‘14

Michael Mangone of Eden Prairie is teaching technology at Jordan Middle School … Kevin Tumberg coaches junior high football and assists in boys’ basketball in the Wadena-Deer Creek school district, where he teaches second grade. He lives in Wadena … Troy Anderson joined the staff in Windom public schools as a reading specialist and a third-grade instructor … Pete Phillips is a former radio broadcaster, business owner and Wadena City Council member who changed professions and now teaches U.S. history and area-studies classes in the Long Prairie-Grey Eagle school system. He lives in Wadena with his wife, Shari, and their three teenagers … April Nelson has been hired to staff a sixth-grade classroom at the middle school in Barrett of the West Central Area district. She will also assist in coaching volleyball and girls’ basketball.

‘13

Katrina Stewart teaches K-12 music at Clearbrook-Gonvick schools, where she is also involved in the band and choir programs. Her husband, John, works at Pinnacle Publishing in Bemidji, where the couple makes their home … Carley Nelson is teaching fifth-grade science and serving as a floating teacher for second and third grades in Laporte … Kayla Holling of Waterville is the new social worker serving Tri-City United schools, serving Montgomery, Lonsdale and Le Center.

‘12

Amy Brown of Wadena has been hired as a fourth-grade teacher in the Sebeka school district … Selina Thimell is teaching third grade at Heron Lake-Okabena Elementary School … Andrew Martens has retired after playing nine years of professional hockey, the last four with the Wichita Thunder of the ECHL. Martens anchored the Thunder blueline during those seasons and served as team captain during his tenure. He is now pursuing a career as a marketing representative with Federated Insurance in Owatonna, where he lives with his wife, Nicole (Linder ’04). Nicole is now a stay-at-home mom for the couple’s three children.

‘11

Brandon Yetter, a deputy with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, has been assigned to patrol the city of Scandia after previously serving the city of Hugo. He lives in Lindstrom … Nicole Borwege has accepted an admissions representative position at Bemidji State University. Borwege, who recently moved from Faribault to Bemidji, will promote BSU to students from western Minnesota and the state of North Dakota … Ian Lowe has been named team captain of the Wichita Thunder, a professional hockey team competing in the ECHL. A forward, Lowe is in his third year with the Thunder. He lives in Wichita, Kan., with his wife, Candace, and two young children.

‘10

Tracy Murphy works as an EBD special education teacher for schools in the Bemidji area, where she also resides. Her daughter, Maria (’14), graduated from Bemidji State University … Kyle Hardwick has been hired as an associate in the Faegre Baker Daniels Law Firm in Minneapolis. Hardwick, who resides in Minneapolis, will practice in the areas of construction and real estate … Chance Goudge is teaching social studies and computers at the high school in Aitkin.

‘09

Ariana Sorenson is a fourth-grade teacher at Wagner Elementary School in Litchfield. She has moved to a new home in St. Michael … Katie Becker is the new 4H program coordinator in Clearwater County after working two years for the Minnesota Alliance for Youth in Crow Wing County. She has moved to Bagley … Nate Woessner is an assistant coach for the Des Moines Buccaneers of the United States Hockey League after spending two years working in the NHL’s San Jose Sharks junior program. A resident of Des Moines, Iowa, he is in charge of the defense on the Buccaneer bench … Jess Gage is a new police officer serving Bemidji. Gage’s experience in law enforcement includes stops at the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the Sherburne County Sheriff’s Office.

‘08

Haley (Balcam) Thompson was inducted into the Elk River Athletic Hall of Fame last fall for her accomplishments in three sports at the school. She is married to James and is a stay-at-home mom in Roosevelt for their two young children … John Larson of Littlefork is the new physical education teacher at the high school in Warroad.

