The morning of the DA included reports and remarks from President Nick Archuleta, NEA Director Brenda Seehafer, and Executive Director Chad Oban. All three shared appreciation for tremendous work our members do every day in communities across North Dakota and challenged all members to reach out in their workplaces and communities to build the power that we need to win collectively.
In addition to the inspiring remarks, the morning also included an in-depth budget conversation about our resources needed to address the challenges headed our way. Delegates ultimately passed a budget that invests in our three strategic priorities (Professional Development, Advocacy and Growth) and will ensure we can focus on the key opportunities and challenges ahead.
Next, President Archuleta presented the 2025 Education Support Professional of the Year award to Laurie Mahrer, a speech language pathology assistant at Custer Elementary School in Mandan. Laurie said she’s honored to receive the award, but she also used her acceptance speech to highlight the consistently outstanding work done by her colleagues: ESPs from around the school, including fellow SLPAs, custodial staff, and nutrition staff, among others.
Delegates also heard from Superintendent of Public Instruction and longtime North Dakota United member Kirsten Baesler about the challenges and successes of our state’s great public school system.
Four new business items and three Bylaw Amendments were proposed and adopted at this year’s Delegate Assembly. For details on all these items, please visit the Delegate Assembly page.
This year, elections were held for positions on our Board of Directors and for members to serve as delegates to the NEA Representative Assembly.
Board members elected for three-year term (7/15/24-7/14/27) are:
- Higher Ed Four-Year Director – Ernst Pijning, Minot State University (second term)
- K-12 Less Than 600 Students Director – Angel Lindseth, Hope-Page EA (first full term)
- NE Region Director – Darby Hart, Munich EA (second term)
- NW Region Director – Bruce Schonberger, Minot Public Schools (first term)
- SE Region Director – Sarah Lerud, Valley City EA (first full term)
- SW Region Director – Alexis Rasset, Mandan EA (second term)
- Higher Ed Support Director – Aaron Flynn, UND United (first full term)
- Ethnic Director – Joshua Standing Elk, Bismarck EA (first full term)
- Education Support Professional Director – Dana Mork, Mandan EA (first full term)
- K-12 Greater Than 600 Students Director – Michelle Strand, Fargo EA (first full term)
Delegates to NEA RA are:
- Monica Klein, Mandan EA
- Dawn Hintz, Bismarck EA
- Kala Christensen, Grand Forks EA
- Hannah Erickson, Hope-Page EA
In the afternoon, delegates heard a challenging presentation from former Bismarck State College President Larry Skogen about the troubling history of Native American education in our country.
North Dakota United presented the Friend of Public Employees and the Friend of Public Education Awards to two well-deserved recipients. Sen. Karen Krebsbach of Minot won the Friend of Public Employees Award for her decades of advocacy for state employees, including being a key champion in our fight to protect the defined benefit pension. Longtime North Dakota United/NDEA legal counsel Mike Geiermann received the Friend of Public Education Award for decades of service to the members of our great union and his tireless dedication to the rights and dignity of educators and working people.
