Board of Directors

Interested in being on the Board? Visit our Get Involved page to learn more.

Ahmed AL-Beheary

  • Ahmed AL-Beheary is an Egyptian American who has been living in Minnesota for over 15 years. He holds a Bachelor Degree in Accounting, a Master Degree in Administration with emphasis on leadership. He owns 3 businesses locally in the Twin Cities. His introduction to CM/M was through Siobhan Kierans and Andy Driscoll.

    CM/M offers volunteers one of a kind unique opportunity to host, produce and participate in the Twin Cities call of freedom, liberty and social justice.

Craig Cox –Secretary

  • Deputy Editor, Experience Life Magazine


    4521 45th Ave. S.
    
Minneapolis, MN 55406

    craig8598@gmail.com

  • I’ve worked as a journalist in the Twin Cities for nearly 40 years and have been a longtime advocate for independent public affairs reporting. Andy and I were the first co-hosts of Truth to Tell, and I’ve served on the Civic Media Minnesota board of directors since its inception. My wife, Sharon Parker, and I have two grown children and live in the Longfellow community of South Minneapolis.

Cyndy Crist – Acting Chair

  • My family: I was married for 27 years to Andy Driscoll and, through him, am fortunate to have three wonderful step-children (Brian, Amy, and Molly, all of whom are known to many involved with CM/M through their own participation in CMM activities) and two grandchildren of whom I am immensely proud (Madi, a junior at Davidson College in North Carolina, and Chris, an eighth grader at Avalon School in Saint Paul).

    My professional work: I spent nearly forty years in public service, first as an elementary and special education teacher in public schools in Illinois and Minnesota; next in Minnesota state government; and then in public higher education (the Minnesota State University System and the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities), with a four-year interruption during my higher education years to work for a statewide math and science initiative called SciMathMinnesota. Since retiring from MnSCU in 2011, I have worked part-time as policy and legislative liaison for MACTE (the Minnesota Association of Colleges for Teacher Education).

    How I met Andy: Andy and I met on election night in 1980, just about the only good outcome of that night when many titans of the U.S. Senate (and many others) took a fall in the wave that carried Ronald Reagan to the White House. Our relationship became serious in 1982 and the rest is history. I was pleased to be able to help support his work in creating TTT and CM/M. Although I chose not to serve on the board until after his death, despite periodic requests from him that I consider joining, I willingly supported the work of CM/M and its board in a variety of other ways.

    Why I volunteer for CM/M: Many of the same values and interests that attracted me to Andy are those which connect me to the work of CM/M. These have their roots in a childhood during which I watched and listened to both of my parents as they participated in politics and the civil rights movement in the 1960s and beyond. I suspect by both nature or nurture, I have been engaged in politics, policy work, and other forms of community engagement since about the eighth grade.

David Cummings

  • KFAI Producer/Programmer


    New Brighton, MN

    651-638-9280 / Cell: 612-306-1704

    daradio@aol.com

  • I am married and have three wonderful daughters, one grandson, another on the way and one grand daughter. My wife Glenna and I live in New Brighton.

    I am semi-retired from a career in stained glass window preservation and restoration.

    I met Andy Driscoll at KFAI. We found we had quite a bit in common, such as our love of radio, music and politics. I spent many entertaining Saturday mornings over coffee with Andy.

    I believe in the mission of CM/M.

Jeff Goldy

  • Family:  The four of us have lived in Minnesota for almost 12 years and love it here.  With a daughter in college and our son in high school, we’re grateful for the investment Minnesotans put into our communities.  

    Profession:  I am the Health and Safety Coordinator and Crisis Management Leader for a large metro school district.  I see first hand the importance of providing our young people with a great education in a safe and welcoming environment.  

    Andy:   Unfortunately, I never met Andy, but his legend lives on in Civic Media Minnesota and its charter broadcast Truth to Tell.

    Volunteering for Civic Media Minnesota:  I volunteer for Civic Media Minnesota because I realize the immense value in informing the public about critical issues of the day, and, more importantly, proposals on how to address them.  Without volunteers to help fulfill this vital mission, people remain stuck receiving information only from corporate sources mostly bent on fulfilling their private agenda, rarely ever solving problems.  

Siobahn Kierans – Executive Director

  • Siobhan Kierans was born and raised in Ireland. An entrepreneur at heart, she started her first business venture at the age of 16.  Now she helps business owners manage and grow their enterprises while setting them up with long-term strategies to be prepared for life’s personal and professional surprises.  While always being self-employed, Siobhan continues to have a successful dual career in media and public relations.

    For the past two years Siobhan has been Executive Director of CM/M, taking over the position after Andy Driscoll passed away. Andy and Siobhan became fast friends after meeting at a KFAI Radio event, connecting on their passion for social justice and their love for the arts. 

    Volunteering is an important part of Siobhan’s life. While her passion for bringing out the best in people and helping them make life-changing decisions is her vocation, making the world a better place for everyone is her avocation.

John M. (Jake) Manahan, Esq. – Treasurer

  • Attorney at Law


    8516 Russell Ave. South

    Bloomington, MN 55431
    
minnjake@aol.com

  • I have been a political junkie since I was a kid. I remember Fritz Mondale speaking to my high school assembly when he was Minnesota Attorney General. I first caucused as a DFLer when JFK was President. I have remained involved in the political process in Minnesota for over 50 years – as a family man, as a lawyer, and as an appointed state official.

    If you are a political junkie it doesn’t get any better than Civic Media Minnesota. That’s how I got hooked by Andy Driscoll, the ultimate political junkie – and why I keep volunteering! It is local, it is real. It is current. It talks about issues that affect everyone’s lives right now. Do it. You won’t regret it.

Bob Meek

  • 651-239-7820
    bobmeek@live.com

  • Bob Meek of Roseville, Minnesota, is a writer and media expert for civic, corporate and political campaigns. He was president of Ned Crosby’s Jefferson Center for New Democratic Processes in Minneapolis, where he helped create and organize the Citizens Jury process for elections. He provided political analysis for Minnesota Public Radio for 21 years. A longtime friend of CM/M’s founder Andy Driscoll, Bob produced Andy’s opening radio shows of Sweet-Reason-Discussions: Where Solutions Are Served.

Amanda Norman

Tom O'Connell

  • I met Andy Driscoll when he was a student at Metropolitan State University. Like many of Metro’s students, Andy came to school with a life full of experiences and we formed a bond around our mutual interest in public affairs. I was a Professor of Political Studies with decades of experience with local community organizations. When Andy decided he wanted to start CivicMedia-Minnesota he asked me to serve as board chair. That was 2007 and I’ve been involved ever since. Currently I co-host Truth to Tell and do my best to keep Andy’s vision alive.

    My teaching and community work have always been guided by a belief in the power of community. Some of the best ideas come from the bottom up whether in the class room, or work-place or neighborhood. I also believe in the power of story—the feeling of affirmation that comes from being asked and being heard. And I believe in the necessity of pushing past conventional wisdom. New challenges require new ideas.

    Andy left us a powerful legacy. We are just getting started!

(Vacant) – Chair