Venture Board Meetings
Venture Academy holds open Board Meetings at previously determined times posted below. Typically, we stay true to our regular meeting time and date of the 3rd Wednesday of each month, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Meetings are held at Venture Academy, 315 27th Ave. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414. These meetings can (and should!) be attended and observed by the public, in accordance with the Minnesota Open Meeting Law.
UPCOMING MEETINGS:
Executive Search Committee Ongoing Agenda
Next Meeting: Regular Board Meeting: Wednesday, 4/17/2024 at 6 pm.
Venture Academy High School, 315 27th Ave SE. Minneapolis, MN
External locations:
Roxann Anoka, Attending online due to childcare at: 1926 4th Street East St Paul MN 55119
Marissa Birkland, Attending online due to childcare at: 11430 47th ave N Plymouth Mn 55442
Andrew Lawton, Attending online due to childcare at: 2767 Granite Ct. N, Oakdale, MN 55128
CJ Ellsworth, Attending online due to family care at: 138 15th Ave NE, Minneapolis, MN 55143
Roxann Anoka, Attending online due to family care at: 1926 4th St E, St. Paul, MN 55119
BG Tucker, Attending online due to childcare at: 4036 Abbott Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55410
Marissa Birkland, Attending online due to childcare at: 11430 47th Ave N, Plymouth, MN 55442
meet.google.com/nfd-uaem-mve
Meeting ID
Phone Numbers
(US)+1 219-281-4215
PIN: 731 665 208#
Link to Agenda and Meeting Materials
(agenda will be posted 72 hours prior to meeting time)
Click to Visit Board Folder: Meeting Agendas & Minutes + Governing Documents including Policies
Regular Meetings: Regular meetings of the board are the 3rd Wednesday of each month. Below are the dates for the meetings for FY23 (July 2022 through June 2023)
Wednesday, April 17, 2024
Wednesday, May 15, 2024 ANNUAL MEETING and Election
Wednesday, June 19, 2024
Venture Board of Directors
Roxann Anoka (Parent) Roxann is a guardian and relative of many Venture Academy students in both the middle and the high schools. As a veteran of Minnesota’s public school systems, Roxann has testified at the state legislature to advocate for Native rights and access to quality education. Roxann has been a leader within Venture’s Native community as the parent chair of the American Indian Advisory Committee.
Marissa Birkland (Community Member) Marissa is a Director at Optum (UnitedHealth Group), focused on delivering in-home health assessments for Seniors. She has 10 years of experience as a healthcare leader, with a diverse background in Six Sigma Quality Consulting, Marketing Operations, and Process Improvement with functional expertise in quality, strategy, and operations. Marissa holds a Bachelor of Science in Business from the Curtis L. Carlson School of Management. Marissa has a passion for education, and its importance for lower-income students and families. She believes in the mission of developing independence, scholarship, and leadership in young individuals to achieve career readiness.
Katia Colon-Holmers (Community Member) Katia has worked with school-aged youth across the Twin Cities, Newark, and Philadelphia for nearly 25 years. As a youth worker, teacher, and school administrator, she has devoted herself to ensuring that students have equitable access to a quality education. In her current work as a College Persistence Counselor, she supports students in overcoming institutional and systemic barriers as they pursue their four year degree. email
Kerry Muse, TREASURER (Community Member) Kerry is the founder of Venture Academy and has transitioned off staff. Kerry was elected to the board after his transition in July of 2023. email
Charles (CJ) Ellsworth, (Teacher) Originally from New Jersey, CJ received his bachelor’s degree from Purdue University with a double major in Economics and Political Science. CJ began his education career as a Teach For America corps member in Philadelphia. There, CJ taught AP Calculus at a charter school before uprooting his life and career to help found Venture Academy High School. email
Beth Hawkins, CHAIR (Community Member) Beth Hawkins is the parent of an 11th-grade Trailblazer who is in her fourth year at Venture Academy. A journalist, she is the national correspondent for The 74 Million, an education-focused news site where she writes about education innovations and policy. She first wrote about Venture Academy at the end of the school’s first year and kept inventing excuses to visit. Beth’s experience as a parent has made her a passionate disability rights advocate. She also serves on the boards of ARC Minnesota and Cultural Jambalaya, a nonprofit that produces free classroom resources for global education. email
Andrew Lawton, VICE CHAIR (Teacher) After working in Seattle, WA as a graphic designer Lawton returned to the Midwest. Graduating Summa Cum Laud from Minnesota State University, Mankato he began his teaching career at a project-based learning charter school. Lawton’s 18 years as an art educator has been almost entirely at charter schools. Recently Lawton obtained a Master’s of Science in Educational Leadership with a focus on Arts in Education and Project-Based Learning. Lawton brings a passion for student-centered learning and entrepreneurial thinking. email
Jeff Robbins (Community Member) Jeffrey C. Robbins is an attorney with the business law boutique Avisen Legal, P.A. in Minneapolis, Minnesota. For 36 years, he has represented entrepreneurs who start and grow technology-based enterprises and angel and venture investors who target those companies. He is a serial entrepreneur himself, having founded two companies in the entertainment ticketing industry. Jeff represents high-growth, high-potential private enterprises and publicly traded companies. In 2011, he founded AngelPolleNation, a networking organization for investors that holds quarterly events in the Twin Cities. He serves as an advisory board member to Gopher Angels, a Minneapolis-based investor network. Jeff is also a judge for the annual statewide Minnesota Cup business plan competition. He is a board member of the Minnesota Jewish Theater Company, and also serves on the Business Advisory Group for the University of Minnesota’s Office of Technology Commercialization. Jeff was named in 2011 as one of “200 Minnesotans You Should Know” by Twin Cities Business magazine.
email
BG Tucker (Community Member) BG is a new board member. Bio to be posted soon.
email
Founding Board Member Emeritus
Verne Johnson, Co-Founder
In 1952, Johnson became the youngest elected state representative (representing the city of Minneapolis) in the Legislature, beginning a distinguished career that included long stints as executive director of the Citizens League (1958-67) and as vice-president for planning at General Mills (1967-82). An early supporter and volunteer for the Black Alliance for Education Options (BAEO), Twin Cities Rise and Youth Frontiers, Johnson was the founding chair of the Civic Caucus, a nonpartisan Minnesota policy discussion and innovation group. Verne Johnson died on November 2, 2012.
Board Committees
Executive Committee
Board Chair: Beth Hawkins
Vice Chair: Andrew Lawton
Treasurer: CJ Ellsworth
Human Resources CommitteeCJ Ellsworth, Tandon, Jace Carlson, Andrew Lawton
Finance Committee
CJ Ellsworth (Chair), Jeff Robbins
Governance Committee
Jeff Robbins (Chair)
Our Authorizer
2016-2017 Annual Report to Charter Authorizer
2016-2017 Audited Financial Statements
VA Report to Members of Governance 2017
Total Special Education System (TSES)
INNOVATIVE QUALITY SCHOOLS
Authorizer
www.iqsmn.org
Laurie Schroeder
lschroeder@iqsmn.org
Venture Academy demonstrates innovation through implementation of self-paced, personalized digital learning in reading and math as part of its learning program.
Upon request of an individual, Venture Academy will make available in a timely fashion financial statements showing all operations and transactions affecting income, surplus, and deficit during the school’s last annual accounting period.