Meet Our Board

Our volunteer board consists of dedicated alumni, parents and community members who share a passion for Duluth East High School and its future. Want to get involved? Contact us for more information on joining our board or working committees.

Steve Patronas

Vice President

Steve is a 1989 graduate of Duluth East and is married to Karin Patronas (Vukson), Duluth East graduate, Class of 1992. Steve has been Vice President - Financial Advisor at RBC Wealth Management since 1996. Steve is actively involved in the community serving on the Board of Directors for the United Way of Greater Duluth, United Day Activity Center (UDAC), Boys and Girls’ Club of Duluth Scholarship Foundation, and the Duluth East High School Foundation.

Dave Zbaracki

Treasurer

Dave Zbaracki is a 2001 East graduate. He was a member of the A'Capella choir, Choralaires, and lettered in Alpine Skiing. He was also voted "most school spirit" by his senior class. Dave lives in Duluth with his wife, Anne (née, Stromquist), a 1997 East graduate and physician at Essentia Health, is a full-time dad to Adam (5) and Catherine (7), works at Ski Hut, and is a volunteer coach in alpine skiing and mountain biking. He is active in local politics and has a passion for travel and cooking.

Joe Berini

Board Member

Joe’s roots are deep at East. He was involved in Student Forum and was President of his Junior and Senior Classes. Joe was fortunate to sing with the very first Duluth East European Choir Tour in 1971 as a sophomore and went on to be the President of the Acapella Choir. He had “great seats” as a member of two East State Basketball tournament teams. After graduating from East in 1973, Joe completed his Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Minnesota. Joe has chaired each of their Class Reunions since returning to Duluth in 1992. All three of his kids graduated from East and his wife Sandy formerly occupied a Counselor position at East that Joe’s father held for nearly two decades. He has served on the Duluth East Athletic Association and is an active member of the Duluth YMCA and the Duluth Lions Club.

Kathy Cortes

Board Member

Kathy is a 3rd generation East Graduate, Class of 1984. While at East, she was involved in many sports and activities including Danceline, Student Forum, DECA and Homecoming Queen. She graduated from Hamline University with a Bachelor Degree in Legal Studies and then went on to Hamline University School of Law earning her Juris Doctorate in 1990. After law school, Kathy was the Executive Director of a mediation and arbitration agency in the Minneapolis area for 12 years. In 1999, Kathy and her husband Tim, also an East Grad, decided to move back to their hometown of Duluth to raise their family. Both of their children are now also East Graduates. Kathy has been a realtor in Duluth since 1999.

Kelly Flohaug

Board Member

Kelly Flohaug is the Principal at Duluth East High School. He graduated from Grand Rapids High School before earning his bachelor’s degree in social studies education in 2001 from UMD. Prior to becoming East Principal in 2023, Flohaug has been an assistant principal at Centennial High School in Circle Pines, Minnesota for the past nine years.

Greg Goldman

Board Member

Greg Goldman is an East 1969 graduate. He has been with the accounting firm of Kolquist, Seitz & Goldman since 1978 and an owner since 1985. Since graduating from the University of Minnesota Duluth in 1974, he has continually served in the public accounting profession. He practices in the areas of personal and business tax and financial planning, management services, business valuations, and litigation support. Greg is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Minnesota Society of Certified Public Accountants. He is Past President of the Duluth Chapter of Certified Public Accountants. Greg is a member of the Duluth Harbortown Rotary Club and its related Charitable Foundation. He is a YMCA member and past chairman of the Duluth Area Family YMCA Foundation.

Barb Hanson

Board Member

Barb is a life-long Duluthian and 1969 graduate of Duluth East. While a student there, she was involved in numerous committees, orchestra, and cheerleading. She went on to UMD where she majored in art and minored in accounting. Barb began her working career at age 16 at Maurices and stayed with the company for over 10 years. In 1978, she switched to a career in real estate and still loves it over 45 years later. She currently works with the Adolphson Company. Aside from work, family is everything to Barb. She has two daughters (both Duluth East grads) and has been enjoying her role as grandma to 6 grandchildren that includes two sets of twins. Two of her grandsons are carrying on the family tradition and currently attending East as well. Outside of spoiling the grandkids, Barb enjoys cooking, decorating, and gardening. Barb has also been active in the community serving with numerous organizations such as Safe Haven and the Duluth Lions Club.

