CaringBridge CEO Liwanag Ojala Elected to MPR Board of Trustees

Mar 14, 2016

Minnesota Public Radio has elected Liwanag Ojala to its board of trustees. Ojala is the newly appointed CEO of CaringBridge, the first and most widely used global nonprofit social network dedicated to helping family and friends communicate with and support loved ones during a health journey.

As CEO, Ojala leads management and ensures that all CaringBridge operations contribute toward its mission to make each health journey easier by amplifying the love, hope and compassion in the world.

"Liwanag is an energetic and imaginative executive," said Brad Anderson, chair of the Minnesota Public Radio board of trustees. "Her expertise in customer-focused business strategy and thought leadership in technology user experience will be instrumental to our success as we continue to shape our public service in the digital age."

Before joining CaringBridge as chief operating officer at the end of 2014, she was vice president of ecommerce at Meijer. She developed digital grocery strategy for the company and oversaw Meijer.com. Prior to Meijer, she served in several executive roles: president of print business for startup Pear Tree Greetings; president of SimonDelivers; and general manager of CobornsDelivers. Ojala began her career as an attorney with Briggs & Morgan, PA. As legal counsel for SpartanNash Company, she assisted the public company by advising executives on legal matters.

In 2015, the Women's Health Leadership TRUST recognized Ojala as a "Top Emerging Women Leader" in health care. In 2008, the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal recognized Ojala's leadership with the "40 Under 40" award. She remains a member of the Minnesota State Bar and a trustee emeritus of the Blandin Foundation.

Ojala holds a B.A. in history from Northwestern University and a J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School. She has been an MPR member since 2005.