leadership
Leadership
kent-whitworth
Kent Whitworth
brian-juntti
Brian Juntti
avi-viswanathan
Avi Viswanathan
david-kelliher
David Kelliher
ben-leonard
Ben Leonard
kevin-maijala
Kevin Maijala
jack-matheson
Jack Matheson
fred-neher
Fred Neher
jennifer-pogatchnik
Jennifer Pogatchnik
brenda-raney
Brenda Raney
nicole-tuescher
Nicole Tuescher, JD
reports
Reports
exhibits-to-go
Exhibits To Go!
electrifying-minnesota
Electrifying Minnesota
schedule
Schedule
marketing-materials
Marketing Materials
education-resources
Education Resources
education-resources-teacher-tools
Teacher Tools
suggested-reading-and-resources
Suggested Reading and Resources
fur-trade
Fur Trade in Minnesota
schedule
Schedule
marketing-materials
Marketing Materials
educational-resources
Educational Resources
images
Images
hosting-exhibit
Hosting an Exhibit
jobs
Jobs
preservation
Grants

Leadership

Leadership team

Jack Matheson

Associate Vice President Strategy Implementation

Jack Matheson joined the Minnesota Historical Society in 2008 as an interpreter at the History Center Museum. Over the following decade, he developed and delivered a wide variety of award-winning history programs for audiences of all ages before joining the MNHS Human Resources team to serve as Talent Development Specialist, Manager of Talent and Internal Communications, and most recently Director of Organizational Development.

Jack was deeply involved in founding, and served four years as chair of, the Rainbow Employee Resource Group for LGBTQIA+ staff, a first of its kind at MNHS. He was instrumental in creating the MNHS Strategic Plan for 2021-2026, directly engaging the MNHS workforce and hundreds of diverse external stakeholders in a human-centered strategy design process. As Associate Vice President Strategy Implementation, Jack continues to guide the development, implementation, leadership, and support of organizational strategy. 

Prior to joining MNHS, Jack served as Tour Manager for Imagination Makers Theater Company in Colorado, and Assistant Director for Ten Thousand Things Theater. Jack holds a B.F.A. in acting from the University of Minnesota/Guthrie Theater, graduate certifications in Instructional Design and Organizational Ethics, and professional certifications in People Management, Business Innovation, Advanced Design Thinking, and Human-Centered Strategy.

Governing board

Officers

  • Peter M. Reyes, Jr., President
  • Thomas M. Forsythe, Vice President, Treasurer
  • David R. Hakensen, Immediate Past President
  • Kent Whitworth, Secretary

Executive council

  • Ford W. Bell
  • Jesse Bethke Gomez
  • Linda Brekke Mona
  • M. Mitchell Davis
  • Elizabeth Driscoll Hlavka
  • Joanell M. Dyrstad
  • Richard E. Engebretson
  • Carolyn M. Essig
  • Stephanie L. Fehr
  • Thomas M. Forsythe
  • David R. Hakensen
  • Dustin B. Heckman
  • Bridget A. Larson-Lindner
  • Jennifer J. Murray

  • Richard C. Nash
  • Krista E. O’Malley
  • John Pacheco Jr.
  • Peter M. Reyes Jr.
  • Sharon Sayles Belton
  • Daniel J. Schmechel
  • Diana L. Schutter
  • Daniel W. Shogren
  • Roger J. Sit
  • Anton S. Treuer
  • John R. Tunheim
  • Noelle P. Turner
  • Kyle R. Ward
  • Gwen N. Westerman
  • Kent Whitworth (Nonvoting, Director & CEO)

 

Ex Officio

  • Tim Walz, Governor
  • Julie Blaha, State Auditor
  • Keith Ellison, Attorney General

  • Steve Simon, Secretary of State
  • Peggy Flanagan, Lieutenant Governor

Emeritus council

  • Nina M. Archabal+
  • Charles W. Arnason+
  • Annette Atkins+
  • Sharon Avent+
  • Bruce W. Bean+
  • Gretchen U. Beito+
  • Diane Berthel
  • Kathleen Blatz
  • Suzanne Blue
  • Robert Bruininks
  • Barbara E. Burwell
  • Judith S. Corson
  • Grant W. Davis
  • Mark Davis+
  • Michael J. Davis
  • Charlton Dietz+
  • D. Stephen Elliott
  • Michael B. Farnell

  • Harold A. Frederick
  • Ram Gada+
  • Phyllis Rawls Goff+
  • William Green
  • James T. Hale
  • MayKao Y. Hang
  • Stanley S. Hubbard
  • Karen A. Humphrey+
  • Ruth S. Huss
  • Lucy R. Jones+
  • Sylvia Kaplan+ 
  • Dennis L. Lamkin
  • Jean M. Larson
  • Monica Little
  • Elizabeth S. MacMillan+
  • Charles Mahar
  • Susan B. McCarthy
  • William C. Melton+

  • Joseph S. Micallef+
  • Dean M. Nelson
  • Richard H. Nicholson
  • Elizabeth M. Nordlie
  • Peter R. Reis
  • Mark Ritchie
  • Kennon V. Rothchild+
  • Susan Kenny Stevens
  • William R. Stoeri+
  • Edward C. Stringer
  • Bo Thao-Urabe
  • Karen Wilson Thissen
  • Missy Staples Thompson
  • Kathy H. Tunheim
  • Benjamin Vander Kooi
  • Eleanor C. Winston
  • Warren J. Zaccaro

Honorary council

  • Lowell C. Anderson
  • Marvin R. Anderson
  • Nina M. Archabal+
  • Charles W. Arnason+
  • Annette Atkins+
  • Sharon Avent+
  • Bruce W. Bean+
  • Gretchen U. Beito+
  • Ford W. Bell
  • S. K. Dash
  • Mark Davis+
  • Charlton Dietz+
  • Elizabeth S. Driscoll
  • Dennis Dvorak
  • Richard L. Ferrell
  • Michael J. Fox

  • Ram Gada+
  • Phyllis Rawls Goff+
  • Karen A. Humphrey+
  • John Huss
  • Ruth Huss+
  • Lucy R. Jones+
  • Sylvia Kaplan+
  • Colles Larkin
  • Robert C. Mack
  • Elizabeth S. MacMillan+
  • Terry McGibbon
  • Peg Meier
  • William C. Melton+
  • Joseph S. Micallef+
  • Richard Moe
  • Stephen Nelson
  • Larry G. Osnes
  • Donald G. Patton
  • Fred Perez
  • Mark Peterson
  • Kennon V. Rothchild+
  • Ramedo J. Saucedo
  • Jeff Savage
  • Barbara W. Sommer
  • William R. Stoeri+
  • Gerald Vizenor
  • Vernell Wabasha
  • Jeanette E. Warner
  • Annette M. Whaley
  • Mary Lethert Wingerd

    + Emeritus and Honorary
    Council Member