2026 North Star Summit Schedule

Speaker Information

Michelle Bellanca

Chief Executive Officer, Claros Technologies Inc.

Michelle Bellanca is the co-founder and CEO of Claros Technologies, an advanced technology company that is on a mission to destroy PFAS for good. Claros aims to close the loop on PFAS (“forever chemicals”) – one of the most pressing issues worldwide. She leads an international team developing effective and efficient technology for PFAS destruction at the source, bringing breakthrough solutions to global markets.

Her career includes numerous leadership positions at 3M Corporation, such as Global Business Director and Managing Director of Strategic Ventures Asia Pacific. Prior to 3M, Michelle developed IBM’s capital and operating leasing businesses in Latin and South America and began her career in international business development at the Japanese Government’s Ministry of International Trade & Investment in Tokyo, Japan.

Michelle was recently named to the TCB100, and her leadership has been recognized with prestigious honors, including the Edison Marketing Award and the 3M Marketing Professionalism award. She has successfully secured over $39 million in financing for Claros since its inception. This same drive extends to her personal life, where she balances her executive responsibilities with raising four children, running marathons, and serving as a trained EMT.

Solving the PFAS Paradox

PFAS are in things we use every day — from nonstick cookware and waterproof clothing to jet engines and medical devices. In this talk, Claros Technologies CEO Michelle Bellanca explores the paradox at the heart of PFAS: these materials are extraordinarily useful, yet they persist long after their job is done, and many essential uses still have no substitute. She’ll look at how innovation can move us beyond the choice between banning what we depend on and living with “forever chemicals” — by creating ways to permanently destroy PFAS after they’ve served their purpose.

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Wemimo Abbey

Co-Founder and Co-CEO, Esusu, Inc.

Wemimo Abbey grew up in the slums of Lagos, Nigeria, and came to Minneapolis, Minnesota, for college at the age of 17. Struggling to secure a loan without a credit score, his mother borrowed money from a predatory lender at an exorbitant 400% interest rate. These challenges inspired Wemimo and his Co-Founder to launch Esusu, driven by the belief that no matter where you come from, the color of your skin, or your financial identity, it should not determine where you end up in life. Esusu’s platform empowers renters to build credit through rent payments, offers property management analytics, and provides rental assistance for financial stability. Recently valued at $1 billion in a $130 million Series B fundraising round, Esusu has earned a spot on the Forbes Fintech 50 Most Innovative Companies List for three consecutive years. Wemimo currently serves on The SEC Small Business Capital Formation Advisory Committee, Fannie Mae Affordable Housing Advisory Council, a Commissioner and Executive Member on the Board of The Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, Board of Trustees at the University of Minnesota Crookston, a board member at the Leadership Enterprise for a Diverse America (LEDA), and Co-Chairs The Los Angeles County Museum (LACMA) Director Circle.

Before Esusu, Wemimo founded Clean Water for Everyone, delivering affordable clean water access to 250,000+ people in six countries. He also founded a data analytics company focused on gathering machine-readable data on NGOs in Africa, which was successfully acquired in 2014. Wemimo’s earlier career involved being a mergers and acquisitions consultant at PwC, working on deals valued at over $50 billion, and gaining experience with Accenture, the European Commission, and Goldman Sachs. Wemimo’s work has been featured in major publications, including Bloomberg, CNBC, Financial Times, Fortune, Inc. Magazine, New York Times, Quartz, The Atlantic, USA Today, Vice, Wall Street Journal, and Yahoo! Finance. He was named to the 2020 Forbes 30 Under 30 list, TIME100 NEXT List in 2023, and awarded EY Entrepreneur of the Year Nationally. In 2021 and 2022, Goldman Sachs recognized him as one of the “100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs.” He graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Minnesota with a B.S. in Business Management and earned his M.P.A. from New York University’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service.

