Today, the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) announced the election of its new union leaders to serve on its Board of Directors from January 1, 2027 through 2029. Chris Rubesch, RN, from Essentia-Duluth was re-elected for a second term as the president of MNA.
The outgoing Board of Directors has celebrated significant organizational achievements during their tenure including:
- Welcoming hundreds of new MNA members who elected to unionize including nurses at North Memorial Maple Grove Hospital, Hazelden Betty Ford in Center City, and Hutchinson Health
- Defending Paid Family & Medical Leave and Earned Sick & Safe Time at the Capitol and continuing to focus on fighting for safe staffing legislation, improving hospital financial reporting laws, and strengthening Minnesota’s hospital merger laws
- Leading a coalition to save Hennepin County Medical Center through financial stabilization at the legislature
“I am excited to work with a new group of members stepping into union leadership,” said MNA President Chris Rubesch, RN. “In the months and years ahead, MNA will face challenges from increased corporatization and consolidation in healthcare, cuts to federal healthcare funding, and an overall aging population. It is the energy and leadership from our members—including these elected leaders—that makes us strong and helps us continue the fight for our patients, our co-workers, and the nursing profession.”
MNA elections took place this fall, with balloting beginning in August and concluding this past week. MNA members elected a new Board of Directors, comprised of 16 MNA members from hospitals across Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, and Iowa. The Board is made up of five Executive Members and 11 Directors, each with many years of experience as bedside nurses.
Members also elected new leaders to the following MNA commissions:
- Commission on Governmental Affairs
- Commission on Nursing Practice & Education
- Commission on Racial Diversity, Equity & Anti Oppression
MNA members elected to the Board of Directors
Executive Board Members
Chris Rubesch, RN, Essentia-Duluth—President
Jeremy Olson-Ehlert, RN, Hennepin County Medical Center—First Vice President
Rachel Andersen, RN, Fairview Southdale—Second Vice President
Becky Nelson, RN, Allina Abbott Northwestern—Secretary
Daniel Clute, RN, Fairview Bethesda—Treasurer
Directors
Kevin Hawn, RN, Allina United Hospital
Dick Hebrink, RN, Fairview HealthEast – St. John’s
Reva Jones-Simmons, RN, Fairview Riverside
Robin Larson, RN, Allina Unity Hospital
Brittany Livaccari, RN, Allina United Hospital
Ava Longe, RN, Fairview HealthEast – St. John’s
Kristy Ricks, RN, Fairview Southdale
Richard Schuster, RN, Allina Abbott Northwestern
Michelle Sorensen, RN, Allina Owatonna Hospital
Mary C Turner, RN, North Memorial Health – Robbinsdale
Heather Jax, RN, Retired
These union-wide elections represent MNA’s democratic process of moving the union forward to protect patient care and the nursing profession.
