nancy's story
Professional Experience
​With strong early experience as a fund raiser for non-profit organizations, Nancy's involvement in political advocacy began in 1991, when she was hired as the first Executive Director of the MN Religious Coalition for Reproductive Rights, a statewide interfaith coalition. This experience ultimately led to her decision to attend Luther Seminary in St. Paul, where she earned a Masters in Divinity in 1998.
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Also in 1998, Nancy completed community organizing training with the Gamaliel Foundation in Chicago, then served until 2004 as a volunteer congregational organizer for SEAC, one of the founding organizations of ISAIAH, a faith-based coalition working toward racial and economic equity in Minnesota.
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Ordained by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) in 1998, Nancy has over 25 years' experience leading suburban Minneapolis faith communities through times of conflict and redevelopment. Under her leadership, these congregations experienced unparalleled growth in membership, budget and mission.
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From 2004-2015, Nancy served as Senior Pastor at Peace Lutheran Church in Coon Rapids, MN, where, with the Council, she piloted the congregation through a serious division that had held it back for decades. Her most recent pastoral call was as Interim Senior Pastor at St. James Lutheran Church in Crystal, in 2021, where she led their post-pandemic re-opening process. In 2024 she retired from active ministry in the ELCA.
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In the course of her parish ministry, Nancy officiated in eight funerals for individuals who died by gun violence and saw a young congregation member imprisoned for committing murder with a gun. By 2016, she was so angered by these and other shootings that she accepted a call to serve as the Executive Director for Protect Minnesota. The only independent gun violence prevention group in the state, the organization had been in serious decline for a decade. Under her leadership it became a political force to be reckoned with at both the state and federal levels.
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Appalled by the actions of the Trump administration, Nancy left Protect Minnesota in 2020 to form nbence.solutions so she could devote her energy to electing progressive candidates. During that critical election year, she provided direction, guidance, and support to several campaigns, including congressional, legislative, and local candidates.
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In 2022, Nancy was tempted back into fulltime employment by the perfect job: Public Policy Manager at Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative, the leading provider of deeply affordable supportive housing in the greater Twin Cities. In this role she researched housing policy, developed legislation, created grassroots political organizing campaigns, and lobbied at the Minnesota legislature, the Metropolitan Council, and City Councils.
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Then came the delightful news that twin grandbabies were on their way in 2025! To free herself to help whenever and for as long as needed, she retired from Beacon. Now she's back to work and continues to feel called to both ministry and advocacy.

Personal Life
Nancy has been married to Ken Bence since 1985. Ken is a disability policy analyst who also serves as Battalion Chief with the Golden Valley Fire Department.
Ken and Nancy have two adult children of whom they are ridiculously proud, and twin grandbabies born in April, 2025.
Nancy and Ken live in New Hope, MN, with Dixie, their adorably scruffy rescue labradoodle.