The Win-Win-Win Economy: How Justice Capitalism Rewrites the Rules
From the slums of Lagos to -20° Minnesota winters to the boardrooms of New York, Wemimo Abbey’s journey argues that capitalism’s next chapter has to work for everyone, or it won’t work at all. Co-founder of Esusu Inc., Abbey has moved through public service, Wall Street, and now to the helm of a billion-dollar startup, helping unlock over $100 billion in credit, including $70 billion in mortgages for millions of Americans previously shut out of the system. In this session, Abbey introduces Justice Capitalism: a win-win-win model in which doing right by underserved communities, building durable business value, and strengthening the broader economy are inextricably tied. Expect a candid look at what it actually takes to build one of the most consequential venture-backed companies of this era, and why the next generation of great companies will be the ones that figure out how to make justice profitable.

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John Phelan

Economist, Center of the American Experiment

John Phelan is a graduate of Birkbeck College, University of London, where he earned a BSc in Economics, and of the London School of Economics where he earned an MSc.

John worked in finance for ten years before becoming a professional economist. He worked at Capital Economics in London, where he wrote reports ranging from the impact of Brexit on the British economy to the effect of government regulation on cell phone coverage.

John has written for City A.M. in London and for The Wall Street Journal in both Europe and the U.S., as well as newspapers across the Midwest. He has also been published in the journal Economic Affairs.

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Adair Mosley

CEO, GroundBreak Coalition

Adair Mosley is a visionary leader reshaping the future of equity in Minnesota. As CEO of GroundBreak Coalition, he leads one of the nation’s most ambitious mobilizations of capital and partnership—orchestrating $5.3 billion over 10 years to close wealth gaps through homeownership, entrepreneurship, and commercial real estate development. GroundBreak brings together 40+ corporate, civic, and philanthropic partners in a backbone coalition deploying both market-rate capital ($4.2 billion) and flexible non-market rate capital ($1.2 billion) to build a future where Black communities thrive—not just survive.

A strategist, builder, and truth-teller, Adair’s work is rooted in justice and scaled by innovation. Previously, as CEO of the African American Leadership Forum and Pillsbury United Communities, where he launched Justice Built Communities, securing $5 million to prioritize Black-owned development. He led the $7 million capital campaign for North Market, a nationally recognized grocery and wellness model designed to address food access and health equity. He revitalized North News—a Black-led media outlet—ensuring authentic storytelling from within the community. He helped develop a pioneering policy solution that created a national billing code for community health work, strengthening sustainable investment in grassroots health equity.

Adair’s influence extends across sectors. He sits on the boards of Walker Art Museum, Women’s Foundation of Minnesota, Community Advisory Board, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, and and GreenLight Fund National. His leadership has been recognized by Harvard’s Young American Leaders Program and Twin Cities Business magazine, which named him one of “100 People to Know.”

With a MSc in Cities from the London School of Economics, training from Stanford’s d.school in Human-Centered Design, and credentials from the University of Minnesota and University of Michigan, Adair brings a rare blend of grassroots insight and executive strategy to every room he enters.

Whether working alongside community visionaries and leaders or corporate executives, Adair leads with an unwavering belief: systems can—and must—be rebuilt for justice. He isn’t interested in incremental change. He’s here to reimagine what’s possible and to construct a future that honors Black brilliance, ownership, and self-determination.

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Andrew Dayton

Founder and CEO, Constellation Fund

Andrew Dayton is the founder and CEO of the Constellation Fund, a Minneapolis-based foundation dedicated to effective poverty alleviation. Constellation leverages modern analytics alongside community insights to identify, fund, and empower the people and organizations making the greatest measurable impact on poverty in the Twin Cities. Through its research arm, CoLab, Constellation also catalyzes and funds longitudinal research on what actually drives economic mobility.

Before founding Constellation, Andrew served as Deputy Legislative Director to former San Francisco Mayor Edwin M. Lee, directing the city’s state and federal policy priorities. He previously co-owned The Bachelor Farmer, Marvel Bar, and Askov Finlayson, three award-winning hospitality and retail businesses in the Twin Cities.

