The News Council’s membership consists of volunteer members and a hearing chairperson. About half of the members are from the public at large, and half are from the media. Members do not represent the news outlets or organizations they work for; they participate as independent professionals.

Members serve a three-year term, which can be renewed once. Anyone can apply for membership. Members are chosen through an application and interview process by sitting members on a membership committee.

Interested in becoming a member? Apply with our online Membership Application!

Hearing Board - Media Members

Dave Beal
Columnist (semi-retired), St. Paul Pioneer Press, MinnPost.com

Dave Beal retired from the St. Paul Pioneer Press in mid-2006 after being a business columnist there for nearly 25 years. He continues to write columns occasionally for the paper, does the monthly “Capital Beat” column for Twin Cities Business magazine and contributes to the Minnpost.com online newspaper site.

Karen Boros
Retired Journalism Instructor, University of St. Thomas

Mike Creger
Editor/Writer, Askov American

Mike Creger writes for the Askov American newspaper in northern Minnesota. He has had experience at many weekly and daily newspaper across Minnesota and New York, including seven years at Gannett newspapers in St. Cloud and Poughkeepsie.

Mike Dalton
Vice President/Reporter, Cannon Falls Beacon

Mike Dalton currently covers sports and general news, in addition to managing the Web site, for the Cannon Falls Beacon — one of the few independently owned family newspapers in Minnesota. Mike will assume the editor’s role for the Beacon when he father steps down from the position in January.

Thom Fladung
Editor/Vice President, St. Paul Pioneer Press

Thom Fladung became editor of the St. Paul Pioneer Press in September 2005. Prior to that, Thom had been managing editor of the Detroit Free Press since November 2002. He also has worked for several other newspapers, including as managing editor of the Akron Beacon Journal.

Don Heinzman
Editorial Writer, ECM Publishers, Inc.

Donald Heinzman has reported, edited and managed mostly weekly newspapers in Minnesota for 46 years. He is an editorial writer for East Central Minnesota Publishers, chairs the editorial board and is a member of the company board of directors. He is a long-time member of the Minnesota Newspaper Association Education Committee.

Jeremy Iggers
Executive Director, Twin Cities Media Alliance

Jeremy Iggers recently ended a 20+ year career with the Minneapolis Star Tribune to become executive director of the Twin Cities Media Alliance, the non-profit organization that operates the Twin Cities Daily Planet. During his journalism career, Jeremy wrote about food, restaurants and ethics, and won two national awards for overseas reporting.

Issa Mansaray
Founder/Editor, Africa Institute for Investigative Reporting (The AfricaPaper)

Deborah Pastner
Photo Editor, Sunday & Project, Star Tribune

Deborah Pastner is the Sunday and Projects editor at the Star Tribune. In the 9 years she’s been at the Star Tribune, Deb has worked in a variety of capacities, including as the night, sports and features editor.

Jim Pumarlo
Director of Communications, Minnesota Chamber of Commerce
Independent Newspaper Consultant

Jim Pumarlo spent 27 years working at small daily newspapers in International Falls and Red Wing, Minn. Currently, Jim is director of communications at the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce. He also serves on the Journalism Education and Legislative committee for the Minnesota Newspaper Association and as president of the Minnesota Newspaper Foundation Board of Directors.

Steve Schild, Ed.D.
Associate Professor of Mass Communication, St. Mary’s University

Steve Schild teaches journalism at Saint Mary’s University in Winona, Minnesota. He has worked in daily journalism and public relations as an editor, reporter and photographer.

Andy Skoogman
President, Skoogman Communications, Inc.

Andy founded Skoogman Communications, Inc. in 2004 after nearly 15 years as a television news and sports reporter/anchor. He spent more than a decade in the Twin Cities TV market, working at KMSP-TV and KSTP-TV. Andy currently consults for the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Defense. He also still works at AM1500 producing and anchoring news and traffic reports.

