Board Chair

After working in Seattle, WA as a graphic designer Lawton returned to the Midwest. Graduating Summa Cum Laud from Minnesota State University, Mankato he began his teaching career at a project-based learning charter school. Lawton’s 18 years as an art educator has been almost entirely at charter schools. Recently Lawton obtained a Master’s of Science in Educational Leadership with a focus on Arts in Education and Project-Based Learning. Lawton brings a passion for student-centered learning and entrepreneurial thinking. email 

Treasurer, Finance Committee, Alumni, Community Member

Hello, my name is Jesus Castillo Palacios and I am grateful for the opportunity to run for a position on Venture Academy's board! Venture Academy saw me develop through the mentorship of teachers, faculty, and staff. I took part in the first day that the school opened, I was a part of the first graduating class, and hope to continue my involvement with the school. I will make sure to use my experience as an alum to ensure that there is a stronger connection from the student body to the decisions made regarding the school's improvement.

Parent

Community Member

Jeffrey C. Robbins is an attorney with the business law boutique Avisen Legal, P.A. in Minneapolis, Minnesota. For 36 years, he has represented entrepreneurs who start and grow technology-based enterprises and angel and venture investors who target those companies. He is a serial entrepreneur himself, having founded two companies in the entertainment ticketing industry. Jeff represents high-growth, high-potential private enterprises and publicly traded companies. In 2011, he founded AngelPolleNation, a networking organization for investors that holds quarterly events in the Twin Cities. He serves as an advisory board member to Gopher Angels, a Minneapolis-based investor network. Jeff is also a judge for the annual statewide Minnesota Cup business plan competition. He is a board member of the Minnesota Jewish Theater Company, and also serves on the Business Advisory Group for the University of Minnesota’s Office of Technology Commercialization. Jeff was named in 2011 as one of “200 Minnesotans You Should Know” by Twin Cities Business magazine.
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Teacher

My name is Dior Ford. I’m 31 years old. Born upstate New York (Syracuse), attended middle school & high school in Tucson Arizona. I’m a Hamline University graduate and a 6-time record holder for the men’s basketball team. I have over 2,000 clinical hours working with children with ASD and other mental health disabilities from my time at Fraser. This is my 8th year in education and my 1st year as a teacher. I’m very passionate about early intervention & the development of regulation techniques for children/adults alike.

Teacher

My name is Fadua Pastrano. I have been a Spanish Teacher at Venture Academy since December of 2019. I want to be on the board of the school because I believe deeply in the mission of the school. Since I have been at Venture, I have valued and believed in our leadership team. I believe in our staff if we continue to invest in them and continue to improve how we develop them. I love our students and their families, and I believe in their capacity to achieve their dreams and be positive change agents in our society. I believe we are making progress towards our goals. I want to continue to be a part of this project, which I see as extremely important for all of us who are a part of it and for the entire city, state, nation, and world. Finally, I believe that the Venture Board of Directors plays a very important role in creating the conditions within which the Executive Director, the leadership team, the staff, and the students can be successful.

Founding Board Member Emeritus

In 1952, Johnson became the youngest elected state representative (representing the city of Minneapolis) in the Legislature, beginning a distinguished career that included long stints as executive director of the Citizens League (1958-67) and as vice-president for planning at General Mills (1967-82). An early supporter and volunteer for the Black Alliance for Education Options (BAEO), Twin Cities Rise and Youth Frontiers, Johnson was the founding chair of the Civic Caucus, a nonpartisan Minnesota policy discussion and innovation group. Verne Johnson died on November 2, 2012.