Andrew received a B.A. in History from Yale University and a J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School. He lives in Minneapolis with his wife and daughters.

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Christophe Beck

Chairman, President and CEO, Ecolab and Chair of Greater MSP

As chairman, president and CEO of Ecolab, Christophe Beck leads 48,000 associates around the world who are advancing Ecolab’s purpose to protect people and the resources vital to life. Under his leadership, Ecolab has entered a new chapter of accelerated growth by helping customers achieve best-in-class performance while using fewer natural resources.

Since becoming CEO in 2021, Christophe has sharpened Ecolab’s focus on where customer needs are growing fastest and where the company is positioned to lead. During this period, Ecolab has grown sales to $16 billion and delivered record earnings, driven by breakthrough innovation, disciplined execution and the most engaged and diverse workforce in the company’s history. Today, Ecolab helps protect one-third of the world’s food supply and a quarter of the power generated globally. By 2030, the company aims to help protect 2 billion people from infections and conserve enough water to meet the drinking needs of 1 billion people.

As the world’s water company, Christophe is leading Ecolab across the fastest growing industries in the world where water and performance matter most, including microelectronics, data centers and life sciences. The company enables chip manufacturers and data center operators to deliver higher performance with less water, less energy and greater reliability. In life sciences, Ecolab supports the development and manufacturing of life‑saving drugs through end‑to‑end solutions that meet the highest standards for quality and safety.

Christophe is a purpose-driven leader who cares deeply about strengthening the communities where Ecolab operates. He serves as co‑chair of the U.N. Water Resilience Coalition, a CEO‑led initiative mobilizing private‑sector action to address water stress in the world’s most vulnerable basins. In Minnesota, where Ecolab has been headquartered for more than a century, he has convened business, government and nonprofit leaders to advance initiatives that strengthen the local economy, including sustainable aviation fuel, medical technology and health innovation, and public‑private collaboration to address homelessness and expand economic opportunity.

Christophe joined Ecolab in 2007 and has held multiple senior leadership roles, including leading the successful integration of Nalco. He was named president and CEO in 2021 and chairman in 2022. He serves on the boards of Delta Air Lines and the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation and is chair of GREATER MSP. A native of Switzerland, he holds dual Swiss and U.S. citizenship and earned a master’s degree in engineering from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. Christophe and his wife have two children and live in the Minneapolis–St. Paul area.

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Nico Pronk, PhD

President and Chief Science Officer, HealthPartners Institute

Nico Pronk is a researcher and executive leader whose work focuses on worksite health promotion, obesity prevention and treatment and population health. He serves as President of the HealthPartners Institute and Chief Science Officer at HealthPartners.

Pronk’s work is grounded in connecting research, practice, policy and culture to help organizations and communities create conditions that support better health. His research and practice have addressed physical activity, lifestyle behavior change and systems approaches to improving health. He has published more than 500 peer-reviewed articles, practice-based papers, books and federal consensus reports.

Pronk has contributed to national efforts to improve population health, including serving as co-chair of the U.S. Secretary’s Advisory Committee on National Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Objectives for Healthy People 2030 and participating in work supporting Healthy People 2040. He also served as chair of the Roundtable on Obesity Solutions at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, and as a member of the Armed Forces Epidemiological Board, the Community Preventive Services Task Force and the Health Enhancement Research Organization Board of Directors.

Pronk is a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine and the Association for Worksite Health Promotion. His research and educational endeavors include adjunct faculty positions at the Harvard School of Public Health in Social and Behavioral Sciences and the University of Minnesota School of Public Health in Health Policy and Management. He received his Ph.D. in exercise physiology from Texas A&M University and completed a post-doctoral fellowship in behavioral medicine at Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic at the University of Pittsburgh.

