The Minnesota Star Tribune Announces Additional Speakers for North Star Summit

Event on Tuesday, Oct. 7 will bring together top national and local leaders to discuss the issues, ideas and solutions shaping the future of our region

 

Minneapolis, Minn. – The Minnesota Star Tribune has announced additional speakers for its inaugural North Star Summit. Taking place on Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025 at the Walker Art Center, the event will bring a collection of top business, political and cultural leaders together to discuss the issues, ideas and solutions that will shape the future of our region and America.  

 

Tickets for the inaugural North Star Summit are extremely limited and are available at startribune.com/northstarsummit. 

 

New speakers* and moderators scheduled to attend include: 

• Governor J.B. Pritzker – 43rd governor of Illinois, philanthropist, and entrepreneur who has focused his administration on expanding education, healthcare, and economic opportunity. 

• Dessa – Singer, rapper, writer, and spoken word artist known for blending hip-hop, pop, and literary influences in her work. 

• Gianrico Farrugia, M.D. – President and CEO of the Mayo Clinic; advancing patient-centered healthcare innovation at one of the world’s leading medical institutions. 

• Gunjan Kedia – President and CEO of U.S. Bancorp—the fifth-largest commercial bank in the U.S, with nearly 30 years of experience across financial services. 

• Neel Kashkari – President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, known for overseeing the federal government’s bank bailout during the 2008 financial crisis and for his work on monetary policy and economic stability. 

• Beth Wozniak – Chair and Chief Executive Officer of nVent, a global electrical connection and protection solutions company, leading its growth and sustainable innovation. 

• Curtis Sittenfeld – Bestselling American novelist and essayist, known for works such as Prep, American Wife, and Romantic Comedy. 

• Tim Pawlenty – Attorney, businessman, and Republican politician; serving as the 39th governor of Minnesota from 2003 to 2011. 

• Senator Julia Coleman – Republican Senator representing Carver County since 2021. 

• Senator Zach Duckworth – Republican Senator representing Minnesota District 57 since 2023 after previously serving District 58 from 2021–2023. 

• Ali Kaplan – Director of Innovation and Engagement at the Minnesota Star Tribune. Former editor-in-chief and VP of content at Twin Cities Business, where she brought entrepreneurial flair and inclusivity to business journalism. 

• Lisa Lerer – National political correspondent for The New York Times, founding author of its On Politics newsletter, and an awardwinning reporter with nearly two decades of experience covering U.S. presidential campaigns, the White House, and Congress. 

• Josh Boak – White House correspondent for the Associated Press, covering U.S. politics, policy, and the economy. 

• Ernesto Londoño – National correspondent for The New York Times, former Brazil bureau chief, and the author of Trippy: The Peril and Promise of Medicinal Psychedelics. 

 

Speakers* previously announced to attend include: 

• Dr. Ronnie Chatterji – OpenAI’s first Chief Economist, leading research into the economic and societal impact of AI.  

• Governor Tim Walz – 41st Governor of Minnesota, former six-term U.S. Congressman, and retired National Guard command sergeant major focused on education, economic growth, and veterans’ issues. 

• Dayna Frank – President & CEO of First Avenue Productions and cofounder of the National Independent Venue Association. 

• Peter Meijer – Co-Founder and Head of Strategy at New Industrial Corporation, former U.S. Representative for Michigan’s 3rd district, and public-sector strategist focused on supply chain resiliency and smart-growth infrastructure. 

• Susan Brower – Minnesota’s State Demographer providing data-driven insights statewide on population trends shaping the economy, workforce, health, immigration, and education. 

• Houston White – North Minneapolis entrepreneur, designer, and community leader known for founding The Get Down Coffee Co. and Houston White Men’s Room. 

• Danielle Russell – Google’s Managing Director for Data, Measurement & Analytics advising the C-suite at Fortune 500 companies in environmental, social, and governance strategies to grow their businesses and strengthen their cultures. 

• Ping Yeh – CEO and cofounder of Vocxi Health, a Minnesota-based medtech startup pioneering noninvasive early disease detection through breath-based sensors.  

• Peter Leyden – Veteran tech futurist, former managing editor of Wired, coauthor of The Long Boom, currently leading “The Great Progression: 2025 to 2050” initiative as a thought leader on AI and transformative technologies. 

• Myles Shaver – Associate Dean of Faculty and Research and Professor of Strategic Management and Entrepreneurship at the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management, where he holds the Curtis L. Carlson Chair in Corporate Strategy. 

• Zachary Mannheimer – Founder and Chairman of Alquist 3D, using robotic 3D printing to address America’s affordable housing crisis through advanced technology and workforce training. 

• Andrew Miller – Chief Operating Officer of the Minnesota Vikings, overseeing the team’s business strategy, operations, and revenue growth initiatives. 

 

Additional session details and topics will be announced soon at startribune.com/northstarsummit. 

 

*All speakers are subject to change. 

 

“We’re excited to convene curious and influential leaders for a first of its kind ideas festival in the upper Midwest” said Steve Grove, Publisher and CEO of the Minnesota Star Tribune. “In a nutshell, the North Star Summit will explore the future of our nation, and how the Midwest is making an outsized – but sometimes overlooked – impact on that future. We hope people will leave this event both informed and inspired.” 

 

Drawing inspiration from events like The New York Times DealBook Summit, the Aspen Ideas Festival and the Texas Tribune Festival, the North Star Summit aspires to be a new showcase of ideas and influences from the region. With substantive talks, newsmaker interviews and panel discussions about topics of deep relevance to the region, attendees will glean key takeaways and inspiration to inform their daily lives and work.