Meet the Board.

  • TREASURER

    Jeremy Donaldson joined the Knox Board and the Finance Committee in 2024. He serves as Director of Finance at another classical Christian school, Hope Academy in South Minneapolis. He and his wife, Kathleen, have two college-age children. Jeremy is an elder in his church and sings in the choir. He is also an amateur broadcaster and a licensed official with the Minnesota State High School League.

  • PRESIDENT (Founding Member)

    Ben is a husband to Brooke, a father to four lovely girls, a church elder, and an attorney at Stinson LLP. He likes fishing, reading, and Navy football—not necessarily in that order. Ben loves solving problems regardless of whether he’s getting paid to do it. That penchant for problem-solving is what drove him to become a board member at Knox. Ben has long desired to help provide excellent educational opportunities to the next generation. He is thrilled to see that desire come to fruition at Knox.

  • SECRETARY (Founding Member)

    A wealth partner at TruNorth Wealth Partners, Travis has worked in financial planning his entire career. Travis leads a much more daring life outside the office--he loves mountaineering, extreme sports, and competing in the Birkie. Travis's financial acumen and adventurous spirit have been a wonderful asset to a start-up school. He is a father to five children and serves as a deacon at his church.

  • Bonnie (BJ) Lee lives in Rochester, Minnesota with her husband Ron.  They’ve been involved in Classical and Christian Education for almost 35 years.  They helped start Schaeffer Academy, an ACCS accredited Classical and Christian school which opened its doors in 1993.  Ron was a founding board member and on the board of directors for the Association of Classical Christian Schools and BJ taught elementary Latin, and at the secondary level  Categorial and  Propositonal Logic, Old and New Testament Survey, Christian Worldview and Christian Doctrine.  Their four children all graduated from Schaeffer Academy and they now have 14 grandchildren.  BJ enjoys reading, cooking, gardening, strength training, substituting at Schaeffer Academy and especially spending time with her family.

  • A Senior Fellow with Wilberforce International Institute, which he founded in 2009, Bob trains international students as redemptive change agents and writes and teaches about international development, comparative worldviews, corruption, education policy, and wealth creation.  For seven years he taught courses at the University of Minnesota, and currently teaches courses with The New International University and Wilberforce International Institute. Bob and Susan have been married for 49 years, are the parents of four sons, and grandparents to 13.

  • Craig has been married to Heidi for 38 years, and they have 3 grown children. As an English major who later finished an MBA, Craig believes he got the order right, first paying attention to truth, beauty, and goodness, and then to matters of commerce.

    In 2017, in heard a favorite podcaster say that “Classical Christian schools are a hopeful sign in our culture.” He immediately started researching, wondered how to get involved, and then discovered the next door neighbors were Knox board members! God’s providence!

    Heidi and Craig attend an Anglican church in Roseville, MN and Craig is a senior partner at Korn Ferry, where he works with companies to improve their leadership and succession plans. A bass player, Craig plays in three bands and would seriously consider a fourth. Heidi says three is plenty.

  • Brian Tabb joined the Knox Classical Academy board in 2024. He serves as President and Professor of Biblical Studies at Bethlehem College and Seminary in Minneapolis. He and his wife, Kristin, are the parents of four school-aged children and are members of The North Church. Brian enjoys reading, writing, and spending time outdoors, and he also coaches little league baseball. 

Our Founding Families

  • Brooke Eastburn

    As a founding Board member, Brooke envisioned building a place that coupled the stabilizing force of time at home with the socializing influence of a Christian community. She is an attorney and has served as Chief of Staff to a member of the US Congress, worked in child welfare policy, and served in various ministries. She and her family attend AllSaints Presbyterian in St. Paul and enjoy reading, debating, camping, hiking, biking and exploring her home state of Minnesota. She left the Board in 2024 to assume the Interim Head of School role and has now returned to being at home full-time with her 4 daughters.

  • Benjamin Eastburn

    Ben is a husband to Brooke, a father to four lovely girls, a church elder, and an attorney at Stinson LLP. He likes fishing, reading, and Navy football—not necessarily in that order. Ben loves solving problems regardless of whether he’s getting paid to do it. That penchant for problem-solving is what drove him to become a board member at Knox. Ben has long desired to help provide excellent educational opportunities to the next generation. He is thrilled to see that desire come to fruition at Knox.

  • Kate Etter

    Kate’s conviction for Christ-exalting education has shaped forever the atmosphere at Knox. As a founding board member, her service included critical work on Knox's Education Council, championing the steadfast pursuit of excellence in our curriculum choices. She received her master's degree in social work from the University of Maryland in 2006 and has worked in foster care and adoption since that time. Originally from Maryland, she and her husband, Josh, moved to Minnesota in 2011. Kate is a mother to four children, and this is her favorite full-time vocation. She and her family are members at The North Church in Mounds View. They recently moved out to the "country" and enjoy gardening, swimming, baking, reading, making campfires, and chasing chickens.

  • Josh Etter

    Josh is a founding board member and our first Board President. He served as the Chief Operating Officer at Desiring God — the ministry of John Piper — from 2010-2024. He and his wife, Kate, have four children, and they look forward to having educated them at Knox Classical Academy.

  • Anna Gleason

    Anna has been faithful in paving the way for Knox through prayer for more than a decade. She served as a founding board member and member of the Education Council from 2021 to 2023. A mother to five children, she has also managed multiple rental properties, and volunteers as a music leader at her church, AllSaint Presbyterian. In her spare time, she enjoys hosting in her home, reading, playing piano, and being outdoors with her family.

  • Travis Gleason

    A wealth partner at TruNorth Wealth Partners, Travis has worked in financial planning his entire career. Travis leads a much more daring life outside the office--he loves mountaineering, extreme sports, and competing in the Birkie. Travis's financial acumen and adventurous spirit have been a wonderful asset to a start-up school. He is a father to five children and serves as a deacon at his church.