How to Trust News in an AI World

Julie Pace (Associated Press), Varun Shetty (OpenAI), and Adam Winer (Spotify) will join Tiffany Hsu (New York Times) to explore the content, data and creative work powering AI, and what the changing technology landscape means for media, platforms and the public.

Speakers:

Julie Pace

Executive Editor and Senior Vice President, Associated Press

Julie Pace is Senior Vice President and Executive Editor of The Associated Press, leading global news coverage from more than 100 countries. During Pace’s tenure, the AP has been awarded four Pulitzer Prizes, and produced an award-winning documentary on the Ukraine war that won an Academy Award and a BAFTA.

Varun Shetty

VP, Media Partnerships, OpenAI

Varun Shetty works on media partnerships at OpenAI, developing collaborations with media and entertainment companies and exploring how AI can enable new products, creative experiences, and business models. His work sits at the intersection of technology, content, and partnership strategy, with a focus on building practical opportunities for creators, companies, and audiences. Prior to OpenAI he worked at Meta and The New York Times.

Adam Winer

Principal Product Manager, Spotify

From creating YouTube videos before ‘creator’ was a job title to leading content insights at Spotify, Adam Winer has made a career of understanding why media resonates with audiences, even as the definition of media constantly evolves. As Spotify’s Head of Content Strategy, Insights & Analytics for seven years, he led a team that turned audience research into product and business strategy recommendations. He recently moved over to building for podcast creators and audiences. Over the course of his career, Adam has also been a senior vice president at Condé Nast, an early YouTuber who was part of a program that helped coin the term ‘creator,’ and — a million years ago — a cast member on VH1’s pop-culture comedy show Best Week Ever.

Tiffany Hsu

Technology Reporter, The New York Times

Since 2000, Rochelle Olson has been a reporter at the Minnesota Star Tribune covering Minneapolis and St. Paul City Halls, state government, Hennepin and Ramsey counties and the district and state court systems. In February 2025, she joined the editorial board has a columnist focused on politics at the Capitol.

The Business and Leadership of Sports

Matt Caldwell (Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx), Jacob Frey (Mayor of Minneapolis), Christina Hennington (Minnesota United FC) provide a candid look at the leadership decisions behind professional sports organizations, from team culture and performance to business growth and community impact. Moderated by Eric Roper (The Minnesota Star Tribune).

Speakers:

Matt Caldwell

CEO, Minnesota Timberwolves and Minnesota Lynx

While serving for two terms as Minnesota’s Governor, Tim Pawlenty used innovative and conservative leadership to balance Minnesota’s budget, cut spending, reform healthcare, and improve schools without raising taxes. Due to his leadership, Minnesota had nation-leading healthcare, high school test scores and a prosperous economy.

Jacob Frey

Minneapolis Mayor

Jacob Frey fell in love with Minneapolis while running the Twin Cities Marathon. The day after graduating from law school, he moved across the country to make Minneapolis his new home. After practicing law and winning the city’s first annual Martin Luther King Jr. Award for his civil rights work, Jacob served as a City Council Member for Ward 3 before being elected as the 48th mayor of Minneapolis.

Christina Hennington

CEO, Minnesota United

Announced as Minnesota United FC’s next Chief Executive Officer, Christina Hennington brings to the club nearly 30 years of experience leading large, complex organizations across retail, strategy and technology.

Eric Roper

The Minnesota Star Tribune Editorial Columnist

Since 2000, Rochelle Olson has been a reporter at the Minnesota Star Tribune covering Minneapolis and St. Paul City Halls, state government, Hennepin and Ramsey counties and the district and state court systems. In February 2025, she joined the editorial board has a columnist focused on politics at the Capitol.

The GLP-1 Economy

Dr. Kavita Patel, Bahram Akradi (Life Time, Inc.), and Eliana Wahnon (General Mills) share how a new generation of weight-loss drugs is transforming health care while reshaping consumer behavior, food, fitness and wellness. Moderated by Susan Dominus (The New York Times).

