Board of Directors

Mike Millios (he/him)

Board Co-Chair

Mike, a former Army Judge Advocate and public defender in Minnesota, is passionate about serving others and building community. Realizing that he needed healthy ways to manage stress and trauma, he found that yoga and meditation worked well for him. Mike wants to bring yoga, meditation, and other healthy life practices to communities impacted by the legal system.

A yoga, meditation, and compassion-based mindfulness teacher in the Minnesota criminal justice system and Veterans community, Mike also serves on the Veterans Yoga Project Board of Directors and volunteers with the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans.

Mike manages a small law firm dedicated to helping Veterans and Servicemembers. In his spare time, he coaches his son’s sports teams, plays hockey, and practices yoga and meditation (of course).

Reach out - Michael.Millios@karunacmn.org

Jenilee Rowley (she/her)

Board Co-Chair

Jeanne is a social activist motivated by a belief in justice for all people. Outside of her contributions to the Karuna Community, Jeanne actively volunteers with Advocates for Human Rights as an Immigration Court Observer. She previously served as the Executive Director for MNCASA (MN Coalition Against Sexual Assault), where she worked to promote prevention and to change public policies and practicies to better serve victims of sexual assault. A trained social worker, Jeanne’s prior roles include Director, Advocate, and Probation Officer in the realms of victim services, community corrections, and social services. 

A mom and grandmother, Jeanne is a proud lifelong Minnesotan who loves spending time with her family outdoors. She is a certified yoga instructor and a forever student in the practice of yoga and mindfulness.

Melissa Gutierrez Nelson (she/her)

Board Member

Melissa is a yoga and mindfulness teacher, maternal health advocate, and nonprofit professional with deep roots in community. Her work spans nonprofits, startups, and grassroots initiatives, alongside more than two decades of experience as a yoga and mindfulness educator and birth doula. Melissa is deeply passionate about building strong, connected communities and creating opportunities for those who need them most.

A firm believer in Paul Wellstone’s words that “we all do better when we all do better,” Melissa’s work is grounded in collaboration, equity, and care. She is committed to making resources more accessible and supporting people in meaningful, lasting ways. Whether through public programs, community-based efforts, or direct service, she brings heart, strategy, and a deep sense of purpose to everything she does.

Melissa currently serves as the MN PROMISE Act Grant Program Manager at Neighborhood Development Center, where she oversees a $72 million initiative designed to support businesses in the most under-resourced areas of Minneapolis and St. Paul. She also teaches prenatal yoga and childbirth education for Everyday Miracles, an organization working to improve birth outcomes and reduce health disparities through evidence-based education and culturally aware support.

A longtime supporter of Karuna’s mission, Melissa is honored to serve an organization that uses movement and mindfulness to foster healing and empowerment for people impacted by the criminal justice system. Her previous volunteer and board service includes Nourish 282, the MN Breastfeeding Coalition, and the Minnesota Healing Justice Network, and Led by Truth.

Melissa is the mother to amazing grownup humans and a grateful bonus mom to several beautiful souls who have enriched her life and generously allowed her to care for and mother them along the way. She and her husband have been together for over three decades. They now enjoy life as empty nesters in Northeast Minneapolis, where they live with their Cavapoo, Metta.

PJ Mitchell (he/him)

Board Member

PJ serves as the Director of Public Policy for Medica. Through various roles in the health policy space, he has developed a deep knowledge of state and federal legislative and regulatory processes, with a focus on Medicaid and health equity. Prior to coming to Minnesota to pursue a master’s degree in Public Health Administration and Policy, PJ spent nearly a decade working in higher education at his alma mater, DePauw University, first serving in athletics prior to transitioning to a role in campus administration. Through his work, PJ led population-specific initiatives to reduce high-risk alcohol use, address gender-based violence, and worked on other culture change efforts.

As a baseball coach at DePauw, an NCAA Division III program, PJ introduced strength yoga as an integral part of the training regimen for his team, recognizing the physical and emotional benefits of regular yoga and mindfulness practice. PJ and his family have supported Karuna for several years and see the same physical, mental, and emotional value the Karuna programming brings to individuals in the criminal justice system.

Jennifer Grubba (she/her)

Board Member

Jennifer Grubba is the Founder  MN YOGA + Life Magazine and hosts yoga retreats as the Founder of Blue Lotus Yoga Retreats. She is passionate about making yoga, mindfulness, and wellness more accessible to others, and travel for personal growth. Jennifer is also a proud mother, and a School Psychologist with graduate degrees in psychology and education. Jennifer is a 200 hour registered yoga teacher, and teaches in corporate settings, studios, and events such as the Minnesota State Fair, and the Minneapolis Yoga Conference. She also teaches meditation workshops, parent-child yoga, and yoga for youth athletes.

Brendan Lynch (he/him)

Board Treasurer

Brendan brings a variety of experience to our Karuna community. As an undergraduate at Loyola College, he studied political science with a focus on international relations. He has since served twice in the US Peace Corps, first in Benin as a middle school teacher, and later in Madagascar as an agricultural project manager. Additionally, Brendan brings business know-how to our organization, having held several financial analyst positions. He holds the Charter Financial Analyst designation and is a graduate of the ESSEC Global MBA program in Paris, France.