2024 Recipients
Enforcement: Sergeant Dave Windels
Sergeant Dave Windels has been a police officer for 24 years, previously serving with the St. Joseph Police Department and the Goodhue County Sheriff’s Office, and currently serving with the Elk River Police Department as a patrol sergeant and TZD coordinator.
Sgt. Windels understands that traffic safety is public safety. Whenever presented with a challenge, he finds a solution. He coordinates overtime enforcement during Office of Traffic Safety waves and is constantly organizing on-duty waves to provide sustained, high-visibility saturations. Other projects he has led or participated in include the 2024 Traffic Safety Vehicle Grant, an OTS Speed and Aggressive Driving Call-to-Action Grant, and activities with the Sherburne County Safe Roads Coalition, including a video contest with students at Elk River High School on texting and driving.
Emergency Medical & Trauma Services: Ann Jenson
Ann Jenson demonstrates exceptional dedication and leadership in supporting the TZD traffic safety mission, going above and beyond to secure vital resources, educational equipment, training opportunities, and grants. Some notable examples of Ann’s commitment to promoting traffic safety include securing funds for educational equipment such as the rollover simulator, adopting the Stop-the-Bleed program, implementing several train-the-trainer classes, purchasing and offering training kits and tourniquets for distribution, and acting as a fiscal agent for safe roads coalitions.
Ann also piloted a telehealth program for ambulances responding to traumatic events such as motor vehicle crashes—a game-changer for all Greater Minnesota providers that will help to increase the survival rates of crash victims. In addition, she was instrumental in applying for a $9.9 million grant with the USDOT’s Safe Streets and Roads for All, which was awarded to Southwest Minnesota EMS Corp to implement a regional tele-EMS system.
Education: Alan Ainsworth
Alan Ainsworth served as co-chair for the first-ever Mall of America Traffic Safety Day event. Alan’s idea for this event was to “go to the people” with traffic safety outreach and connect with the wide variety of MOA visitors from across Minnesota and the country.
For nearly two years, Alan worked with many businesses to raise funds, find a fiscal host, review lengthy contracts, acquire event insurers and sponsors, and line up numerous exhibitors. The event, which took place in April 2024, was a huge success. Others on the event planning committee praised Alan’s persistence in the face of many barriers; he kept the team from losing hope that the event would happen.
Child Passenger Safety: Dex Tuttle
Dex Tuttle’s commitment to safeguarding children’s well-being regardless of language or cultural barriers is commendable. Patients and their families of Children’s Minnesota health care system speak more than 60 languages. Using digital animation, Dex directed an initiative to ensure that vital safety messages were accessible to all of these families. Incorporating art and positive messaging allows injury prevention information to be shared across cultures and language groups. The “Making Safe Simple” video series shows families with limited English proficiency or literacy how to help prevent injuries from motor vehicle collisions.
Dex also teaches the CPS Technician, CARS/BEST, and Safe Native American Passengers courses and is the only instructor in Minnesota who teaches the Safe Travel for All Children course.
Engineering: Girma Feyissa
Girma Feyissa has been the MnDOT State Aid Traffic Safety Engineer since 2020. To advance MnDOT’s core value of safety, he frequently presents at TZD conferences, county board meetings, and other roadway-safety-related workshops at the national, state, and regional levels.
Through collaboration with the Office of Traffic Engineering, the Department of Public Safety, Federal Highway Administration, and city and county partners, Girma has catalyzed notable safety improvements on local roads, resulting in approximately $20 million per year awarded to local agencies to reduce fatal and life-changing crashes. He also champions statewide efforts such as the County Road Safety Plans and Local Roads Traffic Safety Regional Workshops.