Speakers:

Dr. Kavita Patel

Physician, Health Policy Expert, and NBC News Medical Contributor

While serving for two terms as Minnesota’s Governor, Tim Pawlenty used innovative and conservative leadership to balance Minnesota’s budget, cut spending, reform healthcare, and improve schools without raising taxes. Due to his leadership, Minnesota had nation-leading healthcare, high school test scores and a prosperous economy.

Bahram Akradi

Founder, Chairman, and CEO, Life Time, Inc.

Duckworth is serving in his second term in the Minnesota Senate. He represents Minnesota’s57th District which includes Lakeville, Elko New Market, Credit River, and Eureka Township. He serves as a member of the Education Policy and Commerce committees, and serves as the Republican lead for the Higher Education committee.

Eliana Wahnon

Vice President, Consumer Insights & Analytics, General Mills

Coleman represents District 48 in the Minnesota State Senate, serving communities across Carver County. First elected in 2020, she is currently Assistant Minority Leader and serves on committees focused on education, family policy, and economic growth. Before joining the Senate, Senator Coleman served on the Chanhassen City Council, where she gained firsthand experience addressing local priorities.

Susan Dominus

Staff Writer, New York Times

Susan Dominus is a staff writer for The New York Times Magazine and has worked for The New York Times since 2007, initially as a Metro columnist. She is a graduate of Yale College and has studied as a fellow at the National Institutes of Health and Yale Law School. Dominus also teaches journalism at Yale College. In 2018, she was part of a team that won a Pulitzer Prize for public service for their reporting on workplace sexual harassment issues. She has also received a Front Page Award from the Newswomen’s Club of New York and a Mychal Judge Heart of New York Award from the New York Press Club. Her article about menopause in The New York Times Magazine earned a National Magazine Award.

AI, Policy, and the Future of the Economy

Rep. Ro Khanna (CA) joins fellow leaders for a forward-looking conversation about how artificial intelligence and public policy are reshaping work, competitiveness, and economic growth.

Speakers:

Ro Khanna

Congressman, State of California

Ro Khanna is a United States Congressman from California’s 17th District in the heart of Silicon Valley. He has a vision to build America into a modern manufacturing and innovation superpower, and he partners it with a commitment to passing Medicare for All, a livable minimum wage, $10 a day childcare, and free public college and trade school. He is a progressive with a fresh economic vision.

Srilata Zaheer

Dean Emerita, Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota

Dr. Srilata Zaheer is Professor and Elmer L. Andersen Chair in Global Corporate Social Responsibility at the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management. Sri served as Dean of the Carlson School for twelve years, after earning her PhD at MIT and earlier degrees from IIM Ahmedabad and Women’s Christian College in Chennai, India where she grew up. She has held major leadership roles, including as Chair of the Board of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, and currently serves as an Area Editor at the Journal of International Business Studies.

Sri is a Life Trustee of Hamilton College, NY and currently serves on the boards of the Economic Club of Minnesota, H.B. Fuller, and the Minnesota Opera, and on the advisory councils of several global business schools. She previously served on the boards of the Guthrie Theater, the Greater Twin Cities United Way, and Mayo Clinic’s Economic Development Agency in Rochester, MN.

Sri has published extensively in international business and received the 2018 Eminent Scholar Award from the International Management Division of the Academy of Management for her scholarly contributions. She currently serves as Dean of Fellows of the Academy of International Business and as Area Editor for the Journal of International Business Studies.

Prior to academia, she worked in senior management roles, including as Internal Auditor for Sandoz India, and as Systems Analyst at Tata Consultancy Services.

James Hereford

President and Chief Executive Officer, Fairview Health Services

James Hereford is president and chief executive officer of Fairview Health Services, where he leads one of Minnesota’s largest and most comprehensive healthcare organizations. Since joining Fairview in 2016, he has guided the organization through significant transformation, strengthening operations, advancing innovation, and helping position the system for long-term stability and success.

