Food for Hungry Minds
The Hungry Minds StoryStudent ResultsCorporate SponsorsIndividual SponsorsSchool ResourcesContact Us
  Hungry Minds' Story
The Children's Stories
The Families’ Stories
Board of Directors FHM Values
FHM Structure

 

 

Board of Directors

Candice de Ausen
Candice de Ausen holds B.A. and M.A. degrees in education from the Ateneo de Manila. After founding a school in the Tarlac province of the Philippines, Ms. de Ausen led in the establishment of the first Food for Hungry Minds School. She is currently principal of the two campuses, Food for Hungry Minds school in the Philippines, which serves children from Paco, Manila and Bangkal, Bulacan. Ms. de Ausen is studying for her Ph.D. at De La Salle University in Manila.

Karen Beckwith
Ms. Beckwith is co-founder of Beckwith Crowe, LLC, an intermediary capital markets advisory firm serving high-growth businesses in the technology, consumer goods, telecommunication and business services industries. Previously, Ms. Beckwith held leadership roles as interim CEO to companies in high growth or crisis. As President & CEO of Gelco Information Network, Ms. Beckwith's acute change leadership skills led the company through the advent of the internet, transforming it into one of the first companies in the Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) market until its successful exit in 2007. Ms. Beckwith also held senior leadership roles at Ceridian Corporation and Deluxe Corporation. Ms. Beckwith is a corporate director for Associated Banc-Corp. She also served on the board of CNS until its sale to GlaxoSmithKline in 2006.

Elisa Johnson
Elisa Johnson recently joined Cargill as a Change Management Consultant. Previously, Ms. Johnson worked in Human Resources for companies such as Donaldson, Datacard, and UnitedHealthcare. On expatriate assignments in Singapore and Paris, she honed cross-cultural aspects of her skills in organization effectiveness, labor relations, and international human resources. Ms. Johnson’s educational experience includes teaching English and mentoring students in Upward Bound, a program which equips students to succeed in college. She serves on the board of Summit Academy.

Margaret Koch
Margaret Koch is a former college professor. As the recipient of Fulbright and SSRC Fellowships, she carried out research in Malaysia and has written about issues of women and development. During her academic career, Dr. Koch spearheaded the creation of a study program in Cairo and facilitated exchange between Christian and Muslim scholars in the US. For nearly a decade, she worked in corporate organizational development. Dr. Koch is a professional coach accredited by New Ventures West, with training in spiritual direction from the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation.

Gael Larsen
Gael Larsen founded Acts of St. Paul, an organization which she led for over 15 years. This United Way Agency developed and ran successful academic enrichment programs for Hmong children and parents. A composer, singer, and member of ASCAP, Ms. Larsen was a founder of the first Hmong charter school in the United States. Ms. Larsen also taught Cross-Cultural Education at Luther Seminary and served as a Visiting Professor in both Greece and Taiwan. Now retired, Ms. Larsen continues to teach piano and voice, active in both state and local music associations. She also serves on the board of the WCA Foundation.

Kaye O’Leary
Kaye O’Leary is a Founding Partner of Tevera Consulting, focused on value-creating governance and strategy. Kaye has served as CFO companies such as Caribou Coffee and Buca and held finance and strategic planning positions at companies including Navitaire, Inc., Carlson Companies, PepsiCo, and Dun & Bradstreet. Kaye serves on the Board of Directors for Western National Insurance Group and The Bob Pike Group. A past Board Chair for the Girl Scout Council of Greater Minnesota, Ms. O’Leary is also a Regent for St. Mary’s University in Minnesota and frequent guest lecturer at the Carlson School of Business and St. Thomas University.

Wayne Popham
Wayne Popham, Attorney at Law, has been part of the in the Minnesota legal community for five decades. From 1963-1972, Mr. Popham represented south Minneapolis in the Minnesota state legislature. A past member of the Board of Regents of Augsburg College, Mr. Popham was active for many years in the Citizens League, serving a term as president. Currently, Mr. Popham serves as Chancellor of the United Methodist Church in Minnesota. He regularly provides pro bono legal assistance to those seeking political asylum.

Karen Rusthoven
Karen Rusthoven founded and directs the Community of Peace Academy, a Pre-K to 12 chartered public school. She has taught and led in both public and parochial grade schools. The vision of the diverse urban Academy is to educate the whole person — mind, body and will — for peace, justice, freedom, compassion, wholeness and fullness of life for all. In 2007, the Center for Education Reform named the Academy as a National Charter School of the Year. In 2009, US News & World Report recognized the high school as one Minnesota’s best. Dr. Rusthoven traveled to the Philippines and introduced the PeaceBuilders program to FHM staff.

Christine Schraml
Christine Schraml is Marketing Manager for Lifetouch Portrait Studios. A journalism graduate from Creighton University, she worked as a media relations staffer for a Nebraska senator and in public affairs for the Omaha World-Herald. Ms. Schraml currently serves on the Board of the Creighton University Twin Cities Alumni group. In addition to her family history of teaching and school administration, Ms. Schraml is also a passionate supporter of animal rescue and is honored to be welcoming her second rescued dog into the loving home he deserves.

FHM Friends

  • Michael C. Dickoff — Retired Partner, Accenture
  • Elisa Johnson — UnitedHealthCare
  • John R. Kuehne — Seabury Aviation and Aerospace
  • David M. Larson — Executive Vice President, Cargill
  • Kaye Rogers O’Leary — Principal, Tevera Consulting