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2026 Board Candidates

Erin Clarke is a high school science teacher at Kennedy in Bloomington. She currently teaches

several class sections that are sheltered courses for English Language Learners. Previously she

has worked as a middle school teacher and as a STEM district program facilitator. During her

teaching career Erin has continuously pursued learning and her training includes IB, AVID,

PBIS, AI, and citizen science. She currently serves on her school’s instructional leadership team

and as a new teacher mentor. Prior to entering teaching, Erin studied paleontology and has her

masters in Geology. Erin lives in Minneapolis with her husband and two children, who both

attend ISLA. She is committed to ISLA’s goal of preparing young people to thrive in a global and

diverse society. You can often find Erin biking, cooking, exploring outdoors, and spending time

with family and friends.

Lisa Wittig spends her days working as a Corporate and Foundation Manager

with DonorsChoose, working to secure funding for public school teachers and students across the

country. She has over 20 years experience working in the social impact space, serving in various

nonprofit roles mostly in the Chicago area, but also nationally. Lisa attended the College of Saint

Benedict, majoring in Spanish - with a desire to explore the world and learn about the many

cultures who speak the language. She has traveled through Mexico, Central and South America,

and Spain, and recently lived in Costa Rica with her husband and three children. Lisa joined

ISLA’s Fundraising Committee in January of 2023, and was elected to her first term with the

board in July of 2023. She is currently serving as the Board Secretary, while also continuing to

support the Fundraising Committee.

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Patricia Hickey is an ISLA parent and pediatrician who is passionate about inclusive, holistic

education. She works at Children’s Minnesota in Minneapolis, practicing primary and complex

care pediatrics. She cares for children with a wide variety of backgrounds, learning styles, and

needs and, through this work, has learned a lot about the approaches of schools across the Twin

Cities. She is excited to bring this experience to supporting the robust educational community at

ISLA. She also works regularly with trainees in medical education. She brings strong

organizational and analytical skills along with a dedication to ISLA's mission of bilingual,

inquiry-based education. Along with her husband, Junaid, she is the parent of current 2nd grade

and kinder students who regularly come home with new Spanish, critical thinking, and futbol

skills.

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