Meet Our Staff

Mark Dobberstein grew up in the small town of Medford, WI. He comes from a long line of church workers. His grandfather was a pastor and both parents were Christian Elementary School teachers. He graduated from Martin Luther College in New Ulm, MN in 1983 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Education. Mark has taught 6-7th grades in Milwaukee, 3rd-5th grades in Pomona, CA, and for the last 36 years has taught various grade levels at Christ Lutheran. He is currently the 7th & 8th grade home room teacher and has been serving as principal of Christ Lutheran for the past 27 years. When the weather cooperates, Mark enjoys relaxing rides on his Harley.

Pastor Mark Wessel was born and baptized in Red Wing and raised in New Ulm, Minnesota.  He grew up with five siblings in a college home at Dr. Martin Luther College (now MLC) where his father taught for over three decades.  He attended Northwestern College in Watertown, WI. where he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1982. More importantly, there he met his future wife, Mary, whom he married in 1985.  Mark graduated from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in Mequon, WI. in 1986 and was assigned to St. John’s Ev. Lutheran in Dowagiac, Michigan. There God blessed them with three children: Laura, Ethan and Samuel.  The family later moved to Grove City, Ohio for eight years and most recently Mark served as pastor in Sparta, Wisconsin. In the summer of 2016, the couple came to Christ Lutheran Church.  Pastor Wessel and his wife enjoy serving God’s people through His Word and music.  Mark welcomes the return to his home turf of Minnesota and looks forward to serving the greater Twin Cities’ area of God’s kingdom. He also enjoys the outdoors, fishing and sports.  At this time Pastor and Mary are thankful and delighted to be grandparents of two grandchildren as well.   God bless you in Jesus!

Mr. Olson is a 1991 graduate of Doctor Martin Luther College in New Ulm, Minnesota. Upon graduation Mr. Olson received a divine Call to be Principal and Teacher of St. John’s Lutheran School in Dowagiac, Michigan. While there, he taught grades 5-8 and was the school’s athletic director and coached various sporting teams. In 1996, Mr. Olson received and accepted a Call to Christ Lutheran Church and School in North St. Paul, Minnesota. Here at Christ Lutheran, Mr. Olson has been teaching grades 5-8 and has been the school’s Athletic Director for the past 8 years.

Karen grew up in St. Paul and is a 1981 graduate of St. Croix Lutheran High School. She then attended Martin Luther College and graduated in 1985. After graduation she and her husband moved to Washington State. Her first call was to Evergreen Lutheran High School where she taught until 1991. She has been teaching here at Christ Lutheran since 1997. Karen and her husband Brent live in Star Prairie, Wisconsin where they love to spend time boating and fishing, and time with their grandson and family.

My name is Brooke Berlin and I am blessed to be the new 6th grade teacher at Christ Lutheran in NSP. I was raised in Oakdale, MN and graduated from Tartan High School in 2017. I then attended Winona State University with a major in elementary education. I graduated from Winona State with honors in December of 2020. In my free time you can find me doing some form of art, kayaking, or drinking an iced coffee! Something I look forward to this school year is growing in my faith while helping kiddos grow in theirs.

Emilee Friebe grew up in New Ulm, Minnesota. She graduated from Martin Luther College in 2016. She received her first call to Grace Lutheran in St. Joseph, Michigan. While there, she taught Kindergarten. In 2018, she accepted a call to teach 2nd grade at Christ Lutheran. Emilee married Alex Friebe in June 2018. They were blessed with a baby boy, Logan, in October 2021. During breaks from school, you can find the Friebes traveling to new places and enjoying fun cuisines!

Sandy was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She attended Martin Luther College and graduated in 1983 with a Bachelor of Science. That summer, she married Mark Dobberstein and together received their first call to Pomona, California. Sandy was the remedial teacher there from 1983 until 1985. In 1987, Sandy and her family moved to Oakdale, MN. In 1989, Sandy started teaching at Christ Lutheran School. During summer she likes to ride her Harley motorcycle and work in her gardens. Her favorite thing is to spend time with her five grandchildren.

