Governor Tim Pawlenty today announced the appointment of Karen Adamson, Joy Birr, Anne Hennessey, Angie Kniss, Lisa Lehmann, Jacqueline McCormack, Stephanie Perron, and Michelle Willert, and the reappointment of Jill Haak and Dr. Barbara Wolfe, P.h.D., to the Governor's Interagency Coordinating Council on Early Childhood Intervention.

Adamson, of Minneapolis, is a maternal child health program supervisor with Hennepin County Human Services and Public Health. Adamson is appointed to fulfill a four year term as the community health representative that ends January 5, 2009. She replaces Mary Jungwitrth on the council.

Birr, of St. Joseph, is a licensed daycare provider and has worked in the area of child protection. She is currently working on obtaining her masters degree in early childhood special education from St. Cloud State University. Birr is appointed as a parent member to a four year term that ends January 3, 2011. She replaces Barbara Jacobson on the council.

Hennessey, of Little Canada, has worked in the early childhood field for over 26 years and currently is the program development director at Family Academy Charter School. Hennessey is appointed as a service provider representative to a four year term that ends January 3, 2011. She replaces Jane Roundtree on the council.

Kniss, of Eden Prairie, works for the Eden Prairie School District as a paraprofessional. She is an active volunteer for children with Down syndrome, and for the past six years has worked as the director for the Down Syndrome Camp. She is a member of the Down Syndrome Board of Directors. Kniss is appointed as a parent member to a four year term that ends January 7, 2011. She replaces Veneta Lykken on the council.

Lehmann, of Woodbury, is a volunteer coordinator for the Selective Mutism Group/Childhood Anxiety Network, a non-profit organization that coordinates support for parents of selectively mute children. Lehmann is appointed as a parent member to fulfill a four year term that ends January 4, 2010. She replaces Debra Monahan on the council.

McCormack, of Maplewood, is the director of child advocacy and public policy for Arc Greater Twin Cities, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing services to people with disabilities and their families. McCormack is appointed as the member representing an advocacy organization to fulfill a four year term that ends January 4, 2010. She replaces John Hoffman on the council.

Perron, of Maple Grove, is the program director for the Safe Community Coalition, a Northwest Hennepin County Human Services Council that works under a safe community grant to educate the public on traffic safety and impaired driving. Perron is appointed as a parent member to fulfill a four year term that expires January 7, 2008. She replaces Debra Niedfeld on the council.

Willert, of Wayzata, is a school psychologist with Adams-Friendship Area School in Adams Wisconsin. She is also the director of Family Networks, Inc. in Minneapolis, a family focused preschool and parenting program providing services to children and families at risk for abuse or neglect. Willert is appointed as a parent member to fulfill a four year term that ends January 5, 2009. She replaces Dawn Bly on the council.

Haak, of Sartell, is the special education coordinator for the Benton Stearns Education District. She is also an adjunct instructor for St. Cloud State University, where she teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in special education and child and family studies. Haak is reappointed as a public provider member to fulfill a four year term that expires January 4, 2010. Wolfe, of St. Paul, is an associate professor in the School of Education at the University of St. Thomas. She coordinates early childhood-special education and teaches graduate level courses. Wolfe is reappointed as the higher education representative to fulfill a four year term that expires January 5, 2009.

The Governor's Interagency Coordinating Council on Early Childhood Intervention is charged with advising on the creation of interagency programs of early childhood intervention services for children with disabilities, primarily less than five years of age, and their families. The Council is made up of 17-25 members appointed by the Governor.