Our team.
Our team brings a wide variety of technology, education, and leadership experience to Silicon North Stars. What we all share is a passion for our students, and a belief in the power of mentorship and experiential learning to help guide young people toward brighter futures.
Steve Grove
Co-Founder
Steve Grove is the Commissioner of Employment & Economic Development for the state of Minnesota. He grew up in Northfield, Minnesota, and he and Mary recently moved their family back to Minnesota.
Mary Grove
Co-Founder
Mary Grove is a Managing Partner at Bread & Butter Ventures focused on investing in innovation outside of Silicon Valley. She was previously the founding director of Google for Entrepreneurs. She and Steve live in Minneapolis with their four-year old twins.
R.T. Rybak
Board Member
R.T. Rybak is the former mayor of Minneapolis and journalist who launched the STEP-UP summer jobs program. He's now the President and CEO of the Minneapolis Foundation.
Damola Ogundipe
Board Member
Damola Ogundipe is co-founder and CEO of St. Paul-based start-up Civic Eagle. He first attracted attention as a University of Minnesota Golden Gopher football player who also scored a degree from the Carlson School.
TD Lowe
Board Member
TD Lowe is a Partner at 42Phi Ventures and Founder of EnovationNation Inc. Her career in technology has impacted more than 10,000 startups who have raised nearly $2 billion in startup investments.
Garrio Harrison
Minnesota Program Manager
Garrio Harrison is the Marketing Manager at Fueled Collective, formerly COCO, a network of co-working spaces for startups and small businesses in Minneapolis-St. Paul.
Joe Himinkool
Marketing & Outreach
Joe Himinkool grew up in San Diego and has extensive experience leading enterprise marketing for several Fortune 50 companies in Silicon Valley. He oversees marketing for Silicon North Star initiatives.
Matthew Grove
Minnesota Program Manager
Matthew Grove is a high school social studies teacher in Farmington, Minnesota, where he also leads the school's leadership development program. He is currently on leave, teaching at an international school in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam with his wife Ellen.
Emily Kjesbo-Johnson
Minnesota Program Manager
Emily Kjesbo-Johnson is a high school teacher at Washington Technology Magnet School in Saint Paul. She has taught math and theater arts for over ten years, both locally in Saint Paul and internationally as a Peace Corps volunteer to Uganda.