The University Board of Regents launched its fall meetings with the addition of four new interim regents appointed in August by Governor Tim Walz. The new members fill positions vacated by regents whose six-year terms expired earlier this year.

Normally, new regents are appointed following a formal review and vote of a joint convention of the Minnesota House and Senate. That didn’t occur in the most recent session, which saw partisan gridlock on other issues up to the session’s last day. However, the Minnesota Constitution permits the governor to appoint interim regents until the Legislature next meets. Walz wasted no time in making the four appointments to bring the board up to its full strength of 12. However, the House and Senate will likely review and vote on the appointments in February. Here are brief profiles of Walz’s appointments:

Joel Bergstrom, JD, is an attorney and alumnus of the University. He is a retained executive recruiter and principal of the Orion Search Group, a Twin Cities-based executive search firm. He has extensive experience working with nonprofit community groups.

Samuel Heins, JD, served as ambassador to Norway in the Obama administration, and is an alumnus of the University in his BA and JD degrees. He is a well-known internationalist, co-founder of the Advocates for Human Rights and the Center for Victims of Torture. He is a recipient of the University’s Alumni Outstanding Achievement Award and the Minnesota Governor’s Award for International Human Rights Activities. 

Ellen Luger, JD, served as minister counselor for agriculture at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations food agencies in Rome, where she was later named acting deputy chief of mission, representing U.S. agriculture in global efforts to improve food security. She also has served in leadership at the Minneapolis Foundation and General Mills, and has extensive nonprofit board service.

Kowsar Mohamed serves as the student representative to the board. She is a doctoral student in natural resources science and management, focusing on regenerative systems, water governance, and community resilience. She has served as director of strategic partnerships at the Center for Economic Inclusion, and as senior project manager for the City of Saint Paul’s Department of Planning and Economic Development.  

Go to regents.umn.edu to learn more.

—John Finnegan, UMRA liaison to the Board of Regents