Larisa Friesen came to Sojourners with a background in real estate sales and marketing and joined the organization as the Director of Advertising Sales in January, 2006.  In August, 2009 she transitioned to the position of Director of Major Gifts and is daily inspired by stories of how our friends and supporters are connecting to the mission of Sojourners.  Larisa spent her formative years on the family farm in Henderson, Nebraska and began to learn then—and continues to learn now—that whether it is life, a business, or organizational mission, it takes creativity and determination to make things happen and pull it all together. From the tall cornfields of Nebraska to tall city buildings, Larisa is now a resident of our own Columbia Heights neighborhood taking in the sights, sounds, and culture of Washington, D.C.

Larisa earned her associate’s degree at Hesston College in Hesston, Kansas and bachelor’s degree in international business and economic development from Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg Virginia.  Her hobbies include loving life in Washington, D.C., running races, starting good books (and rarely finishing them), and cooking dinner for friends.

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