School Board Members
Marci Anderson Anoka-Hennepin School Board (District 11)
As a member of the Anoka-Hennepin School District 11 School Board, Anderson hopes to address many of the district’s greatest needs. Her primary focuses are school funding, establishing teaching contracts, and providing representation to the families in District 11. Prior to her 2007 election, Anderson worked on school levies and served on the Anoka Hennepin Parent Legislative Team.
Contact: 763-433-4150
Website: School Board Home
Jenny Arneson, Minneapolis School Board Website: www.jennyarneson.com
Carla Bates Minneapolis School Board
Carla Bates is an Information Technology Professional in the Department of Psychology at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. Carla participates daily in the technological transformation taking place in education and looks forward to bringing this passion and expertise to the Minneapolis School Board. Carla received her PhD in American Studies from the University of Minnesota in 1998; Carla’s doctoral work explored the conceptions of citizenship guiding many 20th century social reformers and policy experts.
Carla and her partner Susan have three children in the Minneapolis Public Schools ranging from grade school to high school. Carla comes to the board with an extensive background as a parent and community activist.
Term: 2009-2013
Tel: (612) 964-0310
Contact: E-mail
Website
Carol Bomben Eden Prairie School Board
While serving on the Eden Prairie School Board, Bomben has maintained a strong drive for parent involvement in education. Since being elected in 1995, she has expressed the importance of economic responsibility, raising educational standards, and building a healthy community. Bomben also serves on the Board of Directors of the Minnesota School Boards Association and Board of the Association of Metropolitan School Districts.
First Elected: 1995
Contact: E-mail
Website: http://www.carolbomben.com/
Anne Carroll Saint Paul School Board
Since her election in 2000, Carroll has strived to improve the education system throughout Saint Paul. One of her primary goals has been to close the achievement gap and offer equal access to all students. She also aims to raise education standards at all levels, promote fair treatment of teachers and school employees, and build stronger community integration and involvement.
First Elected: 2000
Contact: E-mail
Website: http://www.annecarroll.org/
Jill Davis Minneapolis School Board
Davis, a licensed psychologist, has worked extensively in the fields of early childhood development, mental health, and social services. Her main goals as a Minneapolis School Board member are to reduce the achievement gap, invest in early childhood education, and ensure that all children have access to equal academic opportunities in their communities. Davis also emphasizes the importance of embracing students and their family's cultural diversity.
Contact: E-mail
Website: http://www.jilldavis.net
Ellen Dustman Hopkins School Board
Dustman is currently the Vice Chair of the Hopkins School Board. She works on increasing technology initiatives in high school programs, and serves on the Strategic Planning Committee as well as the Board Audit Committee. Before elected to the School Board in 2007, Dustman started as a member of the Legislative Action Coalition.
First Elected: 2007
Contact: E-mail
Website: http://ellendustman.org/
Rebecca Gagnon, Minneapolis School Board, City Wide
Rebecca Gagnon has held a wide range of parent leadership within public schools including PTA President in Austin, Texas and currently serves as Area C District Parent Advisory Council Representative for Minneapolis Public Schools. She has been elected to represent the Lake Harriet School on the Minneapolis School Board Parent Advisory Council. If elected to the Minneapolis School Board, Rebecca is committed to working for equal education for all students.
Contact: E-mail
Website: http://sites.google.com/site/rebeccagagnon2010/
Patricia Green Robbinsdale School Board
Patsy has completed two terms on the Robbinsdale School Board and will begin her third term in office January 2010. She has served as the chair of the board for two years. Previously she has also served on the New Hope Citizen’s Planning Committee. Her goals are to promote equality for all students and to increase responsibility and accountability within the board.
Contact: E-mail
Lydia Lee Minneapolis School Board
Lydia Lee has extensive experience in the field of education, including two years as a member of the Minneapolis Board of Education and is currently the Chair. Her primary goals are to provide each student with a quality education and confidence in caring adults that believe in their success. Parent and community involvement are among her top priorities.
Contact: E-mail
Website: http://www.lydialeeforkids.com
Ann Long-Voelkner Bemidji School Board
Long-Voelkner is no stranger to the education system. She was elected to the Bemidji School Board in 2001, and has served as Chair, Vice Chair and Clerk. During her time on the board she has supported music and the arts. She is also an avid proponent for environmental involvement and education.
