Hikmah means wisdom. The HIKMAH program seeks to mentor and support Somali-American                    families in their education and to promote equity and inclusion in the classroom.

Meet Our Team


Mohamed Abdulkadir - Founder


Mohamed Abdulkadir a former teacher founded the Hikmah program in 2018. Mr. Abdulkadir was born in Mogadishu, Somalia. Mohamed, his wife Kawthar Abdi, and seven children moved to Nicollet County, MN in 2004. He has placed hundreds of refugees into jobs as a Refugee Employment Specialist at Managed Resource Connections Inc (MRCI). 


In 2021, he was awarded the Minnesota Department of Human Service’s Outstanding Refugee Award for Civic Engagement. Mohamed serves on boards at the St. Peter Islamic Center, St. Peter Free Clinic, and TRUE Transit Advisory Committee (TAC).


Mohamed spends and dedicates many evenings helping the students and parents at the Hikmah Center. He founded the Hikmah program to advocate for under-served students and families. In an effort to facilitate growth and better equip them in their educational journey and families enjoyed the American dreams.


Guled Jamac



Guled serves as a board member at Hikmah, as well as a cultural broker for the Somali community in the Greater Mankato Area. He completed his Bachelor's Degree in International Business with an emphasis in Finance from Minnesota State University, Mankato.  He has also served on the Board of the St. Peter Co-op & Deli. He is currently pursing his Master's of Business Administration degree with an emphasis in Finance.


In his free time, Guled enjoys basketball, football, skiing, and writing.




 


Trish Hiscock-Austin



Trish lives in St. Peter with her family, and believes strongly that St. Peter can be a safe and welcoming place for people of all ages and backgrounds. Trish is passionate about youth development, education, experiential learning, and community-building. Her other passion is introducing young people to nature-based learning and wellness while making meaningful connections in the outdoors.

Trish is proud to be a part of Hikmah, a place where families gather and kids learn and grow together with caring adults as teachers and mentors.



Marcia Ranft



Marcia is a licensed K-6 educator, the mother of two, and enjoys working with all ages at Hikmah.  She has a B.S. in Elementary Education and also currently serves on the Board of Directors for Saint Peter Community Childcare Center.


Marcia is thankful for the opportunity to work and learn with the students at Hikmah.  In her free time, Marcia enjoys traveling, reading, and spending time outdoors and with family and friends.


Audra Brenke

Audra is a licensed educator for grades 5 through 12, holding Minnesota's state-mandated LETRS Reading certification. Her background encompasses literacy education, community health, level 4 behavior management, and college/career readiness. Audra is a dedicated advocate for promoting academic performance and fostering active learning, whether in whole-group or small, specialized settings. Her approach is tailored to create an engaging environment that nurtures student growth and achievement.


Cole Brenke

After graduating from St. Peter High School, Cole Brenke is currently pursuing an Associate's Degree in Arts at South Central College. He finds joy in assisting children, engaging in reading, writing, and math activities. Additionally, Cole organizes and participates in soccer games. He firmly believes that working with kids allows him to learn numerous invaluable lessons that broaden his perspective.

Grete Anderson

Greta serves as a teacher at Hikmah. She enjoys working with all ages, and teaching the students soccer skills during their free time. She completed her Bachelors degree in Psychology from Luther College, and is pursuing a doctorate degree in Psychology from Augsburg University. Greta hopes to make mental healthcare more accessible to underserved communities in her future career as a therapist.


In her free time, Greta enjoys painting, playing soccer, snow-boarding, and spending time with family.

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