Biographies
Mark Garnett, DC
Dr. Mark Garnett is a 2001 graduate of Northwestern Health Sciences University, a former Chiropractic Alumni Board Chair, and two-time recipient of the Humanitarian Award. Dr. Garnett currently resides as the chiropractic department director at Open Cities Health Center, Inc. in St. Paul and NorthPoint Health and Wellness Center in Minneapolis, where he works in a multidisciplinary environment serving the people of Minneapolis and St. Paul.
Dr. Garnett was elected to the Board of Trustees in 2022 and currently serves on the Academic Affairs Committee and the Institutional Advancement Committee.
David C. Holte, DC, MD
Dr. David Holte graduated from Northwestern College of Chiropractic in 1976. He was in solo private practice for 6 years and then attended the University of Minnesota Medical School from 1982-1986. He completed a 5-year Orthopedic Surgery Residency program at the University of Minnesota in 1991. Dr. Holte then travelled to London, England and completed a one-year spinal surgery fellowship at the London Clinic.
Dr. Holte joined Orthopaedic Consultants, PA, which later became Twin Cities Orthopedics, PA (TCO) in 1992. He practiced for 30 years, as a board-certified orthopedic spine surgeon until he retired in 2022. He was president of Twin Cities Orthopedics for 19 years during which time TCO grew to include over 110 orthopedic surgeons. He also served in leadership roles at Fairview Southdale Hospital as Chief of Orthopedic Surgery, Chief of the Medical Staff, and numerous other committee positions. In his last 2 years of practice, he was instrumental in forming Infinite Health Collaborative, PA (i-Health), a multispecialty practice with 175 physicians in 6 divisions including: Orthopedic Surgery, OB/GYN, Colon and Rectal Surgery, Family Practice, Plastic Surgery, and Interventional Radiology. He served as its’ president until he retired.
Dr. Holte was elected to NWHSU Board of Trustees in 2023 and serves on the Finance, Facilities, and Audit Committee and the Committee on Trustees.
Christopher D. Jo, DC
Dr. Christopher Jo is a graduate of Northwestern College of Chiropractic and is in private practice in Edina, Minnesota. Dr. Jo was active in the Minnesota Chiropractic Association (MCA), received the MCA President’s Award in 2005 and the Distinguished Humanitarian Annual Award from the Chiropractic Alumni Association at Northwestern Health Sciences University.
Dr. Jo served on NWHSU’s Board of Trustees from 2010 – 2022, serving as Chair from 2018-2022. Dr. Jo was re-elected to the Board in 2023 and currently serves as Vice-Chair of the Board. He also serves as Chair of the Committee on Trustees and as a member of the Executive Committee and Institutional Advancement Committee.
Keith Johnson, DC
Dr. Johnson is a 1982 graduate of Northwestern College of Chiropractic and has been in private practice in Maple Grove, Minnesota since 1988. Dr. Johnson has been active in the Minnesota Chiropractic Association (MCA) for 30 years serving in a wide range of positions, including President from 2001-2002. He was the point man in the successful multi-year dispute with the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry for reimbursement equity for chiropractic physicians in the workers compensation arena. He has frequently testified before the Minnesota legislature regarding health care policy issues that are germane to chiropractic. He has also been a community faculty member at the University of Minnesota, CSH since 1998, educating medical students and residents about the appropriateness of chiropractic care.
The MCA awarded Dr. Johnson the Presidential Awards in 1994 and 1998, the Outstanding Leadership Award in 1999, the Past Presidential Award in 2002, Chiropractor of the Year Award in 2002, and the Educator of the Year Award in 2011. Northwestern Chiropractic College also named Dr. Johnson the Distinguished Alumnus of the Year in 1997.
Dr. Johnson served on NWHSU’s Board of Trustees from 2011 -2021 and served as Chair of the Board from 2016-2018. Dr. Johnson was re-elected in 2022 and currently serves as Chair of the Board of Trustees.
Lori Lauber, MBA
Lori Lauber is a senior director in the Twin Cities offices of Broadridge Financial Solutions, a global financial services technology business where part of her role involves working with corporate boards and governance officers. She also worked for many years as a vice president and shareowner services sales representative for Wells Fargo. She holds an Associate of Arts degree from Itasca Community College, a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science from the University of Minnesota Institute of Technology and an MBA from the University of St. Thomas.
Ms. Lauber was elected to NWHSU’s Board of Trustees in 2019 and serves as Chair of the Institutional Advancement Committee and as a member of the Executive Committee and Committee on Trustees.
