We are very excited to announce three new additions to the Minnestar Board of Directors: Kristin Dean, Lindsi Gish, and Damien Riehl.  Each individual comes with a wealth of experience in their field, as well as a true passion for the Minnestar and the Minnesota technology community. They will join our dedicated board in continuing to help chart the strategic vision for Minnestar, our programming, and our mission.

Please take a moment to get to know them:

KRISTIN DEAN

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Kristin Dean is currently the Vice President of People at Revel, Healthcare tech start-up in Minneapolis. Previously, Kristin was the Vice President of Operations and Human Resources at Delaget, software company in St. Louis Park for approximately 2 years.  Kristin built Delaget’s HR function and hired 70 people in year one and 60 people in year two, in addition to building out a benefits plan and creating a performance culture based on winning, teamwork and fun!

Prior to that, Kristin was the Head of HR at Code42, security and backup company in Minneapolis, where she built the HR function taking the company from 250 employees to 400 in under three years hiring an average of 150 employees per year for 3 years.  Kristin also built out the Talent Acquisition, Compensation and Benefits, and Employee Relations teams brining the HR team from two to ten.

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LINDSI GISH

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Lindsi Gish is the founder and owner of gish&co.—a small strategic communications and digital marketing firm in Minneapolis. She’s also a former nonprofiteer, insatiable problem solver, digital enthusiast, Jane-of-many-trades, and self-aware extrovert. After spending a number of years at a regional nonprofit, followed by a global PR firm, Lindsi saw an opportunity to use her significant experience and robust network to develop creative approaches to solve communications and marketing challenges for nonprofits and small businesses—efficiently and cost-effectively. Now entering its fifth year of existence, gish&co. does just that.

Lindsi also serves on the board of directors for Still Kickin, a Minneapolis-based nonprofit that helps awesome people get through awful things, and is a former board member of the Minnesota Interactive Marketing Association (MIMA) where she was Director of Programming. She was an early participant in such community events as Social Media Breakfast Minneapolis/St. Paul, is a proud COCO member, and attended her first Minnebar in 2007.

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DAMIEN RIEHL

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Damien Riehl is a technology lawyer and technologist with experience in software design, data privacy, and cybersecurity. Damien has 15 years’ experience working for judges and firms on complex litigation. His practice experience includes data privacy (CIPP/US), patents, copyright, trademarks, business torts, breaches of contract, antitrust, financial litigation, and appeals.

In addition to legal practice, Damien began programming in 1985, started web design and development since 1995, designed software by leading a dev team in Lean and Agile processes, and recently began dabbling in Python to perform Natural Language Processing. Damien is currently a Vice President and Engagement Manager at Stroz Friedberg (an Aon company), managing digital forensics and cybersecurity engagements to bolster clients’ data security and resilience — both reactively and proactively.
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