Bishop Andrew Cozzens

Auxiliary Bishop of Saint Paul & Minneapolis

We want to help schools strengthen their Catholic mission of formation of the whole student.

Gail Dorn

Executive Chair

Gail Dorn is the youngest of 12 children, and her 6 brothers and 5 sisters think highly of her, or at least they say so in public. Her first job, at 12 years old, was working off tuition at her local Catholic grade school. She and her husband are proud graduates of 16 years of Catholic education, and they have five children.

Gail spent her entire career working for Target and served as company spokesperson, Target Foundation director and marketing and PR warrior. She started at Target when they were a small Midwestern retailer, before they became Tar-chaaaay.

Gail loves Catholic education and wants Catholic schools to grow in excellence and enrollment here in the Twin Cities and around the country. When she grows up, she wants to be a school librarian.

Brian Ragatz

President

CSCOE BIO
Brian oversees CSCOE’s operations and mission to enhance excellence, enrollment and development.

WHY CSCOE?
“At CSCOE, there’s a wonderful entrepreneurial culture. We’re always working on reinventing ourselves to better serve our Catholic grade schools. We encourage our principals and teachers to do the same and take a chance on a new initiative to drive excellence. We’re here to help — let’s go!”

MISSION MOMENT
Brian is proud of CSCOE’s Believe and Read literacy program. As a former Catholic school principal, he saw the need for additional reading support and understands the incredible impact the program makes on a child’s ability to learn to read and then, read to learn.

CURRENT INITIATIVE
“We want to push out a mental health initiative to provide resources and new opportunities for students, teachers, principals and parents. I believe that when parents and staff work together, kids are successful 100 percent of the time. That’s why we want to provide the entire school community with what they need to learn and grow together.”

WHO IS BRIAN?
Brian is a product of Catholic education from kindergarten through college, attending St. Joseph’s School in West St. Paul, St. Thomas Academy and St. John’s University. He received a master’s in education administration from St. Mary’s University and an educational specialist degree from the University of St. Thomas.

Brian has nearly 20 years’ experience in Catholic education. He taught middle school history and religion for five years at Nativity of Our Lord in St. Paul and has been a Catholic school principal for the last 13 years, most recently at St. Odilia in Shoreview.

While serving his school communities, Brian was promoted as a second lieutenant in the Minnesota National Guard, serving as a chaplain candidate. He also served as an adjunct instructor for St. Mary’s University and the University of St. Thomas graduate educational leadership programs. He enjoys coaching his son’s sports teams, and Friday pizza and movie nights with his family.

Steve Hoeppner

Vice President, Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation

We want to help all of our schools so more families can experience a Catholic-school education.

Fr. Kevin Finnegan

Pastor at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church

We want to build upon the legacy of Catholic schools so that they can help students grow a deep sense of faith for generations to come.

Kathy Schneeman

Catholic Author and Community Volunteer

We want to nourish future leaders who are respectful and crave knowing, loving and serving God.

Brian Wenger

Former Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer of Optum, Inc.

We want to prepare students with a world-class education so that they thrive in their life’s work.

Michael Cole

Global Business Educator for L’Oreal

We want to ensure the best educational opportunities for our students.

Steven Ryan

Partner-in-Charge at Taft

We want to make available to children throughout the Twin Cities the unique combination of faith, virtue and knowledge that Catholic schools can offer.

Gail Dorn

Executive Chair

Gail Dorn is the youngest of 12 children, and her 6 brothers and 5 sisters think highly of her, or at least they say so in public. Her first job, at 12 years old, was working off tuition at her local Catholic grade school. She and her husband are proud graduates of 16 years of Catholic education, and they have five children.

Gail spent her entire career working for Target and served as company spokesperson, Target Foundation director and marketing and PR warrior. She started at Target when they were a small Midwestern retailer, before they became Tar-chaaaay.

Gail loves Catholic education and wants Catholic schools to grow in excellence and enrollment here in the Twin Cities and around the country. When she grows up, she wants to be a school librarian.

Brian Ragatz

President

CSCOE BIO
Brian oversees CSCOE’s operations and mission to enhance excellence, enrollment and development.

WHY CSCOE?
“At CSCOE, there’s a wonderful entrepreneurial culture. We’re always working on reinventing ourselves to better serve our Catholic grade schools. We encourage our principals and teachers to do the same and take a chance on a new initiative to drive excellence. We’re here to help — let’s go!”