‘07

Carl Dugstad of Bemidji is a new social studies teacher on the middle and high school levels in Laporte. He also served as the girls’ head basketball coach. He and his wife, Tiffanie, have one young child … Carly Melin was elected to serve another term in the Minnesota House of Representatives. A Democrat, Melin serves District 6A in northeast Minnesota. She lives in Hibbing with her husband, Zeb (’11) Norenberg, who is a residential program supervisor at Mapleview Group Home, which is part of Range Center, Inc., a nonprofit serving adults with developmental disabilities. The couple has one young child.

‘06

Patti Hodgson has accepted a new position as a K-6 special education teacher in the Warroad School District, where she previously taught in early childhood family education. She lives in Warroad with her husband, Pete, and they have three children ranging in ages from 11 to 21.

‘05

Kenneth Toole of Baxter is the new district executive for the Pine Tree District of the Central Minnesota Council of the Boy Scouts of America. An Iraq War veteran, Toole will serve as a resource for volunteers for the 10 Cub Scout Packs and 10 Boy Scout Troops in Brainerd, Crosslake, Baxter, Pillager, Nisswa, McGregor, Pine River and Pequot Lakes … Joanna Dymond presented a self-publishing workshop at the Sister’s Sojourn Women’s Expo last fall in Mentor. During the workshop, she shared her experiences when publishing her first work, “Crazy as a Loon,” in 2012. From Bemidji, Dymond is planning to complete a sequel of the work this year … Jennifer Honek is teaching kindergarten in Isle this year after instructing parent and early childhood classes for the school district last year. Her husband, Tim (’04), teaches special education in Isle. The couple lives in Onamia with three children ranging from ages 3 to 8 … Krista (Hansen)Olson is the Aitkin school district’s new community education coordinator and elementary dean of students. She lives in Aitkin with her husband,   Andrew, and three children.

‘04

Kyle Lehmkuhl instructs welding, auto and small-engine classes in the Industrial Technology Department at Sauk Centre High School. He lives in Pierz with his wife, Heather, and three young children … Brent Jergens is a new chemistry teacher at Milaca High School and Milaca Alternative Learning Center. His wife, Alison (Cervin), works part-time as a faith community nurse at Milaca Evangelical Free Church. The couple resides in Milaca with their three children, ages 3 to 8 … Nathan Johnson is teaching industrial education and working with Project Lead the Way at Win-E-Mac schools in Macintosh. His wife, Erin, has started her own photography business specializing in family, newborn, high school senior and wedding pictures. The couple lives in Winger with two young children … Nate Frisch is staffing a sixth-grade classroom at Custer Elementary School and is coaching middle school boys’ basketball in Custer, S.D. … Dan Carpenter is teaching elementary music and high school choir for the Badger school district. He and his wife, Sara (Ellenson, ’01), are parents to two children and live in Badger … Amy (Olson) Ryan is a children’s mental health social worker with Polk County Social Services. She and her husband, Christopher, live in East Grand Forks with one pre-school child.

‘03

Carri Jones was named as a recipient of a Native American 40 under 40 Award. Jones, the tribal chair of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, was selected for the honor by the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development for her significant and positive contributions to businesses. She lives in Cass Lake … Kimberly Imdieke of Perham is a first-grade teacher at Menahga Elementary School … Tammy Gradine has been hired as a mental health therapist by Kind Mind Counseling in Hibbing, where she also lives. A licensed professional counselor, she works with a variety of issues, including eating disorders, bullying, trauma, grief, depression and mental illness … Chris Knopik was promoted to principal with CliftonLarsonAllen LLP. He has 11 years of experience providing auditing and consulting services with the firm. He lives in Rogers.   

‘02

Dr. Donnie Farnsworth will be seeing patients at the North Homes Children and Family Services Clinic in Grand Rapids. With 15 years experience in the mental health field, Farnsworth specializes in psychological testing as well as working with chemical dependency and mental health conditions. He has three children and lives in Grand Rapids … Katie (Malone) Smith will teach elementary physical education in the Menahga school system. She lives in Sebeka with her husband, Thomas (’01).

