Staff Accountant, Roers
Q: Tell us about yourself
A: My name is Elisabeth Thoennes. I grew up in Duluth, MN, and moved to Fargo more than a decade ago when I started at North Dakota State University. I’m now an accountant at Roers and also facilitate a group at the Rape and Abuse Crisis Center a few times each month. My husband, Brent, and I have three amazing kids—ten‑year‑old twin girls, Allison and Emma, and our five‑year‑old son, Henry.
Q: What inspired you to get involved in your community at a young age?
A: What inspires me most about engaging with my community is the opportunity to offer a simple, yet meaningful resource: time. While specialized skills can certainly enhance our impact, I love that there is a place for everyone to contribute, and every act of service—large or small—strengthens the community.
Q: Who has been the most influential mentor in your life, and why?
A: The most influential mentor in my life has been a former teacher, Jill Lofald. She first knew me when I was an awkward teenager, yet she consistently made me feel included and supported. Her guidance taught me the value of perseverance, and that lesson has continued to shape the way I approach challenges throughout my life.
Q: What does success look like to you right now?
A: I define success as building a healthy, supportive foundation for my family, acting as a reliable resource for my children, and modeling a balanced life where career ambitions and loving parenting coexist.
Q: What community issue do you feel deserves more attention?
A: While our community has made significant strides in accepting and addressing mental health, there is still substantial progress to be made. We need a deeper, more accurate understanding of what mental illness actually entails, how it manifests, and the profound impact it has on an individual’s life.
Q: What’s something people might be surprised to learn about you?
A: I’ve always found self‑esteem to be a challenge, and for a long time, I assumed it was something I would simply “grow out of” with age. Now I’m realizing that confidence and genuine self‑love aren’t things that just appear—they’re skills you build and practice over time. It’s an area I’m committed to working on as I move forward, and I want to be more intentional about nurturing it.
Q: What’s a lesson you’ve learned that you wish you had known earlier in your career?
A: It’s absolutely okay to lean on others when you need support; everyone—truly everyone—stumbles at times. What matters most is recognizing when something went wrong, taking responsibility for your part in it, and doing what you can to make things right. Each mistake carries a lesson you can use to grow, not a label you have to wear. Accountability matters, but so does kindness toward yourself. Give yourself room to be imperfect, to learn, and to keep moving forward without letting a single moment define who you are.
Q: What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
A: Using the “1%” approach means focusing on small, consistent improvements rather than feeling pressured to make dramatic changes all at once. The small choices we make each day often create the biggest long‑term impact, and these incremental steps tend to be far more realistic and sustainable for most people.
Q: Why is our local United Way important to you?
A: The United Way stands out for its distinctive approach to community outreach, taking care to design strategies that genuinely meet people where they are. I value the way they extend resources across so many different parts of our community, ensuring support reaches those who need it most.
Q: What is a hope you have for our community?
A: I hope our community can break the cycle of violence and remain committed to offering education and resources to the groups that need them most. I believe we would benefit from more opportunities for preventive education, giving people the tools to address risks early, before the risks have the chance to grow into something harmful.