MISSION MOMENT
Brian is proud of CSCOE’s Believe and Read literacy program. As a former Catholic school principal, he saw the need for additional reading support and understands the incredible impact the program makes on a child’s ability to learn to read and then, read to learn.

CURRENT INITIATIVE
“We want to push out a mental health initiative to provide resources and new opportunities for students, teachers, principals and parents. I believe that when parents and staff work together, kids are successful 100 percent of the time. That’s why we want to provide the entire school community with what they need to learn and grow together.”

WHO IS BRIAN?
Brian is a product of Catholic education from kindergarten through college, attending St. Joseph’s School in West St. Paul, St. Thomas Academy and St. John’s University. He received a master’s in education administration from St. Mary’s University and an educational specialist degree from the University of St. Thomas.

Brian has nearly 20 years’ experience in Catholic education. He taught middle school history and religion for five years at Nativity of Our Lord in St. Paul and has been a Catholic school principal for the last 13 years, most recently at St. Odilia in Shoreview.

While serving his school communities, Brian was promoted as a second lieutenant in the Minnesota National Guard, serving as a chaplain candidate. He also served as an adjunct instructor for St. Mary’s University and the University of St. Thomas graduate educational leadership programs. He enjoys coaching his son’s sports teams, and Friday pizza and movie nights with his family.

Mike Halloran

Vice President of Development and Operations

As a product of Catholic education and a proud Catholic school parent, Mike is committed to Catholic education and is grateful for the opportunity to make an impact as Vice President of Development and Operations for CSCOE.

Mike has more than 25 years of leadership in advancement for nonprofit and for profit organizations. He has secured more than $300 million in capital, endowments and operational support for diverse organizations, including educational institutions, churches, foundations, and government and community organizations. During his 11 years with the University of Minnesota, Mike acquired the philanthropic support necessary to fund 25 sports and 730 student-athletes, raising millions for the athletic program’s annual fund, capital projects and endowments.

Mike’s commitment to making a difference extends beyond work hours. Mike, his wife Danette, and their twin daughters enjoy volunteering together at their parish of Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church and School in Edina, MN. Mike also serves as the Chair of the Development Committee on Ascension Catholic Academy’s Board of Directors.

When he isn’t doing great things in his community, you can find Mike fishing, biking or running with his family. And, during basketball season, you can address him as “Coach”, as he is the proud coach of his daughter’s basketball team.

Jenny Haller

Director of Excellence

CSCOE BIO
Jenny plans and oversees programs and initiatives that lead schools to greater excellence. She walks alongside Catholic school principals, listens to their needs, and champions their efforts to become more excellent through possibility thinking and finding great resources.

WHY CSCOE?
“When CSCOE emerged, they were a beacon of HOPE. The entrepreneurial spirit and ‘can do’ mindset of this team fuels our schools and positions our principals to lead the mission that God has set before us — to lead more souls to Christ through exemplary formation in faith, knowledge and service.”

MISSION MOMENT
CSCOE’s new principal mentor program includes visits to each school to extend an official welcome and share CSCOE’s mission and how it supports the wonderful work of Catholic schools. Meeting principals, thanking them for their service and sharing the array of support we offer is a blessing.

CURRENT INITIATIVE
“I’m involved with a number of excellence initiatives including planning a menu of options for supporting mental wellness in our schools (called Peace of Mind), NWEA Pathways 4.0 and year three of Believe and Read.”

WHO IS JENNY?
Jenny most recently served as principal of St. Michael Catholic School in St. Michael, with a total of 16 years as a Catholic school principal. She has worked as a national educational consultant in school improvement initiatives, served as the curriculum development coordinator for a large school district, and taught at all levels from primary grades through graduate education. Jenny graduated from the College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University with a degree in elementary education, and earned advanced degrees from St. Cloud State University and St. Mary’s University. An active parishioner at St. Michael Catholic Church, she enjoys flower gardening, outdoor activities, travel and spending time with her new granddaughter.

Robert Behr

Director of Finance

CSCOE BIO
Bob manages CSCOE’s finance, accounting, human resources and information technology, as well as other administrative activities.

WHY CSCOE?
“My Catholic school roots go back to St. Peter’s grade school in Richfield (now Blessed Trinity) and include the University of Notre Dame. When I shifted my career focus to the nonprofit world, it was to St. Therese in Deephaven where I served as the director of finance and operations, which led me to CSCOE shortly after it was formed. It’s an honor to help schools assess where they need investment and resources.”

