David Gaither: Executive Director

David has been Executive Director at the International Education Center since 2007.  He has served as member of the Minnesota   Senate representing the cities of Plymouth, Minnetonka, and Medicine Lake and was Chief of Staff to Governor Tim Pawlenty. David has over 30 years of diverse business experience, including principal of an executive search and consulting firm, national sales manager of a market-leading telecommunications company, regional sales manager of a pharmaceutical distributor, and CEO of a publicly held owner involved housing company. He has experienced success and challenge while working in startup ventures and mature industries. He has marketed emerging, entrepreneurial, and government regulated technologies.

W. Anders Folk: Chairman of the Board

Anders has served on the IEC board since 2006.  He works as Shareholder at Leonard, Street and Deinard, in Minneapolis, where he is a litigator.  Prior to working at Leonard, Street and Deinard, Anders was a federal prosecutor, working at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota.  As a federal prosecutor, Anders tried numerous cases to verdict and   was the Anti-Terrorism Advisory Council (“ATAC”) prosecutor for the District of Minnesota.  His career started as an officer in the Marine Corps, where he served as a judge advocate, prosecuting and defending Marines and sailors under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.  He grew up in Minnesota and   graduated from the University of Minnesota, Phi Beta Kappa in 1998 and the University of Minnesota law school in 2001.   

Ken Dragseth: Vice Chairman of the Board

Ken has served on the IEC board since 2008.  Dr. Dragseth is currently the Director of Administrative Licensure. He is a retired superintendent from Edina and runs a consulting company that specializes in superintendent searches and program and leadership support to school boards and district personnel. He has 44 years in education, was National Superintendent of the Year in 2003, and was   one of the 100 Distinguished Alumni from the University of Minnesota College of Education and Human Development in 2006. He is active on several organizational and college boards.  He has a M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota in educational administration and education.

Gregg Peterson: Treasurer

Gregg has served on the IEC board since 2009.  He is president of Nascent Capital, Inc., a corporate finance advisory firm.  Gregg holds a BA degree from Williams College and an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business. He is Board Chair for Seeonic, Inc., a retail technology company. 

His great grandfather and great grandmother were immigrants from Norway in 1870.

Greg Baufield

Greg has served on the IEC board since 2009.  Greg is the Director of Business Development for TIES, Minnesota’s education technology collaborative, that   provides software and technology services for education.  He served for 8 years on the Wayzata School Board in several officer positions including chairman, and helped create the   original Citizens Technology Advisory Group.  He is an active community member in Plymouth, MN.

Anh Le Kremer

Anh has served on the IEC board since 2010.  She is Shareholder at Leonard, Street and Deinard, in Minneapolis where she is a federal court litigator in the Business and Commercial practice. Anh has experience litigating complex business disputes, ranging from breach of contract claims to non-compete matters. A global citizen with an interest in world cultures and international business, Anh has represented Minnesota businesses embroiled in litigation and arbitration in foreign markets and currently assists companies who do business in the People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong and Vietnam. She graduated from the William Mitchell College of Law in 2001, and was a staff member on the William Mitchell Law Review.

John Satorius

John has served on the IEC board since 2007.  He serves as outside general counsel to a   diverse base of mid-market private companies and as lead counsel on private equity and other financing and M&A transactions at Fredrikson & Byron. With over 35 years of experience as a business and transaction lawyer John advises corporate boards, management, business owners, and investors on start-up and organizational matters, M&A transactions, finance, securities compliance, shareholder agreements, buy-outs, and a variety of joint venture and other commercial transactions.

Matthew Strongin

Matthew joined the IEC board in 2013.  He is an associate on the investment team at First Green Partners, a Minneapolis-based venture firm focused on commercializing technologies in the energy, fuels, and chemicals sectors.  He is active in identifying investment opportunities, conducting financings, and supporting portfolio   companies.  Matthew graduated Phi Beta Kappa and magna cum laude from Carleton College with a BA in Physics and advanced study in Arabic. While at Carleton, he founded the College's chapter of Engineers Without Borders and coordinated engineering projects in South America.