Meet Our Educator Specialists

Emily Anderson teaches at Blaine High School where she is the co-lead of the Social Studies Department. She attended Bethel University, majoring in Secondary Social Studies Education and minoring in Political Science and Leadership Studies. Her master's degree, also from Bethel, is in Educational Leadership. The focus of her master's research was active learning in economics education.

In her spare time, Emily enjoys running, photography, coaching, spending time with her husband and five kids, and camping. Emily also owns her own photography business and is the head coach of the Fridley chapter of Moms on the Run. 

David Braaten has been teaching business and marketing education for the past 34 years. He has taught a variety of courses in grades 7-12 as well as at the post-secondary level.  David currently teaches at Hopkins High School and teaches mostly personal finance courses. As well, David has been an instructional coach and a secondary education teacher leader for Hopkins.

David is very passionate about educating our youth in personal finance. He has participated on several financial literacy related committees and boards throughout the years—such as Minnesota JumpStart and the Minnesota Council for Economic Education. One of his most rewarding and professional experience was having the opportunity to work as a teacher facilitator at the New York Stock Exchange’s summer educator workshop program.

David has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Education & Social Studies from Mayville State University (ND) and a Master of Science Degree in Business & Marketing from the University of North Dakota. 

Katie Calvert is an elementary teacher at Cedar Creek Elementary school in the St. Francis Area Schools District. She is the MCEE 2023 Elementary Educator of the Year. With 17 years of teaching experience, Katie has transformed her classroom into a hub of culturally responsive teaching practices. She has cultivated a dynamic classroom economy system that empowers her students to become self-reliant and cooperative, fostering a sense of community and shared responsibility. Katie's innovative and culturally responsive teaching practices are shaping the future financial literacy of her students and earning her the admiration of her colleagues and the community alike. 

Anne Carter is a 3rd grade teacher at Cedar Creek Elementary School in St. Francis Area Schools. With over 30 years of teaching experience in the elementary grades she has a passion for teaching personal finance and economics to her students. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education, and Psychology from Northwestern University. Anne also holds a masters degree from St. Mary's University. She uses a classroom economy system to help her students experience personal finance and economy concepts in her classroom. She also enjoys incorporating literature to teach economy concepts and looks for ways to build personal finance and decision making skills into many of her lessons.

Outside of the classroom, Anne enjoys reading, painting, going for walks, and completing puzzles of all kinds.

Joel Coleman has taught social studies since 2011, spending his first 13 years at Ubah Medical Academy, a Somali charter school. He currently teaches AP Microeconomics at Minnetonka High School in the Vantage program that provides high school students with real-world experiences in professional settings. He graduated from St. John’s/St. Ben’s and holds a graduate degree from Concordia University. He enjoys teaching because of the “aha” moments students get as they connect what they learn in the classroom with what they have experienced in the world, as well at using creativity to teach tough concepts in an approachable way.

He spends his free time with his two young boys and playing in an adult league soccer.

Aaron Giannobile has been teaching business classes at Hopkins High School for 9 years. He has taught many different classes but now mainly teaches Finance & Investing, Accounting and Business and Personal Law. 

Aaron is passionate about building relationships with students and enjoys trying to know each student in his courses. He also has a passion for bicycling and cross country skiing and has coached the Hopkins Nordic Ski team for 9 years. He is looking forward to becoming a golf coach next school year as well!

Aaron has a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Minnesota Duluth and his Master’s Degree in Education from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota. He is dual licensed in both Business & Marketing Education and Social Studies.

Rayce Hardy is a Social Studies teacher at Austin Area High School and an instructor in the Department of Economics at Riverland Community College in Austin, Minnesota.  He has also been involved with a number of MCEE student competitions over the years.  He graduated from Mankato State University with a B.A. in Social Studies and received an M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Minnesota. 

Along with teaching students about economics and political science, Rayce enjoys spending time with family and friends on a lake, at live music, and playing racket sports. 

Katie Hedlund has taught grades 7-12 at Roseau High School since 2007 in the Business and Social Studies Departments. Her primary focus has been on Juniors and Seniors in Personal Finance I & II, Accounting, CIS American History and CIS American Government. She graduated from Minnesota State University - Moorhead, majoring in Social Studies Education with a concentration on Economics and History. In 2010, she earned her Business Education licensure and she holds a graduate degree in Educational Technology from Concordia University - St. Paul. In 2015, she was named the Minnesota Personal Finance Educator Runner-Up by MCEE and in 2018 was named a VISA Innovative Educator.

When away from school Katie enjoys traveling, reading, outdoor adventures, and running her kids to their various activities. She is a mom to two daughters, Makena and Greta. Her husband is a Snowmobile Development Engineer at Polaris Industries.

Crystal Johnson is a Social Studies teacher at Park Center Senior High in the Osseo Area School District. Crystal has a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Studies Education from St. Cloud State, and a Master’s Degree in Economics and Entrepreneurship for Educators from the University of Delaware. 

