Four Central Minnesota Residents Named Finalists for 2026 Changemakers Award

(KNSI) – Four finalists have been named for the 2026 St. Cloud Changemakers Award, an annual program that recognizes central Minnesota residents for the positive impact they’ve made in their communities.

The finalists are Aveen Sunar of Sauk Rapids (top right), Grace Grell of St. Cloud (bottom left), Sandy Wolff of Richmond (bottom right) and Tami Kruzel of Waite Park. They were chosen from a wide pool of nominations submitted from across the state by a selection committee made up of representatives from the program’s partnering businesses and past Changemakers finalists.

All four will be honored at the Changemakers Awards Ceremony in September, where one will be named the winner and receive a $5,000 cash prize. The other three finalists will each receive $3,000.

Sunar is a nursing student and community advocate originally from Nepal. He founded the first Nepalese Student Association at St. Cloud Technical & Community College, creating a space for cultural connection and support on campus. He also serves as a regional director for the Minnesota Student Nurses Association and works as a nursing assistant at St. Cloud Hospital.

Grell holds a master’s degree in clinical rehabilitation from St. Cloud State University and works as a licensed therapist serving kids and families with disabilities. Her own experience as a young woman with a disability who faced bullying shaped her advocacy work. She founded two nonprofits, Gift with Grace and The Ability Project, both focused on raising awareness for people living with serious illness or disabilities. She logs more than 600 volunteer hours a year and has personally raised over $10,000 for Make-A-Wish Minnesota while also serving Special Olympics as a coach, fundraising chair and unified athlete.

Wolff owns Sandy Hansen-Wolff LLC, where she works as an executive leadership strategist, entrepreneur and coach. After the unexpected death of her first husband, she took over and grew her family’s agricultural business into a thriving operation before selling it in 2020. For more than three decades, she’s focused on helping leaders and organizations build stronger cultures, while also devoting time to mentorship and philanthropy across central Minnesota.

Kruzel co-founded and directs Bri’s Lodge, a nonprofit built around a simple mission, making sure no one has to grieve alone. She started the organization after the sudden death of her 18-year-old daughter, BriAnna, in 2013. A registered nurse with more than 15 years of healthcare experience, Kruzel combines her professional background with her own experience of loss to support grieving families. Under her leadership, Bri’s Lodge now offers grief companioning, support groups, youth programming and community education, working with area healthcare providers and schools.

The Changemakers program was created by St. Cloud Financial Credit Union, along with partners. Since its inception more than a decade ago, it has recognized hundreds of people who have made a meaningful difference in St. Cloud and the surrounding area.

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