MMSA Board of Directors
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Karen Moroz, MMSA Executive Director, Outreach & Influence Committee Throughout her career, Karen Moroz has continued to refine her skills as a teacher and as a learner, first in the seventh grade classroom, then as a literacy coach for one of the state’s largest school districts, and now in higher education where she is fortunate to work with practicing educators at varied stages of their careers. Karen is the co-author of Intentional Learning at Its Best: Engaged Learning Strategies in Higher Education (on Amazon). In addition to her roles on the MMSA Board, Karen currently serves on AMLE’s Affiliate Advisory Committee. Interested in being on the MMSA Board? Download application here. |
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Chris Bussmann, MMSA President, Communications Chris Bussmann has been an MMSA board member since 2006. He is a graduate of Concordia College (Moorhead, MN), earned his Master’s and Administrative degrees from Minnesota State University in Mankato and his Superintendent certification from St. Mary’s. Chris has been a social studies educator at the middle school and high school level, middle school assistant principal and now Principal in Farmington. Consultant Emphasis Areas: Planning and implementation of middle school concept, Integration of 1 to 1 personal learning devices, Learning Level Transitions from Elementary to Middle to High School, and Master Scheduling. Chris also coordinates the MMSA & Minnesota Twins Perfect Attendance Program. |
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Steve Norlin-Weaver, Past Executive Director Steve Norlin-Weaver has been an MMSA board member since 1999. He has a Bachelor of Science degree from St. Cloud State University, and Masters and Specialist degrees from the University of Minnesota. An educator for more than 30 years, Steve taught in Lakeville Public Schools, served as an assistant principal at Dhahran Academy in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia and has been an assistant principal and principal in the Minneapolis School District. Since retiring from education Steve also serves on the board for the Association for Middle Level Education as a North Region Trustee.
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Tami Jo Cook, Treasurer & State Conference Promotions Director Tami Jo Cook has been an MMSA board member since 1998. She is a graduate of Bemidji State University, earned her Master’s Degree from Bemidji State University and completed her Doctorate Degree and Administrative Licensure from the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities. Tami Jo has served as a Mathematics Teacher and currently serves as Dean of Students at South View Middle School in Edina, which houses students in grades 6-8.
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Kristi Quade-Wiedrich, Secretary, State Conference Committee, State Conference Registrations Kristi has been a sixth grade teacher in the Rochester School District since 1991 and has been at Kellogg Middle School since 1994. The team she is on consists of five teachers and approximately 130-160 students. She has a B.S. from Wartburg in elementary education and also holds a master's degree from Winona State University. She has completed a middle school licensure program when the school district made the move to the middle school concept in 1994. Through the years Kristi has presented at state middle school conferences with some of her colleagues. Kristi became a part of the Minnesota Middle School Board in the fall of 2001 and has taken on the roles of the board secretary and state conference registrations. |
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Margaret Porter, State Conference Committee, Summer Institute Coordinator Margaret has been a MMSA board member since the fall of 2004. She received her degree from Wartburg College. Margaret has served as a sixth grade elementary and middle school sixth grade math teacher for 37 years.
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Patrick Fox, Past-President & State Conference Logistics Patrick Fox is Principal at St. Bartholomew School, a PreK – 6 school in Wayzata. Patrick’s teaching and administrative experience includes working in a variety of educational environments including an alternative high school, middle schools, an adult education program, and a preK-8 school. Patrick earned his MA and Ed.S. from the University of St. Thomas and has worked as an administrator since 1996. Patrick joined the Minnesota Middle School Association in 2001 and serves on the state conference committee. Consultant Emphasis Area: Middle School Philosophy Advisory Student Led Conferences Interdisciplinary Instruction
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Sandy Loney, Outreach & Influence Committee Sandy has been an MMSA board member since the fall of 2004. Sandy teaches 8th grade science at Forestview Middle School in Brainerd. Sandy graduated from Saint Cloud State with teaching degrees in science and health. She earned her Master's degree from Southwest State. |
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Jerry Meschke, Communications Jerry had formerly been principal of the Centennial Middle School in Lino Lakes, Minnesota, Faribault Middle School and Redwood Valley Middle School. In each of these positions the middle school philosophy was placed into the school design. Jerry has a broad background in middle level development, scheduling aspects of middle schools and the process of transition to a middle school. Jerry has been on the MMSA board since 1999. Consultant Emphasis Areas: Planning and implementation of middle school concept, Transition Elementary to Middle to High School, Scheduling |
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Sarah Reif, Conference Committee Sarah Reif started with the board in 2009. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Concordia College Moorhead in Communication and a Masters of Education in School Counseling from North Dakota State University Fargo. Sarah has been in the Alexandria School District for 11 years. Discovery serves 6th-8th grade students in the Alexandria area and she works with all grade levels on a rotating system, staying with her class for their entire middle school experience. Along with MMSA, Sarah serves as the Student Council Advisor along with other committees. She and her husband, Eddie and their 2 children, reside in Alexandria. |