Two parents with a passion for schools and a record of involvement in the community have been elected to serve three-year terms on the Board of the La Crosse Public Education Foundation.

Angela Erdenberger

Angela Erdenberger is the Credit Analyst Supervisor at Coulee Bank, where she has worked for 18 years. She has lived and attended school in the La Crosse area her entire life.  Angela and her husband have three children – one at 7 Rivers High School, another at State Road Elementary and one at Coulee Children’s Center.  She is an active board member of the La Crosse County Historical Society and Coulee Children’s Center and is a member of the La Crosse Historic and Cultural Museum Planning Task Force.

Angela is replacing Tammy Larson, who served seven years on the LPEF Board, including serving as Board President in 2016, and as Treasurer in 2017-18.

Heidi Odegaard

Heidi Odegaard is a Community Engagement professional employed by Mayo Clinic Health System in La Crosse, where she has worked for seven years. She is originally from Monroe in the southern part of the state. In 2002, she moved to La Crosse to attend UW-La Crosse, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Recreation Management and later a Master of Science in Community Health Education. Heidi is married to Jay Odegaard, director of the City of La Crosse Park, Recreation and Forestry Department, and they have three children in La Crosse schools — a 7th-grader at Longfellow Middle School and a 2nd-grader and kindergartner at Southern Bluffs Elementary. In addition to her family and professional role, she is active in the La Crosse Area Chamber of Commerce young professionals.

Heidi is replacing Shawn Dutchin, who served six years on the LPEF Board, including serving as Board President in 2017.

The mission of the La Crosse Public Education Foundation is to enhance learning opportunities for students in the School District of La Crosse and to promote community understanding and support for public education. LPEF was founded in 1988 by some very forward-looking La Crosse residents who were passionate in their support of public education in La Crosse.

The Foundation expects to provide more than $350,000 in support in 2019 to students and staff in the School District of La Crosse. This includes about $80,000 in Gold Star Grants to promote classroom innovation and about $30,000 for Random Acts of Kindness to meet needs of students in areas such as nutrition, hygiene, clothing, and transportation.