August 15, 2023
As the new year approaches the Alumni Association welcomes new members. Join us in welcoming the new alumni board members!
Isabel (McKeown) O’Branski ’14
For what grades did you attend MPA?
K-12
Why did you choose to pursue a position on the Alumni Association Board?
MPA made a great impact on my childhood (being there since kindergarten!), growing up and preparation for college – I want to help keep it the great school it was for me!
In what ways do you see yourself as a supporter of MPA and its mission?
At MPA I never felt anything was out of reach, excelling in sports, pursuing your passions, achieving good grades in the hardest classes, because I was so well supported! I hope to give support to current and future students to dream big.
What are you currently doing, professionally and/or personally?
I currently work at Topgolf Callaway Brands (formerly Callaway Golf Company) as a Project Manager. I just got married in June in San Diego where I’ve lived the last 3 years, but will be moving in August to NYC with my husband and mini golden doodle.
How did you get to where you are in your career? Did you attend college and if so, where? Are there some career moves or other key experiences or relationships that have inspired you?
After MPA, I went to the College of Saint Benedict where I studied Global Business. After graduation I worked at 3M (right down the road from MPA!) in their Global Sourcing Department until moving to my current role.
How did your MPA experience prepare you for your life today? How did MPA help you dream big and do right?
MPA helped me immensely in preparation for college – I felt extremely ready for the college curriculum and professor expectations. MPA prepared me for my liberal art college since I was ready to study multiple topics, be involved in sports on top of academics, and stay well-rounded. Today, I still feel inspired to stay well-rounded, focusing on both work, my health, and relationships all at once—just as I did at MPA.
What’s next? Any aspirations—personal or professional—that you’d like to share?
I’ll be moving to NYC in August while my husband gets his MBA in the city. I’m so excited to explore the city!
What do you hope to see happen during your time on the Alumni Association Board?
I hope to keep supporting the amazing work the current Alumni Association Board is working on!
Please share your favorite MPA story.
It’s very hard to pick being there for 13 years! One memoir that sticks out all 13 years were the full school assemblies. I loved feeling the sense of community of the entire school and staff all at once and enjoying the assembly with my friends.
April Beth Howie ’88
For what grades did you attend MPA?
8th – 12th
Why did you choose to pursue a position on the Alumni Association Board?
I choose to pursue a position on the Alumni Association Board because I would like to pay it forward. My trails and tribulation can support others and MPAs mission. I see myself as a supporter of MPA and its mission by being available as mentor, a creator for others if they are stuck and/or innovating. Representing critical feedback loops. My wisdom runs deep and I can share that in ways I want to learn along this acceptance. I have a consistent, strong and long lived governance experience in health care and look forward to transcending what I know to the MPA Alumni board.
In what ways do you see yourself as a supporter of MPA and its mission?
I see myself as a supporter of MPA and its mission by being available as mentor, a creator for others if they are stuck and/or innovating. Representing critical feedback loops. My wisdom runs deep and I can share that in ways I want to learn along this acceptance. I have a consistent, strong and long lived governance experience in health care and look forward to transcending what I know to the MPA Alumni board.
What are you currently doing, professionally and/or personally?
I was born and grew up in Robbinsdale. Mr. Meacock would carpool me back and forth until I was old enough to drive to MPA on my own. Richard was one amazing human as we all know – truly embodying the MPA spirit – hands down. MPA gave me a foundation like no other, as well as an uncountable number of comprehensive life skills. I have been at my current place of employment, HealthPartners, Inc, since 1995. I am a Certified Professional Coder (CPC) and a Certified Professional Medical Auditor (CPMA). I am the Senior Manager of a documentation and coding compliance team, as well as a Know Your Cost Estimates service line team. I currently mentor 13 professionals on a daily basis, as well as knowing a ton about mentoring in health care. My connected relationships are deep within the MN health care community. Tons of past experiences in educating physicians, nurses, and care teams. My proudest education moments are a 5 year stint with the MN Ophthalmic Eye Care Technician School and the MN Young Ophthalmologists Group (MDs right out of residency). My husband, Jeff, and I ran Howie Trucking, Inc for 26 years. Professional Transport as we say. It was an S corporation. One semi. One driver. One president. One VP. Retired in 2018. Jeff, and I, have one daughter. Peyton Howie. Peyton graduated from Irondale High School in Mounds View MN. June 2023. She will be attending Bethel University in Arden Hills, MN to further her academic career in nursing, as well as playing on their volleyball team as the middle blocker. In May 2023 she has become a MN Select Volleyball Club Alumni. Coaching volleyball during the summer until she starts college. Lastly, I am a burn survivor. My motorcycle accident was in July 2000. I am honored to be given the opportunity to be able to parlay my experiences and pay it forward to our MPA communities.
How did you get to where you are in your career? Did you attend college and if so, where? Are there some career moves or other key experiences or relationships that have inspired you?
I got to where I am in my career by taking risks, connecting to a mentor, doing what other would not do when asked, and trusting my gut. MPA always taught me to be me, go for what makes me satisfied. Even when it makes you unpopular. This has brought me tremendous success. Yes. I attended college at Concordia University St. Paul. There are a number of key experiences and relationships that inspired. The top relationship and experience was with my parents and my mothers’ health care teams. My mother went through a 17 year journey fighting breast, brain, skull and lymphatic cancers. This started when I was 15 years old. She passed when I was 32. I witnessed firsthand how to handle adversity, how to care for yourself and the ones you love, as well as being involved in life saving measures. Grit we call it. It will humble the best of the best. The second experience was my motorcycle accident that should have taken my life at age 29.
How did your MPA experience prepare you for your life today? How did MPA help you dream big and do right?
My MPA experiences prepared me for my life in the a way I wish thousands of others could experience. The MPA staff was kind, compassionate and fueled me for who I am and not what I can do. The culture at MPA was safe. I could explore academic as well as look up to the staff and parents of my peers as role models I aspired to be. MPA helped me dream big because there were no limits on my mindset. I could fluctuate between having private thinking time but also share with staff when needed. The smiles in the MPA hallways were always my favorite. I could do right because I could be authentic to myself.
What’s next? Any aspirations—personal or professional—that you’d like to share?
What is next for me in my personal life is to transition myself into supporting my daughter in her collegiate student-athlete career. Going from raising her in an 8 year junior volleyball journey. Traveling all over the Midwest with her. Now we get to enjoy her collegiate game closer to home. As we know, student-athletes train year round, so I will be a parent that continue to learn how the next step for us evolves, as I am now needed in a new way for her. You will find my husband and I at Bethel University in Arden Hills, bleachers seats are free and so is the conversation and connections shared.
What do you hope to see happen during your time on the Alumni Association Board?
What I see happening during my time on the board is continued program planning, possible implantation of items that previously existed or is in progress, and stay connected to the MPA community.
Please share your favorite MPA story.
My favorite MPA story was when the Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart January 28, 1986. The school teacher, Christa McAuliffe, was aboard that flight. I remember in great detail standing outside a classroom, in the hallway, as I was changing classes. A TV was on and a teachers were collecting us around intentionally. They opened the experience up to us students. They did not hide this horrific, tragic event. Rather they create a safe space to be together. As I reflect back, I am astounded that our MPA teachers put us first that day. Knowing a teacher was on that flight. How selfless. How compassionate to the student and our young brains. We continued the day with openness and a feeling of being able to process. I took that lesson and create an attitude that other come along for the journey, no matter it is planned or on the fly. We need to stay gathered and together regardless of position.
Timothy Michael Koerner ’03
For what grades did you attend MPA?
K-12
Why did you choose to pursue a position on the Alumni Association Board?
My son is now a student at MPA, and the opportunity to immerse myself in the goals and vision of MPA seems appropriately timed.
In what ways do you see yourself as a supporter of MPA and its mission?
I believe in the atmosphere of support, inclusion and curiosity that MPA fosters. My son has these same traits, and the opportunity to maintain and steer that vision in some small way is wonderful.
What are you currently doing, professionally and/or personally?
I am a programs and policy trainer for community services with DHS-Minnesota, working with Washington County. I am also a children’s book author, father of two, and avid runner, currently (attempting) to teach myself how to be a competent cook.
How did you get to where you are in your career? Did you attend college and if so, where? Are there some career moves or other key experiences or relationships that have inspired you?
I attended Gustavus Adolphus College in southern Minnesota for my undergraduate studies, then Augsburg University in Minneapolis to attain my Masters of Business Administration with a focus in entrepreneurial studies. I treasure my professional roles as a fundraiser for an orphan disease, director of a mobile food pantry, and leader of a covid-funding emergency team at Washington County.
How did your MPA experience prepare you for your life today? How did MPA help you dream big and do right?
MPA taught me to communicate well, seek partnerships and build relationships to achieve happiness and professional solutions. I credit MPA for giving me the mindset to create and release my own children’s book in 2021. I do not believe I would have sought that personal achievement without my MPA upbringing.
What’s next? Any aspirations—personal or professional—that you’d like to share?
I would like to start a podcast idea of mine within the next year, and my own small business within the next 3-5 years. Running 1 marathon before the age of 40 is also an aspiration!
What do you hope to see happen during your time on the Alumni Association Board?
I have not been involved with MPA’s strategic vision or goals for multiple decades, now. I would like to hear what others have been working hard on and where things stand at the present moment, then lend whatever unique skills or talents I may have to ensure the school remains on a positive, upward trajectory with inclusion and innovation at the forefront of the priorities list.
Please share your favorite MPA story.
One of my last days of physical education in senior year, I was in ‘jail’ for a game of mat-ball with Mr. Scinto as our teacher, and he approached myself and a few other classmates in ‘jail’ with me to say, unprompted, “You know, we’re gonna miss you guys, miss your class. You treat each other well and are terrific people.” That’s about as good as it gets, I think. I also continually tell people that the most meaningful and amazing extra-curricular activity I have ever been involved in was to take a chance on doing Spring Show for just one year, in 2003, when we performed ‘Les Miserables’. Mr. Habermann and Ms. Bradley were tremendous leaders and teachers, for that.
Clare Holloran ’03
For what grades did you attend MPA?
K-12
Why did you choose to pursue a position on the Alumni Association Board?
I am interested in participating in the Alumni Association Board to reconnect with other alumni and learn how alumni can continue to support MPA.
What are you currently doing, professionally and/or personally?
I currently spend my time with my husband and two kids – one of whom will be starting MPA as a kindergartener this fall! Professionally, I work remotely for Brown University as a project manager for various education research projects.
How did you get to where you are in your career? Did you attend college and if so, where? Are there some career moves or other key experiences or relationships that have inspired you?
I graduated from Notre Dame in 2003 with a major in political science, with a Master’s in international education policy from Harvard Graduate School of Education in 2011. I completed my Ph.D. in education policy in 2020 from the University of Minnesota.
How did your MPA experience prepare you for your life today? How did MPA help you dream big and do right?
I am so grateful for the impact that MPA has had on my life, both personally and professionally. My teachers, coaches and my peers all pushed me to think critically, work hard, be kind, and have fun along the way.
Lauren Arsenault ’12
For what grades did you attend MPA?
5th-12th
Why did you choose to pursue a position on the Alumni Association Board?
Now that I am back in the midwest, I wanted to engage more with the MPA community. I have really enjoyed the alumni mentorship program over the past few years, and I would like to be involved in other ways!
In what ways do you see yourself as a supporter of MPA and its mission?
MPA supported me by giving me the building blocks to pursue my career and hobbies. While I am a physician, I still enjoy reading and critically analyzing literature; I am grateful to MPA for the ability and passion to do both. I want to support a place that gives students the ability to pursue diverse passions. Additionally, I have always really loved the MPA mission statement, I think it embodies the kind of person we should all strive to be.
What are you currently doing, professionally and/or personally?
Currently, I just began my diagnostic radiology residency at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. I love Chicago thus far and have been enjoying long runs along the lakeshore! At the encouragement of my best friend, I also have started rock climbing and bouldering as a hobby, it has been very challenging! I also hope to adopt a dog this year.
How did you get to where you are in your career? Did you attend college and if so, where? Are there some career moves or other key experiences or relationships that have inspired you?
After graduating MPA, I attended college at Emory University and then medical school at George Washington University. I pretty much knew I wanted to pursue medicine during upper school at MPA, and even though the sciences were actually more challenging for me than liberal arts, all of the faculty really motived and mentored me in order to help me succeed. I also think being supported to go to a college that was very different from my current environment helped me gain diverse experiences which has helped me as a physician.
How did your MPA experience prepare you for your life today? How did MPA help you dream big and do right?
MPA really gave me a lot of the confidence I have to think critically and address problems head on which has really helped me as a physician. MPA also really influenced how much I value altruism. A former MPA history teacher, Ms. Conway, inspired me to always try to do what we can for others with the education we were fortunate enough to receive at MPA. Since graduating, I have volunteered with numerous organizations and I think that her guidance and the guidance of the MPA community really pushed me to do things that not only help others, but also challenge me in unique ways.
What’s next? Any aspirations—personal or professional—that you’d like to share?
My major plan is to finish my training and become an attending physician! I am thinking about pursuing pediatric, breast, or interventional radiology. I would love to volunteer as a physician abroad as well, I actually wrote my senior speech about that!
What do you hope to see happen during your time on the Alumni Association Board?
More alumni engagement with each other and with the current student body. I also hope to be part of in person alumni events if I am able to!
Please share your favorite MPA story.
There are numerous, but I think some of my favorites were through the Peer Leader program. I had a lot of fun having lunches with middle school advisory groups as an upper schooler, it was a time to be goofy and also talk through things that middle schoolers were facing at that time. The retreat was also a blast, I remember playing games by the fire and Maddy Wolfe (now an MPA middle school English teacher!!) singing to us all. I felt such a strong sense of school community during those times!
