BOARD NOMINEES

KARL ABRAHAM of Lochaber-Ouest, Quebec, Canada

Abraham has served increasingly senior positions for Environment and Climate Change Canada, a federal department for the Canadian government, since 2002 He currently is chief engineer for electricity policy, managing a team of more than 20 engineers and focusing on the generation of electricity through engaging with stakeholders, developing policy, and promoting and administering regulations. He has received numerous employment awards for his contributions to various regulations and program development. As a trained chemical engineer, he has an extensive background in program design, policy governance, communications, and strategic thinking. Abraham has held several volunteer positions at his home congregations, including Sunday school teacher, trustee/secretary, and member of the church council.

RYAN BREDOW of Gilbert, Arizona

Bredow serves as assistant vice president for K12 educational development at Grand Canyon University (GCU) following 15 years with Lutheran secondary schools in Colorado and Wisconsin as a teacher/basketball coach, admissions director, and marketing director. He consults with districts, schools, and organizations nationwide on promotion strategies, enhanced branding and marketing considerations, and innovative funding models to grow Christian education. A graduate of Concordia University, Nebraska, he holds a master’s degree in marketing (specializing in entrepreneurship) from the University of Colorado at Denver and a doctorate degree in education/organizational leadership from GCU. A lifelong LCMS member, Bredow is actively involved at his church through adult Bible class leadership and youth studies/retreats.

JIM DANKENBRING of St. Louis, Missouri

Dankenbring is a partner in the law firm Spencer Fane LLP, representing businesses in mergers and acquisitions, securities matters, contract negotiations, and executive compensation. He was previously a certified public accountant with Ernst & Young. Dankenbring led his congregation’s capital campaign and has served or chaired numerous non-profit boards like Lutheran Senior Services, Lutheran Foundation of St. Louis, The Foundation for Called Workers, and Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch Foundation. A current LHM Board member, he and his wife co-chaired LHM’s SENT Initiative. His many distinctions include The Best Lawyers in America® (2012-2023) and Best Lawyers® Lawyer of the Year in Corporate Compliance Law (2017), and Corporate Governance Law (2022) .

JANET JOHNSON of Lisle, Illinois

Johnson has been an attorney/partner in a Chicago law firm since 1980 and her practice focuses on real estate transactions and development projects. Her extensive list of professional honors includes Illinois Super Lawyers, Illinois Leading Lawyers Network—Real Estate, and induction into the Commercial Real Estate Hall of Fame. Johnson volunteers in many capacities at her home church and has provided leadership on the boards for dozens of nonprofit organizations and industry groups, including Concordia Theological Seminary, Lutheran Church Extension Fund, Lutheran Housing Support Corporation, and Commercial Real Estate Executive Women of Chicago. She holds Juris Doctor and Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting degrees from the University of Iowa .

Virginia Miller

of Rochester, Minnesota

Miller is professor emerita of surgery/ physiology at the Mayo Clinic after retiring as director of the Women’s Health Research Center Her research focused on women’s conditions and was published more than 250 times. Her congregational service includes stewardship and chair of mission outreach An LHM Board member, she served two terms as board chair for AbleLight (formerly Bethesda Lutheran Communities), held positions on numerous other councils, grant review panels, and editorial boards, and received several honors for visionary leadership and research. Miller earned a B.S. in education from Slippery Rock University, a Ph D from the University of Missouri, and an MBA from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson Executive School of Management

MARY SCOTT of Irvine, California

Scott has served as chief executive officer/ executive director of Lutheran High School of Orange County since 2020, following four years as head of school at Concordia International School in Shanghai, China She previously spent more than 30 years at Concordia University (Irvine, California) in increasingly responsible positions, completing her tenure there as provost and executive vice president A commissioned minister of religion in the LCMS, her extensive volunteer service includes six years chairing the LCMS Chief Academic Officers Association. She holds a bachelor’s degree in physical education from Concordia University Chicago, a master’s degree in athletic administration from Adelphi University, and a doctorate in education (institutional management) from Pepperdine University.