‘01

Rita Albrecht received an Excellence in Service Award from the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities. Albrecht, who was re-elected as Bemidji mayor in November, was recognized for her leadership in representing cities in greater Minnesota. A regional planner for the northwest district of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, she lives in Bemidji with her husband, Michael. Her daughter, Julie (‘05), is a leadership assistant at the state capitol providing research, policy analysis and aid in preparation of legislation on a variety of issues, from education to the environment and energy. Julie lives in St. Paul with her husband, Anthony … Bert Gilling guided the Mount Royal University men’s hockey team in Calgary, Alberta, to a 17-10-1 record during his first season as head coach. A former assistant coach at Bemidji State for 13 years, Gilling and his wife, Sheila, have relocated to Calgary.

‘00

Kenny Miller broke his own record in the 5K race at the Beardsley Run last summer in Detroit Lakes when he logged a time of 15:49. Miller teaches K-12 health and physical education in Bertha-Hewitt schools, where he also serves as head girls’ track coach. Jessica (Lorenzen, ’03), his wife, teaches kindergarten in Verndale. They have two elementary-aged children and live in Wadena … Erica (Jonckowski) Myers is the new kindergarten and preschool teacher at Christ the King Catholic School in Browerville, where she lives with her husband, Jeff, and their four children ages 3 to 10. Jeff is a K-12 special education teacher in Browerville … Caleb Shadis has been hired as a software engineer by Saturn Systems in Duluth, where he will work on projects requiring Microsoft.net technology expertise … Shem Daugherty received the EMT of the Year Award in 2014 from the Remer Area Ambulance Service. Daugherty, who teaches social studies at Northland Community School in Remer, has been an emergency medical technician for seven years and lives in Remer with his wife, Mary, and two children.

‘98

Christy (Strassburg) Henry is a first-grade teacher at Menahga Elementary School after returning to Minnesota following 14 years of teaching in Arizona. She now resides in Menahga.

‘97

Christine Anderson is the economic development director in Pennington County. A resident of Thief River Falls, she brings experience in human resources with a major manufacturing company as well as a small business owner to her position. She has two adult children … Sarah (Stierlen) Goudge is the high school science teacher at Clearbrook-Gonvick school, where her courses include physical science, biology and chemistry. She lives in Clearbrook with her husband, Dylan, and three young sons.

‘96

Brian Schaefer is the new owner of Sports Page, a collectible and sports memorabilia shop in Bemidji. He previously worked at Pro-West Associates, where his wife, Lisa (Rossiter), is still employed in the GIS field. The couple lives in Cass Lake with a young child … Mark Peterson of Red Lake Falls has assisted emerging authors by establishing Permanent Ink, a writers’ group that meets regularly in the Red Lake Falls area, where he lives with his wife, Melissa (Guillemette, ’98). Mark has completed several novels and short stories in various genres, from thrillers to sci-fi. He works as a production business supervisor at Digi-Key. The couple has three children ranging in age from 8 to 16 … Mark Johnson is the new executive director of the Lessard Sams Outdoor Heritage Council, which makes funding recommendations to the Minnesota Legislature from the Outdoor Heritage Fund and allocates approximately $100 million annually for conservation. He previously served as the executive director of the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association. He recently moved to Chisago City with his wife, Debbie (’99), who is setting up their new home. The couple has two grown children.

‘95

Jay B. Jones had an exhibit of his art displayed at Trinity Lutheran Church in Detroit Lakes. The K-12 art teacher in the Clearbrook-Gonvick school system, Jones has received national and regional recognition for his works from such places as the Denver Art Museum, the Maple Grove Art Center and the Aspen Art Museum. He lives in Clearbrook with his wife, Mistie, and two children.

