Board of Directors

A Simple Purpose:
Ensure the Success of UMA

The Upper Mississippi Academy Board of Directors is ultimately responsible for the success of the students and the school. From direction of the school’s strategy and finances to oversight of school activities, the board works to make sure the school continues to operate smoothly and maintains a high priority for student education and well-being.

Our first elected Board assumed their responsibilities at the July 2016 Board meeting. In accordance with new charter school statutes, the previous Board was appointed in 2013, UMA’s first year of operation.

Board of Director Election

Directors serving on the Upper Mississippi Academy (UMA) Board are elected by our community; eligible voters are all parents and legal guardians of current UMA students, all current UMA Board members, and all current employees of UMA.  Elections took place on June 22, 2021.

As a result of the school board election on June 22,  Dina Berray and Mickey Jurewicz were elected to fill two open staff seats, Zoe Breimhorst was elected to fill one open parent seat and Tisa Mitchell and Thao Pao Moua were elected to fill two open community member seats.  Anna Walters, school counselor was appointed in June to fill an open staff seat on the board.

Board Meeting Information

Regular meetings take place on a monthly basis, and special meetings are called as needed.

UMA Board of Directors meets on the third Tuesday of each month from 4:45 p.m. – 6:00 p.m., unless otherwise noted.  Meetings are open to the public and all are welcome to attend. Check the UMA Calendar for dates.  The UMA board meetings will be held onsite at school on the main floor, room 1004.

UMA Board Agenda November 2021

 

Please scroll to the bottom of this page for an archive of meeting minutes by school year.

2021-2022 Board of Directors

The Board of Directors includes UMA staff members, current parents, and community members, all of whom come from a wide array of backgrounds. Through this diversity, the Board is able to incorporate a wonderfully broad and holistic approach to managing and maintaining general school functions.

Chad Lauber, UMA Board Chair

UMA Parent

Vail Resorts

Term: 03/17/2020-06/30/2022

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Chad is a leader and manager with over twenty years of experience in operations and technology management. He has worked in the education, business, finance, and marketing sectors for a multinational conglomerate, s central bank, and  two major universities in information systems administration and security. Chad holds an Executive Master of Science in Technology Management from Columbia University, and a Bachelor of Music Performance from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Chad has worked with educational technology for teaching and learning since 1992, and brings a passion for new approaches and methods in teaching that better prepare students for innovative sustainable careers in their path to graduation and beyond.

Zoe Breimhorst, UMA Board Vice-Chair

UMA Parent

Product Manager – Datasite

Term: 03/17/2020-06/30/2021

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Having worked in the technology industry for the past 16 years from the service desk to software product management I am committed to identifying problems and finding solutions through creative, thoughtful, impactful and agile methodologies. Careful thought needs to go into fully understanding a problem and finding the right solution, and it is this experience I bring to my work as a UMA board director.  I am a founding member of Women in Tech at Datasite (WIT) and through this effort seek to empower fellow women in the tech industry through hosting events, workshops and guest speakers. As a first-generation immigrant, I believe in the power of diversity and bring with me a passion to listen and learn, discuss and solve and above all act to drive change. In my personal life, I enjoy working with youth and have volunteered with organizations such as Girl Scouts of the USA, Girls on the Run, Circus Juventas and Destination Imagination.

As a UMA parent, I am an avid supporter of education that empowers students to learn in a way that allows them to be successful. I recognize that to learn differently is to teach differently. I continue to be impressed at the dedication and enthusiasm of the staff at UMA and their engagement in this way of thinking. I wholly support their efforts and evoke a desire to ensure UMA is somewhere both teachers and students can bring their best selves and feel empowered to succeed.

David Born, UMA Board Secretary

UMA Parent

Retired

Term: 07/01/2020-06/30/2023

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Dina Berray

UMA Staff

Culinary Teacher

Term:

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Mickey Jurewicz

UMA Staff

Art Teacher

Term:

Email Mickey

Anna Walters

Staff Member

Counselor

Term:

Email Anna

Pat Maxwell

Community Member

Board of Overseers – St John’s School of Theology

Term: 03/17/2020-06/30/2022

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Tisa Mitchell

Community Member

 

Term:

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Pao Moua

Community Member

University of Minnesota

Term:

Email Pao

Meeting Minutes

Governing Policies

Official BOD Policies