Val Rae Boe has served the students and staff at Northeast Metro 916 since 2006. In her tenure, she has been a teacher, assistant manager, manager, leader of secondary and transition programs, and assistant director of special education. Val Rae is a respected researcher, and conference presenter focused on topics including animal-assisted therapy, staff resilience and retention, and nature-based education programming. She was named a WCCO Excellent Educator in 2014. Val is a licensed superintendent, director of special education, and principal; a licensed teacher of students with emotional/behavior disorders (EBD) and specific learning disabilities (SLD); and holds a doctorate, master’s, and bachelor’s degree in education.

Dan Naidicz's experience working in special education includes many years as a school psychologist, special education coordinator, and director of special education. Dan worked very closely with Northeast Metro 916 special education programs while working for 20 years in Stillwater Area Public Schools. In 2010, Dan joined Northeast Metro 916 as the director of special education; in 2018, he became executive director. Dan is a Fulbright Scholar and has provided leadership training to school administrators in Argentina and Brazil. He was appointed to the Board of School Administrators by Governor Mark Dayton, representing special education directors. Dan has a bachelor's degree in psychology and recreation therapy, and a master's in school psychology from the University of Wisconsin La Crosse. In 2003, Dan obtained his director of special education license from the University of St. Thomas.

Dave Haveman brings a wealth of experience in special education, with a proven track record of success in developing and implementing comprehensive programs for students with diverse needs. Over 27 years in the education field, Dave Haveman has worked with traditional districts, charter schools, intermediates, and non-public education. He has previously served as the Executive Director of Student Services for Lakeville Area Schools, the Director of Special Services for Hastings Public Schools, and many other positions. His leadership in special education has been marked by innovative program development, strong advocacy for students, and collaborative partnerships with families and educators.

Shannon came to our district in 2022 with over 20 years of experience in the communications field. She started her career in video production, television, digital media, and graphic design at the formerly known CTV North Suburbs in Roseville, MN. After over a decade at CTV, she went to the Minnesota Senate, where she was the Director of Media Relations for the Senate DFL team for four years before coming to Northeast Metro 916.  She attended the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point, close to where she grew up.

Mark joined Northeast Metro 916 in 2021 with more than eleven years of experience supporting education through solid financial leadership. He is a detail-oriented, strategic school finance professional highly regarded for leadership and specialized excellence in all areas of school finance. Mark is the former Assistant Director of Finance for the Hudson School District, where he facilitated budget development, financial reporting, forecasting, and oversight of the financial services department. He holds an MS in School Business Management from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and is a Certified School Risk Manager.

Megan has been a member of the human resources department at Northeast Metro 916 since 2009, serving as a staffing coordinator and HR supervisor before stepping into her current role in 2021. Much of her work has focused on the recruitment and retention of staff, specifically “grow your own” initiatives and other innovative recruitment strategies. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from St. Mary’s University and is a Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Certified Professional. Megan is passionate about the incredible work that 916 does to support students and finding meaningful ways to support our staff.

Although Elam Noor was born in Hilton, South Africa, he has made the east metro of the Twin Cities his home since 1996. After graduating with degrees in enterprise computer technology and technology operations management at Minnesota State Universities (MnSCU), Elam assumed technology roles in several private sector fields, from banking to real estate, until he discovered a passion for education technology. He has served as part of the technology teams at MnSCU, Stillwater Public Schools, and Hill-Murray School. In 2016, Elam joined Northeast Metro 916 as the technology director and leadership team member. In addition to his work at the district, Elam is the president of the non-profit NGO Bantfwana Phambili, which provides secondary education and support for underprivileged students in South Africa.

Scott came to our district in 2020 with over 20 years of experience as a resourceful leader advancing equitable access to education, achievement, and opportunity.  He is the former principal of two racially- and economically diverse magnet schools in the Rosemount-Eagan-Apple Valley school district. Both schools received national recognition as magnet schools of excellence. Before that, Scott served as the executive director for Magnet Schools of America, based in Washington D.C. During this time, Scott worked to develop national standards for magnet schools that define essential characteristics that include leveraging student diversity in meaningful ways, equity, family and community engagement, academic excellence, and theme fidelity. Scott has consulted with school districts on projects related to magnet school design, student selection, evaluation and improvement, and systemic school equity. He has also served on several non-profit boards, including the Teaching Tolerance Advisory Board, and is an anti-bias framework certified trainer. 

Shanaya Walker is a lifetime Twin Cities resident, growing up in Saint Paul. Shanaya completed her undergraduate Social Work degree at the College of St. Catherine's. She graduated from Augsburg College, receiving her Master's degree in Social Work; Shanaya also received her Director of Special Education licensure at Hamline University. Shanaya has been with Northeast Metro 916 for the past 11 years in various roles, including Social Worker, Restorative Practices Lead, Diversity Equity, and Inclusion Manager, and currently, as the Director of Diversity Equity and Inclusion.