Staff Members

Kuma Takamura
Interim Executive Director
Education Director

It was supposed to be a melting pot, but when Kuma came to the U.S. from Japan in the '80s, what he found was "Chunky Stew." Kuma, as a biologist, an electrical engineer, and an educator, worked in many areas including private sector and higher education system. Everywhere he went he strongly felt diversity was a strength but "we were not tapping into it." Humans are inquisitive and curious beings. Difference triggers fear, but he hopes, with our effort, the curiosity/inquisitiveness will eventally take over and people will start learning each others' differences and start recognizing the power of diversity! Kuma joined the Greater Mankato Diversity staff in the summer of 2011.
ktakamura@mankatodiversity.org

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Missy Manderfeld
Administrative Assistant

Missy is recently retired from Minnesota State University, Mankato, where she worked in the Social Work Department. Her volunteer experience includes VINE Faith in Action, YWCA, Echo Food Shelf, etc. Missy says that presenting respect workshops in the classroom takes her out of her comfort zone in a good way and she enjoys getting to know the other facilitators. Her most important role is that of mom (4 grown children) and proud grandmother.
missy@mankatodiversity.org

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Bukata Hayes
Executive Director Emeritus

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The most important thing about Bukata Hayes is that he is the son of Dia Damani Courtney and Karen Hayes, husband to Lisa and father to Damani, Jalen, Zavier, and Zuri. In addition to this, Bukata has served as the Executive Director of the Greater Mankato Diversity Council since September, 2006 till March 2021. Prior to this role, he served as the Coordinator of the Multi Ethnic Center at Bethany Lutheran College in Mankato, the first-ever position of its kind at the college. Bukata received his Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Physiology from the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, Minnesota. He has membership and/or is on the board of numerous organizations such as the Mankato Chapter of the NAACP (President), Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF), Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Board (President), Latin American Multicultural Association for Networking and Opportunity –LA MANO (Board), and Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation Board.
bhayes@mankatodiversity.org

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Bethany Truman
Community Outreach and Engagement Coordinator

Bethany has a few titles that she has strives to obtain in her community, her favorite title above all the rest is "mom". Bethany is a full time single mother to a 6yo boy named Elijah. When she isn't worm hunting or making blanket forts with her son, Bethany is working in her local community. She has been actively advocating for an increase of accountability with youth serving organizations to better build equity among all the differences and diversity within the youth population for the past 5 years with her title as Southern Regional Representative for the Minnesota Hip Hop Coalition. Bethany is also the Community Outreach & Engagement Coordinator for the Greater Mankato Diversity Council and volunteers her time as the Director of Community Engagement with Mankato Makerspace. She currently sits as an active Board Member for Mankato Makerspace and sits on several committees serving the betterment of her community in Mahkato. 
btruman@manaktodiversity.org

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Gideon Afolayan 
Social Media & Web Specialist

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