Founder, Advocate and Volunteer
The Goetz Mental Wellness Initiative; Imagine Thriving was founded by Stephanie Goetz in 2013 to honor her brother Cam Goetz, who took his life on August 11th, 2002 – the day before his 20th birthday. Cam was one of a kind: all-star athlete, handsome, well-loved, and a man with a heart of gold. But through high school and into college, he silently battled depression. His suicide rocked their close-knit family and the entire community of Red Wing, MN. Over the years, Stephanie reflected many times on the mental health and wellness help her brother Cam could have used in high school and the lack of awareness there is for kids struggling with mental illness. So after many years on her own journey of learning, understanding, and working through grief, in 2013 Stephanie - along with many important people - started the non-profit to honor her brother and help get resources to youth and families struggling with mental health issues. The organization is a champion for early intervention, prevention, and hope for those struggling with mental illness as well as mental health education, implementing specially trained staff in schools to support struggling kids, and removing financial barriers for children and families needing vital mental health care. Stephanie plays a volunteer & advocacy role with Imagine Thriving.
Board member & the Development committee chair:
Stephanie is a board member and the development committee chair of F.A.S.T. - Female Aviators Sticking Together. F.A.S.T. is a worldwide aviation non-profit made up of more than 11,000 female pilots. Its mission is to elevate, empower, and encourage female aviators to be exceptional on and off the flight deck. They provide unique flight scholarships, one-of-a-kind aviation summits, and mentorships programming for female pilots. Stephanie leads their fundraising and partnership efforts.
Vice President of Stars of the North (SOTN):
Stephanie is the Vice President of Stars of the North (SOTN) Women in Aviation International Minnesota chapter. SOTN is a group of more than 180 members locally. It is an incredibly active and community-conscious chapter devoted to furthering the future of aviation. Their mission and purpose is to inspire and educate young girls and women to explore the vast opportunities that aviation has to offer and provide a platform for girls and women to learn about career opportunities in aviation, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM).
Board Member from 2016 - 2020.
The PrairieCare Fund is a non-profit dedicated to funding innovative programming for mental health initiatives in education. Stephanie has the great privilege of working alongside some of the most talented, smart, progressive-thinking individuals in the mental health realm who are focused on creating solutions and support for people struggling with mental illness. The fund is focused on finding and implementing the best solutions to support the whole well-being of children and their families so that all people can live a fulfilled, joyful life!
Committee Member from 2017-2018.
Stephanie supports the remarkable efforts of the American Heart Association to help them build healthier lives free of cardiovascular disease and stroke. She helps the organization get the funding they need to provide innovative programming, groundbreaking research, CPR training, empower people to have the life-saving skills they need to save lives, live a healthier and happier life, and have more peace of mind around cardiovascular health.