Roger Aronson, MESPA legal and legislative counsel, has
practiced in the area of school law since 1981. A highly regarded school law expert, he co-chairs the Minnesota
State Bar Association School Law Conference, is on the executive committee of
BELL (the education lobbyist group), and frequently speaks and lectures on
school law topics. In addition to MESPA, Aronson represents the
Minnesota State High School League and MASSP (Minnesota Association of Secondary School Principals).
Aronson is a member of the Minnesota, as well as the National Council on School
Attorneys. He is a graduate of St. John's University and the University of
Minnesota School of Law.
Bamber Valley Elementary presentation, Rochester: Amelia Barwise, MD; Ana Folpe, outdoor classroom coordinator; Becky Gerdes, principal; Angie Murad, registered dietician; and Angela Schuhmacher, district wellness dietician. Lisa Bender has a background in transportation planning and promotion of active living principles. She works with the MN Department of Transportation, and previously served as the Active Transportation Coordinator for the MN Department of Health.
Becky Bone is a National Literacy Consultant for the Scholastic Classroom & Community Group and works with school districts and administrators nationwide. As a former teacher and Curriculum Coordinator, Becky worked with struggling students in the Central Florida area and was voted Teacher of the Year in 1997. She has taught graduate and undergraduate courses, and was a national presenter/facilitator for Janet Allen’s “It’s Never Too Late” Literacy Institutes. Becky has been published in NCTE’s Voices from the Middle and Scholastic’s Administrator, and can be found in schools and airports across the nation. Bobbie Burnham is currently a Program Manager at the Minnesota Department of Education, where she is responsible for coordinating Birth through Grade 12 literacy initiatives and is the Co-Coordinator for the Minnesota’s Common Principles of Effective Practice initiative. She worked with Dr. Barbara Taylor form the Minnesota Center for Reading Research as a Reading First coordinator and provided support to schools across the state in the areas of professional development, instructional leadership, data driven decision making, teacher observation, coaching and professional learning communities. Bobbie holds a Master’s degree in Literacy Education, a Certificate in Professional Development, and a K-12 Reading Specialist Licensure from the University of Minnesota. She has presented at literacy conferences and workshops sponsored by the University of Minnesota’s Center for Reading Research, the Minnesota Department of Education, and the International Reading Association. She co-authored an article for The Reading Teacher (March, 2009) about the important role literacy coaches play in guiding teachers through reflective coaching conversations.
Jill Chamberlain is Community Consultant in the Center for Prevention of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota and the Organizer of the MN SRTS Network with a goal to increase children walking and biking to school by leveraging the SRTS funding from the Department of Transportation.
Dr. Wendy Claussen-Schoolmeester is celebrating her 25th year in education. Wendy was an elementary teacher, elementary principal, curriculum coordinator, and Parent/Student/Teacher Association coordinator. She is currently a Professor of Education at SMSU. A few of her strengths include sharing her enthusiasm for education with others, being a “cheerleader-leader,” and truly enjoying people!
Rolf Carlsen is chair of the
MESPA Negotiations Committee, and principal at Oxbow Creek Elementary, Anoka-Hennepin.
Representative Sondra Erickson (R), District 16A, is chair of the Minnesota House Education Reform Committee. Her other legislative committees are: Education Finance, Ethics, and Taxes. Elected in 1998, this is Erickson's 7th non-consecutive term. Her home is Princeton and her occupation is retired English teacher. Erickson holds a B.A. in English from Concordia College.
Mark Fenton is a national public health, planning, and transportation
consultant, an adjunct associate professor at Tufts University's
Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, and former host of the
"America's Walking" series on PBS television. He is the author of numerous
books including the best selling "Complete Guide to Walking for Health,
Weight Loss, and Fitness" (Lyons Press, 2nd edition 2008). He was a
developer of the University of North Carolina's Safe Routes to School
clearinghouse, and facilitator for the walkable community workshop
series of the National Center for Bicycling and Walking; he now provides
technical training and community planning as an independent consultant.
