Joel Krogstad joined McKnight in July 2021 and serves as the program manager of the McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience. In this role he works closely with the neuroscience research community to bring science closer to the day when diseases of the brain and behavior can be accurately diagnosed, prevented, and treated. Specifically, he oversees the Endowment Fund’s $3.8 million budget, coordinates its two prestigious award programs, and organizes the popular annual conference. As part of administering the award programs and conference, Joel processes more than 150 applications annually, and helps to build connections among the neuroscience research community.
Before joining the Neuroscience program, Joel worked with McKnight’s Global Collaboration for Resilient Food Systems as a program and grants associate with the Grants & Program Operations department supporting all facets of the grantmaking process for the 10 countries served by the program.
Joel has dedicated his career to working for social transformation across cultures. Prior to McKnight, he was a director of the Community Technology Empowerment Project at Saint Paul Neighborhood Network for 15 years, hiring and managing more than 500 AmeriCorps members in teaching basic and creative technology skills for refugee, immigrant, and youth communities in the Twin Cities. Previously, Joel also led research and education projects in both Ecuador and Thailand.
Joel has a master’s degree in work, community, and family education from the University of Minnesota, and degrees in political science and Spanish from Macalester College. He lives with his wife and two kids in Saint Paul and has recently been working on the careful art of turning while skate skiing cross-country.
Motto for today: “Success requires the emotional balance of a committed heart. When confronted with a challenge, the committed heart will search for a solution. The undecided heart will search for an escape. A committed heart does not wait for conditions to be exactly right. Why? Because conditions are NEVER exactly right.” – Andy Andrews, The Traveler’s Gift.
