Johanna Berg – Deputy County Manager of Organizational Realignment
Johanna Berg
Johanna Berg leads Ramsey County’s strategic organizational realignment as part of the 2026-27 budget process, ensuring the organization is positioned for operational excellence in achieving our vision, mission, goals and strategic priorities. In addition, she sponsors the county’s Talent Priority initiative, plays a key role on the county’s core budget team, and holds other executive leadership responsibilities to ensure coordinated realignment efforts across the organization.
Berg's previous roles at Ramsey County are County Manager, Deputy County Manager of Economic Growth and Community Investment, Deputy County Manager – Information and Public Records, and chief information officer. Prior to joining Ramsey County, she held multiple senior leadership positions throughout 16 years with the Minnesota Department of Human Services.
Berg holds a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Minnesota, where she also studied business administration.
Kari Collins – Deputy County Manager of Economic Growth and Community Investment
Kari Collins
Kari Collins is Ramsey County's Deputy County Manager of Economic Growth and Community Investment. Departments that make up the Economic Growth and Community Investment Service Team are Community & Economic Development, Library, Parks & Recreation, Property Management, Public Works and Workforce Solutions.
Collins joined the county as the Community and Economic Development Director in 2018. Prior to working for the county, she served as the Community Development Director for the city of Roseville.
Susan Earle – Director of Finance (Chief Financial Officer)
Susan Earle
Susan Earle has worked for Ramsey County since 2020 and has more than 15 years of government budgeting and financial management experience. Until July 2024 she served as the Deputy Director of Finance and the Budget Director, leading the county’s budget process and supporting the Chief Financial Officer in both departmental and countywide financial leadership efforts.
Before coming to the county, she worked in budget management and leadership roles at both Minnesota Management and Budget and the City of Saint Paul. Earle holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Boston College and an advanced degree from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota.
Karen Francois – Deputy County Manager of Information and Public Records
Karen Francois
Karen Francois has served as Deputy County Manager of Information and Public Records since May 2018. Prior to joining Ramsey County, Francois served as assistant commissioner at the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. Prior to that, she served as director of the contract compliance and employment equity divisions at the City of Minneapolis from 2011 to 2016. From 2006 to 2011, Francois was director of Jacobs Well and Oasis India, an anti-human trafficking non-governmental organization which she founded based in Bangalore, India.
Francois earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and has completed several leadership programs, including the Mini MBA at the University of Saint Thomas and The Shannon Leadership Institute. She also serves on a number of boards and councils that promote entrepreneurship, workforce development and equity, diversity and inclusion. Francois lives in Saint Paul.
Departments that make up the Information and Public Records Service Team are Communications & Public Relations, County Assessor, Information Services, Property Tax, Records & Election Services, and Enterprise and Administrative Services.
Alexandra Kotze – Deputy County Manager for the Health and Wellness Service Team
Alexandra Kotze
Alexandra Kotze is the Deputy County Manager for the Health and Wellness service team.
Kotze joined Ramsey County as its Chief Financial Officer in March 2020. Prior to joining the county, she served as CFO of the Minnesota Department of Human Services and in fiscal and budget management roles at Milwaukee County.
Kotze holds a master’s degree in public policy from the Harris School at the University of Chicago and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota.
She was named 2018 CFO of the Year – Government Division by Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal. Kotze volunteers for a number of organizations and resides in Saint Paul with her husband and two daughters.
Kristen Schultz – Chief Human Resources Officer
Kristen Schultz
Named Interim Chief Human Resources Officer in September 2024, Kristen Schultz has led human resources employee safety, wellness and benefits initiatives at Ramsey County for the last eight years. Schultz experience includes 30 years of higher education and public entity experience at the University of Colorado and St. Croix County (WI) developing and administering policies and programs that reduce risk and enhance the employee life cycle. Schultz graduated from the University of Colorado, Boulder with a degree in Education and she holds certifications in Risk Management and Public Entity Risk Management.
Gloria Reyes – Deputy County Manager of Safety and Justice
Gloria Reyes
Gloria Reyes joined Ramsey County as Deputy County Manager of Safety and Justice in May 2024.
Prior to joining the county, Reyes had successful tenures at the Wisconsin State Public Defender’s Office, Wisconsin Department of Justice, Madison Police Department, Madison Department of Civil Rights, Madison’s Mayoral Office and Dane County, Wisconsin.
The departments that make up the Safety and Justice Service Team are the County Attorney’s Office, the Sheriff’s Office, Emergency Communications, Emergency Management & Homeland Security, and the Medical Examiner’s Office.
