Tharan Leopold Hired as President of Lupus Foundation of Minnesota

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. - Nov. 17, 2015 - PRLog -- Tharan Leopold has been hired as President of the Lupus Foundation of Minnesota (LFM), the organization announced today. He succeeds Jennifer Monroe, who held the role for seven years. Leopold was previously Executive Director of Foundation and Alumni for Dakota County Technical College.

“I feel extremely honored to have been hired for this position,” said Leopold. “I thrive on challenges, and the work of this organization is a very worthwhile challenge – to realize a vision of a world that is free of lupus.”

Founded in 1976, its mission is: “While working toward finding a cure, we support those impacted by lupus and promote a deeper understanding of the disease.” As an independent, nonprofit charitable organization, the foundation supports research that seeks to improve the diagnosis and treatment of lupus, a chronic autoimmune condition, as well as to discover its cause and cure. It provides education, support and service to those affected by lupus, including promoting awareness and understanding of lupus and its impact on the broader community.

Leopold comes to the job as an experienced fundraising and business leader with a 20-year track record. Prior to his work at Dakota County Technical College, Leopold served as Assistant Director of Advancement at Shattuck-St. Mary's School in Faribault, and before that, he was an account executive at KEYC-TV in Mankato. Leopold earned his BS from Southwest Minnesota State University and an MA in Speech Communication from Minnesota State University, Mankato.

“We are excited to have Tharan join us at the Lupus Foundation of Minnesota,” said Jason Price, Chair of the LFM Board. “As we strengthen our mission, we are constantly striving to develop state-wide relationships with constituents impacted by lupus and donors who advance our efforts. We look forward to having him at the helm as we expand our reach and work.”

Lupus is a disease where the immune system turns against parts of the body it’s designed to protect. This leads to inflammation and can affect many different body systems, including joints, blood cells and organs. Difficult to diagnose, it can range from mild to life threatening in severity. Lupus can occur at any age and in either sex.

For more information, visit http://www.lupusmn.org.