Chair: Tim Koerner '03

Tim graduated from MPA as a 'Lifer' member with the class of 2003. His favorite MPA experiences from 13 years as a Panther student include: the lifelong friendships made and maintained to this day, the guidance and mentorship that MPA teachers provided, middle school soccer matchups at the now defunct Corner Kick facility, running cross country, trying spring show the year of 'Les Miserables', and joining every choral group he could, even if it meant having a zero-hour class schedule.

Philanthropy Committee Chair: Kethan Dahlberg '14

After graduating from MPA in 2014, Kethan attended Harvard College during which time he pursued internships in various levels and branches of government.  He graduated in 2018 with a concentration in government, secondary in music and citation in Spanish.  After undergrad, hoping to gain some exposure to the private sector and business law, Kethan took a job as a corporate paralegal in New York City for three years. He then attended Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C., graduating cum laude as a Business Law Scholar.  Kethan has returned New York and is currently a law clerk at Sullivan & Cromwell LLP in the general practice group focused on capital markets, corporate governance and executive compensation.  Although he has now spent much time on the East Coast, he returns to the Midwest as often as possible to spend time with family - including siblings Kian (’16) and Declan (’18) - and to enjoy all of the great things Minnesota has to offer from the State Fair and the Twin Cities Marathon to Wild Games and cross-country skiing.   

Engagement Chair: George Mills '04

George Mills is a 2004 MPA alum and a Ramsey County native, who went on to the University of Redlands, just east of Los Angeles. After obtaining a BS degree in Biology he went to work at a National Cancer Institute called the City of Hope near Pasadena, where he started his career in Clinical Research. In 2015 he and husband Barclay were married, and in 2016 returned to Minnesota, settling in Maplewood. George worked at several medical device companies before transitioning to working on several gene therapies for rare diseases. For the last two years George has worked remotely for CSL Behring on global, post-marketing commitments for their gene therapy for Hemophilia B, called HEMGENIX®. George and Barclay have two children, Odysseus (age 4) who is attends MPA’s Pre-K program, and Ansel (age 1) who will hopefully join MPA in a few years too. On the weekends you will often find them frequenting the local museums, zoos, parks, or floating around on the St. Croix

Marketing Chair: Isabel (McKeown) O’Branski '14

After graduating from MPA in 2014 as a lifer, Isabel attended the College of Saint Benedict where she studied Global Business Leadership, Economics, and Spanish. After college, she started her career down the road from MPA at 3M within the Sourcing Department. A few years later, she moved to San Diego, CA and into her current role as Project Manager at Topgolf Callaway Brands (formerly Callaway Golf) specifically focused on Sustainability and Product Development projects. She now holds this role remotely since moving to NYC in August of 2023. Isabel's interests include sustainability and mentorship, so she is grateful to be able to focus on sustainability through her work and to participate in great mentorship programs like the MPA Alumni Mentorship program. In her spare time, Isabel enjoys exploring new restaurants with friends, spoiling her mini goldendoodle, and teaching yoga sculpt at CorePower Yoga.

Hugh Schilling III '00

Hugh Schilling attended MPA from the 6th grade through graduation in 2000. After graduation, he attended the University of Saint Thomas where he graduated with a degree in Leadership and Management. Hugh began his professional career at Bremer Financial Services while also working part-time at Nexen Group Inc. In 2009, he left Bremer to become a full-time employee at Nexen Group. During his 20+ years at Nexen he held positions in various departments before becoming Special Advisor to the Board of Directors and Owner of Nexen. Hugh and his wife Leah reside in North Oaks with their three children Tristan, Aviarra and Liviana.

Victoria Simmonds '01

Clare Halloran graduated from Mounds Park Academy in 2003 after attending since Kindergarten. After graduating, Clare received a B.A. from the University of Notre Dame and an M.Ed. from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. To further her career in research, Clare completed a Ph.D. at the University of Minnesota. Over the past decade, Clare has focused on education research, working at the American Institutes for Research in Washington, D.C. and currently (remotely) for Brown University. Clare has always been grateful for the support and dedication of MPA teachers as well as the lifelong friendships formed while growing up at MPA. Clare looks forward to strengthening connections to the school and MPA alumni through the Alumni Board.

