Meet the Board

Front: Dr. Jeff Ronneberg, Superintendent; Colleen Vranish, Vice-Chairperson; John Stroebel, Chairperson; Jodi Ruch, Director; Back: Marilynn Forsberg, Director; Amy Hennen, Director; Jim Amundson, Treasurer; Kelly Delfs, Clerk

The School Board consists of seven at-large elected members and the Superintendent, who is an ex officio member. During the school year, the school board welcomes two student representatives from the high school student council. They can participate in discussions and ask questions, but are non-voting members.

Emily Lukens Grade 12 Student Representative

Madisen Dempsey Grade 11 Student Representative

cvrani@district16.org | 763-783-0769

Colleen is a resident of Fridley where she and husband Bruce have two children -- ages 18 and 21. She is employed at Kimberly Clark Corporation where she supports the Great Plains sales team.

She is in her tenth year on the school board and served as Board chairperson for five years. She is the current Board liaison to the Lighthouse Program, the Board’s representative to the Association of Metropolitan School Districts (AMSD), and takes advantage of ongoing training through the Minnesota School Board Association (MSBA).

Colleen was the Board representative to the Spring Lake Park Lions-District 16 Scholarship Fund Board for years, serving as secretary for six years.

She has also participated in leadership roles for the community-based Kids First organization during several levy referendum campaigns. Prior to serving on the board, she was active in the Woodcrest Elementary PTA, serving as co-president for three years.

jamund@district16.org | 763-780-4231

A Blaine resident, Jim and wife Beth have a daughter and two sons. Since 2002, he has been director, president, and CEO of First Advantage Bank in Coon Rapids.

Most recently, he was elected to the School Board in November 2011, but previously served on the Board from 2000-2008, including five years as chairperson. He was involved in the redevelopment of the Panther Foundation and served on its board.

Jim is former chairperson of the Mercy & Unity Hospital Foundation Board, former chairperson of the Anoka-Ramsey Community College Foundation Board, and past-president and current member of the Coon Rapids Rotary Club.  He is also a youth football coach for the Blaine/Spring Lake Park Athletic Association.

kdelfs@district16.org | 763-786-6964

Kelly is a Spring Lake Park resident, and has lived in the school district community for 31 years. She and her husband Brad have four grown children.

Kelly is a 20-year member of the Spring Lake Park School District School Board. Throughout her tenure, she has has served as Board liaison to each of the district's schools, and she says she "served on probably every school-community committee, council, and task force at least once during this time."

Kelly is the recipient of numerous awards and honors. She was selected to served as an Ambassador to Education by the Minnesota School Boards Association. As part of these duties, Kelly spoke to community groups on the topic of public education for three years.

mforsb@district16.org | 763-784-7751

Marilynn is a 43-year resident of Spring Lake Park where she and husband Fred raised four Spring Lake Park grad sons who in turn have made Marilynn a seven-time grandmother.  She is a 30-year member of the Spring Lake Park School District school board.  Marilyn has served the board as chairperson or vice-chairperson for 21 years, clerk for three years, and director for six years. She has served as liaison to all schools, and on perhaps every school-community committee, council, and task force that exists.

She is a recipient of the Minnesota School Boards Association (MSBA) President's Award, served as chairperson of the Association of Metropolitan School Districts, vice-chair of Northeast Metro 916 Intermediate School District, and on the MSBA board of directors.

Marilynn has been named Minnesota School Board Member of the Year, was vice-president of the Jaycee Women of Minnesota, and was once honored with WCCO Radio’s Good Neighbor Award for her volunteer work.

ahenne@district16.org | 763-780-9101

Amy is a resident of Blaine, where she and husband Scott Nielsen have a son at Westwood Middle School and daughter at Westwood Intermediate School.

Prior to her election to the School Board in November 2011, Amy was Northpoint Elementary PTO president, served on the Panther Foundation Board of Directors, Community Advisory Council, co-chaired the Legislative Action Committee, and co-chaired community’s Kids First Committee in 2011.

Amy is liaison to Northpoint Elementary and is taking part in Minnesota School Boards Association leadership training.

jruch@district16.org | 763-757-0103

Jodi had been a resident of Blaine for most of her life. She and husband Nate have four school-age sons in the Spring Lake Park School District.  Her active-in-sports sons ensure that she spends a great deal of time around football fields and gyms. She is an employee of Glass Today.

Before election to the Board in 2004, Jodi served on the school district’s Facilities Utilization Task Force, attending nearly 50 meetings to help shape the resulting bond referendum.  She also worked with teenagers for over a decade at Emmanuel Christian Center.

Now in her seventh year on the board, Jodi has been the Board’s clerk and treasurer, liaison to the Athletic Committee, Park Terrace Elementary, Woodcrest Elementary, Westwood Intermediate, and Westwood Middle School.