Darin Hanson

Board Member

Darin is a 1989 graduate of Duluth East and is married to Laura Hanson (Frielund) a 1989 graduate from Duluth East as well. Darin was involved in Basketball, Baseball and Football while attending East. He went on to play basketball at the University of Minnesota Duluth and graduated from UMD with a Business Degree in 1994. Darin has been a Financial Advisor in Duluth at AdvisorNet Financial for the last 29 years. Both of Darin’s kids have graduated from Duluth East as well, Kelsi (2016) and Lukan (2019). Darin has been involved in many different Boards over the last 25 years, including boards at the YMCA, CHUM, UMD, and Ridgeview CC.

Pat Heffernan

Board Member

Pat is a 1991 graduate of Duluth East where he served as President of the Executive Board and Student Forum. Heffernan is married to Carrie Wheeler, also a member of the East Class of 1991 and they have 3 boys - twins from East the class of 2024 and a current Greyhound. Pat is a partner at Wheeler Associates where he has worked since 2002. In 1997, Heffernan received the Donald R. Zander Leadership Award at the University of Minnesota and in 2010 he was honored by the Duluth News Tribune with their 20 Under 40 Award. He has been active in the Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce and served as board chair and has also served on many boards including St. Luke’s, Boreal Waters and the University of Minnesota Alumni Association.

Ray Peterson

Board Member

Ray is a 1991 graduate of Duluth East, where he participated in football, hockey, and baseball, and served on the Executive Board. Ray earned his BA from Gustavus Adolphus College and his juris doctorate from Hamline University School of Law. He has been practicing law in Duluth since 2001 and is currently president of the law firm, Dryer & Peterson, P.C. He has served on a number of local boards and presently sits on the boards for the Duluth Heritage Center Foundation and True North Goodwill. He is the proud parent of two Greyhounds, Cate Peterson – Class of 2023, and Kyle Peterson – Class of 2025.

Brian Prudhomme

Board Member

Brian Prudhomme is a lifetime resident of Duluth and a 1997 graduate of East. While at East, Brian was the student manager of Boys’ Basketball, and Boys and Girls’ Cross-Country. He served as Class Treasurer twice, was a 4-time Student Forum member, Association President and Treasurer, Sports Editor of the Greyhound newspaper, a member of the A’cappella choir, and he was the founder of the Super Fans. In addition, Brian won the Gregory Irons Award, a 1997 Birchen, and was crowned 1997 Spring King. Brian currently serves as the Public Address announcer for Duluth East athletics, and is co-chair of the Class of 1997 reunion committee.

Shawn Roed

Board Member

A Duluth East mainstay, Shawn’s deep roots in the community began as a student-athlete at East, graduating in 1988. After competing in hockey and cross country as a Greyhound, he returned to his alma mater to begin a career supporting education and leading East’s extracurricular life—first as a soccer coach in 1993 and later as a Marketing teacher, hockey, and soccer coach during later years. Over the decades, Shawn has worn nearly every hat imaginable, advising everything from DECA to assemblies, to the Joe Mrkonich Scholarship Committee. However, his most enduring legacy is his 19-year tenure as Activities Director, the longest in school history. Beyond the halls of East, he has been a pillar of athletic administration, serving on the Region 7AA Board of Directors, Youth Sports Committees, and the MSHSL LEAD AD Committee. His leadership has earned him prestigious honors, including Region 7AA Activities Director of the Year (2012) and the Rotary International Paul Harris Fellow Award (2014), and the Duluth News Tribune's "Top 20 under 40" in 2009.

Sally Riesland Sundeen

Board Member

Sally is a proud graduate of Duluth East class of 1978 and lifelong resident of Duluth. While at East she was a Letter winner in swimming, basketball, track and fastpitch softball and a member of the A'Capella Choir. Sally is married to Garth Sundeen and has three son's, all graduates of Duluth East and residents of the Duluth area. She coached swimming for 32 years, with stints at the YMCA and all three high schools including her last 15 with Duluth East. Since 1984 she has worked as a Special Education Para with the Duluth School School district. "I love being a part of the Greyhound nation. My eight siblings graduated from East and I look forward to my seven grandchildren joining the long tradition of Duluth East grads.”