Board of Directors
Hiawatha Academies Board of Directors is tasked with ensuring that the mission and values of the Hiawatha schools are met, and providing guidance to ensure Hiawatha’s long-term growth and vitality. The Board of Directors works closely with the Leadership Team to chart a course for Hiawatha Academies and meets regularly throughout the year. Our Board members are drawn from the fields of business, education, healthcare, legal, and philanthropy and share a commitment to grow Hiawatha scholars into leaders.
Board Members can be reached at: boardchair@hiawathaacademies.org
The Board Chair has determined that, due to the ongoing COVID-19 health pandemic and the Executive Orders of the Governor to stay at home, an in-person meeting is not prudent, and that attendance of anybody at the regular meeting location is not prudent. Therefore, in accordance with Minn. Stat. 13D.021, this meeting will be conducted by telephone conference.
Passcode: 527820
**The Board of Directors is committed to receiving public comments during the COVID-19 pandemic and the corresponding suspension of in-person public Board of Directors meetings. As part of this effort, the Board is inviting interested members of the public to submit written comments to the following email address 48 hours in advance of each meeting (hello@hiawathaacademies.org). Subject to the requirements that commenters exercise proper decorum and respect for individual student/employee privacy, the Board of Directors will assemble the written comments and make them available for review by the public via a link that will be placed on the website.**
Board Members
| Chair | Margarita Dimas Cultu Her Next Play |
Director | Pam Langseth Social Venture Partners (Retired) |
Director | Chels Elsberry Hiawatha Academies Teacher |
Director | Alicia Muñoz
Macalester College |
| Vice Chair | Gerardo Alcazar Blackwell Burke |
Director | Jason Brandenborg The Brandenborg Foundation |
Director | Roberto Lazo Hiawatha Academies Teacher |
Director | Jennifer Stern Great Minnesota Schools |
| Director | Jamil Salaam Hiawatha Academies Parent |
Director | Jon Schwartz College Possible |
Secretary | Penny Leporte General Mills |
Treasurer | Robbie Soskin Yum! Kitchen and Bakery |
Board Committees
| Executive Committee Margarita Dimas Cultu Gerardo Alcazar Penny Leporte Robbie Soskin |
Family and Community Engagement Roberto Lazo Alicia Muñoz |
Development Jason Brandenborg Penny Leporte Jamil Salaam |
Governance Gerardo Alcazar Jennifer Stern Margarita Dimas Cultu Chels Elsberry |
| Finance & Facilities Jon Schwartz Jason Brandenborg Robbie Soskin Pam Langseth |
Upcoming Meetings
SY 2020- 2021
- February 24, 4 p.m. – 5:40 p.m.
Meeting via Teleconference - April 28, 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Meeting via Teleconference - June 9, 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Meeting via Teleconference
Board of Directors Meeting Agendas and Minutes
- August 2020 (Agenda | Minutes)
- September 2020 (Agenda | Minutes)
- October 2020 (Agenda | Minutes)
- November 2020 (Agenda | Minutes)
- December 2020 (Agenda | Minutes)
- December 6th, 2020
(Minutes) - December 7th, 2020
(Minutes) - January 11th, 2021 (Agenda | Minutes)
- January 13th, 2021 (Agenda | Public Comments | Minutes)
- February 2021 (Agenda | Minutes)
- April 2021 (Agenda | Minutes)
- June 2021 (Agenda | Minutes)