Roger A. Lindahl, CPA
Roger Lindahl currently provides consulting Chief Financial Officer services for several start-up phase life sciences and technology companies. His career includes 43 years in finance leadership roles of increasing responsibility in world class organizations, retiring after twenty-two years at Mayo Clinic. Mr. Lindahl also spent eleven years at Sweetheart Cup Company as Vice President, Treasurer, following his first ten years in a variety of accounting positions in Honeywell. He obtained his MBA from University of St. Thomas and bachelor’s degree in accounting from University of Minnesota. Roger maintains his CPA status in Minnesota.
Mr. Lindahl was elected to the Board of Trustees in 2023 and currently serves as Chair of the Finance, Facilities and Audit Committee and as a member of the Executive Committee.
Mary Beth Minser, DC, F.I.C.P.A.
Mary Beth Minser is a graduate of Northwestern College of Chiropractic in Bloomington, Minnesota. She holds a pediatric fellowship through the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association. She founded Minser Chiropractic Clinic in St. Cloud, MN 33 years ago and currently practices there. She has focused her practice on the care of women and children’s health and wellness. She has been a member of the Minnesota Chiropractic Association for 33 years. She has served the chiropractic profession on the Board of Directors, First Vice- President and as President in 2003-2004 of the Minnesota Chiropractic Association. The MCA has awarded her Chiropractor of the Year Award in 2008, Presidential Award in 2021 and a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022. She has served on the Alumni Board of Directors at Northwestern Health Sciences University. She has been a member of the American Chiropractic Association for 33 years. She serves on the executive council of the ACA Pediatric Council. Dr Minser lectures nationally on women and children’s chiropractic healthcare.
Dr. Minser was elected to the Board of Trustees in 2023 and currently serves on the Academic Affairs Committee.
Michael J. Offerman, Ed.D.
Dr. Michael Offerman served as the Dean of Continuing Education, Outreach and E-Learning for the University of Wisconsin-Extension, where he founded the University of Wisconsin Learning Innovations Center and served as the President of Capella University. Dr. Offerman served on the boards of Regent Education and My College and was a consultant with HCM Strategists, Washington D.C. and Lumina Foundation for Education.
Dr. Offerman joined the Board of Trustees in February 2022 and serves as Chair of the Academic Affairs Committee and as a member of the Finance, Facilities and Audit Committee and the Executive Committee.
Rachel Romanelli, LMT-WA state, BCTMB, CLT
Rachel Romanelli is a massage therapist in private practice in Minneapolis with over 27 years of experience, as well as a former massage therapy school owner, teacher, trainer and mentor with a national reputation in massage therapy and related professions. She serves on the Minnesota Chapter American Massage Therapy Association as the Government Relations Chair.
Ms. Romanelli was elected to NWHSU’s Board of Trustees in 2023 and serves on the Academic Affairs Committee and the Committee on Trustees.
Cody A. Scharpf, J.D.
Cody Scharpf is an attorney at Schwebel, Goetz & Sieben practicing exclusively in personal injury. Ms. Scharpf’s legal practice is primarily focused on helping those injured in car accidents. She has a bachelor’s degree from Minnesota State University Moorhead and received her J.D. from William Mitchell College of Law.
Ms. Scharpf was elected to NWHSU’s Board of Trustees in 2023 and currently serves on the Finance, Facilities and Audit Committee.
Nichole (Nikki) Vanecek, L.Ac., MAcOM, Dipl Ac (NCCAOM)
Nikki Vanecek is the owner of EastWest Acupuncture and Professional Sports Acupuncture. She is paving the way for the collaboration of acupuncturists and Chinese medicine in modern medical health care. She has a bachelor’s degree in health sciences and a Master’s degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine from Northwestern Health Sciences University. In addition to her training and education in the United States, she studied at Tianjin Medical University, a top-ranked medical college, in Tianjin China. She provides exceptional care to her clinical patients and is the Acupuncturist for the Minnesota Twins.
Ms. Vanecek was elected to Northwestern’s Board of Trustees in 2022 and currently serves on the Academic Affairs Committee and the Institutional Advancement Committee.
Desiree Whitney, BS
Desiree Whitney brings a diverse mix of entrepreneurial, nonprofit, fundraising, and business experience to the Board of Trustees. Whitney owns a yoga studio and school in Boerne, Texas, and works as a consultant after serving in philanthropic fundraising positions in Minnesota and Texas. She also started a nonprofit organization focused on health and healing. Whitney’s experience includes work at the Minneapolis Foundation, where she helped nonprofits with fundraising and governance. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from the University of Southern California.
Ms. Whitney was elected to NWHSU’s Board of Trustees in 2019 and currently serves on the Institutional Advancement Committee and the Executive Committee.