Hamline University has elected five new members to its Board of Trustees: Milpha Blamo MNM ’18, Mike Max ’87, Richele Hansey Messick ’03, Joe Sathe ’13 and Warren Watson.
The new trustees will serve four-year terms beginning July 1, 2026. They were elected at Hamline’s triannual board meeting on May 8.
Board officers were also elected:
- Andrea Mowery ’93, chair
- Steve Richards, vice chair
- Paul Ablan ’82, secretary
- Lisa Shirk Carriere ’85, treasurer
Departing trustees are Paul Dadlez JD ’94, Robin Dietz Mayfield ’77 JD ’93, John Packard ’75, Marcia Urban JD ’82, Don Weida ’72 and Jai Winston.
About the new trustees:
Dr. Milpha Blamo, Master of Nonprofit Management ’18, is vice president of talent and culture at the Minneapolis Foundation, where she leads talent strategy, learning and development, and HR systems. She has more than 20 years of experience in organizational development. She received the outstanding achievement award from the Hamline University Alumni Association in 2025. Milpha has an undergraduate degree in economics from the University of Minnesota and a doctorate in education from St. Mary’s University.
Mike Max ’87 is the sports director and anchor at WCCO-TV. He has been involved with sports broadcasting on television and radio for four decades, and is the founder of Mike Max Productions. Mike has an undergraduate degree in communication studies from Hamline University.
Richele Hansey Messick ’03 is executive vice president, chief marketing officer and head of communications at Wells Fargo Wealth & Investment Management. She has more than 20 years of experience in communications. Richele has undergraduate degrees in communication studies and religion from Hamline University, and a master of business communication, with a public relations emphasis, from the University of St. Thomas.
Joe Sathe ’13 is an attorney at Kennedy & Graven, Chartered, representing local government clients regarding general municipal issues and economic development. Joe has undergraduate degrees in history and political science from Hamline University and a JD from Mitchell Hamline School of Law.
Warren Watson is a medical device executive and consultant with more than 45 years of experience in the med tech industry. He worked at Medtronic for over 30 years, retiring as vice president of research and development for the cardiac rhythm management business. He has held board and executive roles for med tech start-up companies and board positions at Allina Health System and Gillette Children’s Specialty Hospital. He has undergraduate and graduate degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Minnesota.