Welcome the 2024 Cohort Minnestar Board Members
Minnestar
January 29, 2024
Please join us in welcoming the 2024 cohort of board members to the Minnestar Board of Directors!
Each new board member joins us with distinct experience and a burning passion for the technology community here in Minnesota. Each year, we assess the makeup of the Board of Directors to ensure we reflect the identities, experiences and perspectives of the community we serve and continue our mission. We are excited for their fresh ideas, expertise, and new energy.
Without further ado, here is a little about each new board member!
Kathryn Frengs
Kathryn Frengs currently works with the Target Technology team as the Editor in Chief of the Tech @ Target blog, and has previously led internal communication efforts for technology executives at both Optum and Target. She has a passion for storytelling and working with technologists to bring stories about their work to life, and she loves partnering with engineers and leaders on change management, speechwriting, and team communication. Her past experience includes roles in marketing and communications at Google, Apple, and a number of startups in the Silicon Valley area and Europe. Kathryn has a particular drive to work on diversity, equity, and accessibility issues in technology and looks forward to doing so with the Minnestar community.
Tim Herby
Tim is President and Chief Revenue Officer of Fountane, a global technology partner and venture studio. He has been a part of the Twin Cities tech community for over fifteen years, and has had the opportunity to work with many of our leading corporations as an employee, a consultant, and as a business leader. A proud graduate of the Humphrey School of Public Policy, Tim has a passion for public – private partnerships, joint ventures, and building capacity and equity into our economic systems through creative means like the Access Point Program. Proud husband, and golden retriever dad, he adores spending time with family and friends, supporting our tech entrepreneurship community, and competing in Brazilian jiu jitsu.
Kevin Jansen
Kevin has spent the past 25 years acquiring, operating, and selling businesses for his own personal financial gain or the financial benefit of his partners or clients. He has a particular passion for entrepreneurial businesses from start-up to $25 million in revenue. His professional experience includes selling 26 companies for others, raising $1 billion through four public offerings of securities, and personally acquiring and operating a 25-employee company that returned 109x his initial investment upon exit three years post-acquisition. Kevin is a three-time cancer survivor, published author, avid traveler, and father of five as part of a blended family.
Robert Tomb
Robert Tomb has been messing around with technology since the early days of his career in the 90s. He is a long-time Minnestar community member and volunteer, having organized JavascriptMN, and has been the first volunteer you see when you show up at a Minnestar event for many, many years. Robert is Director of Engineering at Shipt and has a passion for developing talent.
Matt Decuir
Matt is a software engineer and entrepreneur who gravitates towards community problems. Since moving to Minneapolis from Seattle ten years ago, he founded Invisible Network, co-founded OMG Transit, organized Mpls Jr Devs, and created Break The Bubble. He identifies as a Minnestar superfan, and has attended, volunteered at, and spoken at dozens of events in the past. His passion for making our community a more welcoming and inclusive place is only rivaled by his love of pizza (despite being dairy free).
Valerie Lockhart
Valerie is a multi-media technologist focused on universal design for individualized experiences. She is also Founder of the MN Women in Tech and Executive Director of Code Savvy.
Give them a shout out on social media or come say hello at the next Minnestar event!
