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Board of Directors
The Luther Seminary Board of Directors is the governing body of the seminary. Pastors and lay leaders from across the country provide leadership in establishing policies and priorities.
Members on the board of directors are elected by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Church Council as well as by the seminary’s supporting synods in ELCA regions 1 and 3.
*denotes Executive Committee Member
Officers
Chair: Marge Hegge*
Vice Chair: Murray Sagsveen*
Secretary: Sean Forde*
Treasurer: Carlos Peña*
Committee Chairs
Academic Affairs: Rob Nesse*
Student Affairs: Cristina Lien*
Finance & Administration: Carlos Peña*
Seminary Relations: Kathy Brekken*
Investment Committee: Mark Gelle*
Representing ELCA Region 1
| Synod | Name |
|---|---|
| Region 1 Bishops | The Rev. Kristen Kuempel Bishop |
| 1A Alaska | Vacant |
| 1B Northwest Washington | Vacant |
| 1C Southwest Washington |
The Rev. Alison Shane Parish Pastor |
| 1D Eastern Washington- Idaho |
The Rev. Ladd Bjorneby Church Relations Pastor Lutheran Community Services |
| 1E Oregon | The Rev. Chris Kramer Parish Pastor |
| 1F Montana | The Rev. Jennifer Quanbeck Parish Pastor |
Representing ELCA Region 3
| Synod | Name |
|---|---|
| Region 3 Bishops | The Rev. Ann Svennungsen Bishop |
| 3A Western North Dakota |
Murray Sagsveen Synod Attorney |
| 3B Eastern North Dakota | Vacant |
| 3C South Dakota | Marge Hegge, Ph.D. Retired Professor of Nursing South Dakota State University |
| 3D Northwest Minnesota | Vacant |
| 3E Northeast Minnesota | Paul Jacobson Musician / Composer |
| 3F Southwest Minnesota | Barb Ostrander Marketing Director, FAST Global Solutions |
| 3G Minneapolis Area | Roger Eggen Founder, Analytical Instruments, LLC |
| 3H St. Paul Area | Gail Olson Retired MN State Colleges and Universities |
| 3I Southeast Minnesota | Vacant |
Representatives Appointed by the ELCA Church Council
| Location | Name |
|---|---|
| Cannon Falls, MN | Kathleen Brekken Retired President & CEO Midwest of Cannon Falls |
| Deerfield Beach, FL | The Rev. Dr. Sean Forde Pastor Christ Church |
| Brooklyn Park, MN | Tracey Gibson Statewide Director State of MN |
| Greenville, WI | Dean Gruner, MD Retired CEO/Chairman SearchAmerica, Inc |
| Hudson, WI | John Haugo Retired CEO/Chairman SearchAmerica, Inc. |
| Minneapolis, MN | Tom Holtz Executive Vice President CB Richard Ellis |
| Minnetonka, MN | Ruth Kimmelshue Senior Vice President Cargill Corporation |
| St. Paul, MN | Cristina Lien Senior Manager INSIGHT2PROFIT |
| Rochester, MN | Robert Nesse, MD Retired CEO Mayo Health Clinic |
| Galveston, TX | Carlos Peña President Kleen Supply, Co. |
| Portland, OR | David Rutlen, MD Professor of Medicine and Director of Cardiovascular Medicine Oregon Health and Science University |
| Minneapolis, MN | Don Samuels CEO Microgrants |
| St. Paul, MN | The Rev. Robin Steinke, Ph.D. President Luther Seminary |
| Minneapolis, MN | Rev. Cynthia Williams District Superintendent, River Valley District United Methodist Church—MN Conference |
Foundation Board of Trustees
The Luther Seminary Board of Trustees provides key leadership in developing the financial support necessary to fulfill the seminary’s mission.
Officers of the Foundation
- David Rutlen, Chair
- Ladd Bjorneby, Vice Chair
- Kathy Brekken, Secretary
- Michael Morrow, Treasurer
Foundation Administration
- Robin Steinke, President
- Heidi Droegemueller, Vice President of Seminary Relations, Executive Director of the Luther Seminary Foundation
- Michael Morrow, Vice President for Finance and Administration, Treasurer of the Luther Seminary Foundation