A Note From the Founder

Hi, I’m Stephanie Alexander, and I founded Northern Lights Living to help people live life their way: at home and in the community they love.

I’ve spent more than twenty years working in social services across public, nonprofit, and transportation sectors. Earlier in my career, I served as the Manager of Aging and Disability Services at Ramsey County, overseeing the county’s entire waiver programs. From directing complex operations at SouthWest Transit to growing volunteer-driven programs like WeCAB, I’ve built a reputation for creating systems that work: for staff, clients, and communities. My expertise includes operations management, community based service design, grant writing, and leadership development, all guided by empathy, transparency, and innovation.

Northern Lights Living was founded with that same spirit: to illuminate a path toward independence for people who want to remain at home and connected to their community. Under my leadership, the agency blends compassionate, person-centered care with fair employment practices, ensuring caregivers are valued, supported, and paid transparently.

But my “why” for creating Northern Lights Living is deeply personal...

In 2024, my cousin moved in with us after living with her parents in Oklahoma for 20 years. She was born and raised in New Mexico, and moving in with us was her first time living outside of her immediate family home. With in-home support five days a week, she’s thriving here in Minnesota: living a full and joyful life with just the right balance of independence and connection.

She’s changed our lives in ways I can’t explain.

She reminds me every day that living with a disability is living a full life - one filled with joy, freedom, and purpose.

She loves to go out to eat, thrift shop with her support staff, and watch any horse show she can find in the area (guess a part of her heart is still in the Wild West).

Watching her confidence grow and her world expand has reinforced everything I believe about the power of person-centered care and authentic support.

Outside of my professional work, I’m a storyteller and advocate at heart. I believes that humor, humanity, and authenticity are the most powerful tools for change. I live with my husband, Varghese, and my cousin, who reminds me daily of why home matters most: it’s where care, laughter, and connection happen.

Because independence shouldn’t feel like a privilege.

It should feel like home.

All the best,

Steph

PS: I host a free Care Without Crisis info session once a month on the third Wednesday at noon. It is a supportive, practical space to learn how to spot early warning signs, talk about help, and build a plan before a crisis forces your hand. I'd love to see you there!

Pictured: Stephanie & her cousin