While teaching Middle School Crystal sought ways to make Economics fun by incorporating activities as much as possible. Crystal brought that same mindset to High School Economics where students get to do simulations, skits, and apply their learning to real world situations and their lived experiences. Her favorite part about teaching is helping students to view the world with an Economic lens and then use what they have learned to see patterns, evaluate costs, and make informed choices. Crystal is looking forward to teaching a Concurrent Enrollment Economics course for her students next year. 

Outside of the classroom, Crystal enjoys camping, hiking, golf, traveling to historical sites, and spending time with her husband and three children. 

Michael Kieselbach works at Moorhead High School where he currently serves as the Technology Integrationist and Universal Design Specialist.  He has extensive experience with teaching Economics, AP Macroeconomics, AP Microeconomics and has served as the BARR Coordinator.  He also has experience with teaching AP U.S. History, U.S. History, Psychology, Civics, and World History.  He attended Minnesota State University Moorhead, where he majored in Social Studies Education.  His master’s degree is also from Minnesota State University Moorhead in Educational Leadership with Emphasis in Technology.  He is also a licensed school administrator for the State of Minnesota.  As an instructor of Economics, I enjoy connecting the real world, making the class activity-based, and showing the relevance to students as to the what and why or their learning.  

When not busy with school he enjoys golfing, biking, fishing, lake life, and spending time with his four kids and wife.

Nancy Krenner is an educator at Valley Crossing Elementary School which is part of the South Washington County School District.  She has taught for 39 years.  In 1997, she participated in her first MCEE workshop and became hooked in teaching economics and personal finance to elementary children. Nancy holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from the University of Minnesota, and a Master’s Degree in Teaching and Learning from Saint Mary’s University, with a concentration on economics and personal finance in the elementary classroom.  She has been a teacher  trainer for MCEE since 2000 and received MCEE’s Innovative Economic Educator Award (2001), and the Economic Educator Excellence Award )2006).  Nancy enjoys spending time with her husband and her two sons and their families, which include five grandchildren!

Nikki Linscheid is the English Language Learner Coordinator and the District Assessment Coordinator for Sauk Centre Public Schools.  She has been teaching since 2005, spending twelve years as an elementary classroom teacher and five years as an ELL teacher.  She is a 2012 3M Innovative Economic Educator Award winner.  She has a BA in Elementary Education from the University of Minnesota - Morris and an MA in Teaching English as a Second Language from St. Cloud State University. She is a licensed Elementary Education K - 6, Social Studies 5 - 8, and English as a Second Language K-12 teacher in Minnesota. She attended her first MCEE workshop in 2011 and, since then, has been passionate about integrating economic concepts into her teaching, especially with English Language Learners.

Outside the classroom, Nikki loves traveling to National Parks and Disney World, cooking, reading, and spending time with her husband and three children. 

Kelly Lipinski is a high school social studies teacher at St. Francis High School. He teaches Geography, High School Economics, and College Economics. He attended The University of Minnesota Morris where he earned his Bachelor's Degree in Social Science and later would go on to earn his Master’s Degree in Education from St. Mary’s University. Kelly has attended many MCEE events and competitions over the past 23 years and enjoys teaching students about how to think about the world from an economic point of view. He spent nine years as the department lead and enjoys coaching wrestling and softball. 

Kelly’s hobbies include: spending time with family, hunting, fishing, and traveling with his wife and two sons.

Ryan Loecken is a Business Education teacher at Saint Michael Albertville High School. He currently teaches Financial Foundations, Personal Finance, Investments, as well as other elective business courses. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration with an emphasis in Finance from the University of Minnesota Duluth and a Master of Education from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. Along with this education, he has professional work experience in the Banking and Mortgage industries.  

Outside of school, Ryan loves spending time with his family and friends. He enjoys the Minnesota outdoors, Minnesota Professional sports teams, and Duke basketball.

Nikki McGarthwaite teaches at White Bear Lake High School where she teaches College in the Schools Principles of Microeconomics, AP Macroeconomics, Hybrid Economics, and Applied Psychology. She graduated from Hamline University with a BA in Social Studies and Secondary Education. She earned her Masters in Education in differentiated instruction from Concordia University. 

Her favorite thing about teaching economics is helping students develop an economic way of thinking to understand human behavior and the world. She believes in providing a learning environment that is built on relationships and hands-on, experiential learning. 

In her free time she loves traveling, reading geocaching with her family, baking, and attempting to garden.

Katrina Pelzel-Lehman has been a social studies teacher since 2012, and is currently a teacher at Anoka High School. Katrina teaches mostly Economics (regular and AP Micro), but also has a section of AP Human Geography, and US Government and Politics. Katrina received bachelor's degrees in Social Studies Teaching and Economics from St. Cloud State University in 2012. She also attended the University of Delaware and received her Masters of Economic Education and Entrepreneurship in 2017. 

