STAR House Board

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Lexie Marsh was raised in the Twin Cities area by a single mother, fostering a deep commitment to supporting children and families in both Hennepin & Ramsey County and those with similar upbringings. Through her volunteer work with Minneapolis Public Schools, Bridge For Youth teen shelter and MN Recovery Connection, she's gained valuable experience working closely with at-risk children, teens, and families, understanding the importance of compassionate, non-judgmental, and trauma-informed care.

She joined STAR House in 2023 as a member of the launch committee, where she specifically focus on policies and procedures. Currently, Lexie works as a Legal Assistant in downtown Minneapolis. She looks forward to her continued work with STAR House and making positive impacts in her community. 

Lexie stepped into the role of Board President in July 2025. 

"Having been with STAR House since before our doors were open, I’m especially excited for this next chapter! There’s so much to look forward to, and I’m committed to bringing steady, thoughtful leadership as we continue building a sustainable, community-focused resource for families in crisis.  "

Becki Emerfoll is a St. Paul native and has raised her family and grandchildren here. Becki spent many years working at a local college until earning her Paralegal degree in 2013. Since then, Becki has enjoyed a rewarding career with a Minneapolis law firm. Becki’s professional skills and personal experiences as a mother, wife, grandmother, and daughter to a single parent have made the partnership with STAR House successful.

Marissa Pitterle is an institutional investment professional who has lived in St. Paul since her first job out of college over a decade ago. While her career has focused on investment management for insurance companies, she is also passionate about personal finance and financial education. When not absorbed in budgets and balance sheets, she enjoys traveling the world, reading, and running - if Minnesota weather cooperates. As a Wisconsin transplant, Marissa understands how critical support networks are to the community, and especially to parents. She is looking forward to being a part of STAR House and serving to support local families who need their community. Marissa has been a Board Member and Treasurer for Twin Cities Pet Rescue (2017-2019) and is currently a Board Member/Finance Committee member for Inkline Printing (owned by her sister) since 2020. Marissa has a Bachelor of Science in Physics from the University of Notre Dame and earned her MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Laura Hester brings over a decade of experience in the education sector, spanning roles in the classroom, school administration, and nonprofit leadership. For the past five years, she has served at an education-focused nonprofit, where she has played a key role in assisting its fundraising initiatives and ensuring all students have access to a high-quality education. A passionate advocate for equitable opportunities for all children, Laura recognizes the vital role a safe home environment and a supportive community play in a child's upbringing, and she sees STAR House as fulfilling those roles for the children served. Laura has a Masters in Public Policy from Vanderbilt University and currently lives in St. Paul with her husband and two daughters.

Born and raised in St. Paul, MN, Sarah Ellefson lives here with her daughter and is deeply committed to strengthening families in her community. Sarah’s career spans 17 years in the corporate world—working in marketing, purchasing, administration, and event planning—but her true passion has always been supporting children and families.

In 2001, Sarah envisioned creating a family-centered space offering parenting support that was missing when she was growing up, a place that many families in Ramsey County still urgently need today. Her dedication to this vision grew through years of community engagement, including developing daycare services for a local church, leading child care staff, teaching dance classes for children, facilitating teen support groups, and serving on the United Way Funds Allocation Board.

Sarah holds a Bachelor’s degree in Child Care Administration and Advocacy and brings hands-on experience from her time at the Greater Minneapolis Crisis Nursery. There, she held roles ranging from Child Development Specialist to Interim Manager, gaining deep insight into the crisis nursery model and children’s services.

What drives Sarah’s work is her lived experience being raised in multi-generational trauma by a single mother in poverty gives her a unique understanding of the challenges faced by many families served by STAR House. This personal connection fuels her dedication to preventing child abuse and neglect and providing nurturing, stable care for children in crisis.

As one of STAR House’s three founding members and interim executive director, Sarah is proud to help lead an organization that is rooted in community, equity, and trauma-informed care, working tirelessly to give children and caregivers the support they deserve.