A new leadership team is elected every six years at a Chapter of Elections. A Chapter is the highest level of governance of the vowed members of the congregation. The word 'Chapter' describes both the meeting itself and the participants. The current Congregational Leadership’s term is from 2006-2012.

Tierney Trueman, OSF, Community Minister/President. S. Tierney is originally from Delano, Minnesota. She graduated from the College of Saint Teresa in Winona, Minnesota, with a BA in Biology, and from the University of Alabama with an MA in Educational Leadership and Administration.
S. Tierney served for 30 years in a variety of ministries in Bogotá, Colombia; first as a teacher and then as director of Colegio Santa Francisca Romana, a K-12 school. Later, she was designated as Coordinator of the Franciscan Mission in Bogotá. She was appointed to the Education Commission by the National Senate of Colombia, SA, and received the “Al Merito Educativo Medal.' S. Tierney also served for nine years in ministry in St. Francis Parish in Rochester.

Ramona Miller, OSF, Associate Minister. Originally from Waseca, Minnesota, S. Ramona has a wide experience in pastoral ministry in parishes--Director of Adult Faith Formation, Pastoral Associate--and retreat centers. For four years, she served as Director of Spiritual Formation at the Franciscan School of Theology in Berkeley, California. S. Ramona was a staff member of the Franciscan Pilgrimage Programs, leading pilgrimages to Assisi, Italy, and to Prague, Czech Republic, from 1987-2010. Ramona continues to give presentations and conducts retreats on contemporary aspects of Franciscan spirituality. She is a graduate of the Franciscan Institute, St. Bonaventure University, author of In the Footsteps of Saint Clare, and co-author of Praying With Clare of Assisi.

In 2006, S. Ramona was elected to the Leadership of the Sisters of Saint Francis, Rochester, Minnesota, and is currently fulfilling a 6-year term.

Anne Walch, OSF, Associate Minister. S. Anne is originally from Altura, Minnesota. She holds a BA in Education from the College of Saint Teresa in Winona, Minnesota, an MA in Culture and Creation Spirituality from Holy Names College in Oakland, California, and an MA in Pastoral Ministry from Seattle University in Washington. S. Anne has served in a variety of ministries including primary grade teacher and vocation minister. She ministered in Montana for 25 years in St. Leo’s Parish and on the Saint Labre Reservation. She also served as a pastoral minister in several parishes in Minnesota and Montana. S. Anne served on the Congregational Leadership Team of the Sisters of Saint Francis from 1994-2000. Most recently, she served as Pastoral Associate at St. Joachim’s in Plainview, Holy Trinity in Rollingstone, and St. Mary’s in Minneiska, Minnesota.

Sister Marilyn Geiger, OSF, Associate Minister. Originally from Seward, Nebraska, S. Marilyn received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the College of Saint Teresa in Winona, Minnesota, her Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington, and her Master of Divinity from Seattle University in Seattle, Washington. She also received her Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate.

S. Marilyn worked in the Holly Park Community Clinic and Puget Sound Health Care System for thirteen years, including serving as adjunct faculty for students from the University of Washington and Seattle University. She served as a Pastoral Associate in parishes in the Archdiocese of Seattle and was appointed by the Archbishop to be the Pastoral Life Coordinator of a parish and school. S. Marilyn volunteered two summers in Clover Fork Clinic, Evarts, Kentucky. She was a recipient of the Nurse Practitioner of the Year Award for King County. S. Marilyn served on the King County Nurse Practitioner Council, King County Jail Heath Commission, the Pastoral Council of the Archdiocese of Seattle, and Deacon Board of the Archdiocese of Seattle. She was President of the Sisters Council of the Archdiocese of Seattle, and served on the Christifidelis Admissions Committee of the Archdiocese of Seattle. In addition, S. Marilyn was a Field Staff to Leadership and Transition Ministry Service of the Archdiocese of Seattle.

In 2006, S. Marilyn was elected to the Leadership of the Sisters of Saint Francis, Rochester, Minnesota, and is currently fulfilling a 6-year term.