Barb Polzin grew up on a dairy farm just outside of Campbellsport, Wisconsin. She graduated from Dr. Martin Luther College in New Ulm, MN in 1983 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Education. She has taught all grades Kindergarten-8th grade at one time or another in Algoma, Wisconsin, and Nicollet and Mankato, Minnesota, including 12 years of kindergarten at Trinity, Nicollet and a year of kindergarten at Lincoln Center Elementary in South St. Paul. She has enjoyed being a supervisor for pre-service teachers from Martin Luther College since 2001. In 2016, Barb completed coursework for a K-12 Reading Specialist license at the University of Minnesota. She is currently serving as the kindergarten teacher of Christ Lutheran.

Barb is a parent of three and a grandparent of four. She enjoys spending time with family, walking, reading and being active in professional organizations, such as the Minnesota Reading Association.

Lynette joined our Christ Lutheran School staff in 2020. She loves helping little children learn and grow and has spent her adult life working in early childhood. After graduating from Martin Luther College with a BS in elementary education, Lynette taught in kindergarten through third grade in Michigan before having her own children. When her family moved to Minnesota, she stayed at home and had a licensed family childcare for fourteen years. During this time, she also taught Sunday School and VBS at Christ Lutheran, and taught preschool music lessons in her home. From 2014-2016, Lynette was lead teacher in the Terrific Twos classroom at Salem Lutheran Church in Woodbury, MN. Then, from 2016-2020, Lynette taught in a toddler classroom at our church’s childcare, Cornerstone Early Learning Center, in Hugo, MN. Lynette is married to Chris, who teaches in the upper grades at CLS, and they have five sons. Lynette enjoys hiking, gardening, painting, reading, and playing with her four grandchildren.

Ann M. Ponath serves part-time as the Christ Lutheran School Music (grades 1, 3-8) and Language Arts (grade 7-8) teacher. She also serves as head organist and music coordinator for Christ Lutheran Church. The daughter of a pastor, Ann spent her first ten years in a mission church in South Windsor, Connecticut. Later, she and her family moved to a large congregation in Lake Mills, Wisconsin. She attended Lakeside Lutheran High School, Lake Mills, WI. In 1991, she graduated from Dr. Martin Luther College, New Ulm, MN, with a Bachelor of Science in Education/English Subject Matter Major. Upon graduation, she was assigned to CLS as the third and fourth grade teacher. From 1992-1995, as CLS continued to grow, she taught only fourth grade. In 1995, as her family began to grow, Ann started her work as a part-time teacher. She has continued her education at Concordia University, St. Paul, and with private organ lessons.

Ann and her husband, David, an alumnus of CLS, live in Stillwater. They are blessed with two sons, two daughters, two daughters-in-law and one granddaughter. Ann enjoys spending time with her family, reading, music, theater, walking, gardening and travel. She also enjoys writing and has contributed to the Christ-Light religion curriculum, In God’s Orchard, a women’s Bible study book, Lutheran Parent, Parents Crosslink, Forward in Christ, Stillwater Living, WELS Women’s Ministry, Christ Lutheran and St. Croix Lutheran High School publications.

Julie Balk has been teaching band and piano at Christ Lutheran since about 2005. After graduating from Winona State University, she started out teaching band and choir for 11 years at St. Croix Lutheran Academy. In between, she managed at a Schmitt Music store and sold pianos and church organs. Julie loves introducing young people to the joy and discipline of music. It’s a great way to have a more rounded education, and it gives them ways to participate more fully in church services. It’s something they can enjoy throughout life.

Julie and her husband and daughter live in Inver Grove Heights with four cats. She also sings in Sweet Adelines (women’s barbershop acappella harmony), where she has been part of successful quartets and choruses for many years.

Char grew up in St. Paul Park, MN and attended St. Andrew’s Lutheran Grade School. She graduated from St. Croix Lutheran High School (now St. Croix Lutheran Academy) and went on to earn a Bachelor of Science Degree in Travel Management from the University of Minnesota. Mrs. Fogle has been the administrative assistant at CLS since 2003. She has been blessed with two daughters, two sons-in-law and 3 grandchildren. Her favorite past time is visiting her grandchildren and traveling with her family and friends.