With more than three decades of healthcare leadership experience, James has led large, integrated health systems through change while maintaining a focus on access, quality and community impact. Under his leadership, Fairview has been recognized nationally for its commitment to community health and health equity, including receiving the American Hospital Association’s Foster G. McGaw Prize.

Before joining Fairview, James served as chief operating officer at Stanford Health Care and previously held executive leadership roles with Palo Alto Medical Foundation and Group Health Cooperative. He serves on the board of directors of the Minnesota Hospital Association and as board chair of Medical Alley. A frequent speaker and writer on healthcare transformation and leadership, James brings a practical perspective on leading complex organizations through change and innovation.

Kristen Painter

Business Editor, The Minnesota Star Tribune

Kristen Painter has been with the Minnesota Star Tribune for more than a decade. As a reporter, she covered an array of beats – from commercial real estate to the food industry to airlines – before moving into an assistant business editor role for several years. Before joining the Minnesota Star Tribune, she was a business reporter at The Denver Post. Painter has a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Colorado at Boulder and bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Wisconsin at La Crosse. She lives in Minneapolis with her husband and two kids.

Leading Transformation: A CEO Conversation

Minnesota CEOs Dave Bozeman (C.H. Robinson), Carla Vernon (The Honest Company), and Terry Rasmussen (Thrivent) discuss how they are leading through technological and market change while keeping people, purpose and organizational culture at the center. Moderated by Allison Kaplan (The Minnesota Star Tribune).

Speakers:

Carla Vernón

CEO, The Honest Company

Carla Vernón has served as a Board Director and Chief Executive Officer of The Honest Company (NASDAQ: HNST), a purpose-driven personal care company since January 2023. She brings more than 25 years of experience scaling iconic consumer brands, leading business transformations, and building high-performing, values-driven teams. As one of the first Afro-Latine/o/a CEOs of a U.S. publicly traded company, her leadership reflects the diversity of Honest’s consumers and the values that guide the brand.

Terry Rasmussen

President and CEO, Thrivent

Theresa (Terry) Rasmussen is president and chief executive officer of Thrivent, a Fortune 500 financial services company. She is a member of the Thrivent Board of Directors and serves on its Executive Committee. Thrivent offers advice, insurance, investments, banking and generosity products and programs to clients in communities across the United States. Under Rasmussen’s leadership, Thrivent is transforming into a holistic financial services organization, helping current and future generations achieve financial clarity, enabling lives full of meaning and gratitude.

Terry Rasmussen

President and CEO, Thrivent

Theresa (Terry) Rasmussen is president and chief executive officer of Thrivent, a Fortune 500 financial services company. She is a member of the Thrivent Board of Directors and serves on its Executive Committee. Thrivent offers advice, insurance, investments, banking and generosity products and programs to clients in communities across the United States. Under Rasmussen’s leadership, Thrivent is transforming into a holistic financial services organization, helping current and future generations achieve financial clarity, enabling lives full of meaning and gratitude.

Allison Kaplan

Director of Innovation and Engagement, The Minnesota Star Tribune

Allison (Ali) Kaplan is Director of Innovation & Engagement for the Minnesota Star Tribune, working with the newsroom on multimedia initiatives and storytelling that deepens community connection. She brings to this newly created role more than two decades of experience as a journalist, radio show host, podcaster, television contributor, emcee, and entrepreneur. Previously, she served as editor in chief of Twin Cities Business and vice president of content for the magazine division of its parent company, MSP Communications.

Lunch & Networking Reception

Grab your lunch and join James Beard Award-winning chef Karyn Tomlinson of St. Paul’s Myriel and Minnesota Star Tribune food and drink reporter Joy Summers for a live podcast recording exploring the people, places and flavors shaping our region’s culinary identity. Level 5.

