Helen Elsbernd, FSPA

Now in her 60th year of religious profession with the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, Sr. Helen Elsbernd’s service has come through many different roles throughout her life—as a Sister, an educator, academic dean of Viterbo University, three terms as vice president of her religious order, director of Prairiewoods Franciscan Spirituality Center, and as a current member of the boards of Mayo Clinic Health System-Franciscan Healthcare, the St. Anthony Foundation, the Mississippi Valley Conservancy, and the La Crosse Neighborhood Development Corporation. She is also a past member of the national board of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, the La Crosse Area Chamber of Commerce board, St. Anthony Hospital board, and the La Crosse Rotary Club board. As the academic dean at Viterbo, she provided crucial leadership at a time of critical enrollment and program growth for the university. During her first term as vice president of the FSPA, she led the process to affiliate Franciscan Health System with Mayo Clinic Health System.