Claudia Parliament
Executive Director
Email: cparliam@umn.edu

Claudia is Executive Director of the Council and Professor, Department of Applied Economics, University of Minnesota. Her Ph.D. is in agricultural and resource economics from the University of California, Berkeley. She received her B.S. and M.S. from the University of Minnesota. She taught mathematics in the Minneapolis Public Schools and in the Peace Corps in Nigeria, Ethiopia and Liberia. Claudia owned and managed her own small handcraft retail business from 1971 to 1977. She received the Bush Faculty Development Program for Excellence and Diversity in Teaching for 1995-96. Claudia enjoys traveling and she participates in synchronized swimming competitions.

Thomas Klein
Associate Director
Email: klein046@umn.edu

Tom Klein joined the Council as the Associate Director in July 2007. Prior to this position, Tom worked for the University of Minnesota Extension for nine years as Chief Financial Officer, Director of the Resource Development Unit and as Director of Marketing. These positions included responsibility for working with field staff, county attorneys and administrators on memoranda of agreement covering $11 million in county funding for Extension positions. Tom also provided leadership and worked with campus and field faculty to write program business plans for all 56 Extension programs. The University of Minnesota Extension was the first Extension group in the nation to write business plans for all its programs. Tom also has 20 plus years experience in marketing, sales and accounting in the private sector with Fortune 500 and startup companies. He served as Director of Marketing and New Business Development for SurVivaLink, which developed, manufactured and marketed the first automated external defibrillators (AEDs). He was the Director of Marketing for start-up Recovery Engineering, the developer of PUR line of water filters. Tom began his career as an accounting analyst at Kohler Co, an international plumbing and engines manufacturer and marketer. Over 10 years he worked in international sales and as product manager in the plumbing and specialty products division. Tom has an MBA in Accounting and Finance from the Carlson School of the University of Minnesota and a BA in Humanities also from the U of M. Tom and Kip Palmer have three grown children and live in South Minneapolis. Tom serves on the board of the early stage non-profit Doing Good Together, which promotes family volunteering.

Jane Greenberg
Resource Development Coordinator
Email: green035@umn.edu

Jane Greenberg has joined the Minnesota Council on Economic Education as the Resource Development Coordinator. Jane previously worked as a grants coordinator, science educator, and volunteer coordinator for the CFAN’S Bell Museum of Natural History. She has a M.A. in Science Education and a B.S. in Forestry and Biology. Jane lives in south Minneapolis with her husband ‘Dick’ (Yes, Dick and Jane!), their three awesome sons, and one awesome West Highland Terrier, Stella.

Lois Epstein
Financial Coordinator
Email: epste043@umn.edu

Lois Epstein joined the Council in 2006 as part-time Financial Coordinator. She originally moved to Minnesota from Massachusetts to study dance at the College of Saint Benedict in St. Joseph. Later she attended the University of Minnesota and graduated with a degree in psychology. In addition to working with the Council, Lois provides accounting and financial management services for several non-profit organizations including National Handicap Housing Institute, Minnesota Council on Foundations and League of Women Voters. Lois enjoys gardening, biking, and dancing with her husband and daughter.

Sue Pohlod
Administrative Specialist, Department of Applied Economics
Email: spohlod@umn.edu

Sue is Executive Office and Administrative Specialist in the Department of Applied Economics. She grew up on a dairy farm in north central Wisconsin. She attended North Central Technical College in Wausau, WI for clerical training and graduated in 1974 with the "Outstanding Graduate Award." Sue was employed with the Univ. of MN, Medical School Curriculum from 1974-1980. She took a break to travel and live on the east coast, where she was employed as Secretary to the Head of Pediatric Nephrology at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, MD. In 1982, she returned to the Univ. of MN in the Dept. of Agricultural and Applied Economics. She has remained with the department since 1982 and currently serves as Administrative Specialist for department faculty, the International Science and Technology Practice and Policy (InSTePP) center, and the MN Council. Sue organized a women's pool league for 10 years, participated on intramural and city league softball teams, enjoys music and is an avid Packers fan. Most recently in furthering her interest in music, Sue joined the Twin Cities Women's Choir, which performs concerts and participates in various musical events in the Twin Cities Metro area.