Board Members

Amy Unger:   Amy Unger grew up near the U of M-Mpls campus and attended St. Paul Academy.  Her bachelor’s degree is from UW-Madison with a focus on Book Arts & art history.  Amy also pursued work in the MSW program at the U of M with a focus in oncology and is a credentialed K-6 Teacher in both CA & MN.  She holds a Brain Gym Instructor license from Edu-K International in Ventura, CA and is a certified AVID College Prep Tutor.  Recently, Amy became certified as a coach through the State of MN Matter of Balance MOB) program.  Amy has trained as a balance instructor through Brain Gym with internationally renowned balance expert Beverly Hunter. In 1990 Amy received a Jerome Book Arts grant through the Minnesota Center for Book Arts.  She is currently working on children’s book stories for a children’s and is a graduate of  the Advanced Leadership for Vital Aging (ALVA now called evolve) program conducted by the MN Vital Aging Network. Amy is building a Blog about Balance Resources in MN for her ALVA work.   Amy enjoys the North Shore, live theater, reading novels, poetry, and books about balance & neurology.  She also paints, writes poetry & children’s stories, collages, knits, swims, cooks gluten free food, and is the mother of a wonderful musical teenage son who brings her endless joy.

Dr. Nikolay Megits:   Dr. Megits is a noted expert on emerging markets, global economics, and entrepreneurship, serving since 2005 as a Sr. Specialist in Property Development department, for Target Corporation in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  Here, he actively contribute to the development, implementation, execution and management of business practices aimed at enhancing and maintaining Target’s brand strategy and competitiveness across all markets.  Responsibilities include: market/industry analysis, process improvement, quality assurance, project management and intelligence. Five years prior, Mr. Megits was the Founder and Owner of American Intertrade, an import-export operations company where he negotiated contracts with European beverage production companies and established wholesale operations along with 120 distribution outlets in Minnesota.  He was a Construction Administrator for Setter, Leach, and Lindstrom Architects from 1996 to 2000, administering projects during construction for compliance with appropriate documents, quality of workmanship, and overall progress.  Two years earlier Dr. Megits was employed by Construction Management Services International as a Project Manager, investigating and developing business opportunities for the U.S. investor in Poland, Czech Republic, and Ukraine.  Nikolay Megits earned a Doctorate in Economics from the Universitas Libera Ucrainensis in Munich, Germany.  He received an MBA from Augsburg College in Minneapolis and a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Lviv University in Ukraine.  For the past three years, he has served as adjunct professor for numerous courses at Hamline University School of Business including graduate MBA classes in managing the global marketplace as well as global strategy.

Dr. James Holte:   Dr. Holte has served his professional life in academia, serving since 1963 as an Associate Professor of the University of Minnesota’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.  From 1965 to 2008, Dr. Holte taught Introduction to Electrical Engineering to freshmen and sophomores, and has served since 1960 on the Examining Committee for graduate and doctoral candidates, supervising more than 30 Masters and 15 Ph.D. degrees.  Other courses taught by Professor Holte include Biomedical Instrumentation, Biological System Modeling & Analysis, and a Project Class for Masters’ candidates.  He also taught a 300-level course in Electromagnetic Fields for undergraduate juniors.  Dr. James Holte has peer reviewed numerous publications, including a July 2008 Ph.D. dissertation on Real Time Cancellation of MRI Gradient Coil Noise. Dr. James Holte completed his entire course of education at the University of Minnesota, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in 1953, followed by a Masters degree in Electrical Engineering in 1955, wrapping up Ph.D. studies in Electrical Engineering in 1960.Throughout his career, Dr. Holte has consulted for numerous start-up and existing businesses.

Mary Jo Rawson: Mary Jo Rawson graduated from the University of Minnesota with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering with an emphasis in Biomedical Engineering, along with a minor in Psychology.  Notable experience includes the Phoenix Project, a volunteer study group that researches methods for monitoring ambulatory blood pressure, thereby building a prototype and collecting and analyzing data for a new, open-source ambulatory blood pressure monitor.  She has served as a Research Assistant in Chronobiology at the University of Minnesota and as a Teaching Assistant for the college, as well as for the Deaf Refugee Education Program in St. Paul.  Ms. Rawson has contributed to various refereed scientific publications and articles, and maintains extensive professional development through workshops, seminars, and various other continuing education channels. She presently works for St. Joseph’s Hospital as a Peer Recovery Specialist.

Caryl Hunter: Caryl Hunter has worked in social services for over twelve years, working with physically and mentally disabled adults and the elderly, with particular emphasis on clients with brain injuries. Ms. Hunter has managed group homes and an assisted living apartment building, and has worked in various outreach programs throughout the years. She has also worked in corporate accounting, as well as conducted auditing of group homes. Additionally, she has volunteered with Can Do Canines, which provides service dogs for disabled adults, and has assisted clients in applying for and adopting service dogs. Ms. Hunter has also volunteered with the Minnesota Chapter of the MS Society, providing photography, writing, and accounting services.Ms. Hunter also works as a freelance writer and photographer, with numerous published pieces in magazines and papers, including a chapter in the anthology, “Voices of Multiple Sclerosis,” which was published in 2009. She has a Bachelor’s Degree from Metropolitan State University, St. Paul.