Christian DeMarais '07

Christian DeMarais graduated from Mounds Park Academy in 2007. While at MPA, Christian was a Varsity Soccer Captain, performed in Spring Musicals and Winter Shows alike, sang in Choirs + Quintets, played in Bands and (maybe most importantly) met and learned from some of the most meaningful people in his life, even to this day. Immediately post-MPA, Christian graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College with a BA in Business Management and Honors Theatre, with a Minor in Dance. He then received an MFA in Acting from the NYU Graduate Acting Program at Tisch School of the Arts. Currently, Christian works as Director of Revenue Operations and Strategy at Wix in New York, while simultaneously pursuing a career as an Actor...having had Guest and Recurring roles on "Maniac" (Netflix), "The Equalizer" (CBS), "Mr. Robot" (USA), "FBI: Most Wanted" (CBS), "Elsbeth" (CBS) and "Elementary" (CBS).

Beth (Larson) Fewing '08

Beth Fewing graduated from Mounds Park Academy in 2008. She is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Center on Gender Equity and Health and has worked in the sexual and reproductive health field for the majority of her career. Her primary research interests include the use of normative approaches to understand sexual and reproductive health and how social norms influence women’s and couple’s family planning decision-making in Francophone West Africa. Beth’s work is grounded in the reproductive justice framework to improve access to maternal, and sexual and reproductive health services for those residing in low- and middle-income settings. She holds a PhD and a MSPH from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Beth lives in Baltimore, Maryland, with her husband, Cameron Fewing, and their dog, Avah. Outside of work, she enjoys playing tennis and softball, volunteering as a clinic escort at Planned Parenthood and to distribute food in her community, spending time outdoors, and baking.

Isaac Marshall '11

Isaac graduated from MPA in 2011. He attended Hampshire College in Amherst Massachusetts, where his studies ultimately focused on microbiology and health care delivery systems. Since graduating, Isaac has worked as a College Admissions Counselor, Healthcare Project Coordinator, and most recently, as a Sales and Operations Specialist at Apple Mall of America. Isaac is currently pursuing his JD at the University of Iowa. He enjoys traveling with his wife, creating pottery, and playing with his cat. Isaac looks forward to contributing his time to the Alumni Association and advocating for MPA.

Lizzy Ehren '14

After graduating MPA in 2014, Lizzy attended Carleton College and earned a degree in history. She then spent a year on a Fulbright grant teaching English in the Czech Republic. Upon returning to the US, she relocated with her now fiance, Cullen, to Columbus, OH where she has been for the last 5 years. During this time in Ohio, she worked as an admission counselor, completed her Master's in Higher Education and Student Affairs, and served as the graduate assistant in the Office of Student Philanthropy. She currently works at the Ohio State University College of Public Health as the Engagement and Alumni Relations Specialist. She credits MPA with fostering her curiosity and encouraging her to always ask thoughtful and strategic questions.

Phillipe Thao '14

Phillipe joined the MPA community in eighth grade and graduated in 2014. He currently lives in Los Angeles, where he works as a digital publicist at Lionsgate, developing campaigns for major film franchises like John Wick and The Hunger Games. Prior to that, he was part of Netflix’s editorial team, helping launch its official fansite, Tudum, and creating content around hit series such as Squid Game and The Crown. Phillipe is also a published freelance writer, with work appearing in the LA Times, Teen Vogue, The Washington Post, and InStyle Magazine. A passionate supporter of MPA’s mission, he brings a creative lens and deep appreciation for storytelling to the Alumni Association Board. He looks forward to helping expand alumni engagement and fostering a strong, connected community.

