Team

A Brandon Valley High School senior planning to attend West Virginia University for Pharmacy, to achieve a dream in Solid Organ Transplant Pharmacy. Former Miss South Dakota's America Teen and current Miss South Dakota Teen USA, striving to make an impact and difference in our communities. I started Leo's Legacy because I have always felt connected to his story, and I love the medical field. I want to honor him and share his legacy. When I researched this issue, I knew I had to do something. Leo's Legacy grew from there, with the help of my incredible board, we hope to give people the support they need while honoring Leo's story.

Greetings! My name is Sally Hoehn, and I am delighted to be directly involved with Leo's Legacy. Leo was an organ donor and my son while he was here on Earth for 22 years. I currently live in Waseca, MN and I work as an RN for Allina at the Owatonna Hospital in Owatonna, MN. I have three daughters, Sammie, Andee, and Jacie and twin sons John and Simon. I am a proud Grandma to my five grandchildren, ages 2 to 11, who also live in Waseca. In my spare time I am an accompanist at my church for a children's choir and have been involved with the music ministry in my parish since I was a first grader! In addition, I love to cook, bake, camp, fish, attend Broadway musicals, listen to music, and spend time with my family. I am looking forward to this exciting venture of providing hope to those in need of an organ transplant, while sharing my family's personal experience of Leo's organ donation.

Cathy McLeer is the AARP Minnesota State Director, leading advocacy and community engagement and education efforts for 630,000 AARP members and individuals 50 and older across Minnesota. Prior to AARP Cathy spent more than a decade in broadcast news in both the Sioux Falls, SD and Minneapolis, MN markets as a reporter, anchor, and producer. Cathy holds a degree in Journalism from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, and spent several years as a news producer at WCCO-TV, the CBS affiliate in Minneapolis. In 2008, Cathy became a kidney donor through a live-donor transplant for a high-school classmate and next door neighbor. Thanks to Cathy's gift, her recipient has been able to celebrate many significant life milestones, including seeing his children graduate from high school and celebrating his 50th Birthday. Cathy lives in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, and enjoys spending time with her husband Don, and their two daughters.

I graduated from South Dakota State University with a bachelor's degree in Clinical Laboratory Science and later obtained my MBA from the University of St. Thomas, Minneapolis, MN. I met the Hoehn family when we moved to Waseca, MN where I began an 18-year career with Mayo Clinic Health System. Leo's brother's, John and Simon, were like my own kids, growing up along side our twins, Noah and Sadie. Our families have remained in close contact even since our move to South Dakota. I am currently the System Executive Director for Sanford Laboratories at their corporate headquarters in Sioux Falls, SD. I am excited that Leo's Legacy is taking on a new life through this non-profit!

A South Dakota State University graduate with a bachelors degree in Clinical Laboratory Science and Microbiology currently working for Siemens Healthcare as a Regional Support Consultant.

Sadie Odenbrett is the Grants and Institutional Support Manager at The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Business in 2022 with a MA-Business in Arts and Creative Enterprise Leadership. Over the past 7 years, she has enjoyed working as a marching arts instructor and designer for several Midwest bands and drumlines, including the Rosemount High School Marching Band. Sadie grew up with and was involved in many performing arts activities with Leo’s younger brothers, John and Simon.

Michele Erickson-Johnson, Ph.D. currently serves as the Senior Director of Operations for the Sanford Medical Genetics and Biorepository labs and Enterprise Laboratory Quality. She graduated from NDSU with degrees in Agriculture/Microbiology (B.S.), Microbiology/Immunology (M.S.) and from Trident University in collaboration with Mayo Clinic with a Ph.D in Health Sciences/Healthcare Administration. She is board certified as a molecular technical supervisor and high complexity clinical laboratory director through the American Board of Bioanalysis and is an Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine for the USD Sanford School of Medicine. Michele spent 16 years working in various roles at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester MN and five years as a Laboratory Manager/Safety officer for a Biotech Company in Huntsville, AL until she took on her current role at Sanford Health in 2018. Michele and her husband live in Sioux Falls and have three children, Cole, Meghan and Carter.