MAY FEATURED FEW

Name: Leah Rosso

Organization/Title: Pastor of First United Methodist Church of the St. Cloud Region

Length of time as a FEW Member: 3 or 4 years

Hometown: Woodbury, Minn.

Family: I have a husband of 20 years and three daughters (6, 10 and 12)

What do you actually do at work? A little bit of everything! Now, because of COVID, I focus mainly on making sure people are staying connected to one another, that the church is supporting the needs of the wider St. Cloud community and putting together a worship video every week!

How do you help others succeed? I encourage them to focus on their strengths, see vulnerability as a positive and be themselves.

What is your biggest accomplishment? Lately, it's been creating worship videos! Who knew I should've gone to film school?

What was your first job? I loved to work when I was young, so I worked at all kinds of places: a stamping store, Creative Kidstuff, Toby's Restaurant, in the tech department at school, Famous Footwear and cleaning out milk barns!

Is your desk/office messy or organized? Mostly organized. When the piles grow, I have to take a break and clean house before I can think straight.

Do you have or are you a mentor? I have many mentors and I am a mentor. I believe strongly in sharing leadership, learning from others and doing all the good I can!

Last book read? The Magician's Assistant by Ann Patchett for fiction and Learning to Walk in the Dark by Barbara Brown Taylor for nonfiction.

Favorite vacation spot? We go to family camp at the YMCA Camp, Camp DuNord, every summer. It's right on the edge of the boundary waters.

What do you do for fun? I love to travel, although I haven't done a lot since having kids. I've spent time in Zimbabwe, South Korea, Japan, Guatemala, Haiti and Israel/Palestine.

Who is your hero? Some of the people I look up to most are Barbara Brown Taylor, Maya Angelou and Peter Storey (who helped end apartheid in South Africa).

What are three words that best describe you? Compassionate, motivated and a good listener.