Leadership

Leadership Team

Director and CEO: Kent Whitworth
Associate Executive Director: Jennifer Jones

  • Amber Annis, Director, Native American Initiatives
  • Briana Joyner, Chief Human Resources and Inclusion Officer
  • Brian Juntti, Chief Communications & Marketing Officer
  • David Kelliher, Director, Public Policy & Government Relations
  • Ben Leonard, Senior Director of Historic Sites & Facilities Operations
  • Kevin Maijala, Senior Director, Learning Initiatives
  • Fred Neher, Chief Financial Officer
  • Jennifer Pogatchnik, Chief Development Officer
  • Brenda Raney, Senior Director, Preservation and Outreach
  • Avi Viswanathan, Director, Community Engagement

Governing Board

Officers

  • David Hakensen, President
  • Peter Reyes, Vice President
  • Thomas M. Forsythe, Treasurer
  • Kent Whitworth, Secretary
  • Phyllis Rawls Goff, Immediate Past President

Executive Council

  • Ford W. Bell
  • Barbara E. Burwell
  • Grant W. Davis
  • Michael J. Davis
  • M. Mitchell Davis
  • Joanell M. Dyrstad
  • Richard E. Engebretson
  • Michael B. Farnell
  • Stephanie L. Fehr
  • Thomas M. Forsythe
  • Phyllis Rawls Goff
  • David R. Hakensen
  • Jean M. Larson
  • Monica Little
  • Linda Brekke Mona
  • Richard C. Nash
  • Joseph S. Nayquonabe
  • Krista E. O’Malley
  • Peter M. Reyes Jr.
  • Daniel J. Schmechel
  • Diana L. Schutter
  • Anton S. Treuer
  • John R. Tunheim
  • Noelle P. Turner
  • Benjamin Vander Kooi
  • Gwen N. Westerman
  • Kent Whitworth
  • Warren J. Zaccaro

Ex-Officio

  • Tim Walz, Governor
  • Steve Simon, Secretary of State
  • Julie Blaha, State Auditor
  • Peggy Flanagan, Lieutenant Governor
  • Keith Ellison, Attorney General

Emeritus Council

  • Nina M. Archabal+
  • Charles W. Arnason+
  • Annette Atkins+
  • Sharon Avent+
  • Bruce W. Bean+
  • Gretchen U. Beito+
  • Diane Berthel
  • Kathleen Blatz
  • Suzanne Blue
  • Robert Bruininks
  • Judith S. Corson
  • Mark Davis+
  • Charlton Dietz+
  • D. Stephen Elliott
  • Harold A. Frederick
  • Ram Gada
  • William Green
  • James T. Hale
  • MayKao Hang
  • Stanley S. Hubbard 
  • Karen A. Humphrey+
  • Ruth S. Huss
  • Lucy R. Jones+
  • Sylvia Kaplan+
  • Dennis Lamkin
  • Elizabeth S. MacMillan+
  • Charles Mahar
  • Susan B. McCarthy
  • William C. Melton+
  • Joseph S. Micallef+
  • Dean Nelson
  • Richard H. Nicholson
  • Elizabeth M. Nordlie
  • Peter Reis
  • Mark Ritchie
  • Kennon V. Rothchild+
  • Susan Kenny Stevens
  • William R. Stoeri
  • Edward Stringer
  • Bo Thao-Urabe
  • Karen Wilson Thissen
  • Missy Staples Thompson
  • Kathy H. Tunheim
  • Eleanor Winston

Honorary Council

  • Lowell C. Anderson
  • Marvin R. Anderson
  • Nina M. Archabal+
  • Charles W. Arnason+
  • Annette Atkins+
  • Sharon Avent+
  • Bruce W. Bean+
  • Gretchen U. Beito+
  • Ford W. Bell
  • S. K. Dash
  • Mark Davis+
  • Charlton Dietz+
  • Elizabeth S. Driscoll
  • Dennis Dvorak
  • Richard L. Ferrell
  • Michael J. Fox
  • Ram Gada+
  • Karen A. Humphrey+
  • John Huss
  • Ruth Huss+
  • Lucy R. Jones+
  • Sylvia Kaplan+
  • Colles Larkin
  • Robert (Bob) C. Mack
  • Elizabeth S. MacMillan+
  • Terry McGibbon
  • Peg Meier
  • William C. Melton+
  • Joseph S. Micallef+
  • Richard Moe
  • Stephen R. Nelson
  • Larry G. Osnes
  • Fred Perez
  • Mark Peterson
  • Kennon V. Rothchild+
  • Ramedo J. Saucedo
  • Jeff Savage
  • Gerald Vizenor
  • Vernell Wabasha
  • Jeanette (Jan) E. Warner
  • Annette M. Whaley
  • Mary Lethert Wingerd

+ Emeritus and Honorary Council Member