"Minnesota needs to follow the lead of our Governor and bipartisan legislators who championed early learning scholarships. We need to continue investing in this proven education tool because it delivers the right amount of help, for the right length of time, to the right children-- the children who are most at-risk. Indeed, investing in early learning scholarships is the best public investment we can make."
Art Rolnick
Board member, Close Gaps by 5
Leaders
Close Gaps By 5 is a lean nonprofit organization led by Minnesota business and community leaders championing the use of early education to narrow Minnesota’s worst-in-the-nation achievement gaps.
It is made up of respected leaders from Minnesota’s business, nonprofit and academic sectors who are committed to early education approaches that are proven to be effective and efficient.
Board
- Michael V. Ciresi, Founding Partner, Ciresi Conlin L.L.P. (Chair)
- Douglas M. Baker, Jr., Chairman and CEO, Ecolab (Vice Chair)
- Jan Kruchoski, Principal, CliftonLarsonAllen L.L.P. (Treasurer)
- Tim Penny, President, Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (Secretary)
- Terri Barreiro, Co-founder, Impact Hub MSP
- Karen Cadigan, Early Childhood Specialist for Bloomington-Richfield Public Schools
- Kathy Cooney, Executive Vice President & Chief Administrative Officer, HealthPartners
- Barb Fabre, Director White Earth Child Care/Early Childhood Programs
- Robbin Johnson, Former President, Cargill Foundation
- Scott Jones, Chair, Jones Family Foundation
- Arthur J. Rolnick, Senior Fellow, Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota
- Fred Senn, Founding Partner, Fallon Worldwide
- Margie Soran, Executive Director, Soran Foundation