Hanna Erpestad has been named interim vice president for Academic and Student Affairs at Lake Superior College. Erpestad has served as a dean for 12 years at Lake Superior College, primarily as dean of liberal arts and sciences and most recently as interim dean of business and industry.
In her new role, she will provide leadership and management oversight of administrative personnel and staff in academic affairs, student affairs, athletics and customized training and continuing education.
Erpestad will also provide leadership and support for external partnerships, grants, and collaborative programs that support the college mission and align Lake Superior College with Minnesota State strategic initiatives. She will also provide strategic direction and management oversight for continuous improvement, accreditation, and measures of accountability for the college.
Erpestad holds an associate in arts degree from Lake Superior College and bachelor and master degrees in English from the University of Minnesota Duluth. She has also completed graduate courses in humanities and educational leadership at Hamline University and Bemidji State University, respectively.
Her extensive leadership credentials and recognition include MnSCU Executive Leader Development Program 2015-2016; D2L Leadership Summit: Predictive Analytics 2014; Leadership Duluth, Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce, 2009-2010; Leaders Institute, National Institute for Leadership Development (NILD) 2009-2010 and MnSCU Luoma Leadership Academy 2005-2006. She was recently recognized on a statewide level as the Minnesota State Outstanding Academic and Student Services Administrator in 2018.
An active community volunteer, Erpestad serves on numerous civic and nonprofit boards in the Duluth community. Her current community board service includes: Beck Foundation Board of Directors, Duluth, Minnesota; STARBASE, STEM program for Grade 5 students, Board of Directors at the Duluth Air National Guard Base; and as Board Chair of the WDSE-WRPT (PBS): Duluth Area Educational Television Corporation and Affiliate Board of Directors. In recent past, she also served on the Duluth Sister Cities International Board of Directors and as the founding chapter president of the Finlandia Foundation Northland.
