Allison Breininger, Founder and Executive Director
Allison Breininger has a MA in Education and spent twenty years teaching, training, directing, coaching, and creating content in the realm of education. A caregiver for her husband since 2010, she experienced firsthand that caregivers are in the negative space: vital yet overlooked and unsupported. Fueled by what she saw, Allison created The Negative Space as a way to use her experience and skills to change the way caregivers are seen and supported. She and her husband, Sean, live in St. Paul, Minnesota and have a young adult daughter.
Jill Duffy Williams, Director of Operations
Jill Duffy Williams has a MA in Higher Education Administration, along with twenty years of program management, event and conference management, training and development, coaching, and operations experience. After experiencing the power of The Negative Space webinars through her (past) employee resource group, Jill started volunteering with The Negative Space in August 2024 and transitioned to her operations role at the beginning of 2025. She grew up in the Twin Cities and now lives in Denver, CO, with her husband, two step-kids (24 and 16), a 2 year-old and 2 dogs.
Sean Breininger, Director of Finance (Volunteer)
Sean Breininger spent his career in the world of nonprofit management, providing marketing, grant writing, and development leadership at the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Public Radio International, the Minneapolis Institute of Art, and NPH USA. He is happy to use his skills and experiences to support the mission of The Negative Space in a volunteer capacity as his health allows.
Jamie Van Nostrand, Executive Board President
Jamie Van Nostrand worked with Sean Breininger prior to his diagnosis with Fanconi Anemia, and became fast friends with him and his wife Allison. Jamie spent 20 years in fundraising and now works as a technology consultant for nonprofits, specializing in the Salesforce platform. She lives in Minneapolis with her two amazing teenage boys and two loveable dogs.
Lissa Martinez Huebner, Executive Board Vice President
Lissa Martinez Huebner is excited to join the Negative Space Board in 2024. She started at the Masonic Cancer Center at the University of Minnesota in 2017 where she is the Event Manager. Lissa has a background in event planning and logistics at health charities. In her current role she works to bring together communities across Minnesota focused on cancer awareness and prevention, caregivers and survivorship, and professionals to further research and clinical practice. Lissa is passionate about using events to create a sense of community and is looking forward to bringing this passion to the Negative Space. Lissa is a former caregiver for her mom who has been cancer free since 2018. In her leisure time Lissa enjoys traveling with her husband, spending time at home with her cats, reading, and listening to podcasts.
Adam Breininger, Executive Board Treasurer
Ella Whistlecroft, Executive Board Member
Ella Whistlecroft (she/they) lives in Naarm/Melbourne, Australia, and is currently studying a masters degree in counselling and psychotherapy. Having benefited firsthand from the services that The Negative Space offers, she understands just how vital the organization is. Ella has previously worked for Australian Healthcare Associates, surveying participants of Australia’s National Disability Insurance Scheme and their caregivers. Having become a full time carer at age 21 for their partner, Ella is passionate about uplifting the voices of young and multiply marginalized caregivers.
