2024 Election Guide
The voice of progressives in
every town in America
every town in America
ST. PAUL, MN - Governor Tim Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan today announced the following appointments to the Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System, Council on Disability, Executive Board of Direct Care and Treatment, Office of School Trust Lands, Statewide Independent Living Council, and the Supervised Release Board.
Emily Viergutz - New Hope, MN
Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System
Student - Technical College
Effective: December 25, 2024
Term Expires: June 30, 2025
Replacing: Micah Coatie
About the Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System:
The Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System governs state colleges and universities, including setting tuition and fees, approving programs of study, approving awarding certificates and diplomas, and adopting policies.?
Additional information about the Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System can be found on the Secretary of State’s website.
Leah Carpenter - Shakopee, MN
Council on Disability
Member
Effective: December 25, 2024
Term Expires: January 4, 2027
Replacing: Trent Dilks
Laura Isenor - Pine Island, MN
Council on Disability
Member
Effective: December 25, 2024
Term Expires: January 4, 2027
Replacing: Quinn Nystrom
Abraham Tieman - Rochester, MN
Council on Disability
Member
Effective: December 25, 2024
Term Expires: January 4, 2027
Replacing: Dave Johnson
Jeremy Tyler - Monticello, MN
Council on Disability
Member
Effective: December 25, 2024
Term Expires: January 4, 2027
Replacing: Denise Martineau
Jessica Werlein - Little Canada, MN
Council on Disability
Member
Effective: December 25, 2024
Term Expires: January 4, 2027
Replacing: Hope Johnson
Robert Wudlick - Excelsior, MN
Council on Disability
Member
Effective: December 25, 2024
Term Expires: January 4, 2027
Replacing: Quinn Nystrom
About the Council on Disability:
The Minnesota Council on Disability provides leadership to advocate for the rights of Minnesotans with disabilities, collaborate with the public and private sectors as a policy and technical resource advisor, and advise various state agencies and the Governor on matters that pertain to persons with disabilities.
Additional information about the Council on Disability can be found on the Secretary of State’s website.
Paul Goering - Saint Paul, MN
Executive Board of Direct Care and Treatment
Member with experience serving on a hospital or nonprofit board patients
Effective: January 1, 2025
Term Expires: January 3, 2028
New seat
Kathryn Kallas - Orono, MN
Executive Board of Direct Care and Treatment
Member with experience (i) in the delivery of behavioral health services or care coordination or in traditional healing practices; (ii) as a licensed health care professional; (iii) within health care administration; or (iv) with residential services
Effective: January 1, 2025
Term Expires: January 3, 2028
New seat
Mary Maertens - Marshall, MN
Executive Board of Direct Care and Treatment
Member with experience serving on a hospital or nonprofit board patients
Effective: January 1, 2025
Term Expires: January 3, 2028
New seat
Carol Olson - New Prague, MN
Executive Board of Direct Care and Treatment
Member with experience (i) in the delivery of behavioral health services or care coordination or in traditional healing practices; (ii) as a licensed health care professional; (iii) within health care administration; or (iv) with residential services
Effective: January 1, 2025
Term Expires: January 3, 2028
New seat
Chelsea Rivers - Chaska, MN
Executive Board of Direct Care and Treatment
Member with experience (i) in the delivery of behavioral health services or care coordination or in traditional healing practices; (ii) as a licensed health care professional; (iii) within health care administration; or (iv) with residential services
Effective: January 1, 2025
Term Expires: January 3, 2028
New seat
Prachi Striker - Saint Anthony, MN
Executive Board of Direct Care and Treatment
Licensed physician who is a psychiatrist or has experience in serving behavioral health patients
Effective: January 1, 2025
Term Expires: January 3, 2028
New seat
About the Executive Board of Direct Care and Treatment:
The Executive Board of Direct Care and Treatment (DCT) is responsible for managing the DCT division of the Department of Human Services.?The board will establish strategic planning, and policies and procedures for the DCT, and oversee the Chief Executive Officer. The board is responsible for the recommendation of policy changes, budget requests, and capital investment requests to the Governor’s Office, the state legislature, and Minnesota Management and Budget.??
Additional information about the Executive Board of Direct Care and Treatment can be found on the Secretary of State’s website.
Aaron Vande Linde - Coon Rapids, MN
Office of School Trust Lands
Director
Effective: January 1, 2025
Term Expires: January 1, 2030
Reappointment
About the Office of School Trust Lands:
The Office of School Trust Lands advises and provides recommendations to the Governor, Executive Council, Legislative Permanent School Fund Commission, and Department of Natural Resources on school trust land management policies and activities. The office works with the Permanent School Fund Commission on legislation to secure the maximum long-term revenue from school trust assets and develops and implements long-range comprehensive strategic plans to ensure efficient management of those assets.?
Additional information about the Office of School Trust Lands can be found on the Department of Natural Resources website.
Deborah Gleason - Minnetonka, MN
Statewide Independent Living Council
Member
Effective: January 7, 2025
Term Expires: January 3, 2028
Reappointment
Jacob Knaffla - Hibbing, MN
Statewide Independent Living Council
Member - Other CIL Representative
Effective: January 7, 2025
Term Expires: January 3, 2028
Replacing: Rosalie Eisenreich
Frances Lane - Saint Paul, MN
Statewide Independent Living Council
Member
Effective: January 7, 2025
Term Expires: January 4, 2027
Replacing: Amy McClellan
Stephen Larson - Brainerd, MN
Statewide Independent Living Council
Member
Effective: January 7, 2025
Term Expires: January 3, 2028
Reappointment
Kelly Lemke - Duluth, MN
Statewide Independent Living Council
Member - State Rehabilitation Council for the Blind Rep
Effective: January 7, 2025
Term Expires: January 3, 2028
Replacing: Judy Sanders
Amy McClellan - Saint Paul, MN
Statewide Independent Living Council
Ex-Officio Non-Voting Member
Effective: January 7, 2025
Term Expires: January 3, 2028
Replacing: Ed Lecher
Bethany Schwerr - Coon Rapids, MN
Statewide Independent Living Council
Member
Effective: January 7, 2025
Term Expires: January 3, 2028
Replacing: Tom Reed
Morris Thompson - Eden Prairie, MN
Statewide Independent Living Council
Member
Effective: January 7, 2025
Term Expires: January 3, 2028
Replacing: Karen Larson
About the Statewide Independent Living Council:
The Minnesota Statewide Independent Living Council (MNSILC) works collaboratively with the Centers for Independent Living to create, monitor, review, and evaluate the State Plan for Independent Living. MNSILC coordinates activities with other entities in the state that provide services similar or complementary to independent living services.?
Additional information about the Statewide Independent Living Council can be found on the Secretary of State’s website.
Jo Earhart - Blaine, MN
Supervised Release Board
Member of Various Backgrounds
Effective: December 25, 2024
Term Expires: January 1, 2026
Replacing: Rana Alexander
About the Supervised Release Board:
The Supervised Release Board is established to review eligible cases and make release and final discharge decisions for inmates serving life sentences with the possibility of parole or supervised release; inmates serving indeterminate sentences for crimes committed on or before April 30, 1980; and inmates eligible for early supervised release.?
Additional information about the Supervised Release Board can be found on the Secretary of State’s website.
The Governor and Lieutenant Governor are seeking qualified and diverse individuals who are passionate about using their knowledge, skills, and lived experiences to serve the state of Minnesota. A list of boards and commissions, including open positions, can be found on the? Minnesota Secretary of State’s website.