‘94

Brian Maas joined Watermark Learning last fall as the director of client solutions. Watermark provides project management, business analysis and skills training to national and international clients from its office in Minneapolis. In his new position, Maas will develop business plans, set sales strategies and help businesses grow. Rene (’97), his wife, is a scheduler at the Hultgren-Hoxie-Waki orthodontic clinic in Eden Prairie. The couple lives in Waconia with their two teenagers … Heidi (Hanks) Osmundson was nominated as the November Educator of the Month in the Cass Lake-Bena school system. Osmundson teaches kindergarten for the district and lives in Bemidji with her husband, Rick, and two children … Becky (Bittmann) Wallerick is the new academic dean at New Life Academy, a non-denominational Christian college prep school in Woodbury. She and her husband, Jonathan (’95), reside in Woodbury.

‘93

Pat (Groebner) Henjum has been promoted from office manager to registered representative by the Minnesota Valley Investment firm in Redwood Falls. Henjum recently acquired licensing in three additional areas to add to her 17 years of experience with Minnesota Valley. Greg (’94), her husband, is the manager of Value Auto Parts. The couple lives in Redwood Falls, and their two children are in high school and middle school… Chris and Jill (Salisbury) Mahoney live in Jamestown, N.D. He is an assistant professor and chairs the kinesiology department at the University of Jamestown and recently retired as volleyball coach. Jill has taught for 21 years at St. John’s Academy elementary school and directs the Kid’s Kingdom Preschool, both affiliated with St. James Basilica in Jamestown. The couple has two children, ages
11 and 16.

‘92

Marion (Daniels) O’Neill was elected in November to serve another term in the Minnesota House of Representatives. O’Neill is a Republican serving District 29B. She and her husband own the construction company Irish Settlers Tile and Block. They have two grown children and live in Maple Lake … Chad Schmidt is the new director of learning in the South St. Paul school district, where he provides leadership in professional learning, school and system improvement, student assessment and program evaluation, and other areas. He came to the system from Edina schools, where he most recently served as director of research and evaluation. He and his wife, LeAnne (Palmer, ’90), live in South St. Paul with their three children. LeAnne is a counselor at Inver Hills Community College.

‘91

Bonnie (Dehlin) Wensloff was selected as the Roseau Teacher of the Year. Wensloff teaches music to students from second to sixth grade in the elementary school. She is married to Tracey (’86), who teaches advanced math at the high school. The couple has three children, one each in the fourth, seventh and ninth grades. The family makes their home in Roseau … Tom Sanford started his second season last fall as head football coach at Aitkin High School. Sanford teaches American history at Brainerd’s Forestview Middle School. His wife, Steffanie (Sauerbrei’92), is a stay-at-home mom for the couple’s seven children, who range in age from 5 to 18. They live in Aitkin … Jeff Wickstrom is head women’s hockey coach at Rainy River Community College, where he also is a member of the math faculty. He and his wife, Vicky, live in International Falls … Julianne (Stevenson) Baltar was named to the Alaska Community and Public Transportation Advisory Board by the state’s governor. Baltar, of Dillingham, Alaska, is director of the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Development for the Bristol Bay Native Association … Lori (Perpruner) Thompson has joined W.A. Fisher Marketing in Virginia as a graphic designer. She has 23 years of experience in the field, most recently as production manager at American Guide Service, a national company that produces site maps for RV parks nationwide. Thompson and her husband, Mark, have two children and live in Hibbing.

‘87

Jon Urquhart has been promoted from detective sergeant to captain in the Coon Rapids Police Department. A veteran of 24 years with the department, Urquhart will be in charge of the investigation divisions and deputy director of emergency management. Deb (Schlitz, ’86), his wife, is a stay-at-home mom with two older children. They live in Coon Rapids … Cory Kampf was named division manager for finance and central services for Anoka County, where he will oversee central accounting, facilities, information technology and other functions. He will also take over the role of county treasurer. He and his wife, Lona, live in Ramsey and have two children currently attending college … Dave Albee serves as a finance business partner to the global operations at H.B. Fuller, an international leader in industrial adhesive manufacturing with corporate headquarters in Vadnais Heights. In his role as a finance business partner, he works with clients in such areas as environmental health and safety, engineering and strategic sourcing. He and his wife, Angela, live in St. Paul … JoNelle Toriseva is an assistant professor and director of English and communications arts at Genesee Community College in Batavia, N.Y. A resident of Rochester, N.Y., she joined the GCC faculty in 2011 … Darcy Reese was a recipient of an AAUW Woman of the Year Award presented by the organization’s chapter in Thief River Falls, where she resides. Reese is the vocal music instructor at Lincoln High School in Thief River Falls.