Speakers:

Karyn Tomlinson

Owner, Myriel

While serving for two terms as Minnesota’s Governor, Tim Pawlenty used innovative and conservative leadership to balance Minnesota’s budget, cut spending, reform healthcare, and improve schools without raising taxes. Due to his leadership, Minnesota had nation-leading healthcare, high school test scores and a prosperous economy.

Zack Duckworth

Minnesota Senator

Duckworth is serving in his second term in the Minnesota Senate. He represents Minnesota’s57th District which includes Lakeville, Elko New Market, Credit River, and Eureka Township. He serves as a member of the Education Policy and Commerce committees, and serves as the Republican lead for the Higher Education committee.

Julia Coleman

Minnesota Senator
Carver County

Coleman represents District 48 in the Minnesota State Senate, serving communities across Carver County. First elected in 2020, she is currently Assistant Minority Leader and serves on committees focused on education, family policy, and economic growth. Before joining the Senate, Senator Coleman served on the Chanhassen City Council, where she gained firsthand experience addressing local priorities.

Joy Summers

Food & Drink Reporter, The Minnesota Star Tribune

Since 2000, Rochelle Olson has been a reporter at the Minnesota Star Tribune covering Minneapolis and St. Paul City Halls, state government, Hennepin and Ramsey counties and the district and state court systems. In February 2025, she joined the editorial board has a columnist focused on politics at the Capitol.

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Sally Saba

Chief Inclusion & Diversity Officer and President of the Medtronic Foundation

Sally Saba, MD, MBA, is the Global Chief Inclusion and Diversity Officer (CIDO) at Medtronic and also serves as President of the Medtronic Foundation.

In this dual role, Sally is responsible for driving a culture of inclusion and the commitment to zero barriers to opportunity within Medtronic, and to strengthen communities where Medtronic employees live and work through skills-based volunteerism, employee engagement, and strategic philanthropic initiatives. She is also leading the development and launch of Medtronic Spark, a global 10-year initiative to propel 1 million students from low-income households into healthcare technology careers.

Sally is a sought-out people-first leader with unique insights and perspectives on employee engagement, inclusion as a performance driver, workforce development, and strategic philanthropy. She has been a featured speaker in forums including the Global Summit of Women, the Institute for Corporate Productivity (i4cp) and SXSW EDU.

Prior to joining Medtronic, Sally served as Vice President of Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity at Kaiser Permanente Health Plan and Hospitals in Oakland, California. In her role, Sally defined the inclusion, diversity, and equity strategy for the largest non-profit integrated healthcare system in America.

Sally holds a Doctor of Medicine and Surgery from Cairo University; a Master of Business Administration in International Business from ESLSCA Business School in Paris, France; and executive leadership certificates from both Harvard Business School and Cornell University. She was named one of the 2022 “Top 100 Diversity Officers in Healthcare” by DiversityFirst

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Joseph Lee

President and CEO, Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation

Dr. Joseph Lee is president and chief executive officer of the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, the nation’s leading nonprofit dedicated to addiction, mental health, recovery, research, and innovation. A child and adolescent psychiatrist and addiction medicine specialist, he brings the perspective of both a physician leader and nationally recognized clinician to conversations about mental health, addiction, family, community, and human flourishing. Grounded in a love-inspired, science-powered approach to care, Dr. Lee is known for his expertise in motivational interviewing and family-centered treatment. He completed his training at Johns Hopkins Hospital and Duke University and currently serves as board chair of the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation.

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Yossi Matias

Vice President, Google
GM, Google Research

Yossi Matias is VP, Google & GM, Google Research. For the past two decades, Yossi has been a key figure in Google’s executive technology leadership. Today, he leads global teams driving breakthrough research across AI for Science, Health, Climate Resilience, Education, Foundational ML & Algorithms, Computing Systems, GenAI and Quantum, with impact on products, science and society.