Cooper Olson '16

After graduating from MPA as a lifer in 2016, Cooper earned a degree in Business Management through the Honors Program at the University of St. Thomas while playing (and then coaching) for UST’s men’s basketball program. Today, Cooper oversees marketing partnerships and digital advertising for Prep Network and lives in Northeast Minneapolis. In his free time, he loves to play soccer/basketball, try new restaurants with friends, and run a cooking Instagram page (LetCoopCook) with his girlfriend.

Rees Winga '16

Rees graduated from the University of St. Thomas Opus School of Business in 2020, with a degree in Marketing. He then went on to secure a job at a Minneapolis advertising agency on their digital media team. Eventually, Rees took what he had learned and started his own two e-commerce businesses during his time at the agency, and breifly quit his 9-5 to pursue freelance digital media and entrepreneurship full-time. He has since returned to the ad agency world in a digital strategist role. In his free time, Rees stays active through soccer and snowboarding, continues to run his businesses on the side, travels, and still to spends a lot of time with old MPA friends.

Sarah Ley '18

After graduating from MPA in 2018, Sarah attended the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. She graduated summa cum laude with a degree in mechanical engineering and a minor in interdisciplinary design. Throughout her undergrad, she enjoyed working as a researcher in an aerosol technologies lab, and decided to pursue a master’s degree in mechanical engineering. Sarah currently works as an engineer at Honeywell Aerospace Technologies in Minneapolis, MN. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, reading, running, and playing in a community band. After graduating from MPA in 2018, Sarah attended the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. She graduated summa cum laude with a degree in mechanical engineering and a minor in interdisciplinary design.

Throughout her undergrad, she enjoyed working as a researcher in an aerosol technologies lab, and decided to pursue a master’s degree in mechanical engineering. Sarah currently works as an engineer at Honeywell Aerospace Technologies in Minneapolis, MN. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, reading, running, and playing in a community band.

Sarah has enjoyed being part of the MPA Alumni Mentorship program for the past two years, and she is excited to join the Alumni Association Board!

Kate Van Hecke '18

Kate graduated from MPA in 2018 after attending from grades 5 through 12. She went on to study Political Science and Latin American Studies at Wellesley College, later working in Panama and Ecuador before pursuing a master’s degree in Global Policy Studies at the University of Texas at Austin. Currently, she interns with a consulting firm focused on international labor affairs, contributing to projects addressing forced labor, child labor, and human trafficking. In August 2025, Kate will begin a full-time role as a Regulatory Affairs Specialist at Medtronic. She credits MPA with inspiring her commitment to global citizenship and is excited to serve on the Alumni Association Board to help expand connections, especially with alumni living abroad. In her free time, Kate enjoys traveling, growing tomatoes, and spending time with animals of all kinds.

Ryan Ghose '21

Ryan is a proud MPA lifer and member of the Class of 2021. He recently graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in Marketing and a minor in Theatre. While at Penn, he was deeply involved in The Mask and Wig Club, where he performed, wrote, and produced musical comedy—a passion he continues as an alumni member. Now based in New York City, Ryan works as a management consultant. He joined the Alumni Association Board to stay connected to MPA and help ensure it remains a place that nurtures exceptional thinkers and leaders. In his free time, Ryan enjoys reading thought-provoking books, analyzing reality TV, exploring eclectic restaurants, and learning to play the violin.

Gavin Thorson '22

Gavin graduated from MPA in 2022 after attending for grades 11 and 12. He is currently completing a bachelor's degree in Chemistry at Montana State University, with minors in Economics and Global Studies, and will begin a PhD in organic chemistry in 2026. Gavin’s research focuses on sustainable applications of chemical synthesis, though his intellectual curiosity spans far beyond the lab. At MSU, he served as director of the Honors College lecture series, bringing leading voices in science and the arts to campus. Gavin credits MPA with igniting his passion for learning and inspiring a boundless approach to education. Now based in Bozeman, MT, he serves on the Alumni Association Board to stay connected and help foster community across generations of MPA alumni. In his spare time, he enjoys writing, language study (including Icelandic), and sharing his love for MPA wherever he goes.