Past Recipients
2023
- Child Passenger Safety: Aimee Eggen
- Education: K9 Deputy Luis Figueroa
- Emergency Medical & Trauma Services: Chris Ballard
- Enforcement: Officer Luke Nelson
- Engineering: Lars Impola
- Judicial/Court System: Kathy Keena
2022
- Child Passenger Safety: Officer Ryan Kuffel
- Education: Mary Erickson
- Emergency Medical & Trauma Services: Josh Duda
- Enforcement: Deputy Chad Myers
- Engineering: Derek Leuer
2021
- Child Passenger Safety: Bridget Nez
- Education: Crystal Hoepner
- Emergency Medical & Trauma Services: Tim Cook
- Enforcement: Sgt. Joshua Moore
- Engineering: Diane Langenbach
2020
- Child Passenger Safety: Tracy Brown
- Education: Stephanie Felt
- Emergency Medical & Trauma Services: Joan Somes
- Enforcement: Chief Josh Hanson
- Engineering: Loren Hill
- Judicial & Court System: Monica Jensen
2019
- Child Passenger Safety: Detective Cameron Gustafson
- Education: Allison Nicolson
- Emergency Medical & Trauma Services: Kristi Engelstad
- Enforcement: Commander Jeremy Ellison
- Engineering: Renae Kuehl
- Judicial & Court System: James C. Backstrom
2018
- Child Passenger Safety: Karri Hendrickson
- Education: Jeff Strom
- Emergency Medical & Trauma Services: Amy Saylor
- Enforcement: Kevin Otto
- Engineering: Richard Sanders
- Judicial & Court System: Abby Kuschel
2017
- Child Passenger Safety: Julie Philbrook
- Education: Vijay Dixit
- Emergency Medical & Trauma Services: James Kroona
- Enforcement: Brad Norland
- Engineering: Rick West
- Judicial & Court System: Matt Grochow
2016
- Child Passenger Safety: Laura Owen
- Education: Officer Adam Gau
- Emergency Medical & Trauma Services: Matt Jakubik
- Enforcement: Deputy Tom Coulter
- Engineering: Lou Tasa
- Judicial & Court System: Michelle Zehnder Fischer
2015
- Engineering: Tom Dumont, MnDOT District 3
- Enforcement: Trooper Gabe Cornish, Minnesota State Patrol
- Judicial/Court Systems: Jack Muhar, Itasca County
- Education: Brenda Pohlman, Fillmore County Public Health
- Emergency Medical and Trauma Services: Deb Syverson, Sanford Medical Center
- Child Passenger Safety: KaRee Lockling, Fond du Lac Reservation Human Services Division
2014
- Engineering: Nancy Klema, MnDOT
- Enforcement: Deputy Sheriff Tim Entner, Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office
- Judicial/Court Systems: Judge Shaun Floerke, Minnesota’s Sixth Judicial District
- Education: Jennifer Hoff, Essentia Health-St. Mary’s Medical Center
- Education: Bill Shaffer, Office of Traffic Safety, Minnesota Department of Public Safety
- Emergency Medical and Trauma Services: Deb Horsman, Mayo Clinic
- Child Passenger Safety: Deborah Schroeder, Olmsted County Public Health
2013
- Engineering: Vic Lund, St. Louis County
- Enforcement: Becky Putzke, Brainerd Police Department
- Judicial/Court Systems: Thomas Miller, Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Minnesota Department of Public Safety's
- Education: Andrea Gierok, Winona County Community Services
- Emergency Medical and Trauma Services: Tom Vanderwal, Greater Northwest Emergency Medical Services
- Child Passenger Safety: Esther DeLaCruz, CPS Associates
2012
- Engineering: Brad Estochen, MnDOT
- Enforcement: Jason Engeldinger, Minnesota State Patrol
- Judicial/Court Systems: Judge Mark Starr, St. Louis County Courts
- Education: Gail Weinholzer, AAA Minnesota-Iowa
- Emergency Medical and Trauma Services: Dan DeSmet, North Memorial Ambulance Service-Marshall Region
- Child Passenger Safety: Jennifer Booge, Mahube Community Council
2011
- Engineering: Mark Vizecky, MnDOT
- Enforcement: Scott McConkey, Office of Traffic Safety
- Judicial/Court Systems: Shari Schluchter, Beltrami County Courts
- Education: Bryan Carey, Minnesota State Patrol
- Emergency Medical and Trauma Services: Brian Nord, Allina Transportation Buffalo
- Child Passenger Safety: Diana Van Wormer, Regions Hospital
2010
- Enforcement: Joel Scharf, Moorhead Police Department
- Emergency Medical & Trauma Services: J. Kevin Croston, North Memorial Medical Center
- Education: Dan Schoonhoven, Moorhead Fire Department
- Engineering: Wayne Sandberg, Washington County
- Child Passenger Safety: Sharon Munns, Saint Marys Hospital/Mayo Clinic
- Judicial/Court Systems: Joel Watne, former assistant attorney general
2009
- Enforcement: Bruce Johnson, Dakota County Sheriff's Department (retired)
- Emergency Medical & Trauma Services: Darrell Smith, Cook County Ambulance Service
- Education: Joseph Grafft, Metropolitan State University
- Engineering: Dave Engstrom, MnDOT
- Child Passenger Safety: Brynn Duncan and family, crash survivor
- Judicial/Court System: James Dehn, Isanti County Courts
2008
- Enforcement: Jeremy Cossette, White Earth Tribal Police
- Emergency Medical & Trauma Services: Jim Theodore (retired)
- Education: Cheryl Bisping, Mesabi Safe Communities Coaltion
- Engineering: Dave Kopacz, Federal Highway Administration
- Child Passenger Safety: Tom Jansky, Gold Cross Ambulance