Board of Directors

Mercedes Falk gravitated towards rural life when she started working on a farm on the weekends during her teaching career. She enjoys learning about all forms of agriculture and has a deep appreciation for the diversity that makes up our world. Since 2017, she has worked as an interpreter on various dairy farms in our area and has led groups on Puentes trips to Mexico. She has loved seeing the transformation that takes place when individuals take the time to see life from someone else’s perspective and begin to understand another on a deeper level.

Nora Lindstrom grew up on a dairy farm in rural Buffalo County and farms with her brothers on that same land. She feels that getting the opportunity to go to Mexico to learn about her employees’ families and lives has been life-changing for her. She loves being a farmer and believes strongly in the mission of Puentes.

Lori Miller was the director of the Women, Infants, and Children program in Buffalo and Pepin counties for fourteen years and now is a retired Dietitian. During this time, she made strong connections with dairy farm workers and helped increase cultural understanding in the counties. In addition to going on a Puentes trip several years ago, she gave presentations in her workplace about the experience. She is thrilled to be a part of the Puentes board.

Roberto Tecpile grew up in Astacinga in the state of Veracruz, Mexico. He has been working in the United States for 20 years and on dairy farms in Wisconsin for 10 years. He loves helping others and meeting new people. At his farm, he is a go-to fix-it guy. He has spoken about his experiences at the University of Minnesota, UW-River Falls, and UW-Eau Claire along with several different community groups in the Winona area.

Cole Hoscheit grew up on a dairy farm in Southeastern Minnesota and learned a lot from his grandpas and dad. After moving away for college, he followed his heart and returned to that same farm. Working side by side with his employees to make the farm the best it can be is a passion of his. He has been to visit the families of his employees in Mexico several times and he is grateful to be a third generation farmer with the team that he has.

Lisa Schiller is an associate professor and family nurse practitioner at the college of nursing and Health Sciences at UW-Eau Claire. She has been involved with Puentes since 2011 when she collaborated with Shaun Duvall to initiate a UW-Partners in Health Project. Every semester, she leads a group of nursing students that perform health check-ups at dairy farms in Buffalo and Pepin counties. She is passionate about getting health care services to everyone in our community and loves seeing nursing students broaden their minds through their participation in the Partners in Health Program.

Stan Linder has been a dairy farmer in Pepin County Wisconsin since 1976. He went on his first Puentes Trip in 2004 and has become our fearless chauffeur. He has formed deep connections with the families of his employees and former employees and loves the people, culture, and food in the mountains of Zongolica in Veracruz, Mexico.

Shaun Duvall worked with dairy farmers and their Spanish speaking employees for 20 years. She first took farmers to Mexico in 2001 and founded Puentes/Bridges a few years later. She has taken countless trips to Veracruz, Mexico to learn about the individuals and families that have contributed so much to the dairy industry in our area. Her heart is far bigger than her body and the thought that she has put into caring about every person and being around her guides our organization to this day.