Rachel "Perky" Pernina Oliver Burke (1934)
Rachel "Perky" Oliver Burke was a devoted mother of six.

Her husband, Edward, served in the Philippines during World War II, was wounded, and captured as a Prisoner of War. During the war and following his return to Brainerd, Perky was the main caregiver for the family and operated a boarding house till 1957.

Perky spent 25 years as a secretary in the pathology department at St. Cloud Hospital and also taught medical terminology, transcription and office procedures at St. Cloud Technical College. Perky used her self-taught skills to teach medical terminology to the blind, using dictation into a computer which printed in both English and Braille. After retiring from the hospital, she edited a medical textbook for a local law firm and was offered a job, finally retiring at age 80!

Perky was also a talented writer and had several essays published in local and regional publications. She was an active member of the Sinclair Lewis Writing Club. Throughout her lifetime, she remained involved in the Ex-POW Department of the State of MN and in St. Cloud, where she served as Chaplain for 27 years. Perky was a well-known community theater actress and a skilled seamstress who made most of her own and her daughters' clothes. She was also a Girl Scout leader and a member of the PTA and Catholic Daughters of America.

Perky passed away in 2018 at the remarkable age of 100.
Elissa Hansen (1997)
Elissa Hansen is currently the President & CEO of The Northspan Group Inc. of Duluth, MN Area. As Northspan President & CEO, she leads the organization with more than 20 years of experience in business, community, organizational, and economic development across Minnesota and Wisconsin. She invests her time creatively advancing others' capabilities, engaging with and elevating every client by facilitating tough conversations and moving organizations forward with action-oriented strategic planning models. She works to create a setting for meaningful communications that respects diverse perspectives, creates joint resolve, and inspires individual and group action.

Elissa earned her undergraduate and Master’s degrees from the University of Arizona. She is a graduate of Leadership Duluth and Blandin Community Leadership programs. She’s been a board member or officer of over 30 organizations including Duluth City Council President and Duluth City Council Finance Chair. Also as an Area Partnership for Economic Development (APEX) board member, and Duluth Economic Development Authority Commissioner and served on the Duluth Mayor’s Economic Development Coalition.

She has been awarded multiple economic development awards including 2014 Mid-America Economic Development Council 1st place for APEX’s Data Center Attraction Strategy.

Elissa has been honored as one of the Duluth News Tribune’s “20 under 40,” which celebrates professionals who are making a positive impact and working for change in the region.
Heid Holtan (1987)
Heidi Holtan is currently the director of content and public affairs at KAXE Public Radio in Grand Rapids. She is also a Regional Correspondent for PBS North Duluth.

Heidi hosts NPR’s local Morning Edition and All Things Considered, interviews community members and public officials and feels fortunate to find work that challenges her every day.

Heidi’s work during the pandemic earned a statewide achievement award for KAXE from the AMPERS public radio network.

Heidi recently spoke at a national Public Media Journalism Conference in San Antonio, Texas about inclusion and equity as a white leader in media. She also moderated a keynote panel recently for Springboard for the Arts in Fergus Falls that addressed inclusion and equity in rural spaces.

Prior to her career at KAXE, Heidi worked 10 years at the MN State Capitol Legislative Reference Library in areas of research and information. Leaving that position in her late 20s, she worked in her family’s telephone directory company, Fronteer Directory.

Heidi is a graduate of the University of Minnesota Twin Cities with a BA in Women’s Studies.
Dr. Jennifer Person (1993)
Jennifer is a Partner and Doctor of Chiropractic and Acupuncture at Family Chiropractic in Baxter, MN. Previously, she was a business owner and Chiropractic Physician in Flin Flon, Manitoba, Canada where she diagnosed and managed musculoskeletal conditions of the spine and extremities.

Jennifer completed her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Biology from Hamline University in 1999, followed by a Bachelor of Science in Human Biology, Doctorate in Chiropractic Sciences, and Board Certification in Acupuncture from Northwestern Health Sciences University in 2002 and 2009 respectively.

She was recognized as one of Minnesota's top Chiropractors from 2019 to 2023 and received the "Outstanding 75 Alumni" Award of Central Lakes College in 2014. Jennifer also received the 2023 Paul Harris "Service Above Self" award from the Brainerd Rotary for her exceptional work.

Apart from her professional career, Jennifer has a passion for music. She traveled extensively for a year with the international music group "Up With People", teaching a 2 ½ hour contemporary musical show to the cast, who were all from different countries. She is a piano accompanist for choirs, churches, and community events in the Brainerd Lakes area and Canada, and is also a musical theater vocal director. Jennifer currently serves as Vice President on the board of the Legacy Chorale of Greater Minnesota.

Jennifer is also involved in the development and coordination of Camp Journey, a program designed to help kids who have experienced a loss in their life, which is close to her heart.
Amy Wallin Price (1989)
Amy has been a Realtor with RG Realty Group since 2014. She was recently named the 2023 Realtor of the Year by the Greater Lakes Association of Realtors, which is a testament to her exceptional work in the real estate industry.

Prior to her real estate career, Amy worked in accounting at Kummet, Larson & Bluth, Lakeland Mold, and was the Accounting Manager at Mid Minnesota Federal Credit Union.

Amy has received several awards for her work in real estate, including the Executive Club Award at Weichert Realtors in 2017 and 2018, the Weichert President's Club Award in 2019, and the Realty Group Chairman's Group award for 2020, 2021, and 2022 (for completing more than 40 transactions in a year). Since joining Realty Group in 2020, Amy has consistently been one of the top 20 agents each year, out of 700+ real estate agents, and even ranked #3 in 2022.

Apart from her professional career, Amy is also an active volunteer. She has received several awards for her community involvement, such as the Mark Sjoblom Weichert Pride Award in 2015 and 2017, the Jim Alderman Community Spirit Award in 2016, and the Brainerd Rotary Service Above Self Award in 2023. Amy has also been recognized with the Realty Group RG Citizen Award in 2020, 2021, and 2022 for her exceptional service and commitment to the community.

Amy notes that her realty work sometimes makes it difficult to commit to a structured volunteering commitment, so she helps out whenever she's asked and where she can. She enjoys spending time with her senior clients, many of whom don't have family in town and don't drive anymore. Amy helps them with appointments, goes out to dinner with them, and just listens to them.

Brainerd Public Schools

Legendary Women Inductees