Mandee Rickard, secretary:  Mandee Rickard is the secretary for the TIES board and was elected in June 2007.  Ms. Rickard has been a third grade teacher at our school since January 2007.  Before coming to TIES she taught first grade at an International Baccalaureate School.  She also taught Kindergarten to students needing extra academic support in mathematics and reading.  Ms. Rickard was born and raised in the Twin Cities.  She received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education from St. Cloud State University in 2004.

Kristin Kjolsing, treasurer:  Kristin Kjolsing is our school board treasurer and has been an active board member since June 2007.  Kristin is currently a first grade teacher at TIES.  Kristin was born in Marshall, MN and raised in Eagle Lake, MN.  She attended Mankato East High School where she started her youth service learning.  Kristin’s undergraduate work is from the University of Minnesota, Duluth where she earned her Early Childhood Education Degree.  Kristin’s experience after college includes a year of accredited preschool teaching and is in her 3rd year of teaching at TIES.

Jessica Wrobleski:

Wesam Shaker:  Mrs. Wesam Shaker has been an Arabic teacher at TIES for the last three years.  She has volunteered as a weekend teacher for 15 years and worked as a parent teacher coordinator in her children’s schools.  Wesam has been a board member since 2008.Mrs. Shaker was born and raised in Jordan, and received a B.A. and Master's degree from the University of Jordan.  She has lived in Minnesota for the past 18 years.  Wesam enjoys reading Arabic poetry and literature.

Abdirashid Warsame:  Abdirashid Warsame has been an active board member since 2001.  He serves as a community member and parent on the TIES board. Mr. Warsame also serves on several other community boards throughout the Twin Cities.  In addition, he has also advised several East African charter schools in the United States.  Mr. Warsame has 12 years of experience in the educational field.  He obtained a Bachelor’s degree in management and accounting from the Somali Institute of Development Administration and Management.  Mr. Warsame also earned a degree in the field of information technology from St. Mary’s University in Minnesota.  In addition, Abdirashid finished a course of study as a Humphrey Scholar at the University of Minnesota.  He is currently enrolled in a Masters of Art in Management program at Hamline University.  Abdirashid is the founder of Ubah Educational Services, an adult education program serving the growing East African Communities in the Twin Cities.  Mr. Warsame started Ubah in 1996.  The school has since expanded in order to meet the community’s needs.  Now, the school system is made up of Twin Cities International Elementary School, which opened in 2001, Minnesota International Middle school, which also opened in 2001, and Ubah Medical Academy, which is a high school that opened in 2004.

Ibrahim Aden:  Ibrahim Aden has been an active board member since June 2007. Ibrahim is currently a Grade K– 4 Arabic Teacher at TIES. He is currently in his second year of teaching at TIES.  Mr. Aden was born and raised in Garissa, Kenya. He studied both in Egypt and Nairobi at the University level. He is currently an MA student at Hamline University ESL graduate school.  Ibrahim’s experience after college includes two years of teaching ESL in Saudi Arabia, three years of K–12 teaching the English language in Kenya. He has also taught six years of Arabic at the elementary level. Mr. Aden has volunteered in various East African Communities throughout the Twin Cities and abroad.

Mahmoud Kalif Ahmed:

Abdisamad Ibrahim: