Term: June 2027
Email: [email protected]

Biography: Mary has a BA in Communications from the University of St. Catherine. She is also an International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Certified Educator and a Consortium of School Networking (CoSN) Certified Education Technology Leader. She has worked in Minnesota’s K-12 system for over 40 years, including 28 years at the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE), three years at Region 1 in Moorhead, Minnesota, and for the past 14 years at TIES/Sourcewell. In this work she has administered grant programs, managed wide area networks, served as a federal title programs administrator, technology/telecommunications planner, professional development designer/instructor, and other roles relating to education technology. She has presented widely at local, regional, state and national conferences on topics relating to education technology and has served as an online learning program reviewer for the MDE. She is currently the program administrator for the Minnesota Learning Commons, a partnership between the MDE, University of Minnesota, and Minnesota State that is devoted to advocacy and development of quality online programs and digital resources for K-12 and higher education. In her spare time, she is a voracious reader of both fiction and nonfiction. She also enjoys theater, movies, and good conversation with friends. She travels whenever she gets the opportunity and is especially attached to Ireland, which she has visited numerous times. 

Term: June 2025
Email: [email protected]

Biography: Christie has taught full-time at MNOHS since 2011. She has multiple Minnesota teaching licenses in both special education and general education, as well as expertise in transition planning. In addition to teaching, she coordinates our school’s career and technical education (CTE) and project-based learning programs. She served on the MNOHS Academic Oversight Committee for one year, and is has been a member of the MNOHS Professional Development Committee since 2018. Outside of MNOHS, she served for four years, including two as president, of the Minnesota Council for Exceptional Children (MNCEC), and for one year on Minnesota’s legislatively-empowered Online and Digital Learning Advisory Council. Christie holds two degrees from Kent State University, BS Intervention Specialist and M.Ed. Intervention Specialist, and has taken doctoral classes in Instructional Design for Online Learning.  Christie brings commitment to working as a school community, interest in creating systems that benefit all, and joy for making a positive impact to the MNOHS Board.

Term: June 2026
Email: [email protected]

Biography: With a background in education, Mary Derosier is passionate about the importance of choices in education to better meet the needs of all children. She has a BS in Elementary Education and has taught music, Kindergarten, and developmental English and Math in both public and private schools. She also coordinated community education programming in two districts. Currently, she is the President and CEO of Window World Twin Cities.

Term: June 2025
Email: [email protected]

Biography: Sarah has a MS in School Counseling and has worked in this professional role since 2011.  At MNOHS, she serves as a counselor to students with last names A-L and as advisor to our student-led Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA).  She is a co-founder of Fargo’s Community Uplift Program and a board member since 2015 including terms as secretary and vice president.  She is currently a member of the Moorhead Community Education Board.  Sarah served as a Human Resources Sergeant in the MN Army National Guard for 7 years.  She has presented twice at the National Mentoring Summit in Washington DC and considers public speaking to be one of her strengths and interests.  She is passionate about universal design for learning (UDL) as a way to improve the MNOHS experience for all students.  She also has experience with managing 501c3 budgets and grant writing, and an interest in policy review.  She brings a unique perspective to the board from having served our students on a primarily individual basis as they prepare for their futures beyond MNOHS. 

Term: June 2027
Email: [email protected]

Biography: Ashley earned both a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology and a Master’s Degree in Science Education from the University of Minnesota. She has taught Biology and other Life Science courses since 2013 and enjoys showing students the creative side of science. She works diligently to adapt her MNOHS courses to help students develop independence and achieve success within our asynchronous setup. She has demonstrated leadership in the development of good teaching practices at MNOHS by serving on the MNOHS Professional Development Committee since 2016. In her spare time she enjoys being outdoors, trying new foods, painting, live music, and comedy shows.  

Term: June 2026
Email: [email protected]

Biography: Bridge Roessel is a stay-at-home mother whose children include a teenager who previously attended online school. She has served as Co-President of the Pride Collective and Community Center Teen Youth Group in Moorhead, and is currently majoring in psychology at Arizona State University Online, with the goal of earning a Master’s in School Psychology. Bridge has experience in non-profit administration and management; in community organizing; in public policy and advocacy; in diversity, equity and inclusion; and in public speaking. Bridge cares deeply about the futures of our community’s youth and making sure they have the opportunities to become the best people they can be. She views MNOHS Board service as one way ensure their success.

Term: June 2025
Email: [email protected]

Biography: Barbara Bridges’ social practice sculptures have been exhibited widely in Minnesota, the U.S. and internationally. She taught art in Minnesota, Maine, and the Virgin Islands and was twice named Minnesota Art Teacher of the Year. As an arts educator, Barbara partnered with the Minneapolis Public Schools, Perpich Center, Walker Art Center, Minneapolis Institute of Art, Weisman Museum, and the Minnesota Museum of Art. The online curriculum and discussion site, ArtsNet Minnesota, came out of those collaborations. Barbara was a professor for twenty years at the University of Minnesota and Bemidji State University where she taught Foundations of Education, Human Relations, and Critical and Creative Thinking—and where she founded DLiTE and FasTrack, the first online teacher licensure programs in the U.S. She most recently founded the nonprofit Art to Change the World.

Term: June 2027
Email: [email protected]

Biography: Tammy has been teaching since 2011 when she received her Bachelor’s in Developmental Cognitive Disabilities (DCD) at Minnesota State University-Mankato. Before joining MNOHS in 2022, she taught mostly middle and high school students in charter and district schools. She has extensive board experience including: Southern MN Autism Coalition (2015-present) where she is the former Board Chair and current Vice Chair; Kato Public Charter School (2019-2024) where she was the Policy Committee Lead; and her local PTO (2023 – present) where she is the incoming Vice Chair. In her spare time she loves to kayak, be with her family, build with Lego, and travel back to her home state. She also reads, watches medical and criminal drama on tv, and loves football and hockey. 

Tracy Quarnstrom – Ex Officio
Email: [email protected]

Biography: Tracy Quarnstrom serves as the executive director at Minnesota Online High School. She holds a bachelor’s degree in social studies education from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. Tracy earned her master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from Hamline University, where she also obtained certificates for principal and superintendent licensure. Since 2002, Tracy has worked in the online learning arena to support high-quality virtual education. She is passionate about providing a safe and welcoming space for staff, students, and families to flourish in an accepting and motivating educational culture. Tracy has been highly involved in promoting strong virtual schools for many years, including membership in the MN K-12 Online Learning Alliance and the MN Association of Charter Schools. She is a past recipient of the MN Association of Charter Schools Leadership Award. Tracy has been at MNOHS since July 1, 2024.