Hero of the Month - August

Our Alerus
Hero of the Month
is Johanna Mouton, first female Firefighter
hired by the Wayzata Fire Department

“When you are in her presence you are instantly confident in
her ability and inspired by her can do attitude,” said Paula Wilhelm,
Firefighters For Healing board member.

Johanna Mouton was elected as mayor of the city of Wayzata in November 2020, after serving six years as a Council Member. In her current role as mayor, Johanna leads city council and staff in meetings to set policy and direction, represents city council and staff at public engagements and conducts media interviews on behalf of the city. Additionally, she serves as the lead in building relationships with local, state, and federal officials on behalf of the city. She leads, inspires and empowers. She is fiercely loyal, inquisitive, passionate and courageous. She is an authentic combination of high energy, calming authority and warm compassion. All of the best qualities you need to successfully lead a city staff through the recent pandemic.

In her tenure as a city council member, Johanna served as the Suburban Rate Authority Delegate, chair for the design of the municipal parking garage, chair for the Wayzata Police Memorial and chair of the Telecommunications Facility Relocation initiative.

In 1996, Joanna was the first woman to be hired onto the Wayzata Fire Department where she served as a 24/7 paid on call firefighter and first responder. She immediately faced the rigors of the career and demands to stay physically fit and conditioned for anything. Since Wayzata is only three and a half square miles, firefighters in this community respond to calls from their own family, friends and colleagues. This adds a whole new level of intensity to dangerous rescues and near fatal injuries.

During her 6 years as a firefighter, she was respectfully vocal about the changes needed to some of the “traditional” practices and policies. These experiences helped her realize her strengths. While public speaking terrified her as a middle school student, she grew into her voice when she realized she could educate, persuade and advocate for others. She encourages all women to believe in their ability and be 100% committed to pursuing their dream role, position or business venture.

Johanna has empathy for those struggling with mental wellbeing or the impact of PTSD. In any given week, a first responder can drive by multiple locations around town where they witnessed trauma or loss and feel triggered. Our instinct is to bottle up the emotions and not let it affect us but ultimately it spills out like an uncapped fire hydrant and can quickly overwhelm the best of us. Johanna’s advice: Build a network of people who you can be honest with and help you see the light. Surround yourself with positive people who will encourage healthy habits, motivate you, and reinforce healthy boundaries.

Johanna joined Cargill in 2018 as the Senior Business Process and Transformation Specialist for its Global Edible Oils business and is now the Senior Portfolio Project Lead for Cargill Protein, North America.

Prior to joining Cargill, Johanna spent five years leveraging her project and program management experience leading a cross-functional team for an IT/GRC software company. In 2007, she was unanimously appointed as Executive Director of an international public relations network by the member agencies. Early in her career Johanna worked for multiple government agencies including the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Department of Agriculture and Department of the Army at the Pentagon. Additionally, she served as the Executive Assistant for the Egyptian Ambassador.

Join us in celebrating Johanna as our Hero of the Month for bravely paving the way for female firefighters and leading the city of Wayzata with innovative and passionate thinking. We give thanks for her generous spirit and dedication to community.

If you know a paramedic or firefighter who goes above and beyond to serve his or her community – please nominate them for a Hero of the Month profile. We publish a new one on the first of every month and have a goal to profile firefighters from every community in Minnesota. Visit firefightersforhealing.org/heroofthemonth