MISSION MOMENT
Robert notes that the most gratifying part of his role is writing grant checks that have a profound impact on our Catholic grade schools.

CURRENT INITIATIVE
“I am working to instill sound business practices into our Catholic schools, which will help strengthen them now and into the future.”

WHO IS BOB?
A Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Bob spent 10 years as a U.S. Air Force officer before serving in financial management positions in a broad range of businesses – public and private, large and small. A dedicated biker and runner with 56 marathons under his belt, he is the father of three adult children and also has one grandchild.
Bob is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) who has held senior level financial positions in a variety of firms and industries — public and private, large and small. After returning to the Twin Cities in 2011, he shifted his career focus to the non-profit world where he served as the Director of Finance and Operations at St. Therese Catholic parish and school in the western suburbs. He became CSCOE’s finance director shortly after the Center of Excellence was formed in 2015.

With a home in St. Louis Park, you can find Bob in the gym or on the running trails in the early morning (with 56 marathons under his belt, he is a certifiable cardio addict) or on the bike paths on the weekend. He is the very proud father of a pharmacist, doctoral candidate and aspiring lawyer (all of whom fortunately inherited their mother’s intelligence genes).

Annemarie Vega

Director of Enrollment

CSCOE BIO
Annemarie works one-on-one with Catholic school leaders to help them reach their enrollment goals. She facilitates marketing campaigns to promote Catholic schools and also manages CSCOE’s Latino enrollment initiatives.

WHY CSCOE?
“For me more than anything, it’s my great love for Catholic education, a huge gift my parents gave me through much sacrifice. CSCOE allows more families to access a Catholic school education and realize how truly wonderful it is.”

MISSION MOMENT
Annemarie encouraged a school to expand their preschool, seeing that as a way to grow their kindergarten. After taking that step, the school has already more than doubled the size of their kindergarten class for next year.

WHO IS ANNEMARIE?
Annemarie volunteered and taught English in Honduras after receiving an elementary education degree from Marquette University. She obtained her MBA from the University of St. Thomas while directing admissions and communications/marketing at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School. The mother of a young son, Annemarie serves on the board of her alma mater, Totino-Grace High School, and is a cross-country skier as well as an avid cyclist, participating in the RAGBRAI bicycle ride across Iowa.

Emma Creger

Enrollment Manager

CSCOE BIO
As enrollment manager, Emma helps develop and implement CSCOE’s annual strategic enrollment plan, including messaging, preschool growth initiatives, social media strategy and digital marketing. She also works with individual schools to develop enrollment and marketing plans, provide feedback to enhance plan effectiveness, and when needed, support implementation.

WHY CSCOE?
“Before joining CSCOE, I was fortunate enough to teach within the Catholic school system for eight years. During that time, I saw first-hand the impact that Catholic education has on students and their whole development. Not only does this include their academic development, but also their spiritual development. Throughout my time teaching, I experienced CSCOE’s support, so I was excited to join the team and the continuous pursuit of excellence!”

CURRENT INITIATIVE
The expansion and refresh of Faithful Beginnings preschool materials for schools.

WHO IS EMMA?
Emma has a bachelor’s degree in communicative sciences and disorders with minors in early childhood education and nonprofit marketing communications. She also earned a master’s degree in teaching. She taught at St. Odilia School in Shoreview for eight years and then worked in admissions for a local university before joining CSCOE. She’s a member of St. Odilia Catholic Church, where she volunteers in the Sunday School and Family Faith programs.

Outside of CSCOE, Emma spends time with friends and family, including the “sweetest golden retriever Mazie.” She also loves traveling and the great outdoors — camping, kayaking, hammocking and skiing. She has traveled to the Dominican Republic, where she taught students English, and to Guatemala, where she helped build a kitchen for a nursing home.

Maricruz Hernandez

Latino Enrollment Coordinator

Maricruz is originally from Mexico, and has been a member of the Minnesota Latino community for over 23 years. She and her husband have two boys, ages 11 and 9. They love swimming, walking and watching cartoon! They live in St. Paul’s West side. Maricruz enjoys volunteering for her church. Her boys attend Community of Saints Catholic School.

Before joining CSCOE, Maricruz worked as an interpreter and owned a flower shop. Her favorite part about working at CSCOE is collaborating with the team. She loves the difference Catholic schools make in transforming kids’ lives and their future.

