Dan O'Fallen & Kathy Tim with CAEF

 Helena, Montana for Dan; Billings, Montana for Kathy

 Upon arrival in the Twin Cities in the early 90s, first through the Ramsey County Bar Association, and then through SMRLS (Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services. In 2001, Kathy and I were founding members of the Centennial Area Education Foundation (CAEF). Kathy: In 1990, I started volunteering with the District 5 Planning Council in St Paul—it was a local neighborhood community organization concerned with zoning issues and neighborhood building. I also volunteered with the local chapter of my college sorority, Alpha Omicron Pi, which among other things, is involved with fundraising and awareness for the Arthritis Foundation and Arthritis Research. Later in the 1990s, I became involved professionally with education and truancy prevention efforts –ultimately those professional activities led to me having contacts with educators in the Centennial School District who were instrumental with founding CAEF. Both Dan and I were involved in lecturing at St. Genevieve’s church from 1999—2010, and also engaged in various roles with parenting support for the girls in Sports (Dan helped coach basketball, we were Swim team volunteers, I was Gymnastics Booster Chair); Girl Scouts; Choir Boosters; etc.

 Although we no longer serve on the Board, we remain active supporters and contributors to CAEF. We are passionate about education, both K-12 and higher education. We are lifetime members of the University of Montana Alumni Association, and we established a scholarship to honor our parents at U of Montana several years ago.

Since we are both lawyers, I think both of us would say the opportunity to serve others and advance justice, even in a small way. As a practicing lawyer, I also enjoyed the opportunity to practice my craft against some of the best lawyers in the country. It made me a better attorney. Kathy: my legal career was very different from Dan’s. I was never in the high-profile world that he was. I have had a very broad career in the public sector—starting out in Criminal defense in Virginia in the 1980s, Criminal Prosecution in the early 90s here, and then Juvenile Delinquency/Child Protection beginning in 1994 through April 2008 and finishing my career doing Civil advice work at the County since then. Today I negotiate and draft enterprise IT system contracts, advise the County Board and Board Committees on issues relating to Railroads, Recycling Services, Joint Law Enforcement Council, and do some Appellate work. 

INSTRUMENTAL--CAEF was really instrumental in helping (me) coalesce all (my) skills into a single purpose to help make things better for our community. Education for EVERYONE is important for individual lives and societal growth/achievement.

 I would say a larger correlation with what I did as a practicing lawyer, which allowed me to share my skills of advocating for others. Kathy: I wouldn’t really say that out of all (I did) that there is something that is “exciting”, but I would say that the most rewarding was the Truancy Prevention work that I did when I was in the Juvenile Division. I developed and ran the Truancy Intervention Project (TIP) program from 1998 through 2007. We saw truancy rates decrease and graduation rates increase with the program. 

Biking, although my muscles yell at me more than they used to. Kathy enjoys cooking, embroidery, and quilting. And we both love to travel!

 As to inspiration, I am not sure I can identify just one person. Rather, it is people generally who are willing to speak up for what is right and turn words to actions. Kathy: Several women—my grandmothers—one who was a pistol and was afraid of almost nothing, and the other who simply persevered despite great hardships; Eleanor Roosevelt—she spoke truth to power; Jeannette Rankin—first US Congresswoman (MT) (Before women could vote nationally) who voted against the entry into both WWI and WWII--again that whole truth to power thing; Jessie Wallace Hughan—one of the founding members of my college sorority and a founding member of the War Resisters League.

Chocolate in many and most forms! Kathy: Don’t really have a single favorite food. I have favorite meals—comfort food meals served on Sunday night with the girls—pot roast; Chicken Cheryl; brisket

Perfect day – coffee on the deck (or in a European bistro) on a warm sunny day, good bike ride with friends or a walk around a new town with some combination of Kathy, our friends, or our daughters, and ending the day with a good meal with friends and family and a glass of cote du rhone! Kathy: Bingo! But not the bike ride.

I can’t speak for family and friends for me. For Kathy, I think most would describe her as kind. Kathy: I think most would say that Dan is passionate about justice. Not sure that people think I am Kind—but that isn’t a bad word. I hope they see me as dependable and steadfast.

Park Falls, Wisconsin

August, 2017

I’m chair elect for the Board, preparing to become the Alumni Board Chair in April, 2022.  

Helping people find their passion and watching them take action to achieve it.  

Dedication.  Because everyone I’ve met through the UMAA (employees and volunteers) are dedicated to their work and the U.  

Yes, in both places, I am serving people. At the U, it’s students and alumni.  At Medtronic, it’s patients and employees. 

Cooking and baking

Brené Brown.  She’s not afraid to talk about any topic, ask hard questions and become a better person.  I love her quote “I’m not here to be right, I’m here to get it right.”  

Pizza with fresh toppings - a spinach side salad.  :-)

Being outside, active and in nature - in any season. 

I see the good in the world, I want to make a difference and I like to celebrate the simple things in life with others.