Board of Directors

The Whole Learning School Board of Directors is a working board, responsible for the development and implementation of policies and programs that will enable the school to reach its educational, operational and financial growth goals. We currently have four available spaces on our Board of Directors.

People who volunteer for our board come from varied backgrounds, yet all are united in wanting the best for TWLS. TWLS currently has several open board positions. If you care about kids and education and want to learn more about serving on the TWLS board, contact Ann Rooney at A.Rooney@twls.org or call 952.345.2295 for more information.

Rick Hartfiel, Board Co-Chair
Rick’s term as board chair began in January, 2010. Professionally, he has been director of Investment Banking for Craig-Hallum since 2005. As chair of TWLS, he brings more than 15 years experience in investment banking focused on emerging growth companies. A long-time community activist, Rick joined the board in October 2009, shortly after his daughter Annie became a student at the school. Rick has an MBA from Harvard Business School and a B.A. from Amherst College.

Susie Fry, Board Co-Chair
Susie Fry is mom to Sally, 13, a student at The Whole Learning School. Trained as a registered nurse, Susie is an active volunteer at TWLS.  Currently she chairs the Fundraising Committee, which is responsible for implementing TWLS’s annual fundraising event.  Susie is married to Steve Fry and they have one other child, Peter. Susie passionately believes in TWLS and is thrilled by the positive results in her daughter’s academic and social growth. 

Kate Heegaard Hartfiel, Secretary
Kate was educated at Skidmore College. She currently works as a painter and member of the Rain Collective, a confluence of Minneapolis artists.  “The Whole Learning School is a special place–we feel very lucky to have found it for Annie, as the alternatives are pretty bleak for the large number of kids like her, who are 3-5 grade levels behind their peers. Already this year, Annie has learned to type, count money, gone to a school dance and learned to play in a bell choir,” Kate says.

Steve Benjamin
Steve joined the TWLS board in Spetember 2011. He is passionate about the school, its mission, and what it has done for his son. Steve is a graduate of Hamline University and works with retriement plan trustees and participants at Sit Investment Associates in Minneapolis. Prior to joining Sit, he worked at IDS Financial Services and Minnesota Mutual Life.

Lynda Bohlsen
Lynda is Director of Global Infrastructure Systems at Ecolab, Inc. and joined the TWLS Board of Directors in October 2010. She has been a management/IT professional for 20+ years with industry experience in manufacturing, communications, financial services and insurance. She has a Bachelor’s in Computer Science and has been a volunteer with both industry and community opportunities. Lynda is excited about TWLS and the level of parental engagement, fantastic energy of the students and individualized approach to learning. Ecolab is the global leader in cleaning, sanitizing, food safety and infection control products and services.

Casey Nolan
Casey joined the TWLS Board in November, 2009. Casey is an attorney with Gray, Plant, Mooty, Mooty & Bennett, P.A., practicing in the areas of Employment and Immigration Law. She has experience litigating employment lawsuits, including cases involving claims of sexual harassment, national origin discrimination, age discrimination, noncompetition clauses, the Fair Labor Standards Act, and contract-based employment claims. Before law school, Casey worked for three years as a teacher at alternative schools in Boston and Portland, working with middle and high school students with learning disabilities and emotional/behavioral disorders.

Amy Proshek
Amy joined the TWLS Board in November 2009. Amy is trained as an accountant and is employed by U.S. Bank. She has an undergraduate degree in Counseling and Psychology from the University of Minnesota, and she spent time working with women and children at Chrysalis and as a counselor and program director at a chemical dependency program for adults. She has a Masters in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting from the University of St. Thomas. She is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in the State of Minnesota and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Ann Rooney, Head of School
Ann has been the TWLS Head of School since 2006 and joined the School Board in June 2009. Prior to being named Head of School, Ann served as TWLS’s Lead Teacher, Director of Curriculum and Director of Instruction. She has served special education students for more than 15 years, earning her Bachelor of Arts degree in K-12 special education from St. Could State University and her Master of Education degree from St. Mary’s University in Minnesota. Ann also speaks on behalf of special education issues at many professional conferences, including the Minnesota Autism Society and the Independent School Forum.