MREA’s membership elected four new and re-elected two incumbent directors to the 2020 MREA Board of Directors. With the Board also appointing one new higher education representative, it welcomes five new faces to its February 4-5 meeting in Alexandria.
New Directors
Joe Cerar
Teacher Representative, South Zone
Cerar joins the Board from Plainview-Elgin-Millville Schools, where he is a Social Studies teacher and 27-year educator in small, rural schools. He currently serves on the Education Minnesota Governing Board and the MN AFL-CIO General Board; he also is a former member of the National Education Association Board of Directors.
Jeff Drake
Administrator Representative, North Central Zone
A former Minnesota Middle Level Principal of the Year and past president of the Minnesota Association of Secondary School Principals, Drake has nearly 20 years experience as a school administrator in rural Minnesota schools. He joined Fergus Falls Schools as superintendent in July 2019.
Dr. Daniel Kirk
Higher Education Representative, South
Kirk recently joined Winona State University as dean of the College of Education. He previously served as dean and professor of education at the American University of Ras al Khaimah and as associate dean and professor at the National Defense College in the United Arab Emirates. He also was executive director of the School of Learning and Teaching at Pacific University, Oregon.
Tammy Roth
Teacher Representative, South Central Zone
Although starting her career as a K-12 music teacher, Roth has now been a school counselor at Morris school district for 25 years. She has been active in leadership positions in the teacher’s union and the Minnesota School Counselors Association’s governing board.
Pollyann Sorcan
School Board Representative, North Zone
Sorcan has spent 17 years on the Eveleth and the (consolidated) Eveleth-Gilbert school boards and served on regional and state boards and commissions regarding career and technical education, academic standards development, legislative platform and lobby activities, and family services collaboration. Her educational background includes certification in Leading and Managing Non-Profit Organizations and additional college coursework.
Returning Directors
Todd Holthaus
Administrator Representative, South Zone
Holthaus has served one 4-year term on the Board and returns for his second term. During his first term he served as Board President in 2018 and represented MREA at the National Rural Education Advocacy Coalition meeting in Washington DC. He is superintendent at Hills-Beaver Creek Schools.
Dennis Laumeyer
At-Large Representative, South Central Zone
Laumeyer returns for his second 4-year term on the Board. He has been an active member of the Board’s Annual Conference Committee and in 2019-20 is serving on the Executive Director Search Committee. He has been superintendent at Benson Public Schools for seven years.
