Board Bios
Helen Burke
Helen Burke is the Federal Depository Librarian at Minneapolis Central Library in the Hennepin County Library System. A librarian since 1985 for Minneapolis Public Library, now the Hennepin County Library System, Helen works with documents at the federal, state, and local levels, as well as the Patent & Trademark Depository collection. Helen has served as past chair of MN Library Association’s Government Documents Round Table, and currently serves as Chair of the MNCOGI Board.
Kirsten Clark
Kirsten Clark is the Government Information and Regional Depository Librarian at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities campus. For the past thirteen years, she has worked in a several Federal Depository Libraries in Minnesota, New Mexico, and Colorado helping researchers and the public in using state, federal, and international government publications. She is active in the American Library Association Government Documents Round Table (GODORT), holding positions as chair of the GODORT Legislation Committee and Federal Documents Task Force, and is the current chair of the Minnesota Library Association Government Documents Round Table.
Gary Hill
Gary Hill is the Communications Director for the office of the Majority Leader of the Minnesota Senate. Prior to the current job he worked for over 32 years as a broadcast journalist at KSTP-TV. During that time he held positions ranging from photographer and field producer to managing editor and director of investigations. His volunteer positions included Chairman of the Ethics Committee for the Society of Professional Journalists, co-Chair of the Minnesota SPJ Chapter’s Freedom of Information Committee and Vice-President of the Minnesota Joint Media Committee. He currently serves as a board member for the Minnesota Coalition on Government Information and is an instructor at the University of Minnesota School of Journalism and Mass Communication.
Robbie LaFleur
Robbie LaFleur is the Director of the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. The Library provides Minnesota legislators and staff with comprehensive and timely information resources, and serves the Legislature and citizens with a deep and expanding collection about the Legislature and legislative issues over time. The Library is committed to ongoing and retrospective digital archiving of legislative and state government reports. Ms. LaFleur has been a part of the team of legislative staff from the House, Senate, and joint legislative agencies, which has coordinated the Minnesota Legislative Web Site since its inception in the early 1990s. She remembers the days when checking language in a bill meant walking to the Capitol to get a print copy, and a fax machine was considered cutting-edge. She frequently speaks to groups about how to research legislative information via the Legislative Web Site. Her undergraduate degree in Scandinavian Studies and graduate degree in Library Science are both from the University of Minnesota. In 2008 she was awarded the Peter S. Popovich Freedom of Information Award by the Minnesota Chapter of Professional Journalists for her long-term promotion of access to state documents and legislative information for the Legislature and citizens. She is a member of the Minnesota Library Association, and member of and past chair of the Legislative Research Librarians Staff Section of the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Tom Linder
Tom Lindner was promoted to Vice President News Director at KARE – TV, Gannett’s NBC affiliate in Minneapolis, in March 1999. Lindner joined KARE – TV in 1992 as Assistant News Director. He was promoted to News Director in January of 1996. Lindner’s previous experience includes Executive News Producer at WCCO – TV in Minneapolis from 1986 to 1989, 10PM Producer at WBBM – TV and WMAQ – TV in Chicago from 1984 to 1986, Producer at WCCO – TV from 1979 to 1984, and Producer/Reporter/Photographer/anchor at WDIO – TV in Duluth, Minnesota from 1978 to 1979. He began his broadcast career at WCCO – TV in Minneapolis as a News Dispatcher/Writer in 1976. Lindner received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Broadcast Journalism from the University of Minnesota in 1978. He was recognized as “an Alumni of Notable Achievement” in October 1999. Lindner is married to Kathryn Rehwaldt, a former television reporter who works as a freelance producer. They live in St. Paul.