Kathy Flaminio has 18 years experience as a social worker in the Minneapolis Public Schools in regular and special education settings. She is also the founder of 1000 Petals LLC, a total wellness company that trains educators on how to integrate yoga-based activities, mindfulness techniques and social/emotional skills into classroom and therapeutic settings. Flaminio currently works at Minnesota Amplatz Children’s Hospital providing yoga therapy for patients on the Child/Adolescent Mental Health Unit and Chemical Dependency/Dual Diagnosis Unit. Flaminio has presented at several conferences including MACMH, Educate Minnesota, Minnesota’s Occupational Therapy Association (MOTA), Professionals in Practice and was the keynote speaker for Minnesota School Social Workers Association (MSSWA). She holds a master’s degree in social work. She is ACE (American Council on Exercise), Yoga Alliance and Yoga Calm certified. Becky Gerdes is principal at
Bamber Valley Elementary, Rochester, and a frequent Institute presenter.
Representative Mindy Greiling (DFL), District 54AA, is DFL-Lead on the
Minnesota House Education Finance Committee. Her other legislative
committees are: Education Reform, and Ways and Means. Elected in 1992,
this is Greiling's 10th consecutive term. Her home is Roseville and
her occupation is legislator/homemaker/former elementary teacher. Greiling holds a B.A. (Gustavus Adolphus College) and M.A. (University of MN) in Education.
Gloria Kumagai, Ph.D. – Academic Program Director, Ed.S. Educational Leadership and Administration, Principal Preparation Program, Walden University. She retired from St. Paul Public Schools after serving as a principal, the district’s Coordinator of Multicultural Education, and working in staff development. Prior to joining Walden, she was the Coordinator of Licensing and Leadership Development at the University of Minnesota.
Dava LoVecchio, Playworks Training Program Director, creates standards for all of Playworks’ training products, oversees the quality of all trainers and trainings, develops Playworks' Training of Trainers program, provides professional development workshops for clients across the country, as well as Playworks staff, designs and organizes break-out sessions for Play On - Playworks' annual national conference - and still finds time for four square, tag, and kickball. In 2002, LoVecchio started her tenure with Playworks in the East Bay, CA as a Program Coordinator where she used four square, tag, and kickball to create a safe, inclusive school environment for her students. After two years of running on the playground, she became a Program Manager and supported staff in San Francisco, CA. In 2006, Dana joined Playworks Training and has delivered high quality professional development workshops across the country.
Deb Loy is the Director of the Coordinated School Health Program at the Minnesota Department of Education where she bridges the fields of education and health to integrate whole-child/whole-school approaches to improve student outcomes. Loy is an active member of MN Action for Action Kids.
Sean Martinson, principal, Cohasset Elementary School,
Grand Rapids Schools, is a former Technology Integrationist, holds a
Masters degree in Educational Leadership and Technology -- and he knows iPads!
Lisa McCann is a Registered Dietitian with the Midwest Dairy Council in St. Paul. Lisa has many years of experience in child nutrition and has partnered with schools to support healthy choices for students. McCann is an active member of MN Action for Action Kids. Richard McLeod is the retirement services supervisor, Minnesota Teacher's
Retirement Association.
MN School of Excellence panel: Laura Pierce, chair, MN School of Excellence Program, and principal, Akin Road Elementary, Farmington; Dr. Fatima Lawson, MN School of Excellence validation in 2008-2009, and principal L'Etoile du Nord French Immersion, St. Paul; Sandy Nelson, MN School of Excellence validation in 1989-1990, and principal, Rossman Elementary, Detroit Lakes; Sharon Schultz, MN School of Excellence validation in 2009-2010, and principal Middle River Elementary, Greenbush-Middle River.
Donna Montgomery has been a principal in Hopkins for 19 years. Prior to Hopkins, Donna was a principal in West St. Paul and a teacher in Minneapolis. She is an adjunct professor at Concordia and St. Mary’s Universities. At the Courageous Conversation Conference 2009, Donna received a recognition award for ”extraordinary passion, practice, and persistence in leading Courageous Conversation and working to achieve racial justice and educational equity.” To highlight excellence for her school community, Donna’s schools have earned: two MESPA MN School of Excellence validations; and a NCLB Blue Ribbon School of Excellence. Donna also has been recognized as State Art Education Principal of the Year and had a two-year Bush Fellowship experience to sharpen administrative skills and relationship building. Jill Mueller has been a first grade teacher, fourth grade teacher, district literacy coach, Continuous Improvement Coach and now is the Assistant to the Principal at Franklin Elementary in Mankato.
