Breanna Schafer, vice president of government affairs at Target, has served on the Citizens League board since 2019 and has been influential in shaping the future of the 72-year-old civic engagement nonprofit. During her tenure, Schafer has helped manage two major leadership shifts. During the summer of 2020, she oversaw a fully remote executive director (ED) transition at the St. Paul-based nonprofit; then, after becoming the board chair in 2023, she managed another ED change, immediately stepping in to help craft public messaging, recruit search firms, and lead an efficient and transparent search process. To ensure a smooth transition, Schafer agreed to extend her term another year. “Breanna has continued to be a key thought partner, helping me evaluate our organization from top to bottom, strategizing new ideas and plans for how we can expand our work,” says Jake Loesch, Citizens League executive director.