[ST. PAUL, MN] – Governor Tim Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan today announced the following appointments to the Advisory Task Force on Waiver Reimagine, Blue Ribbon Commission on Special Education, Board of Pharmacy, Board on Aging, Council on LGBTQIA2S+ Minnesotans, Destination Medical Center Corporation, Governor’s Workforce Development Board, Minnesota Council on Latino Affairs, Minnesota Rare Disease Advisory Council, Prescription Drug Affordability Advisory Council, and the State Correctional Facilities Security Audit Group.

Tricia Brisbine – Brooklyn Park, MN 
Advisory Task Force on Waiver Reimagine 
Family Members of Individuals Who Are Receiving Disability Waiver Services 
Effective: October 29, 2025
Term Expires: January 4, 2027

About the Advisory Task Force on Waiver Reimagine:
The Advisory Task Force on Waiver Reimagine will conduct public meetings, gather input, and make recommendations on various aspects of the Waiver Reimagine program, such as waiver consolidation, budget methodologies, service criteria, and potential consequences of the program changes.

Additional information about the Advisory Task Force on Waiver Reimagine can be found on the Secretary of State's website. 

Scott Brown – Saint Paul, MN 
Blue Ribbon Commission on Special Education 
Member with Demonstrated Expertise in Compliance with Legal Federal Special Education Requirements and Special Education Finance
Effective: October 29, 2025
Term Expires: October 2, 2026

About the Blue Ribbon Commission on Special Education:
The Blue Ribbon Commission on Special Education advises and assists the legislature and governor in transforming special education services. 

Additional information about the Blue Ribbon Commission on Special Education can be found on the Secretary of State's website. 

Jana Rasmussen – Robbinsdale, MN
Board of Pharmacy
Public Member
Effective: October 29, 2025 
Term Expires: January 4, 2027

About the Board of Pharmacy: 
The board regulates the practice of pharmacy and the quality, labeling, and distribution of drugs. The board administers the Minnesota Prescription Monitoring Program the Minnesota Insulin Safety Net Program, the Opiate Product Registration Fee Program. It contracts with a vendor for the operation of the Minnesota Medication Repository Program. It investigates jurisdictional complaints, takes disciplinary action when necessary, issues licenses and registrations, conducts inspections, and provides technical assistance to licenses/registrants, other state agencies, and elected public officials. 

Additional information about the Board of Pharmacy can be found on the Secretary of State's website. 

Debbi Lindgren-Clendenen – Minneapolis, MN 
Minnesota Board on Aging 
Member #1 
Effective: October 29, 2025 
Term Expires: January 4, 2027

About the Minnesota Board on Aging: 
The Minnesota Board on Aging (MBA) works to ensure that older Minnesotans and their families are effectively served by state and local policies and programs, so they can age well and live well. The MBA is Minnesota's federally designated State Unit on Aging for multi-year planning. The MBA administers federal funding from the Centers from Medicare and Medicaid, the Administration for Community Living, the Older Americans Act, as well as state-funded aging programs.  

Additional information about the Minnesota Board on Aging can be found on the Secretary of State's website. 

Oby Ballinger – Saint Paul, MN 
Council on LGBTQIA2S+ Minnesotans 
Public Member 
Effective: October 29, 2025 
Term Expires: January 3, 2028

About the Council on LGBTQIA2S+ Minnesotans:
Created by legislation in 2023, the Council on LGBTQIA2S+ Minnesotans works for the implementation of economic, social, legal, and political equality for Minnesota's community of people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, gender expansive, queer, intersex, asexual, or two-spirit.

Additional information about the Council on LGBTQIA2S+ Minnesotans can be found on the Secretary of State's website. 

Kristin Beckmann – Saint Paul, MN 
Destination Medical Center Corporation
Member #3
Effective: October 29, 2025
Term Expires: January 1, 2029

About the Destination Medical Center Corporation: 
The Destination Medical Center Corporation implements a master development plan to promote and provide for establishing Rochester as a world destination medical center. 

Additional information about the Destination Medical Center Corporation can be found on the Secretary of State's website. 

Irene Fernando – Minneapolis, MN
Governor's Workforce Development Board
Local Elected Official (County)
Effective: October 29, 2025 
Term Expires: July 1, 2029

About the Governor's Workforce Development Board:
The Governor’s Workforce Development Board assists the Governor in developing, implementing, and modifying the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Combined State Plan. It also reviews statewide policies and programs, provides recommendations on actions to improve the workforce development system and programs, and develops strategies to remove barriers to those programs, among other duties.  

Additional information about the Governor’s Workforce Development Board can be found on the Secretary of State's website. 

Ma Elena Gutierrez – Sauk Rapids, MN 
Minnesota Council on Latino Affairs 
Member (Dist 6) 
Effective: October 29, 2025 
Term Expires: January 4, 2027

About the Minnesota Council on Latino Affairs:
The council works for the implementation of economic, social, legal, and political equality for its constituency by advising and informing the governor's office and state legislature in the legislative and policy making process. 

Additional information about the Minnesota Council on Latino Affairs can be found on the Secretary of State's website. 

Jeannine Conway – Minneapolis, MN 
Minnesota Rare Disease Advisory Council 
Pharmacist 
Effective: October 29, 2025
Term Expires: January 4, 2027

About the Minnesota Rare Disease Advisory Council:
The purpose of the Council is to provide advice on policies, access, equity, research, diagnosis, treatment, and education related to rare diseases to the following entities: health providers, state agencies and entities such as DHS, the Drug Utilization Review Board, the Drug Formulary Committee, the Advisory Committee on Heritable and Congenital Disorders, and legislative bodies at the state and federal level . The Council's duties include providing resources, identifying and recommending best practices, identifying and addressing barriers faced by rare disease patients, and advising agencies of state government on policies related to rare diseases. 

Additional information about the Minnesota Rare Disease Advisory Council can be found on the Secretary of State's website. 

Anna Christensen – Savage, MN 
Prescription Drug Affordability Advisory Council 
Pharmacologist Member 
Effective: October 29, 2025 
Term Expires: January 4, 2027

About the Prescription Drug Affordability Advisory Council: 
The governor shall appoint an 18-member stakeholder advisory council to provide advice to the board on drug cost issues and to represent stakeholders' views. The governor shall appoint the members of the advisory council based on the members' knowledge and demonstrated expertise in one or more of the following areas: the pharmaceutical business; practice of medicine; patient perspectives; health care cost trends and drivers; clinical and health services research; and the health care marketplace. 

Additional information about the Prescription Drug Affordability Advisory Council can be found on the Secretary of State's website. 

Mark Ludgatis – Saint Paul, MN 
State Correctional Facilities Security Audit Group
Infrastructure and Logistics Security Consultant 
Effective: October 29, 2025 
Term Expires: January 4, 2027

About the State Correctional Facilities Security Audit Group:
The group shall create security standards for state correctional, review inspection reports, and provide recommendations to the Commissioner of Corrections. 

Additional information about the State Correctional Facilities Security Audit Group can be found on the Secretary of State's website. 

The Governor and Lieutenant Governor are seeking qualified and diverse individuals who are passionate about using their knowledge, skills, and lived experiences to serve the state of Minnesota. A list of boards and commissions, including open positions, can be found on the Minnesota Secretary of State’s website.