer

Ben comes to Exodus lending with a decade of experience in state and federal government. His professional experience includes serving as a Minnesota State Representative for the Moorhead region and working in Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s office as her Regional Outreach Director for Northwest and Central Minnesota. He is passionate about meeting people, learning community issues and working to improve the financial wellbeing of others. In his free time, he enjoys home improvement projects with his wife, Sarah, traveling and music.

Claire Chamberlin

she/her
Loan Servicing Coordinator

Claire joined Exodus Lending in 2024. A global citizen who’s lived in France and (briefly) Senegal, she’s passionate about challenging oppressive systems and building economic justice. She speaks English and French and is slowly teaching herself Spanish, Italian, and Mandarin.

Sophie Hoiseth

she/they
Southern Minnesota Organizer

Sophie is a Minnesotan who grew up abroad and is passionate about home and belonging. She attended Minnesota State University, Mankato and received her degree in Political Science. Sophie has fallen in love with southern Minnesota and is curious about making communities more loving for more people.

Troye Dylla

they/them or he/him
Program Coordinator

Troye joined Exodus Lending in April 2023. A compassionate caregiver, independent contractor, and community organizer, Troye carries their working class background to the forefront of their work. Their bachelors degree in Global Studies with an emphasis in Human Rights and Justice further informs their lived experiences as someone who is non-binary, a worker, and on the autism spectrum. Troye fully believes the words of their elders, "Nothing for us, without us," which brought them to work in nonprofits.

Executive Board Members

Vienna Wilson

President

Metropolitan Council

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Kim Miller

Vice-President

Program Coordinator, LSS Financial Counseling

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Adam Faitek

Secretary

Mike Steele

Treasurer

Director, Strategy, Medicare and Medicaid Quality at UHC

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Board Members At-Large

Anna Brelje

Board Member

Education Minnesota, Political Organizer

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Tyrize Cox

Board Member

Executive Director of External Relations - Minneapolis Public Schools

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Shamina Hildreth

Board Member

Manager of Health Economics & Market Access (Boston Scientific)

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Missy Juliette

Board Member

Finance Professional at the University of Minnesota

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Nyachoat Kier

Board Member

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Sophia Lenarz-Coy

Board Member

Executive Director, The Food Group

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Ryan Smith

Board Member

Director of Government Affairs, Minnesota Credit Union Network

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James Unglaube

Board Member

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Dave Walters

Board Member

Vice President of Lending Blaze Credit Union

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Exodus Lending Meets Standards!

Exodus Lending is a Charities Review Council Meets Standards Organization! The "Meets Standards" seal demonstrates our alignment with widely accepted standards of accountability, responsibility, integrity, and transparency to donors as well as the general public.
Visit Our Smart Givers Profile

Supporting Partners 2024

Our Supporting Partners 2023

You Can Help

Be a part of changing someone’s life. Every volunteer and financial donation empowers the community to achieve financial freedom.

Support Us

Get Help

Every day, we’re empowering Minnesotans to break their payday loan debt cycle for good. If you, or someone you know has payday loan debt, and meets our program requirements, we can help.

See if You Qualify Refer Someone

In accordance with federal laws and U.S. Department of the Treasury policy, this organization is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability.

To file a complaint of discrimination, write to:
U.S. Department of the Treasury, Director, Office of Civil Rights and Equal Employment Opportunity 1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20220; call (202) 622-1160; or send an e-mail to: [email protected].
Language Assistance Plan: View Policy Here