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Jim Grabowska 
30 7th Street East, Suite 350
St. Paul, MN 55101
Phone: 651-728-8179
Jim.Grabowska@minnstate.edu

At-large
Term ends June 30, 2028

Jim Grabowska, St. Clair, has served on the Board of Trustees since 2022. He has been active in different fields of education during most of his professional career. He taught a variety of subjects in high schools here and abroad before moving into higher education, teaching at Gustavus Adolphus College, St. John’s University/College of St. Benedict, the state university of Cuenca, Ecuador and 23 years teaching at ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ University, Mankato. While at MSU, Mankato, he taught Spanish and world language education courses. He retired from teaching in 2021. Jim served in a variety of roles within the faculty union while at MSU: as local association president for 3 years and then as president of the Inter Faculty Organization from 2014-2018.

Jim has represented education interests on a variety of boards including the ISD 75 School Board, Minnesota Board of Teaching (now PELSB), Region 9 Development Commission, South Central Service Cooperative and the Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration.

He received his B.S. from Northern State University, M.A. from the University of Oklahoma and Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota.

Governor Tim Walz appointed Grabowska to the Board of Trustees in 2022. His terms ends on June 30, 2028.

Jacqueline Johnson
30 7th Street East, Suite 350
St. Paul, MN 55101
Phone: 651-728-8179
Jacqueline.Johnson@minnstate.edu

At-large
Term ends June 30, 2030

Jacqueline Johnson, Minnetonka, has experience as a faculty member and academic administrator at both public and private universities, including eleven years as chancellor at the University of Minnesota Morris. Under her leadership, the campus increased enrollment; grew its endowment; added two Leadership in Energy, Efficiency and Design (LEED) Gold buildings; established itself as a national leader in renewable energy and sustainability; and was designated by the federal government as a Native American Serving Nontribal Institution. She has served on several non-profit boards, including Pioneer Public Television and the Minnesota Humanities Center. She chaired the board of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education and currently is the chair of the board of Fresh Energy, an energy policy non-profit. She earned a Masters and PhD in sociology from Purdue University and a Bachelor's degree from Macalester College. She conducts research with a colleague in Cracow, Poland, using children’s drawings to explore their understanding of nation.

Governor Tim Walz appointed Johnson to the Board of Trustees in 2024. Her term ends June 30, 2030.

Roger Moe
30 7th Street East, Suite 350
St. Paul, MN 55101
Phone: 651-728-8179
Roger.Moe@minnstate.edu

Congressional District 7
Term ends June 30, 2032

Roger Moe, Erskine, has served on the Board of Trustees since 2014. He is the current president of National Strategies, Inc. He served 32 years in the Minnesota Legislature, including 22 years as Senate Majority Leader. His legislative accomplishments include the creation of ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ Colleges and Universities, the Minnesota Job Skills Partnership, the Midwest Higher Education Commission, and the Environmental Trust Fund. He has also served as the Vice President of Coleman/Christison, Inc., and as a mathematics teacher and coach at Ada High School.

Moe is a former member of the Policy Consensus Initiative Board of Directors, Debate Minnesota, the Minnesota Twins Community Fund Governance Committee, and the Minnesota Job Skills Partnership Board. Senator Moe earned his B.S. from Mayville State University and an Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from the University of Minnesota for his years of public service.

Governor Tim Walz reappointed Moe to the Board of Trustees in 2026. His term ends June 30, 2032.

Denise Specht
30 7th Street East, Suite 350
St. Paul, MN 55101
Phone: 651-728-8179
Denise.Specht@minnstate.edu 

Congressional District 4
Term ends June 30, 2032

Denise Specht, Shoreview, has served on the Board of Trustees since 2025. She is a licensed elementary educator with 18 years of teaching experience from 1989-2007. She worked for 18 years as a labor leader at Education Minnesota, serving as their president (2013-2025) and their secretary treasurer (2007-2013). Specht's recent board experience includes MN AFL-CIO Executive Board and General Board, AFT Executive Council, Great Lakes Center for Education Research and Practice, and the NEA Member Insurance Trust. 

Governor Tim Walz reappointed Specht to the Board of Trustees in 2026. Her term ends June 30, 2032.

William Tully
30 7th Street East, Suite 350
St. Paul, MN 55101
Phone: 651-728-8179
William Tully

Technical College Student
Term ends June 30, 2027

William Tully, Minneapolis, has served on the board since 2025. He is a student at Minneapolis College and North Hennepin Community College, pursuing exploratory coursework to inform a career transition from finance with interests in law and public policy. He holds a B.S.B. in Finance from the Carlson School of Management and previously worked as a business analyst at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis and in corporate finance. 

William has served as Director of University Policy for the University of Minnesota's Minnesota Student Association, Public Relations Coordinator of LeadMN, and continues to advocate for student-centered policy and equity in higher education. Inspired by his mother’s activism during the Tiananmen Square protests, William believes in the enduring impact of grassroots student advocacy and the power of individual voices to shape public institutions.

Governor Walz appointed Tully to the Board of Trustees in 2025.