As the Deputy General Counsel for C.H. Robinson, a global leader in logistics and supply chain management, Chris Ugarte is an experienced attorney who focuses on dispute resolution, employment law, contract review, and counseling business leaders. Chris is a relentless problem solver who is passionate about helping others grow and succeed. When not providing legal counsel, Chris spends time coaching local youth in a variety of sports, including football, baseball, and basketball. Chris has a bachelor’s degree from Santa Clara University and a law degree from Loyola University in Chicago. Chris and his wife, Katie, live in Golden Valley, Minnesota with their two children. The Ugartes enjoy traveling and cheering on all of Minnesota’s (heartbreaking) sports team.

Steve had a 34-year career with KPMG, including 23 years as a partner and led the audit practice of 250 professionals in the upper Midwest. Since retiring from KPMG, Steve has served on non-profit and for-profit boards, and consulted on financial transactions including mergers and acquisitions and SEC offerings. Steve was on the board of directors of Children’s Home Society of Minnesota for two separate 10 year terms, was the chair of the finance committee for most of those terms, and served as chairman of the board for two years. He is currently the Treasurer of the Christ the King Lutheran Church Foundation in New Brighton and is also on the Board of Trustees of the William Blair Mutual Funds where he serves as the audit committee chair. Steve is a graduate of Columbia Heights High School and the University of Minnesota.

As a member of the State Senate, Ann Rest serves in a leadership position on the Taxes Committee as well as being a member of the Housing Policy and Finance Committee, Rules and Administration Committee, the Tax Expenditure Review Commission, and the Legislative Audit Commission. She is a Minnesota member of the Great Lakes Commission. Before being elected to the Senate, Ann represented Crystal, New Hope and Golden Valley in the House of representatives. As a former English and Humanities teacher at Armstrong High School, Ann is a champion of public education, and is a retired CPA. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Latin and Greek, and graduate degrees in Classical Languages, Teaching of English, Business Taxation, and Public Administration. Ann has a passion for public service and is active in the community, serving on the Crystal Historical Society, League of Women Voters, Robbinsdale Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club, a Lay Leader in her church and a member of Minnesota African American Museum and Gallery. She is a huge Twins fan, avid gardener, she loves travel, reading history and her Westie, Tutti.

Ginny Arthur began her appointment as president of Metropolitan State, Minnesota State’s urban, comprehensive, minority-serving university, in July 2016. She joined Metropolitan State in 2012 as provost, and has co-chaired the university’s strategic planning process, forged new baccalaureate completion partnerships with Twin Cities area community colleges, created the Center for Faculty Development, revamped the governance process to be more effective, and developed the role of associate provost for Student Success. Previously, Ginny served the University of Northern Iowa as associate provost for faculty affairs from 2009 to 2012, and the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University from 1985 to 2009 where she served as chairperson of the Management Department for seven years, chair and vice chair of the joint faculty assembly, and faculty member for over 20 years. President Arthur is a member of the Board of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities (CUMU), Minnesota Campus Compact, the Central Corridor Anchor Partnership and a Board officer for Communidades Latinas Unidas en Servicio (CLUES), the largest Hispanic serving non-profit in Minnesota. Ginny holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and business administration from Syracuse University and a juris doctor (JD) degree from the Washington College of Law at American University. She has presented at numerous conferences and authored dozens of publications.

Michael Goar will start as CEO of Catholic Charities of St Paul and Minneapolis in January 2021. Previously he was CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters Twin Cities, since June 2016. He has an extensive background in education and youth development, including serving as CEO and Interim Superintendent of Minneapolis Public Schools prior to leading Big Brothers Big Sisters Twin Cities. Goar’s work at the school district included launching the office of Black Male Achievement. Previously, he was executive director of Generation Next, a Minneapolis-based youth development organization that works to close the achievement gap. Earlier in his career, Michael held executive positions and COO roles for both Boston Public Schools and Memphis City Schools. Michael has a bachelor’s degree in business administration and urban studies from the University of Wisconsin River Falls and a master’s degree in public administration from Mankato State University. He holds a superintendent licensure and has participated in multiple intensive leadership development programs at Harvard University. An active community member who is passionate about given back, Michael serves on several boards of directors, including Genesys Works and MIA (Minneapolis Institute of Arts).

Paul Gunderson is a native of Minneapolis, a graduate of Edison High School and the University of Minnesota, holding a BS in Secondary Education. Paul began a career with Coca-Cola Enterprises in 1977 as a Delivery Salesperson and years later was appointed Vice President, Human Resources for a company that had grown to $15B with 70,000 employees across seven countries. In 2004 Paul led the creation of Camp Coca-Cola, later renamed C5 Youth Foundation, a youth leadership/college access program that Coca-Cola brought to five cities across the U.S. In 2006, Paul retired from Coca-Cola Enterprises and worked directly for the Foundation as its executive director until 2012. Paul and his wife, Beth, live between Minneapolis, their hometown, and Atlanta, where they have a married daughter and grandchild. They also have a son in Colorado. Paul and Beth have a passion for helping under-served youth in educational settings and have participated in numerous volunteer activities in both cities.

From local neighborhoods to the State Capitol, Josh Crosson advocates to ensure that all Minnesota students, especially those most under-served, have access to a great education. He previously worked in D.C., where he transformed his passion for public policy into a fulfilling vocation, or as his friends put it, made a living out of doing something “activisty”—first at the Human Rights Campaign and later on Capitol Hill. At HRC, Josh spearheaded student outreach operations and expanded the organization’s mission to incorporate LGBT students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities. He then spent four years writing legislation and advising his hometown congressman, Rep. Adam Smith (WA-9), on labor, health, budget, and tax issues. Josh holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Religion from Santa Clara University. When he’s not working for Minnesota’s kids or spending time with his partner Jon, in their North Minneapolis home, Josh operates an adult LGBT kickball league that benefits local homeless youth.