Marlene Pinzka, OSF, Congregational Treasurer. S. Marlene is originally from Sleepy Eye, Minnesota. She served on the faculty of Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, for 17 years. She has Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral degrees in mathematics education and has ministered at the junior high, senior high, and college levels. S. Marlene co-chaired the Catholic Identity Committee and served on a variety of committees at Loras, including the Faculty Senate. She has worked with area elementary and secondary teachers and served as a mentor to students in the Dubuque school system. S. Marlene served as a board member and treasurer for People in Need, an interfaith outreach program for persons in crisis.

Elaine Frank, OSF, Congregational Secretary. S. Elaine is originally from Caledonia, Minnesota. After starting college, she joined the Daughters of Mary, a small congregation in Florida, with a ministry focused on education and social work. In 1975, S. Elaine transferred to our Congregation, and worked in retreat ministry, in the business offices at Assisi Heights and as administrator at the Tau Center in Winona. Following training in Clinical Pastoral Education and in Spiritual Direction, she became chaplain at Mercy Medical Center North Iowa and North Iowa Hospice in Mason City, Iowa. Before returning to Assisi Heights to serve on the Leadership Team, S. Elaine served on the staff at Holy Spirit Retreat Center in Janesville, Minnesota, from 1998-2006.

Joan Brown, OSF, Councilor. S. Joan lives and works in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in Ecology Ministry. She is the Executive Director of the New Mexico Interfaith Power and Light, which educates and engages faith communities in the challenges of climate change and sustainability through action and advocacy. In addition, she works with the non-profit Partnership for Earth Spirituality, which she co-founded, to address the gap between spirituality, creation care and advocacy for change. She also serves on the board of the National Catholic Rural Life Conference and is an Oxfam Sister Ambassador on the Planet. Previously, she co-founded the Tierra Madre Strawbale Community for new immigrants on the border of the US and Mexico in Sunland Park, New Mexico. Over the past 25 years, she has lived and worked with women in a shelter, soup kitchen and in administrative capacities with the Pikes Peak Justice and Peace Commission and Pace e Bene Franciscan service to non-violent change. Her life and ministry spring from Kansas farm roots in the Bluestem grassland near Emporia. She received a BA in English from St. Mary College, Leavenworth, Kansas, and an MA in Religion, Philosophy and Cosmology from California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco. S. Joan serves as a part-time councilor.

Barbara Goergen, OSF, Councilor. S. Barb is a native Minnesotan, who received her Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from the College of Saint Teresa in Winona, Minnesota, her Master of Science from Texas Women's University in Houston and completed the Family Nurse Practitioner Program at the University of Texas in San Antonio. She also received her Nurse Practitioner certification in pediatrics. S. Barb’s experience includes 34 years as a NP working in a variety of settings including Mayo Clinic and University of California - San Diego. In addition to her practice at these institutions she also held academic clinical positions with their respective medical schools, and has been a clinical mentor for multiple Nurse Practitioner programs. She has published several journal articles and frequently guest lectures. She has also been a past recipient of the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner of the Year award for San Diego. After 20 years in Primary Care she now specializes in allergy and asthma, working with a private practice in San Diego, CA. She has volunteered her medical services at a clinic in Mexico and at San Diego's St. Vincent De Paul Center for the homeless.

Lois Knipp, OSF, Councilor. S. Lois entered the Rochester Franciscan Congregation from Le Center, Minnesota, in 1959. She received a B.S. from the College of Saint Teresa in Winona, Minnesota. She taught in Catholic grade schools for twenty years before going to Peru, in 1979, to serve in pastoral work until 1986. She then received a B.S. in Spanish from Mankato State University. From 1991-1996 , S. Lois was Congregational Incorporation Minister. After earning a Master’s Degree at the St Paul Seminary School of Theology, in 2002, she began working in Hispanic Pastoral Ministry. Presently, she serves as bilingual Pastoral Minister for the Trinity Cluster Catholic Parishes and resides in Sioux Center, Iowa.