Luther President Richard Torgerson names Katherine Johnson-Becklin to Board of Regents

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Katherine Johnson-Becklin

DECORAH, IA (04/01/2013)(readMedia)-- Luther College President Richard Torgerson has announced the appointment of Katherine Johnson-Becklin of Middleton, Wis. to the Luther Board of Regents. Johnson-Becklin assumed her duties as a Luther Regent at the board's February 2013 meeting.

"Katherine, who has experienced the college through the eyes of a proud parent, brings a passion for education and understands how important marketing is to effectively tell the Luther story," said President Torgerson.

Since 2008, Johnson-Becklin has served as an educational consultant, specializing in gifted and talented education. Johnson-Becklin works with parents, students, school administrators, guidance counselors and mental health professionals to help children realize their potential and grow in their social and emotional well-being. Her work also includes helping gifted children and their parents make optimal K-12 school matches and college decisions. She speaks at conferences around the country, discussing challenges and opportunities with parents and educators.

Johnson-Becklin holds a bachelor's degree in education with concentrations in speech/communication arts and English, and a master's degree in business with an emphasis in marketing from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

She began her career as an advertising manager with the Credit Union National Association in Madison and then with First Bank System in Minneapolis. She later joined Stephan & Brady Marketing Communications, serving as the co-owner and senior vice president for nearly 15 years. She then served as the director for the A.C. Nielsen Center for Marketing Research at UW-Madison prior to becoming a strategic planning consultant.

Johnson-Becklin became involved in gifted and talented educational programming in 2004, working as the gifted and talented director for the New Glarus, Wis. school district. In her role as director, Johnson-Becklin implemented district-wide strategic planning and wrote the first gifted and talented education policy in the district.

Johnson-Becklin has volunteered with a variety of community boards and organizations including the dean's advisory board and the school of journalism advisory board at UW-Madison. She served as the president for the New Glarus school district board of education, spearheading a district strategic plan and working on several board committees within the district.

More recently, Johnson-Becklin served on the Madison Country Day School board, chairing the committee for two years as well as serving on the curriculum and instruction committee, the board recruitment committee and the executive committee. Johnson-Becklin is a member of Advent Lutheran Church in Madison where she serves as a cantor and member of the interfaith hospitality network.

Johnson-Becklin, originally from Monroe, Wis., and her husband, Jay Becklin, a native of Milaca, Minn., are the parents of Hans, Luther College junior, and Alexandra.