Joel Krogstad joined McKnight in July 2021 and serves as the program manager of the McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience. In this role he works closely with the neuroscience research community to bring science closer to the day when diseases of the brain and behavior can be accurately diagnosed, prevented, and treated. Specifically, he oversees the Endowment Fund’s $3.8 million budget, coordinates its two prestigious award programs, and organizes the popular annual conference. As part of administering the award programs and conference, Joel processes more than 150 applications annually, and helps to build connections among the neuroscience research community.
Before joining the Neuroscience program, Joel worked with McKnight’s Global Collaboration for Resilient Food Systems as a program and grants associate with the Grants & Program Operations department supporting all facets of the grantmaking process for the 10 countries served by the program.
Inialay ni Joel ang kanyang karera sa pagtatrabaho para sa pagbabagong panlipunan sa mga kultura. Bago ang McKnight, siya ay isang direktor ng Community Technology Empowerment Project sa Saint Paul Neighborhood Network sa loob ng 15 taon, kumukuha at namamahala ng higit sa 500 miyembro ng AmeriCorps sa pagtuturo ng mga basic at creative na kasanayan sa teknolohiya para sa mga refugee, immigrant, at mga komunidad ng kabataan sa Twin Cities . Dati, pinangunahan din ni Joel ang mga proyekto sa pananaliksik at edukasyon sa parehong Ecuador at Thailand.
Si Joel ay may master's degree sa trabaho, komunidad, at edukasyon sa pamilya mula sa University of Minnesota, at mga degree sa political science at Spanish mula sa Macalester College. Nakatira siya kasama ang kanyang asawa at dalawang anak sa Saint Paul at kamakailan ay nagtatrabaho sa maingat na sining ng pagliko habang nag-skate skiing cross-country.
Motto for today: “Success requires the emotional balance of a committed heart. When confronted with a challenge, the committed heart will search for a solution. The undecided heart will search for an escape. A committed heart does not wait for conditions to be exactly right. Why? Because conditions are NEVER exactly right.” – Andy Andrews, The Traveler’s Gift.
