Perpich News
Board Members Linda Brobeck and Julie Workman Say Farewell
Left: Linda Brobeck; Right: Julie Workman
December 22, 2023
Perpich Board Members Linda Brobeck and Julie Workman attended their final Board meeting on December 21, 2023, after two terms which equals eight years of service. Both Brobeck and Workman were appointed by Governor Mark Dayton in 2016 and reappointed to the Board in 2020 by Governor Tim Walz. Their terms will officially end on January 1, 2024.
Linda Brobeck, of Waverly, Minnesota, served as Board Chair during part of her time on the Perpich Board. Linda reflected on her service, sharing, “Serving on the Board and playing a part in creating a positive and fiscally responsible environment has been an honor. Within my time on the Board, we have made a significant impact on the lives of countless students and educators in Minnesota. I’m especially proud of our work in providing free dorm space (for those living outside a 20 mile limit) and food service for students in Minnesota, regardless of their financial circumstances. This initiative makes arts education accessible to a wider range of students and removes potential barriers to their artistic development. I highly recommend board membership to those who wish to make an arts educational impact in Minnesota.”
Julie Workman, of Rochester, Minnesota, served as Board Chair during part of her time on the Perpich Board. Ms. Workman said at the completion of her second term, “I can’t imagine working with a group of people more dedicated to the arts and arts education than my fellow board members and the wonderful folks at PCAE who make it happen. The leadership provided by the Executor Director and a highly competent staff who are passionate about the well-being of every student will sustain Perpich to thrive and grow. It is truly a joy and an honor to have worked with so many talented individuals.”
Dr. Charles Rick, Perpich Executive Director, enjoyed working closely with both Linda and Julie when they served as Board Chair. “They both served on the Board of Directors during very challenging times and provided necessary leadership to represent the mission and vision of the agency. Linda and Julie are advocates of arts education for the state of Minnesota and for carrying out the vision of Governor Rudy Perpich for Perpich Center for Arts Education.”
Pasha Khosravi, Board Chair, said, “As a board, we will feel the loss of Julie Workman and Linda Brobeck. Both of them put significant hours into their roles on the board and made the agency better than when they started as a result of their efforts. We were lucky to draw from Julie’s experiences with the Rochester School Board and her presenting solutions to challenges we might have had. I am indebted to Linda for her partnership in always going above and beyond in helping me navigate my role as the Board head.”
Leslie LeCuyer, who has served on the Board since 2017, said, “It was a sincere pleasure working with Linda and Julie over the past years. We served during challenging times and became true comrades as part of a hard working board. Their contributions were impactful and they will be greatly missed.”
Linda Brobeck (center) holds her retirement plaque at the December 21, 2023 Board meeting. With Linda are Pasha Khosravi (left), Board Chair, and Dr. Charles Rick (right), Executive Director. Julie Workman attended the meeting virtually and her retirement plaque will be shipped to her.
Linda L. Brobeck is an artist, advocate, education champion, nonprofit strategist, and team builder. Her work with nonprofits and communities has spanned five decades, within arts organizations of many types, and within community and cultural institutions. Brobeck’s artwork has been collected and shown locally, nationally, and internationally. Her work is in the collections of several health organizations where it provides a calming presence for patients and staff alike. She is a professional member artist at IAA/USA and proud to be part of an international body of artists exhibiting nationally and internationally. Linda holds a Master’s degree in Visual Art/Studio Art. For additional information, visit her website at: http://LindaBrobeck.com
Julie Workman is a graduate of Yorktown High School in Arlington, VA (1969), earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Indiana University in 1973, and her graduate work was in String Pedagogy at the University of Wisconsin. She played violin in the Rochester (MN) Orchestra for many years and taught orchestra (grades 4-12, with the bulk of her career at the high school level) in the Rochester Public Schools from 1974 until her retirement in 2010. She maintains a private studio of violin and viola students. In November, 2010, Workman won election to the Rochester School Board and is in her fourth term which expires in December, 2026. She has engaged in extensive professional development through the Minnesota School Board Association (MSBA) and the National School Board Association (NSBA) since 2011. She and a school board colleague presented a workshop at the MSBA Winter Conference, and were scheduled to present the same one at the NSBA conference when the pandemic struck. She continues to be a member of the Rochester School Board Policy Committee and Legislative Committee, and has participated as member of the MSBA Delegate Assembly every year since she was elected. This experience has enhanced the contributions she has made to Perpich Center for Arts Education most notably in her first term on the PCAE Board of Directors. With others who were brought on board at the same time, they were able to “set the ship aright” by studying and implementing the report and plan of action from the Office of the Legislative Auditor. The Board worked diligently to ensure that it fulfilled those requirements and developed a strategic plan to guide in implementing them.
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