[ST. PAUL, MN] – Governor Tim Walz today announced appointments to the University of Minnesota Board of Regents.

“The University of Minnesota Board of Regents is gaining four accomplished, knowledgeable, and dedicated leaders,” said Governor Walz. “They will bring a wide range of experiences and perspectives, united by a deep commitment to the University’s mission. Their leadership will be critical as the Board addresses current challenges and shapes the University’s future.”

Joel Bergstrom – Member at Large
Joel is a principal at Orion Search Group, where he leads executive searches for clients across the nonprofit, public, and private sectors. His work focuses on higher education, social services, housing, and the arts. Bergstrom previously served as vice president at CohenTaylor Executive Search Services and held development leadership roles at Greater Minneapolis Crisis Nursery and the Minnesota Medical Foundation. He began his career as an attorney in New York and Minnesota before transitioning to nonprofit leadership. Bergstrom is a volunteer with the Western Golf Association / Evans Scholars Foundation, where he served as National Alumni Chair and board member. He earned his J.D. from New York University School of Law and his B.A. in history from the University of Minnesota. 

Samuel Heins – Member at Large
Samuel is a retired U.S. Ambassador to Norway under President Obama and a longtime human rights advocate and attorney. Previously, he served as a senior partner at Heins Mills & Olson, where he led securities fraud and antitrust litigation. Heins founded The Advocates for Human Rights and co-founded the Center for Victims of Torture, both internationally active NGOs. He has served on election monitoring teams in Pakistan and Ukraine, and he has held board roles with the ACLU of Minnesota, Ploughshares Fund, PEN America, and Planned Parenthood North Central States. He earned his B.A. and J.D. from the University of Minnesota and is a recipient of the University of Minnesota’s Alumni Outstanding Achievement Award. He also received the Minnesota Governor’s Award for International Human Rights Activities and the Don and Arvonne Fraser Human Rights Award. 

Ellen Luger – Congressional District 5
Ellen most recently served as Minister Counselor for Agriculture at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations food agencies in Rome, where she was later appointed Acting Deputy Chief of Mission. In this role, she represented U.S. agriculture in global efforts to improve food security, including supporting CODEX and collaborating with the Rockefeller Foundation on expanding school meal programs. Prior to her government service, Luger held senior philanthropic leadership roles at The Minneapolis Foundation and General Mills. She also held extensive nonprofit board service, including Twin Cities Public Television, the Global Foodbanking Network, and Wellesley College. Luger earned her J.D. from Georgetown University and her B.A. from Wellesley College. 

Kowsar Mohamed– Student at Large 
Kowsar is the Enterprise Director of Inclusion for the State of Minnesota's Office of Inclusion and a doctoral student in Natural Resources Science and Management at the University of Minnesota. Mohamed previously served as Director of Strategic Partnerships at the Center for Economic Inclusion and as a senior project manager with the City of Saint Paul’s Department of Planning and Economic Development. She has taught urban studies as an adjunct instructor at the University of Minnesota and served on the Regent Candidate Advisory Council from 2020 to 2024. She currently sits on the City of Minneapolis' Climate Legacy Roundtable, the Full Stack Saint Paul Steering Committee, and Xcel Energy’s Environmental Justice Accountability Board. 

About the Board of Regents: 
Established in 1851 at the founding of the University of Minnesota, the Board of Regents is the University's governing board. Regents articulate a vision for the University and work to ensure that the University of Minnesota fulfills its mission of education, research, and outreach for the benefit of the people of Minnesota, the nation, and the world.