Information & Decision Sciences Department Advisory Boards

Working in collaboration with faculty, advisory board members bring industry perspectives to the Information & Decision Sciences Department. Three different boards advise department leaders on strategy, programs, and various initiatives.

IDSC Department Advisory Board

Focus: Overall Strategic Direction for Department Programs and Initiatives

  • John Avenson, Chief Technology Officer, Minnesota Twins
  • Deb Bauman, Chief Information Officer, Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, Retired
  • Teddy Bekele, Senior Vice President & Chief Technology Officer, Land O'Lakes (board president)
  • Rajeev Duggirala, Senior Vice President, Ameriprise Financial
  • Erik Erickson, Chief Data Officer, Hennepin County
  • Prashant Gandhi, Chief Business Officer, Melio  
  • Justin Kershaw, President & Founder, FourCorners Cyber
  • Kelly Olin, Chief Information Officer, Cargill
  • Shruti Patel, EVP Business Banking, US Bank
  • Janette Smrcka, Vice President of IT, SoFi Stadium/Hollywood Park
  • Jason Staloch, Vice President - Digital Core, General Mills
  • Marshall Tokheim, Vice President - Process Orchestration and AI, Ecolab
  • Beth Tschida - Chief Technology Officer, Jamf

Executive Advisory Board on Curriculum

Focus: Curriculum, Especially Undergraduate Courses

  • Rita Anderson
  • Deb Bauman, Chief Information Officer, Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, retired
  • Tim Boos, Portfolio Director, Medtronic
  • Jessica Bottensek, Director of Product Management, Target
  • Martin Caride, Vice President of IT, Subway
  • Soua Christiansen, Senior IT Project Manager, Rackspace
  • Robin Edgar, Wealth Strategist, Wealth Progression Group
  • Jared Erdman, IT Audit Senior Associate, EisnerAmper
  • Craig Espelien, President, 1201 Partners (board president)
  • Todd Loncorich, Senior Manager - SAP Enterprise, General Mills
  • Mike McFarlane, Global Service Lead / IDSc Lecturer, Cargill / Carlson School, retired
  • Brent Murray, Sales Executive, IBM
  • Mary Texer, EVS Consulting
  • Patrick Trussell, IT Director - Research & Development, 3M
  • Tara Wyborny, Vice President - Talent, Genesis10

MSBA Program Advisory Board

Focus: Business Analytics Graduate Programs

  • Jonathan Banks, Founding Partner, NCXT
  • Jennifer DeGennaro, Director of Data Science, Best Buy (board president)
  • Albert Goldfain, Director of Data Science, Ecolab
  • Christina Leeson, Director of Data & Analytics, Slalom Consulting
  • Chris Manrodt, Chief Innovation Officer & Head of RWE, 3PH Alliance
  • Dhivya Nagasubramanian, Vice President & Lead AI Solutions Architect, US Bank    
  • Colin Robertson, Manager - Sports Science, Minnesota Twins Baseball
  • Prasoon Sharma, Partner, McKinsey Digital
  • Kate Thomas, Senior Manager of Business Intelligence & Reporting, Medica Health Plan
  • John Tong, Director - Data Science, Meta
  • Erik Tonsfeldt, Senior Manager, West Monroe
  • Veronika Torarp, Partner, PwC

IDSC Department Advisory Board

Focus: Overall Strategic Direction for Department Programs and Initiatives

  • John Avenson, Chief Technology Officer, Minnesota Twins
  • Deb Bauman, Chief Information Officer, Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, Retired
  • Teddy Bekele, Senior Vice President & Chief Technology Officer, Land O'Lakes (board president)
  • Rajeev Duggirala, Senior Vice President, Ameriprise Financial
  • Erik Erickson, Chief Data Officer, Hennepin County
  • Prashant Gandhi, Chief Business Officer, Melio  
  • Justin Kershaw, President & Founder, FourCorners Cyber
  • Kelly Olin, Chief Information Officer, Cargill
  • Shruti Patel, EVP Business Banking, US Bank
  • Janette Smrcka, Vice President of IT, SoFi Stadium/Hollywood Park
  • Jason Staloch, Vice President - Digital Core, General Mills
  • Marshall Tokheim, Vice President - Process Orchestration and AI, Ecolab
  • Beth Tschida - Chief Technology Officer, Jamf

Executive Advisory Board on Curriculum

Focus: Curriculum, Especially Undergraduate Courses

  • Rita Anderson
  • Deb Bauman, Chief Information Officer, Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, retired
  • Tim Boos, Portfolio Director, Medtronic
  • Jessica Bottensek, Director of Product Management, Target
  • Martin Caride, Vice President of IT, Subway
  • Soua Christiansen, Senior IT Project Manager, Rackspace
  • Robin Edgar, Wealth Strategist, Wealth Progression Group
  • Jared Erdman, IT Audit Senior Associate, EisnerAmper
  • Craig Espelien, President, 1201 Partners (board president)
  • Todd Loncorich, Senior Manager - SAP Enterprise, General Mills
  • Mike McFarlane, Global Service Lead / IDSc Lecturer, Cargill / Carlson School, retired
  • Brent Murray, Sales Executive, IBM
  • Mary Texer, EVS Consulting
  • Patrick Trussell, IT Director - Research & Development, 3M
  • Tara Wyborny, Vice President - Talent, Genesis10

MSBA Program Advisory Board

Focus: Business Analytics Graduate Programs

  • Jonathan Banks, Founding Partner, NCXT
  • Jennifer DeGennaro, Director of Data Science, Best Buy (board president)
  • Albert Goldfain, Director of Data Science, Ecolab
  • Christina Leeson, Director of Data & Analytics, Slalom Consulting
  • Chris Manrodt, Chief Innovation Officer & Head of RWE, 3PH Alliance
  • Dhivya Nagasubramanian, Vice President & Lead AI Solutions Architect, US Bank    
  • Colin Robertson, Manager - Sports Science, Minnesota Twins Baseball
  • Prasoon Sharma, Partner, McKinsey Digital
  • Kate Thomas, Senior Manager of Business Intelligence & Reporting, Medica Health Plan
  • John Tong, Director - Data Science, Meta
  • Erik Tonsfeldt, Senior Manager, West Monroe
  • Veronika Torarp, Partner, PwC