The Aliveness Project welcomes several new staff to the team. We are excited to see what new accomplishments we will achieve together. Learn more about each person in their bio below.
Oliva (they/them) – Medical Case Manager
Olivia grew up in rural Northern Minnesota, they moved to the cities about ten years ago to attend the University of MN and have been here ever since! During their time at the U of MN they completed a degree in Gender & Sexuality studies, with a focus on community health and queer theory. Prior to Olivia joining the team at Aliveness they spent several years working in abortion care in St Paul, they’ve continued a connection to that work through their current volunteer role for an abortion hotline, where they answer folks’ questions and help them navigate the system to access care. Through their experiences they’ve become really enthusiastic about healthcare access and health justice, they are so excited to join the team at Aliveness and continue helping people access the resources they need! Olivia currently lives in South Minneapolis with their partner, two slightly scrappy cats, and a whole lot of houseplants. In their free time they can be found reading, spending time outdoors, and hanging out with with loved ones.
Kaizer Eikleberry (he/him) – Community Engagement Assistant
Kaizer is originally from central Wisconsin and is currently a junior at the University of Minnesota studying Political Science and minoring in Public Health. Kaizer started at the Aliveness Project as a Public Policy Intern and is thrilled to continue his involvement with Aliveness as a Community Engagement Assistant. He is most excited about connecting with the community and expanding the outreach and impact of the Aliveness Project. In his free time, Kaizer enjoys trying new coffee shops, participating in intramural volleyball leagues, and listening to live music.
Katelyn Hoerr (she/her) – Registered Dietitian
Katelyn grew up in the Twin Cities and has resided in St. Paul for the last six years. She graduated with her B.S. in Dietetics from St. Catherine University in May 2022 before completing her internship and M.S. from Viterbo University the following year.
Katelyn has also been a certified yoga instructor since 2014 and feels passionate about incorporating learnings on mindfulness practices into her career as an RDN. She is excited to be working at The Aliveness Project because of her interest in helping to improve population health through nutrition.
Her counseling style is centered on body positivity as Katelyn recognizes that health comes in many shapes and sizes and embraces these differences. She hopes that by providing culturally appropriate nutrition recommendations and client-centered care, she can help individuals improve health outcomes and heal their relationship with food.
You can usually find Katelyn outside when she is not at work, as she feels most grounded in nature. She loves foraging and gardening, visiting thrift stores and antique shops, and spending time with her doggo, Luna, whom she recently adopted.
Haley Fleckenstein (she/her) – Prevention & Harm Reduction Intern
Haley grew up in Milwaukee, WI and has been living in Minneapolis for almost two years. She got her B.S. in psychology from the University of Wisconsin – Madison and is currently pursuing her Master of Public Health degree at the University of Minnesota. Her interests lie in public health administration and she has been passionate about learning how to advance health equity. Haley’s interest in public health began when she worked as a community resource navigator, helping to connect community members to resources like housing or insurance to meet their basic needs. In her free time, she enjoys reading and spending time outside, whether that be biking, hiking, or hammocking. Haley will be interning through the end of the summer and is excited to learn more about harm reduction in practice.
