Board Members

Martha Lee (Marti) Zins, President

Photo of Marti Zins

Elected Trustee (Retiree representative), mzins@minnesotatra.org

Martha Lee (Marti) Zins, Board President and Elected Trustee (Retiree) was a media specialist, then media director for the Hopkins School District. Marti was elected to her sixth term on the TRA Board of Trustees in 2009. She is a past president of the Minnesota Education Association, and represented Minnesota teachers as a director of the National Education Association (NEA). A TRA trustee since 1989, Zins serves the needs of Minnesota teachers with a special emphasis on the expansion of automated services that increase accessibility of information to members and retirees throughout the state. She works to maintain the funding stability of TRA and of defined benefit public pension plans.
Start date: July 1, 1989 Term expires: June 30, 2025

Joel Stencel, Vice President

Photo of Joel Stencel

Statutory Member, Minnesota School Boards Association Representative (MSBA), jstencel@minnesotatra.org
Start date: June 20, 2018

Jim Schowalter, Commissioner

Photo of Jim Schowalter

Statutory Member, Minnesota Management & Budget

Thomas Carr

Thomas Carr

Statutory Member, Minnesota Management & Budget designee, thomas.carr@state.mn.us
Start date: January 19, 2023

Willie Jett, Commissioner

Willie Jett

Statutory Member, Department of Education

Patty Hand

Photo of  Patty Hand

Statutory Member, Department of Education designee, patty.hand@state.mn.us

Start date: September 13, 2023

Julie Reno

Elected Trustee (Active Representative), jreno@minnesotatra.org

Julie Reno is a math teacher in the Moorhead school district who brings to the board a good understanding of how retirement accounts work. In her role as a board member, she hopes to help keep TRA financially sustainable as well as help deepen understanding among teachers about how TRA works.

Start date: July 1, 2021 Term Expires: June 30, 2025

Kevin Lindstrom

Elected Trustee (Active Representative), klindstrom@minnesotatra.org

Kevin Lindstrom is a counselor at Anoka Technical College. As a board member, he wants to focus on communicating a shared vision regarding the value of a robust defined benefit plan. He also hopes to work toward building a strong and broad coalition in support of enhancing the benefits of the TRA plan.

Start date: July 1, 2021 Term Expires: June 30, 2025

 

Kathy Oellerich

Elected Trustee (Active representative), koellerich@minnesotatra.org

Kathy Oellerich is a science teacher at South Washington County School District. As a board member, she wants to represent the views of working teachers and ensure a pension plan that allows dignified retirement from the profession.

Start date: July 1, 2023 Term Expires: June 30, 2027

David Rondestvedt

Elected Trustee (Active Representative), drondestvedt@minnesotatra.org

David Rondestvedt is a special education teacher at Robbinsdale Area Schools. As a board member, he wants to ensure Minnesota keeps and maintains a strong public school system that is attractive to younger teachers and those thinking about teaching as a profession.

Start date: July 1, 2023 Term Expires: June 30, 2027