Previously, as part of Google Search leadership, he led products and technologies including Google Trends and Autocomplete, and pioneered Conversational AI innovations. Yossi also spearheaded Google’s AI for Social Good, Crisis Response, Google for Startups Accelerator, youth programs for STEM and AI literacy and Google Arts & Culture.

A Gödel Prize laureate, Yossi published 200+ papers and 80+ patents. He was a faculty member at Tel Aviv University, visiting professor at Stanford and Research Scientist at Bell Labs. He is an ACM Fellow and received the ACM Kanellakis Theory and Practice Award for seminal work laying the foundations for big data analytics.

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Amy Webb

CEO, Future Today Strategy Group

Amy Webb is the quantitative futurist who transformed strategic foresight into a rigorous, data-driven discipline, establishing the foundational methodologies that now guide leaders, organizations, and governments in anticipating disruption and securing long-term growth.

Her clients include a significant portion of the Fortune 100. New CEOs rely on her to navigate leadership transitions. Boards turn to her to understand systemic risk and opportunity amid accelerating change. She has advised three White House administrations and counsels U.S. federal agencies, Congress, and heads of state across four continents on technology and long-term planning and policy.

Her four books — including the international bestseller The Big Nine and The Genesis Machine, named by The New Yorker as one of the year’s best nonfiction — have been translated into 23 languages, with two optioned for film. She also collaborates with writers, directors, and producers on projects for Netflix, Hulu, and Marvel.

Ranked the #3 Most Influential Management Thinker in the World by Thinkers50, Forbes named her “one of the five women changing the world,” and the BBC recognized her among its 100 Women of the Year. Outside of work, she is a competitive endurance cyclist and an Assistant Scoutmaster to one of the country’s first all-girls Scout troops.

Breakout Session: Innovation in Local Media

Marc Lacey (The New York Times), Kimbriell Kelly (Chicago Public Media), and Kathleen Hennessey (The Minnesota Star Tribune) examine new models for trusted journalism, audience connection and sustainable community news.

Speakers:

Marc Lacy

Managing Editor The New York Times

While serving for two terms as Minnesota’s Governor, Tim Pawlenty used innovative and conservative leadership to balance Minnesota’s budget, cut spending, reform healthcare, and improve schools without raising taxes. Due to his leadership, Minnesota had nation-leading healthcare, high school test scores and a prosperous economy.

Kimbriell Kelly

Editor-in-Chief, Chicago Public Media

Kimbriell Kelly is the Editor-in-Chief of Chicago Public Media, the nation’s largest local nonprofit newsroom, overseeing a team of more than 140 talented staff for the Chicago Sun-Times and WBEZ. A Pulitzer Prize-winning journalism executive and 25-year veteran investigative editor and reporter, Kelly has overseen multiple award-winning projects in some of the nation’s largest newsrooms, including The Washington Post and Los Angeles Times.

Kathleen Hennessey

Editor and Senior Vice President, The Minnesota Star Tribune

Coleman represents District 48 in the Minnesota State Senate, serving communities across Carver County. First elected in 2020, she is currently Assistant Minority Leader and serves on committees focused on education, family policy, and economic growth. Before joining the Senate, Senator Coleman served on the Chanhassen City Council, where she gained firsthand experience addressing local priorities.

Rochelle Olson

The Minnesota Star Tribune Editorial Columnist

Since 2000, Rochelle Olson has been a reporter at the Minnesota Star Tribune covering Minneapolis and St. Paul City Halls, state government, Hennepin and Ramsey counties and the district and state court systems. In February 2025, she joined the editorial board has a columnist focused on politics at the Capitol.

2026 North Star Summit Schedule

Event Schedule

Speaker Information

Michelle Bellanca

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How to Trust News in an AI World

The Business and Leadership of Sports

The GLP-1 Economy

AI, Policy, and the Future of the Economy

Leading Transformation: A CEO Conversation

Lunch & Networking Reception

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Breakout Session: Innovation in Local Media