Meet Our Team
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Blake Ruppe
Member of the Board/Founder and CEO
It all begins with an idea. As a lifelong Minnesotan, Blake Ruppe saw an opportunity to connect with fellow Minnesotans who have experienced hardship and facilitate positive community networking. In 2021, Ruppe founded Tomorrow’s Horizon, a nonprofit foundation focused on supporting educational and economic opportunities for communities to grow. Ruppe spent his previous experience working with small businesses, the federal government, and other nonprofits and is ready to utilize this skill set in leading his trending nonprofit. He graduated from Marquette University with a Bachelor’s in Journalism & Political Science. -
Robert Yang
Member of the Board/Director of Fundraising and Government Affairs
Robert Yang always had a passion for community service and volunteering for non-profit organizations. Growing up, he never had much but always had a place in his heart for advocating and caring for the weak, sick, and vulnerable. Robert increased his volunteerism in the Minneapolis-St. Paul community while he was a student at the University of St. Thomas, and continued his engagement and community service well after graduation. This included 6 years of working with an organization that addresses Alzheimer’s and memory care. In the Fall of 2017, Robert was selected to serve as a White House intern in the Office of Political Affairs. Currently, he has a leadership role with his employer’s Diversity & Inclusion Council, promoting awareness and community connection – especially for people of color and people with disabilities.
Robert currently lives with his wife, Gao, in Rogers, MN where they are expecting their first child. On the side, Robert enjoys training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and going on date nights with his wife.
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Emily Novotny
Member of the Board/Director of Press and Media Operations
Emily Novotny is a lifelong Minnesotan who is passionate about making a positive impact on her state. Novotny started her career in politics at the age of 14 and has worked on campaigns at the local, state, federal, and presidential levels. In her free time, Emily enjoys spending time with her family, beating anyone who is up for the challenge in a game of cribbage, and trying new restaurants. She graduated from Augustana University with a bachelor’s degree in Government and Communications.
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Luke Schammel
Member of the Board/Director of External Affairs
Luke Schammel is an Associate for Lee & Associates Twin Cities, a commercial real estate services firm. In his role, Luke is responsible for all elements of the deal process involving primarily office and industrial commercial properties. Luke’s focus is on building long-term relationships with all players in the built environment including business owners, developers, community leaders, and end users. In addition to his work providing strategic assistance to buyers and sellers of commercial properties, Luke is currently responsible for leasing efforts on a portfolio of $30 million+ of properties across the metro. He looks forward to transferring these skills to the Tomorrow’s Horizon team.
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Noah Fineran
Member of the Board/Director of Social Media
Noah Fineran is a Business Systems Analyst at Consolidated Communications. He graduated from Minnesota State University, Mankato in 2020 with his bachelor's in marketing. Noah has previous experience with nonprofits as an intern. In his free time, he enjoys watching basketball and football, collecting sports cards, visiting breweries, and hanging out with friends. -
Ali Bryniarski
Member of the Board/Marketing and Supply Chain Director
Ali Bryniarski is a Data Manager for The Creative Company in North Mankato, Minnesota. She graduated in May 2021 from Minnesota State University, Mankato with a bachelor's degree in Marketing and a certificate in Business Analytics. Ali has previous experience with nonprofit organizations from being a marketing intern throughout college. In her free time, Ali enjoys going on walks, drawing, and spending time with friends and family. -
Wyatt Rawson
Member of the Board/Treasurer
Wyatt Rawson was born and raised in Eagan, Minnesota, and brings 5 years of community banking experience to the Tomorrow’s Horizon team. He currently works as a Universal Banker at Minnwest Bank in the Twin Cities. Wyatt is a graduate of the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities where he earned a Bachelor's degree in Spanish.
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Steven Tran
Member of the Board/Director of Internal Affairs and IT Management
Steven Tran grew up in Eagan and recently completed his undergraduate studies in biology at the University of Minnesota. During the pandemic, he took an extra gap year to join AmeriCorps and work on volunteer projects throughout Montana and California. Currently, he is applying for graduate school and preparing for the next great opportunity to make an impact through Tomorrow’s Horizon, Inc. -
Cesar Puesan
Member of the Board/Senior Advisor
Cesar Puesan serves as Program and Policy Coordinator in the Chief Program Service Office at the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. Puesan has healthcare experience at different levels of government. He most recently worked at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), where he served in the roles of Policy Coordinator and Briefing Coordinator to Secretary Azar, providing support to the COVID-19 federal response and Operation Warp Speed. Before his time with HHS, Cesar served in the Office of the Vice President as an Advance Associate and interned at the White House under the National Economic Council, where he focused on healthcare policy.
Founding Members
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Colin Yokanovich
Former Member of the Board/Director of External Affairs (2021-2022)
A Minnesota native and a product of Minnesota schools, Colin Yokanovich understands the value of a strong education in our increasingly skill-based economy. Before joining the Tomorrow's Horizon team, Colin built relevant professional experience with global nonprofits, the federal government, and the R&D sector. In addition, he is passionate about the role of community development in education and has been an active volunteer with ESL and STEM education initiatives. Colin is a proud graduate of Saint John’s University, where he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry with a minor in Communication-Journalism. In his spare time, he enjoys cross-country skiing, cycling, and running. -
Sophia Paulose
Former Member of the Board/Chief of Staff (2021-2022)
Sophia Paulose graduated from Olivet Nazarene University with a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice and Political Science. She brings experience in government and office management to the Tomorrow’s Horizon operation. In her spare time, Sophia enjoys traveling, baking, and getting to meet new people from different walks of life.