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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: Gail Olson*
Secretary: Sean Forde*
Treasurer: Carlos Peña*
Committee Chairs
Academic Affairs: Rob Nesse*
Student Affairs: Tracey Gibson*
Finance & Administration: Carlos Peña*
Governance: Gail Olson*
Seminary Relations: Dean Gruner*
Investment Committee: Mark Gelle*
Representing ELCA Region 1
| Synod | Name |
|---|---|
| Region 1 Bishops | The Rev. Kristen Kuempel Bishop |
| 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 |
| 3C South Dakota | Marge Hegge, Ph.D. Retired Professor of Nursing South Dakota State University |
| 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 |
Representatives Appointed by the ELCA Church Council
| Location | Name |
|---|---|
| Deerfield Beach, FL | The Rev. Dr. Sean Forde Pastor Christ Church |
| Bethesda, MD | Maria Green Cowles Scholar in Residence American University |
| Brooklyn Park, MN | Tracey Gibson Statewide Director State of MN |
| Greenville, WI | Dean Gruner, MD Retired CEO/Chairman SearchAmerica, Inc |
| Hudson, WI | Jeanne Hartfield Pastor Incarnation Lutheran |
| Plymouth, MN | Steven Huseth Retired Honeywell. |
| Sioux Falls, SD | Mike Jerstad Partner Prairie Gold Venture Partners |
| 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 |
| Chicago, IL | Linda Norman ELCA |
| 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 |
| Milwaukee, WI | Brenda Skelton Retired CEO |
| Hopkins, MN | Clarance Smith Vice President Huntington Bank |
| 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
- Dean Gruner, 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