Susan Nygaard is the Manager of Community Health Improvement at Allina Hospitals and Clinics. She has many years of experience in public health and in school partnerships. She authored an afterschool fitness curriculum titled Power by the Hour.
Senator Gen Olson (R), District 33, is President Pro Tem of the
Minnesota. Her legislative committees are: Education, Chair; Finance;
and State Government Innovation and Veterans. Elected in 1982, Olson is
in her ninth term. Her home is Minnetrista and her occupation is
legislator. Olson holds a BS Ed, D Ed from the University of MN.
Travis Olson has been a third grade teacher, fourth grade teacher, principal at a K-2 building, and now is the principal at Kennedy Elementary in Mankato.
Kari Ross is the Reading Specialist at the Minnesota Department of Education. Prior to coming to the department, she was a classroom teacher, a district literacy coordinator, and a paraprofessional. Kari works closely with Minnesota schools and districts on standards implementation, curriculum alignment, intervention programs, and best practice reading instruction. She is a former Celebrate Literacy award winner, and is active in many literacy related professional organizations at the state and national level including the Minnesota Reading Association, International Reading Association, Minnesota Council for Teachers of English, and Minnesota chapter of ASCD. Kari completed her Masters and Reading Licesensure coursework at the University of Minnesota and her administrator’s licensure requirements at St. Mary’s.
Salome Thomas-El is a member of “Core Team Oz,” a group featured on The Doctor Oz Show
seeking to motivate America to live better from the inside out.
Principal Thomas-EL takes more than 20 years of education experience
motivating children and adults to embrace education and hard work as
stepping stones to success to challenge America's families to live their
best lives now. Thomas-EL is the former principal of John F. Reynolds Elementary School
in North Philadelphia and the author of the best-selling book I Choose to Stay, to which the Walt Disney Company recently purchased the movie rights. Thomas-EL’s second book The Immortality of Influence
(foreword written by actor Will Smith), was released in May 2006 and
stresses the importance of leadership, parenting, mentoring, and service
to others.
Dr. Sonya Vierstraete was a middle school teacher for 12 years, a K-8 assistant principal for four years, a K-8 principal for one year, staff development and curriculum coordinator for two years, and an adjunct professor for five years. She is currently an Assistant Professor of Education at SMSU and has her K-12 Reading Specialist License. Her favorite course is Reading in the Content Areas.
Kathy Williamson is a veteran educator at Bonner Elementary in Stewartville as well as an adjunct professor for Winona State University. She is a graduate of Winona State University, holds a masters degree from the University of Minnesota in curriculum development, and has completed further study in regard to brain function, development, and multiple intelligences. Currently she is researching/data gathering the impact of fitness/activity levels on student achievement/test scores. Drawing upon her teaching strengths and working collaboratively with classroom teachers she has been able to successfully integrate the cerebral and the kinesthetic to provide a stimulating learning environment for all students.
Jim Winter, B.A., M.A., is a former high school English teacher,
staff developer and corporate trainer. Jim realized the connections
between great improvisers and great teachers while studying
improvisation at the Players Workshop of Second City. In 1980 Jim formed
Wavelength, a performing ensemble of actors and educators that use
humor, laughter and improvisation to train, motivate and inspire
educational professionals. Jim is a Certified Laughter Leader, a
veteran workshop presenter and an award-winning actor and producer of
educational training videos. Jim leads an engaging and interactive
session that has received terrific evaluations at national presentations
for AASA, ASCD, NASB, NASSP, NAESP, and NSDC and internationally for
AAIE, ECIS and EARCOS.
Raymond Yu received his Ed.S. from the University of Minnesota, a M.A. from the University of Saint Thomas and a B.A. from Skidmore College. He is the principal of Oak Grove Elementary (Bloomington), a kindergarten through fifth grade school. Leadership to him is about helping people and organizations make better decisions that improve the lives of children. Yu has served as a classroom teacher, central office administrator, and principal. He has held various board positions including membership on Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education’s Principal Advisory, the West Side Community Health Board, the University of Minnesota Urban Leadership Advisory, and is presently a member of the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation Community Education Advisory. He is presently completing a doctorate in educational leadership, Ed.D., at the University of Pennsylvania. His interests include improving students’ educational outcomes through student health promotion and the role of supportive work environments that help staff thrive within their professional settings.
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