‘86

Tim Buckley has been inducted into the Aurora (Ill.) Central Catholic Athletic Hall of Fame. Buckley excelled in football and basketball at the school before he came to Bemidji State, where he also earned Hall of Fame honors. He is the associate head men’s basketball coach at Indiana University. He lives in Bloomington, Ind., with his wife, Shannon. They have one teenager.

‘83

Kathleen (Knapp) Krause operates the Krause Country Learning Center in Frazee, where she lives with her husband, Kevin. The private educational facility focuses on teaching basics in reading, composition, math and study skills while also offering opportunities to study English as a Second Language, Spanish, Latin and New Testament Greek.

‘82

Kitura Main is an education specialist at the Headwaters Science Center in Bemidji. She brought experience with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the Nature Conservatory to her position educating people on various topics in science. A resident of Bemidji, she is married to Robert (’79) and has three adult children … David Harrington was re-elected to serve a fourth term as Minnesota District Court judge. He is chambered in Cass County and lives with
his wife, Kris Kolar, in Turtle River.

‘81

Kirk Gregg was inducted into the inaugural ISD 288 Hall of Fame in New Ulm last fall. Gregg is executive vice president and CFO of Corning, Inc., based in Corning, N.Y. Named an Outstanding Alumnus at BSU last fall, he is a past Sloan Fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the recipient of a Distinguished Citizens Award from the Boy Scouts of America in 2010. He and his wife, Penny, live in Corning. He has two children.

‘80

Mary (Radde) Jones was among the alumni inducted last fall into the Waconia High School Hall of Fame. While in secondary school, she earned 14 letters in a variety of sports and activities, compiled superior ratings in music competition, and was All-Conference in one-act plays. A past community education director, teacher and missionary, she is married to Mark. The couple lives in Chaska and has five children … Kirk Karstens has been teaching the art of fencing in Bemidji for more than 35 years. He became interested in the sport as a student at BSU. His classes encompass three weapons – the foil, epee and sabre – as well as the physical elements required to succeed, such as balance, body awareness and form. A social worker with Bi-County Community Action Programs, he works on programs that help the homeless in the Bemidji area. Married, he lives in Bemidji and has two children.

‘79

Amanda (Bauer) MacKinnon is in her 30th year of teaching German, Russian and English at Bemidji High School. She and her husband, Don, live in Bemidji where they raised two children, including daughter Erica (’09), who graduated from BSU and is a veterinarian in Grand Forks, N.D.

‘78

Pam Lindberg of New Hope was elected in November to the board of the Robbinsdale school district. She recently retired from a 36-year career in teaching, which included schools in Buhl, New York Mills, Osseo and Minneapolis. Her tenure includes coaching in basketball, track, volleyball, softball and golf … John Persell was re-elected in November to the Minnesota House of Representatives. A Democrat who works as a policy analyst, Persell will advocate for District 5A while serving in St. Paul. He lives in Bemidji with his wife, Jean. The couple has eight children … Dean Downer is in his 36th year of teaching industrial arts for the CAM Community School District in Anita, Iowa. Downer also coached the high school football team for 22 years, compiling a 136-63 record and making 13 state playoff appearances. His environmental science class built an 80-acre outdoor classroom that received a Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award in 2003. He has two adult children … Ben Mikaelsen is the featured author for the Pine River-Backus School Community Read Program this year. Three of his books have been selected for use in district classes, where he will also give presentations. Since his first work, “Rescue Josh McGuire,” was published in 1991, he has completed 10 books and earned such honors as the International Reading Association Award and California’s Young Reader Medal. He lives in Bozeman, Mont.

