Meet the Explorers of Nörd Commons

A smiling man and woman taking a selfie outdoors in a lush, green jungle with a small stream in the background.

  • Matt & Chloe are currently living in Corvallis, OR while Chloe’s daughter Camille finishes her degree at Oregon State University. Matt’s two sons live in South Minneapolis and Brookfield, IL. Prior to moving to Oregon, we lived in Stillwater for 5 years and in St. Paul for 2 years. Chloe is currently on “work break” from being an operating room charge nurse at River Falls Area Hospital for many years. Matt is a retired general surgeon (also in River Falls) and restauranteur (J. Selby’s in St. Paul). We love to travel and currently have a small camper. We have a 9 year old pitbull/husky (Pitsky) named Scully who always thinks she’s the top dog. We also love to cook and Matt is an avid bread baker.

A smiling couple standing arm-in-arm on a forest trail during fall with colorful red, orange, and green leaves and a bright blue sky.

  • Addie and Ben are an entrepreneurial Twin Cities couple with roots that run deep in Minnesota. Addie grew up in Ely, surrounded by nature, and Ben is a lifelong St. Paul native. Eight years married, they bring passions for wellness and community to everything they do: Addie owns Ely Cabin Collective and also does corporate talent acquisition marketing, while Ben owns The Wilderness Fitness and Coworking and works as a personal trainer, sharing wellness and building community in Minneapolis. They share their home with their cat Patches and a growing dream of raising a family somewhere that reflects their values. They have a shared passion for cohousing centered on nature, sustainability, play, and community. Nord Commons feels like the natural next chapter: a place to raise kids, know your neighbors, and live intentionally.

A smiling woman with gray hair and glasses standing outdoors in front of green leafy bushes, wearing a colorful knit sweater.

  • Diane called the Twin Cities home for nearly 40 years. She currently lives in Michigan and is planning a move back to Minnesota in the near future. Diane is a pastor in the ELCA Lutheran tradition. She has two adult sons, and two big cats. She enjoys music,  reading, knitting, gardening and hiking.

A happy family sitting on a park bench. The father is taking a selfie, holding a drink. The mother is holding a baby, also with a drink. A young boy is sitting between them, smiling.

  • Kally and Tobey were both born and raised in Minnesota; Kally in Maplewood, and Tobey in Blackduck. They met at the University of Minnesota during their dorm's welcome week in 2016. 

    Kally works as a civil engineer by day, and a birth doula by night (both figuratively and literally). Tobey earned his PhD this past fall in biomedical physics and now works as an MRI safety engineer and continues passionately expanding research in MRI. 

    In their free time they enjoy being active and exploring nature with their two young children Herbert & Delma. Herbert is a self-proclained future seaplane pilot. Delma spends most of her time learning, as babies do. 

    In the rare occasion that they get to spend time on their hobbies, Kally likes sewing, fishing, and camping. Tobey likes board sports, tinkering, and gardening. 

An elderly man and woman stand together smiling in front of a dark speckled background. The woman has shoulder-length gray hair, glasses, and is wearing a cream-colored blouse. The man has curly white hair, a mustache, and is dressed in a gray suit with a bow tie.

  • Ann and John are lifelong Minnesotans who grew up in South Minneapolis and now call Minnetonka home. John’s parents were both born in Greece and growing up, he was an active member of the local Greek church. John, a University of Minnesota graduate, began his career as a social worker on the Iron Range before spending eight years in California, where he shifted into healthcare supply chain. He later returned to Minnesota and concluded his career with Allina Health. John enjoys playing guitar, traveling, audiobooks, biking, and cooking Greek cuisine.

    Ann also graduated from the University of Minnesota and went on to study at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, where she worked as a fashion designer for eight years. Drawn back by Minnesota’s landscape, she transitioned into marketing and later customer experience. Now mostly retired, she focuses on jewelry design through her brand, Ann Fondren Design, selling online and at local markets. Ann enjoys fitness classes, biking, audiobooks, cooking, and (not really) gardening.

    Ann became interested in cohousing a couple of years ago and is excited to explore cohousing options that ideally include makers’ space!

    Ann and John have 2 sons who both reside in Bozeman, Montana. They share their home with their lively Schnoodle, Coco, who keeps them on their toes.

Two women smiling and laughing indoors, wearing glasses, with a window and curtains in the background.

  • Debbie:
    I am a retired nurse. I recently moved to Minnesota from Illinois to live next to my daughter, Kristy. I enjoy observing our natural world and keep my mind active by following earthquake radar and doing word searches.
    A fun fact about my life: I recently got to see my cousin, in person, for the first time in 55 years!

    Kristy:
    At work: I help investigate medical identity theft and correct patient records. 

    At home: I most enjoy doing outdoor work, rocking in my hammock, and going to the movies. 

    At Nörd Commons: I am attracted by the ideals of working together and looking out for each other.

A woman standing in shallow ocean water at the beach, waving at the camera, with a partly cloudy blue sky and ocean waves in the background.

  • Virginia was born in Alabama but came to Minnesota for college and has called that home pretty much ever since. Has traveled a decent amount (this year – Iceland!) but really likes being at home. Works in the nonprofit sector, mostly in fundraising and currently at an organization fighting homelessness. Has good friends, two dogs, a small home in South Minneapolis and a cabin in Western Wisconsin. Listens to a lot of audiobooks, likes jigsaw puzzles, walking the pups, hanging with friends, kayaking, and generally just enjoying the simple things. Not a great cook but can do wonders with dishes. Also becoming pretty handy (YouTube is such a great teacher!) and does most of her own home repairs and is getting decent with her miter saw. Her family is pretty far-flung, so cohousing is an opportunity to create another source of connection in a world that feels increasingly isolated and divided.