By: Todd Ford, Public Information Coordinator

At Cook County MN, a great deal of time and effort is spent recruiting, interviewing, hiring, and onboarding the very best new employees for a wide variety of public service roles. For our small HR staff, this is a daunting task, and we deeply appreciate their tireless endeavors.

In a recent meeting, one of our department leaders asked if we could publicly welcome our new employees and introduce them to our community. What a great idea! Thankfully, County Connections is a wonderful platform where we can shine a light on their roles and express our gratitude.

Not everyone is comfortable with publicity, and we respect that. As such, the following profiles do not include all our recent hires… only those who provided their profile and permission.

Let’s begin with PHHS, as that is our largest department and has the most employees:

Nancie Deming, Licensing Case Manager/Community Childcare Coordinator: Nancie grew up on the front range of Colorado and lived in Two Harbors (15 years). She graduated from Colorado State University with a degree in Elementary and Special Education. Nancie came to Cook County just before the COVID pandemic to help provide early childhood screenings and parent support services through ECFE. Moving into her role was a natural fit as a way to continue to uplift and support families and early childhood care providers. She enjoys playing with her grandchildren, reading, sewing, stitching, and cooking. Nancie also volunteers to teach online high school Chemistry and Algebra. She also teaches science and writing classes for our local homeschool coop.

Laura Nelson, In Home Support Program Coordinator: Laura previously lived in Minneapolis and worked in nonprofit administration. She attended Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington. Laura loved spending time up here for many years and was ready to get out of the city. She wanted to find a job working directly in the community to better get to know people and the area. As a fiber artist, Laura makes woven wall hangings. She is passionate about her sourdough starter and loves traveling, hiking, and camping.

Melissa Wickwire, Executive Administrative Assistant: Melissa previously lived in upstate New York and Wyoming and has been in Cook County for 12 years. She has a background in art and education and worked for the Grand Marais Library for many years. She loves this beautiful place! When her daughter was old enough, she started looking for full-time work and was pleased to find that her skills and experience were a good fit for this meaningful position. Melissa enjoys ceramic arts, cross country skiing, swimming, hiking, and reading.

Abby Benusa, Children's Mental Health Case Manager / Skills Worker: Abby was born in Fargo, ND and graduated from St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN. She moved to Grand Marais in 2022 as a Public Health Educator, then transitioned to her current position. Abby was attracted to Cook County because of “soul friends” here. She enjoys Nordic skiing, hiking (especially rivers and waterfalls), paddleboarding, yoga, lifting weights, cooking, reading, learning from friends, and participating in Y activities.

Rachael Schauer, Adult Services Social Worker: Rachael was formerly from Fargo-Moorhead, where she graduated from Concordia College with a degree in Psychology and Communications. She and her husband moved to Cook County shortly after a BWCAW trip of a lifetime in September 2019 and saw four moose! They fell in love with the community, and she wanted to be of service to year-round residents rather than those on vacation. Rachael enjoys non-motorized outdoor recreation, yoga and mindfulness, music, baking, gardening, and low-waste living.

Sheriff’s Department:

Ali Iverson, Public Safety Telecommunicator/Jailer: Ali was born and raised in Cook County, graduated from CCHS, and attended Lake Superior College in Duluth. She previously worked at the Holiday in Tofte and as a Special Education Paraprofessional at CCHS. She wants to be able to help people with any type of problem, especially those in her hometown. Ali enjoys going on walks with her dog, spending time with family and friends, and being on Devil Track Lake in the summertime.

Mark Buckman, Deputy Sheriff: Mark was born and raised in Cook County. He graduated from CCHS, attended Vermilion Community College, then graduated from Bemidji State. He previously worked at Lutsen Mountains and Superior National Golf Course. Because he grew up here, Mark loves the area and community. He wanted this position because he went to school for it and wanted to stay in his home area. He enjoys snowmobiling, four-wheeling, hunting, fishing, hiking, skiing, golfing, watching sports, being outdoors and spending time with the love of his life.

County Attorney’s Office:

Diana Dimitrova, Office Administrator: Originally from Bulgaria, Diana and her husband moved to Cook County in 2003. She graduated from the University of National and World Economy in Sofia, Bulgaria with a Batchelor’s degree in Sociology and Human Resources. She then pursued a Masters in Banking. Prior to her current position, Diana worked for North Shore Title, Cook County Whole Foods Coop and Bluefin Bay. She came here for a one-year internship and felt very welcomed by the local community, everyone’s friendliness and willingness to help. Indoor plants and outdoor gardening are Diana’s biggest hobbies. She also enjoys knitting, spending time in nature with her family, biking, hiking, cross country skiing and walking by the lake.

Please join us in welcoming these and all our valued new employees to Cook County MN. Due to space limitations, these are mere snapshots. Stay tuned to our Facebook and Instagram pages for more detailed profiles.

We continue to recruit for vacant positions! Please view current openings and apply at: https://secure3.entertimeonline.com/ta/6130510.careers?CareersSearch or call HR at 218. 387.3676.

County Connections is a column on timely topics and service information from your Cook County government. Cook County – Supporting Community Through Quality Public Service.