Wright County well represented at Aquatennial Ambassador coronation
Eight young women from Wright County will represent their hometowns during the 2026 Minneapolis Aquatennial Ambassador Organization (AAO) Coronation held on Saturday, July 25, at the Ted Mann Concert Hall on the University of Minnesota campus, joining over 40 other ambassador candidates from communities across the state.
According to the Aquatennial Ambassador Organization, the AAO is a dynamic development organization that inspires young Minnesota women to achieve extraordinary futures by creating opportunities through work with their communities and AAO. Aquatennial Ambassadors represent the Minneapolis Aquatennial at nearly 300 community festivals and events throughout North America each year.
The annual Aquatennial Ambassador program emphasizes leadership, community service, and personal growth while providing ambassadors an opportunity to showcase the communities they represent.
Throughout Aquatennial week, candidates participate in interviews, educational activities, community events, and the annual Torchlight Parade before the Queen of the Lakes and Aquatennial Princesses are crowned. Candidates earned the opportunity after being selected as ambassadors through their local community royalty programs.
Those chosen will spend the coming year representing Minneapolis and the Aquatennial at community festivals and celebrations throughout Minnesota and across North America.
For representatives from Wright County, the coronation marks the culmination of months of preparation that began with serving as ambassadors in their hometown celebrations. Their experiences have included volunteering at community events, promoting local festivals, developing leadership skills, and serving as goodwill ambassadors for their communities.
While only three candidates will ultimately be crowned, each ambassador has already distinguished herself through leadership, volunteer service, and dedication to her hometown.
Wright County Candidates
Representing Albertville is Claire Gonsior, a St. Michael-Albertville High School graduate who plans to study nursing at the University of St. Thomas. Gonsior serves as a personal care assistant, coaches younger dancers through STMA Just for Kix, teaches kindergarten Sunday school, and volunteers as a special education peer mentor. She looks forward to reconnecting with fellow ambassadors during Aquatennial week.
Annandale’s representative is Isabelle Dingmann, who will attend the College of St. Scholastica this fall to study exercise physiology while pursuing a future career as a physician assistant. Dingmann works at the Annandale Nursing Home and Dingmann Funeral Care and volunteers with organizations including Project Pencils and Operation Christmas Child. She is excited to build friendships with ambassadors from across Minnesota while learning more about their communities.
Buffalo will be represented by Erika Torres Guiterrez, a Buffalo High School graduate who also completed Postsecondary Enrollment Options coursework through Bethel University. She works as an inbound expert at Target in Buffalo and enjoys music, baking, and mentoring younger band students. Through her church, she has volunteered in children’s and worship ministries and is looking forward to connecting with ambassadors from across the state while participating in events that bring Minneapolis together.
Emma Stanley will represent Cokato. She plans to attend Ridgewater College in Hutchinson to pursue a degree in elementary education and currently works as a paraprofessional at Dassel-Cokato Middle School and as a personal care assistant. Active in local theater, dance, church ministry and volunteer organizations including Feed My Starving Children, Stanley is especially excited to finally experience the Aquatennial Torchlight Parade after it was canceled during her hometown ambassador year.
Hailey Anderson, Delano’s representative, served as a 2025-26 Delano Ambassador while building an impressive resume of leadership in high school. She served as student council president, National Honor Society historian, yearbook editor, choir member, and a two-year dance team captain. Anderson will attend St. Catherine University this fall to study biology as she pursues a career in physical therapy while continuing her dance career.
Representing Hanover is Kaleena Wallace, a University of St. Thomas student majoring in strategic communications and advertising/public relations with a minor in journalism. Wallace is interning with The Crow River Market while helping manage its social media. She also serves as a director for Beyond The Crown, an organization she helped establish to support former royalty, and created the “Covering the Crown” blog, which highlights ambassador programs throughout Minnesota. She is looking forward to meeting ambassadors from new communities and participating in the Torchlight Parade.
Howard Lake’s ambassador is Alexis Kamrowski, who currently works at Taco Bell in Buffalo and plans to attend the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. Kamrowski volunteers with the Howard Lake Lions Club and the Friends of the Library and is eager to experience the Torchlight Parade for the first time.
Montrose will be represented by Alyssa Prestidge, a Buffalo High School graduate known for her involvement in music, volunteerism, and school activities. Active in orchestra, band, and choir, Prestidge balances two jobs while remaining committed to community service, including volunteering alongside her mother at local food distributions. She believes kindness and positivity are key to building strong communities and looks forward to sharing that message throughout Aquatennial week.
