The Mesabi East Foundation is a locally operated and supported, scholarship foundation run by an all-volunteer Board of Directors, most of whom are graduates of Mesabi East or its predecessor schools.
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Gregg Allen
President Gregg Allen is the retired superintendent of Mesabi East Schools, and previously served on the Board as a liaison in his role as superintendent. |
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Dr. Chris Whiting
Vice President Chris Whiting is a 1980 graduate of AHL, 1984 graduate from Seattle University, and a 1989 graduate from University of Minnesota Medical School. He married Shelly (Moraski), a 1982 graduate AHL and who is presently a Mesabi East school nurse. He has four children, all graduates of Mesabi East High School. His father, Jack, is a retired AHL/Mesabi East English teacher. He has had the privilege of serving patients of the East Range as a family practice physician at the Northern Pines Medical Center (formerly East Range Clinic/White Community Hospital) since 1992. |
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Matt Uhan
Treasurer Matthew Uhan, CPA, is the treasurer for the Mesabi East Foundation. Matt is the fourth generation President and CFO of the First National Bank of Gilbert. He holds BA degrees in Accounting and French from St. John’s University (2003) and lives in Aurora with his wife Megan (Myklebust) and their daughters Elizabeth and Mia. |
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Bobby Jo Mineheine
Board Member Bobby Jo Mineheine is a 1990 graduate of Mesabi East School. She received her master’s degree in Communication, Sciences, and Disorders from the University of Minnesota Duluth. Since she graduated, she has worked in the medical field and in educational settings. She currently works as a Speech-Language Pathologist at Mesabi East Schools. She volunteers in her community and has served on several boards: Aurora Centennial, Women of Today, Care Partners, Relay for Life, Pine Grove Two Step, East Range All Class Reunion, and Celebrate Aurora. |
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Lee Storbeck
Board Member LeRoy (Lee) Storbeck is a 1964 graduate of Aurora-Hoyt Lakes. He went on to further his education on an athletic scholarship at Southern Methodist University (SMU) where he was the mile champion in the Southwest Conference. After graduation with a degree in business (emphasis in sales and marketing), he moved back to Minnesota and started many businesses along the way. Today he owns a company called Command Central (an election company) and resides in St. Cloud MN. |
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Britt See-Benes
Board Member Britt See-Benes is a 1993 graduate of Mesabi East. Britt attended Mesabi Range Community & Technical College, where she received her Associates Degree before furthering her education and receiving her Masters Degree in Leadership and Management from Concordia University in St. Paul. Working for over the last 20 years in local government service, she finds her passion is helping others and fulfills this with her numerous volunteer positions. Britt has volunteered for many years in her community and throughout the State, by serving on several boards such as East Range All Class Reunion, Celebrate Aurora, Aurora Chamber of Commerce, MN Clerks & Finance Officers Association, Laurentian Chamber, Iron Range Tourism Bureau, and various political campaigns. |
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Paul Winkelaar
Board Member Paul Winkelaar is a 1990 graduate of Mesabi East School. Paul received his Master’s in Education from the University of Minnesota. He works as a Political Action Specialist for Education Minnesota and is passionate about education and creating viable education opportunities for all children. Policy work on recruitment and retention of teachers, school health insurance, Every Student Succeeds Act, student debt relief, student discipline, standardized testing, voluntary universal pre-k. He resides in the Twin Cities with his wife and three children. |
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Chasica Rasmusson
Board Member Chasica Rasmusson is a 2007 graduate from Mesabi East School. She received her Master’s Degree in Exercise Physiology from the College of St. Scholastica, Duluth MN. She currently works as an Exercise Phsysiologist at Fairview Range Hospital in the Cardiac Rehab department. She volunteers in the community and has served on the East Range All Class Reunion committee and currently volunteers as a Celebrate Aurora committee member. |
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Harry Drabik
Board Member Pack-sacked to Hoyt Lakes in '56. Left Aurora-Hoyt Lakes in 1962 and the University of Minnesota in 1967 with a B.S., after suffering a commencement address by poet Allen Tate who lies dead but not forgiven. He worked as the secondary level instructor in two school districts, BSA camp and programs director, Adult Indian Basic Ed, Outfitter Guide, Ontario Heritage Field Archaeologist, Real Estate Agent, weekly columnist, and is the author of five books. He credits Aurora-Hoyt Lakes for his hustle. Missteps were entirely his own. He feels good schools require adequate funding, committed staff, and accountability of students. |
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Mitch Brunfelt
Board Member Mitch Brunfelt is a fourth generation Iron Ranger. He grew up in Mountain Iron and is a graduate of Mountain Iron-Buhl High School. He earned his B.A., summa cum laude, from Moorhead State University and his law degree from Hamline University School of Law. In his work as an attorney, Mr. Brunfelt has been serving clients on the Iron Range and across northern Minnesota for over 25 years. He is president and managing partner of the Colosimo, Patchin & Kearney law firm, with offices in Aurora and Virginia. He currently serves as the City Attorney for the City of Hoyt Lakes, City of Eveleth and the City of Tower. He also serves as the school attorney for numerous school districts in northeastern Minnesota, including the Mesabi East School District. Mr. Brunfelt served three terms as the Mayor of Mountain Iron from 1997 to 2002 and has served as a volunteer board member for a number of non-profit entities on the Iron Range. Mitch and his wife, Mandy, have two children, Ben and Grace. They reside in the Town of White. Ben and Grace are both Mesabi East graduates (Ben, Class of 2018 and Grace, Class of 2020). Looking back to 2006 when Mitch and Mandy moved with their children to the Town of White, Mitch often says that it is the single most important decision that they ever made in the lives of their children, for it afforded Ben and Grace the incredible opportunities and experiences that they had as students in the Mesabi East School District and in being part of the Mesabi East community. Being part of the Mesabi East Foundation Board has provided Mr. Brunfelt with the opportunity to give back to the School District and community that have played such an important role in enriching the lives of his own children. |
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Dr. Jeff Burgess
Liaison, Superintendent of Mesabi East Schools Jeff Burgess is the superintendent of Mesabi East School District. Jeff graduated from St. Cloud State University with a Bachelor of Science in Social Studies Education. He then went on to earn his Master of Science and Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from Minnesota State University of Moorhead. This is his 15th year in education and 10th year in administration. Jeff and his wife Ashleigh live in Biwabik township and have three children. Beau attends Mesabi East school district and twins Benny & Bode attend Mesabi East ECFE. |