‘77

Alan Pendleton was sworn in for another six-year term as a Minnesota district judge. First appointed to the court in 1999, the Hopkins resident has been re-elected three times to serve on the court, which is chambered in Anoka County. Married to Kimberly, he has three children and two stepchildren. … Lyle Klein received the 2014 Community Service Award from the Ely Music and Drama Club. He retired in 1999 following a 29-year career teaching music at Ely Memorial High School but remains active in directing an annual July 4 patriotic concert, as well as music at Grace Lutheran Church. He and his wife, Mary, live in Ely and raised two adult children … Dr. Rick Herder has been an assistant professor in communication studies at Southwest Minnesota State University since 2010 after teaching for two decades at schools in Florida and Minnesota, where he also coached speech and debate. His resume includes two Teacher of the Year Awards and a Crystal Apple Award, selected by students. He and his wife, Marsha, live in Marshall and have three grown children.

‘76

Sandy (Hughes) Eberhart is the community education coordinator for the Bemidji school district, a position she has held for six years. The recipient of a Minnesota Community Education Director of the Year Award, she previously served as a teacher and administrator in Park Rapids and Detroit Lakes. The Park Rapids resident has two adult children … Timothy Looby was appointed by Gov. Mark Dayton to serve as judge in the First District that is chambered in Sibley County. His term will expire in 2017. Looby and his wife, Evelyn Ayers, have three children and live in Waconia … Gean Schumacher has retired after serving the Comfrey Post Office for 26 years, including the final 16 as postmaster. She and her husband, Loren, raised four children at their home in Comfrey.

‘75

Trudy (Kocinski) Rautio has been appointed to the board of directors for Donaldson Company and elected to the board of directors for Cargill. Rautio is the president and CEO of Carlson, a global hospitality and travel company. A longtime member of the BSU Foundation board, she is also on the travel and tourism advisory board of the Department of Commerce. She lives in Edina with her husband, Kevin.

‘74

Rita (Flaig) Olness presented a program on the characteristics and influences of various generations in the workforce for the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce. Olness works for the Minnesota Office of Job Training and resides in Cloquet with her spouse, Giorde. She has three adult children. … Kurt Marben was elected to a third term as judge for the Minnesota District Court chambered in Pennington County. Marben and his wife, Brenda, raised three children to adulthood while residing in Thief River Falls.

‘73

Bob Dettmer was re-elected to another term in the Minnesota House of Representatives in District 39A. A retired educator and member of the U.S. Army Reserves, Dettmer was first elected to the House in 2006 and serves as a Republican. He and his wife, Colleen, have three children.

‘72

Lee Henschel has released the historical novel “The Sailing Master,” published by Shipwreckt Books and Publishing Company. A Vietnam veteran, he also published “Short Stories of Vietnam” and “Deja ‘Nam.” He lives in Minneapolis.

‘64

Bruce Melin was inducted into the Hermantown Football Hall of Fame last fall. A standout athlete at Hermantown in football, basketball and track, he was a member of the Beaver grid program before retiring after a teaching and coaching career that spanned 35 years. He also served as the site meet manager for the Minnesota State High School Track Championships held in St. Cloud. His wife, Trish (’65), retired from teaching in 2002. The couple raised three children and lives in Waite Park.

‘59

Marlon Davidson will have the exhibit “Davidson at Eighty, a Retrospective” at the Watermark Art Center in Bemidji during June and July this summer. Davidson will feature paintings he completed from the 1960s to the present in the show. He and his partner, Don Knudson operate Donmar Studio in Bemidji, where he lives.

Other Alumni

Shawn Crowser has joined the Members Cooperative Credit Union as the manager of the company’s branch in Cloquet, where he lives.