Jessica Trygstad

Director of Communications

Jessica Trygstad first jumped on the CSCOE train in 2015 as the project manager of its magazine, and fell in love with CSCOE’s mission and work. She has witnessed the beauty of Catholic education through her work in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis’ Office of Communications, and her children’s parish school, St. Charles Borromeo in St. Anthony. Her background in nonprofit marketing and communications, and eagerness to see Catholic schools flourish drive her work with CSCOE.

Aside from correcting the spelling or pronunciation of her last name (it’s not as difficult as it seems!), she spends her time with her husband, Eric, and their three daughters. Ever the thrill seeker, she enjoys baking and a good game of cribbage.

Sharon Wilson

Event Manager

CSCOE BIO
Sharon is responsible for any and all things related to CSCOE events, as well as managing special projects.

WHY CSCOE?
“I love our Catholic schools and our Catholic faith. There is an attitude of optimism at CSCOE, as well as a strong sense of teamwork and partnership with CSCOE staff and our schools.”

MISSION MOMENT
Two days after Sharon started as event manager, the CSCOE Bash turned into a virtual event. A quick pivot and a lot of creativity resulted in an amazing event, with supporters joining from all over the world to surpass the $500,000 goal.

CURRENT INITIATIVE
“I’m working on a variety of events: the inaugural CSCOE Open golf tournament, our annual meeting, Shine On Catholic school talent competition, the Big Bang C-STEM fair and next year’s Mass of the Holy Spirit.”

WHO IS SHARON?
A graduate of Hamline University and the Archbishop Harry J. Flynn Catechetical Institute, Sharon taught at St. Dominic School in Northfield and worked in advancement at Bethlehem Academy in Faribault. She also served in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis Office of Marriage, Family and Life. Sharon is a writer for WINE: Women in the New Evangelization and is a contributor to CatholicMom.com. Sharon is a parishioner of Divine Mercy in Faribault, where she’s a lector, Eucharistic minister and synod committee member. She enjoys cooking, reading, walks and spending time with her family and friends.

Helen Dahlman

CSCOE Growth Team

CSCOE BIO
Helen oversees everything under the excellence umbrella, including assessments, special programs, professional development for principals and teachers, and task forces which help determine what resources schools need.

WHY CSCOE?
“Having worked in schools where you feel under resourced, under appreciated and under fire, it’s so gratifying to be with an organization that helps children meet their full potential by seeking to affirm, support and resource our schools and their leaders.”

MISSION MOMENT
CSCOE hosts an annual two-day leadership conference for school principals, giving them time away from their buildings to come together to learn and share ideas, relax and enjoy each other.

WHO IS HELEN?
An education graduate of the College of St. Catherine with an elementary administration master’s and education specialist degree from the University of St. Thomas, Helen’s first teaching position was at Benilde-St. Margaret’s. She’s been a parish religious education director and school principal, retiring in 2015 as president of Risen Christ School in Minneapolis, the first Catholic dual immersion school in Minnesota. Helen serves as a lector and eucharistic minister at St. Maximilian Kolbe in Delano. She loves to travel and spend time with her four grandchildren and their parents, including a son who is a Catholic school teacher and a daughter-in-law who is a Catholic school principal.

Dr. Nes Rotstein

CSCOE Growth Team

CSCOE BIO
Since 2015 Nes, an original founder of CSCOE, has been responsible for developing the organization’s strategic vision and business plan, including a clear articulation of its mission.

WHY CSCOE?
“Catholic education has been shown to produce the best academic outcomes in the United States. Unfortunately, it has been in decline over the last few decades. I believe that CSCOE is one of the best ways to solve that problem.”

MISSION MOMENT
Transferring best business practices and competencies to improve Catholic school operations. Delivery of the first Spanish radio program in the Twin Cities to promote Catholic education.

CURRENT INITIATIVE
“I am focusing on what the CSCOE of the future will look like.”

WHO IS NES?
With a PhD in polymer physics from the University of Minnesota, Nes spent several years as a senior executive at Dow Chemical Co. He also worked at hedge fund Whitebox Advisors. During his career he established a track record of success in helping management teams develop and execute strategic business plans. Separately, Nes was involved in a capital campaign at his parish, Holy Family in St. Louis Park, which raised $5 million for a building expansion of Holy Family Academy. He is currently involved with Teach for Christ, does Latino outreach and serves in nonprofit Boards. Nes enjoys fitness, international travel, and dance. He teaches hip-hop dance classes at Chesterton Academy. Nes is the parent of two adult children, and his wife Emily is executive director of the Global Network of Chesterton Schools.