Brett Stursa
Editor, Lakeshore Weekly News

Brett Stursa is editor of the Lakeshore Weekly News, a community newspaper covering the Lake Minnetonka area. She has also worked as a staff reporter for the Olivia Times-Journal and as an occasional contributor to City Pages.

Hearing Board - Public Members

Jane Berg
Communications, United Health Group

Jane Berg is the clinical communications director for UnitedHealth Group. She is currently serving a second term with the Minnesota News Council. Jane has a degree in journalism and previously worked as a reporter.

Elizabeth Costello
Principal, Costello Communications LLC

Elizabeth Costello began leading Costello Communications in April 2005 after a five-and-a-half year tenure at communication firm Fleishman-Hillard. Her media experience includes seven years as a television news reporter spanning the Midwest, including KMSP-TV, KTTC-TV in Rochester, Minn.,WNDU-TV in South Bend, Ind., and CNN in Washington, D.C.

Mary DeMers
President/Principal & Senior Management Consultant, Contract Consultants, Inc.

Tom Forsythe
Vice President of Corporate Communications, General Mills

Tom Forsythe serves as vice president of Corporate Communications for General Mills. He is a past chairman of the Board of Directors of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and a trustee of Twin Cities Public Television.

Heather Harden
Investment Advisor Representative, LPL Financial Services

Heather Harden has worked as a financial advisor in private practice since 2005 after serving two terms on the Bloomington City Council. Heather has also served as a business reporter and prime time news anchor for KMSP-TV in Minneapolis.

Noelle Hawton
Senior Vice President, Tunheim Partners

Noelle Hawton joined public relations firm Tunheim Partners in 1996 after a five-year career in the retail industry. In addition to working with clients ranging from Target to the Minnesota Twins, Noelle also serves on a leadership team at Tunheim and is a member of Minnesota Women in Marketing and Communications.

Roberta Johnson
Retired high school journalism teacher

Roberta Johnson retired from Mahtomedi High School in 2007. Currently, Roberta is on the Board of Directors for the White Bear Center for the Arts. She is also editor for a non-profit state newspaper, the North Star News.

Tom Peterson, J.D.
Attorney, Peterson & Hektner, Ltd

Tom Peterson is a partner in the law firm of Peterson & Hektner. When not practicing law, he can either be found on the golf course or singing with the Apollo Male Chorus, which dates back to 1895 (Tom is not an original choir member).

Lorin Robinson, Ph.D.
Public Relations Manager, 3M

Dr. Lorin R. Robinson is a former chair of the Department of Journalism at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. Lorin is currently a public relations manager with 3M in St. Paul.

Chris Shields
Editor/Deputy Communications Director, Minnesota 2020

Chris Shields has served as a communications specialist for the Minnesota House DFL Caucus in addition to working in the media with the Missouri Digital News. He has also held positions as a general assignment reporter and producer at KOMU-TV.

Colin Sokolowski
Public Relations Director, Mounds View Public Schools

Colin Sokolowski currently serves as the public relations director at Mounds View Public Schools. In addition to working with the News Council, he has also gained communications experience as communications director for St. Paul Academy and working as the writer/editor for Carthage College.

Mary Treacy
Executive Director, Minnesota Coalition on Government Information

Mary Treacy is executive director of the Minnesota Coalition on Government Information, in addition to serving as director of Metronet, a progressive library network in the Twin Cities. She is also a member of many state and national information access groups.

Al Zdon
Communications Director, Minnesota American Legion

Al Zdon is communications director for the Minnesota American Legion and edits the Minnesota Legionnaire newspaper. Previously, Al was managing editor of the Hibbing Daily Tribune for 20 years. He has authored several books relating to Minnesota history.

Council Chair

James H. Gilbert, J.D.
Mediator/Arbitrator, Gilbert Mediation Center

James H. Gilbert is a retired Associate Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court, having served from 1998-2004. He is currently engaged as a mediator-arbitrator and private law practice in Eden Prairie and Oakdale.