Kevin Idahor is an experienced Talent & Organization leader with Accenture. His expertise spans leading clients through enterprise transformation with a focus on HR Transformation, journey management, and leadership engagement interventions to minimize disruption. Kevin’s passion for education and developing those around him is greatly influenced by his upbringing in Nigeria. Kevin relocated to the Minneapolis area in 2010 and has been involved in organizations such as BestPrep and Big Brothers & Big Sisters. He enjoys cooking, running, and spending time with his family navigating Minnesota fishing lakes.

Peter Hutchinson focuses on solving the toughest problems faced by top decision makers wanting to deliver better results in government, nonprofit organizations and education. Most recently he led management consulting strategy for Accenture’s State, Provincial and Local Government practice throughout North America. In his career he has served as commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Finance, Superintendent of Schools in Minneapolis, a deputy mayor, corporate vice president at the Dayton Hudson Corporation (now Target) and as president of the Bush Foundation, one of Minnesota’s largest independent foundations. In 2006, he was a candidate for Governor of Minnesota. In all of these roles Peter has championed delivering better results with whatever resources are available through strategies that challenge the status quo and lead to the resolution of tough policy problems. Peter has captured many of the lessons he has learned along the way in The Price of Government: Getting the Results We Need in an Age of Permanent Fiscal Crisis.

Mark Irvin is EVP, Chief Supply Chain officer for Best Buy Co. Inc. In this role, he oversees the strategy and day-to-day operations of Best Buy’s global supply chain that supports about 1,000 stores and Best Buy’s online customers. Mark’s responsibilities include order management, distribution centers, domestic and international transportation, global compliance, and trade, final-mile fulfillment and reverse logistics. Most recently, Mark served as Best Buy’s Chief Inclusion, Diversity and Talent Officer, overseeing the company’s strategy for creating and sustaining an inclusive work environment for its 1000,000 employees. He has always had a passion for people and development of leaders, dating back to his time as a captain in the U.S. Army. Mark has spent most of his 30-year career in supply chain leadership. Prior to joining Best Buy in 2013, he held a variety of supply chain leadership roles at Target for 11 years, both in the field and at the corporate headquarters. He has also held leadership roles at Cummins Inc., Corporate Express Delivery Systems and Baxter Healthcare. Mark has a bachelor’s degree from Fisk University in Nashville and an MBA from Franklin University in Columbus, Ohio. He was commissioned through the ROTC program at Vanderbilt University and served in the U.S. Armed Forces for eight years in field medical logistics.

Dr. Jesse Mason currently serves as Interim Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs for Minnesota State Colleges and Universities while on leave of absence as Provost/Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs at North Hennepin Community College. He has been with the Minnesota State Colleges and University System for 17 years. As a first-generation high school and college graduate, he understands the power of how education changes lives. His personal mission “is to create transformative experiences for students that will lead to success and a better quality of life.” His dedication to enhancing the lives of others is emphasized by both his practical and educational experiences. These includes the practical nature of his work such as his work in drug addiction treatment, children with emotional and behavioral disorders, working on teacher pathway programs, and young men transitioning from the justice system to his educational pursuits like serving as faculty and department chair/coordinator, in psychology at both 2-year and 4-year institutions, and progressive administrative roles such as an Academic Dean at Century College. Dr. Mason is the founder of the African American Education Empowerment Program at Minneapolis College. A retention and leadership development program that has been successful in both retaining students of color and developing leadership skills. Dr. Mason received his Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota in Psychology (Cognitive and Brain Science) with a specialty in Psychopharmacology. He has also served as a postdoctoral associate at the University of Minnesota Medical School in Programs in Health Disparities Research and a policy-fellow for both the Minnesota Equity Partnerships and the Hubert Humphrey School of Public Affairs in Politics and Governance. Dr. Mason currently has served and serve on other boards that aim to eradicate homelessness, empower youth, and improve the lives of men living with trauma.

Dr Rhoda Mhiripiri-Reed has served in public education for over 15 years. Improving the lives of others has been a driving force throughout her life. During her time as a student at Bloomington Kennedy High School, she became intrigued with community service while in the role of a candy striper for the Minnesota Masonic Home for the elderly. While attending Yale University, she became even more involved in the community through tutoring adolescents, volunteering weekly at the local Head Start, and serving meals at the homeless shelter. These experiences helped her realize the impact that quality education can have in young people’s lives, and she decided to make education her lifelong ambition. After graduating from Yale with her teaching license, she returned to Minnesota to begin her career as an educator. She taught social studies at Highland Park Junior High in Saint Paul, and later served as an assistant principal at her alma mater Bloomington Kennedy High School, and then as a high school principal for five years at Champlin Park in the Anoka-Hennepin District. She was soon after admitted into Harvard University’s new doctoral program in Education Leadership, which resulted in a doctoral residency with District of Columbia Public Schools, building a principal training program. Finally, right before moving back to her home state, Rhoda served as Associate Superintendent in the Monterey Peninsula Unified District for three years. Rhoda is thrilled to lead Hopkins Public Schools from great to world class. She and her team are strengthening E-12 excellence by developing a strategic innovation vision for the future, emboldening an already strong district identity, and transforming learning experiences to cultivate students who will be leaders around the world. Rhoda lives with her husband, Frank, and their two children, Sterling (10) and Sawyer (7). Although she loves to work, she spends weekend hours exercising, bargain shopping, watching reality TV and playing with her kids.