BOARD/COMMISSION: Board Of The Minnesota State Academies

615 Olof Hanson Dr
Faribault, MN
55021

Supported by Minnesota State Academies (MSA)

ENABLING LEGISLATION
M.S. 125A.62 (Originally MN Session Laws 1999, ch. 241, Sec. 20)
Enabled: 05-25-1999
Revisor of Statutes Link

CONTACT

Kim Barron

(507) 400-6088

send email

CHAIR

Annette Freiheit

(507) 421-8558

send email

Board Staff Support (1)

TITLE

NAME

PHONE

PRIMARY

Contact

Kim Barron

kim.barron@msa.state.mn.us

(507) 400-6088

Yes

Board Chairs (2)

TITLE

NAME

PHONE

PRIMARY

Chair

Annette Freiheit

annette.freiheit@gmail.com

(507) 421-8558

Yes

Co-Chair

Sara Pratt

spratt@northfieldschools.org

(651) 485-4669

DETAILS

Membership

Membership includes one present or former superintendent of an ISD; one present or former special education director; the commissioner of the Department of Education or designee; one member of the blind community; one member of the deaf community; two members of the general public with business, administrative, or financial expertise; one nonvoting, unpaid ex-officio member appointed by the site council for the state academy for the deaf; and one nonvoting, unpaid ex-officio member appointed by the site council for the state academy for the blind.

COMPENSATION

Per Diem: $55.00
Other Compensation: Board members are paid $55 per day, and are compensated for meals and mileage when performing Board member duties. Compensation rates follow IRS guidelines.

MEMBERSHIP DETAILS

Requires Older Member - no
Requires Senate Approval - yes
Members file campaign finance and disclosure - no

Entity Powers and Duties, Activity Summary

To govern state academies for the deaf and blind. The board must promote academic standards based on high expectation and an assessment system to measure academic performance toward the achievement of those standards.

MN State Academies

ACTIVITY SUMMARY

Governance of the Minnesota State Academies

Meeting Information

Meetings typically last: 2

Meeting Frequency: Board meetings will be held on the average ten times a year, in Faribault MN.

Meetings are held at:
Faribault

Fiscal Information

Annual Staff Hours: 300.00

Total Appropriations: $21,000.00

Appropriations Description: operating costs

Fiscal Year Expenses: $21,000.00

Expenses Description:

operating costs

Open Positions (1)

POSITION	SEAT	AUTHORITY	21-DAY MIN GUARANTEE	#SEATS	ACTION
Public Member - Business, Admin, Or Fin	Public Member - Business, Admin, Or Fin #2	Governor	11/27/2025	1	APPLY

Applicants (3)

NAME	POSITION	APPLICATION DATE
Anna Hakusembe	Public Member - Business, Admin, Or Fin	11/6/2025
Sheila Koenig	Public Member - Business, Admin, Or Fin	12/4/2025
Mr Christian Wernau	Public Member - Business, Admin, Or Fin	11/7/2025

Pending Appointments (0)

No pending appointments found.

Direct Appointments (4)

POSITION/SEAT

APPOINTING AUTHORITY

MEMBER NAME

STATUS

TERM END

Direct Appointments

Commissioner Education/Designee

Commissioner of Education

Diane Dohnalik

Filled

07/02/2029

MSA Superintendent - Ex-Officio - Non-Voting

State Academy for the Deaf - Site Council

Terry Wilding

Filled

09/06/2026

MSAB Site Council Representative - Ex-Officio - Non-Voting

State Academy for the Deaf - Site Council

Sheila Koenig

Filled

09/06/2026

MSAD Site Council Representative - Ex-Officio - Non-Voting

State Academy for the Deaf - Site Council

Sonny Wasilowski

Filled

06/30/2026

Current Members (6)

POSITION/SEAT

APPOINTING AUTHORITY

MEMBER NAME

STATUS

TERM END

Blind Community Member

Governor

Mr. Hernán Moncada

Filled

01/04/2027

Deaf Community Member

Governor

Katherine Wangberg

Filled

01/04/2027

Public Member - Business, Admin, Or Fin

Public Member - Business, Admin, Or Fin #1

Governor

Jamie Speier

Filled

01/03/2028

Public Member - Business, Admin, Or Fin #2

Governor

Oluwagbenga Ogungbe

Posted

01/05/2026

Special Education Director Member

Governor

Sara Pratt

Filled

01/04/2027

Superintendent Member

Governor

Annette Freiheit

Filled

01/04/2027

ALL BOARDS/COMMISSIONS