Contact: E-mail
Jean O'Connell St. Paul School Board
O'Connell was elected to the St Paul School Board in 2010 after working as a consultant for the school district for three years. O'Connell has also worked as a tutor, Junior Achievement teacher, and has over 20 years of management experience at 3M, where she worked as the chair of the Women's Advisory Committee. Her key goal is to speed up decision making around necessary changes so that students do not have to wait for a quality education and better schools.
Contact: E-mail
Term: 2010-2013
Kim Ross Eden Prairie Public School Board
School Board Member Kim Ross received a major in accounting from the University of Minnesota and went on to receive a Master’s of Business Administration from the University of St. Thomas. She began as a volunteer in the Eden Prairie schools running communications for a successful 2004 referendum campaign. In addition to being lead consultant for a Habitat for Technology project and member for Citizens for Eden Prairie Schools, she taught marketing at a summer entrepreneurship camp. Ross campaigns that schools must teach children how to use technology in the way it is used in the business world.
Contact: E-mail
Eden Prairie Public Schools
8462 Hiawatha Ave
Eden Prairie, MN 55347-1548
952-975-9473
Website: http://www.kimaross.com/views.html
Pam Rykken St. Louis Park School Board
A resident of St. Louis Park since 1966, Pam has strong roots in the community with both of her children attending St. Louis Park Public Schools. Before her election to the School Board in 2007, Rykken served on many school oriented boards, such as Citizens Advocating Resources for Education.
Contact: E-mail
Website: http://www.pamrykken.org
Betsy Scheurer Hopkins School Board
Betsy recently won her 2009 re-election campaign to the Hopkins School Board. She hopes to continue working towards getting more community involvement in the school. Betsy offers a unique community experience to the board, being herself a Hopkins graduate. Betsy has been politically active for several years, volunteering for campaigns such as Wellstone/Mondale in 2002 and Amy Klobuchar's 2006 campaign.
Contact: E-mail
Website
1001 Highway 7
Hopkins, MN 55305
(952) 988-4153 ext 6048
Chanda Smith Baker, Minneapolis School Board, City Wide
Chanda Baker Smith currently serves as the Chief Learning Officer for Pillsbury United Community and has served as a community leader with Hope Collaborative, Northside Achievement Zone, WADGC Women's Foundation, and the Minneapolis Children's Advocacy network. She has experience working on several local campaigns and has been a member of the African American DFL caucus. If elected, Baker will work towards ensuring equitable Human Resource policies for women within the district and will work to provide access to health services to girls.
Contact: E-mail
Website: http://www.chandaforschoolboard.org/Home_Page.html
Elona Street-Stewart St. Paul School Board
In addition to being the Vice Chair, Elona Street-Stewart is also the first American Indian elected to the Saint Paul School Board. She is committed to providing a respectful, safe, nurturing and equitable learning environment where a diverse student body can meet the highest district and state standards. She is also devoted to helping students understand the relationship between their lives and the lives of others, and the relevance of their educational experience to their roles in society.
Contact: E-mail
Sherry Tyrrell Robbinsdale School Board Treasurer
Since her election in 2008, Sherry has proven her dedication to education. She strives to empower students to be self-directed learners living lives as committed and respectful global citizens. She advocates restoring lower class sizes, bringing back cancelled academic programs and reintroducing slashed after-school programs.
Elected: January 2008
Contact: E-mail
3344 Wisconsin Ave N
Crystal, MN 55427-1916
763-504-7998
Martha Van de Ven Orono School Board
Van de Ven won her 2009 re-election campaign for the Orono School Board where she has been a member since 1991. She serves as the only women on the board. Martha has a passion for working hard to make sure that all kids reach their potential. She hopes to continue serving the Orono school district.
Vallay Varro St Paul School Board
Varro has been dedicated to education through out her career. She has worked with English language learner families and their children, trained and coached early educators, and directed the statewide AmeriCorps Minnesota Reading Corps Program. Currently, she serves as Education aide to St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman. She has been endorsed by the DFL, Saint Paul Federation of Teachers, and Mayor Coleman.
Website: http://www.vallayvarro.com/
Susan Wootten Hopkins School Board
Susan is a first time candidate running for a seat on the Hopkins School Board. Wootten is the current co-chair of the Hopkins Educational Services Committee and has a 15 year volunteer background in the school district. Susan has shown a great commitment to working for women and girls in her volunteerism at the Robbinsdale Teen Annex, in her church, and the girl scouts.
