Introducing Literacy Minnesota Board Chair, Ravi Krishnan

Ravi Krishnan has served on Literacy Minnesota's board of directors since 2020 before accepting the role of board chair in July. Outside of this position he works as a Finance Manager at Somalogic, a biotechnology firm, focusing on commercial finance. He first got involved with Literacy Minnesota in 2015 as a volunteer at Open Door Learning Center Northeast and volunteered for five years.

Ravi strongly embraces one of Literacy Minnesota’s core values: lifelong learning. “I was very often learning alongside my students in my Advanced ESL class.” He recalls times where he would uncover topics he was not familiar with and would learn new things from his students when facilitating discussions in the classroom. “I found myself learning about new cultures and people every time I stepped into the classroom, and those are experiences that I treasure.”

Retiring board chair, Jim Afdahl, congratulates Ravi for his new position, “I am so pleased that Ravi Krishnan is able to assume the leadership role of board chair.”

Ravi has held numerous roles with progressively more responsibilities. “As a board member, Ravi has been intimately involved in the fiduciary responsibilities of our nonprofit organization with his leadership on the audit and finance committee, a key member on the current executive search committee, and most recently as the chair of the executive committee," says Jim.

Having been involved with Literacy Minnesota for seven years and on the board during a time of global racial reckoning, Ravi has been encouraged by the heightened urgency within the organization continue addressing systemic change that leads to equitable outcomes for learners, AmeriCorps members, staff and other stakeholders. “The establishment of our DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) committee as a standing committee of the board as well as the search for a DEI director on staff both show that we are committed to this approach.” Ravi went on to share that the board will always work on taking action steps that lead the organization toward being more diverse, equitable and inclusive.
 
When asked about what he is looking forward to the most during his time as board chair, Ravi explains his short-term and long-term goals for the agency. Currently, he is prioritizing time working with other board members and a notable search firm to find a new Literacy Minnesota leader to replace long time executive director Eric Nesheim.
 
In the longer-term, Ravi is excited to see the future of Northstar Digital Literacy. “Our organization is not only compassionate and driven, but also innovative. Finding new and meaningful ways to make positive impacts on our learners is one of the reasons I enjoy being a part of this organization so much.” 

"The state of the organization is strong, and it wouldn’t be possible without support from our donors and funders." 

Congrats, Ravi!