Katrina loves teaching economics because economic decision making and personal finance are so crucially important in a young person's life. She also enjoys doing economics simulations in class and having students recognize that economics is all around them. 

Outside of the classroom Katrina enjoys traveling, spending time at the family cabin, and trying new restaurants with her husband.

Lacy Schramm teaches social studies and AVID at Buffalo High School. She earned her degree in Social Studies Education from Minnesota State University, Mankato and a Master's Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from St. Mary's University. Lacy is dedicated to empowering her students with the knowledge and skills to navigate the complexities of the world around them.

In addition to teaching Social Studies, Lacy has been an integral part of the AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) elective, where she fosters a culture of academic excellence and college readiness among her students. Beyond the classroom, Lacy finds joy in making art, immersing herself in books, and exploring new destinations through travel with her family. Through her dedication to both her students and her personal pursuits, Lacy embodies a commitment to lifelong learning and holistic growth.

Jamie Shaw teaches at Champlin Park High School in Champlin, MN. She started teaching in the spring of 2000. Jamie teaches Economics (regular and CIS) primarily, but also US Government and Politics, and occasionally Modern Global Issues and Geography. She graduated from St. Cloud State University with a degree in Social Science, Secondary Ed, and received her Masters in Teaching and Learning in 2002 from St. Mary's University. 

Economics is, hands down, her favorite subject to teach because “the content is engaging because it is directly connected to the lives of my students. Teaching students decision making in high school impacts their post-secondary choices and prepares them for a future where they can apply the things they learn in my class.  I am able to enrich conversations of everyday phenomena and current events with a background of economic principles.” Jamie also loves and values learning and working professionally with other educators. It is through teaching professional development as well as collaborating with other teachers that she is reminded of new and innovative ways to impact students.

Jamie has two kids, Jude and Lennon, and a husband who is also a teacher at Champlin Park High School.

Brandy Siddiqui teaches at Edison High School in Northeast Minneapolis.  At Edison, Brandy is the lead for the Individuals and Societies Department and is on the Instructional Leadership Team.  She attended the University of San Francisco, where she earned both her Bachelor of Arts in History and a Master of Arts in Teaching in 2005.  In 2018, Brandy was accepted into the Stanford Hollyhock Fellowship for Urban Educators became a National Board Certified Teacher in 2019.

For the last eight years, she has been teaching Economics.  After teaching Economics for a couple of years, Brandy went to a week-long MCEE course, How to Teach High School Economics, and impacted the way she taught Econ.  “For the first two or three years, I struggled to teach Econ.  It was uncomfortable and just didn’t relate the same way that I thought US or World history did for example. But now?  I LOVE IT.  It is my absolute favorite thing to teach because it is fun; the games you can play are interesting, and the examples you can use to explain content can always be current events, and the discussions students are able to have allow them to bring in their personal experiences!”

Lisa Wiener is a RtI Interventionist at Raven Stream Elementary School where she has also taught 5th and 3rd grade for many years. Prior to that, Lisa was a special education teacher in the Eastern Carver County School District for 7 years. She is a past winner of the Thrivent Personal Finance Educator Award (2016) and Minnesota’s Elementary Social Studies Teacher of the Year Award (2017). As an elementary teacher, the balance between teaching all the subjects is a daily battle, but Lisa strives to add a little economics to whatever subject she is teaching. “I love teaching economic concepts to my students through the use of literature. When economic concepts are taught within the context of literature, students realize that economics is a very real and interesting part of the world around them. When my students understand basic economic concepts they will be better equipped to make the important decisions that effective citizenship requires.”

When not in the classroom, Lisa enjoys visiting different National Parks around the U.S., reading all genres of books, listening to music and spending time with her husband and 3 children.

Emily Yang has been teaching at St. Paul's Harding High School since 2006. Her current courses include International Baccalaureate (IB) Economics, Economics, Economics for English Learners, and Human Geography. Emily received her Bachelor of Science in History & the History of Science from UW-Madison prior to earning her Minnesota 5-12 social studies license and Master of Arts in Teaching from Hamline University.

Emily enjoys teaching economics because of the connections to daily life and current events. She enjoys spending time with her husband and two sons, reading, and spending lots of time outside.

Jessie Zong has taught at Jie Ming Mandarin Immersion Academy in St. Paul Public Schools since 2017. She teaches literacy, math, health, and social studies for 1st graders, and she also teaches 3rd and 4th grade Chinese, math and economics during Summer Schools and Weekend Chinese schools. Jessie holds one master’s degree in Public Administration with a focus in Policy Analysis from the University of Pittsburgh, and one master’s degree in Education with a focus in Dual Language Immersion from the University of Minnesota. Jessie is actively participating in Chinese teaching associations and webinars. She enjoys teaching economics in language and culture immersion classrooms because it expands both her own and her students’ perspectives in life, relationships and decision-making processes. 

In her free time, she enjoys music, cooking and hiking with her husband and two kids.