Email »Ron has been with the MIC since 1995. The full range of the MIC’s transportation activities–from pedestrians and bike travel to train, truck and air travel to roadway planning–continues to be rewarding and stimulating.
Ron has a B.S. in Geography from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a Masters Degree in Urban Planning from the University of Kansas. He is a Certified Planner and also serves on a number of national transportation related committees. As MIC Director he is responsible for overall administrative functions and project oversight.
Outside of work, he enjoys many outdoor activities including travel, golfing, biking, and cross-country skiing. A favorite pastime is competing in combined biking and running events (duathlons) throughout Wisconsin and Minnesota over the summer months.
Sheldon is the Executive Director of the Northwest Regional Planning Commission, and serves as the MIC’s Deputy Director, representing the Wisconsin side of the MIC planning area.
He has a B.A. from the University of Minnesota-Duluth in Geography and in Urban Studies and an M.A. from Mankato State University in Urban and Regional Studies. He is member of the American Planning Association and is on the Board of Directors of the Transportation Development Association of Wisconsin.
His responsibilities with the MIC include development of the Superior Urbanized Area TIP and consultation on transportation issues with local, state, and federal officials on the Wisconsin side of the MIC area.
Kris Liljeblad, AICP, PTP is a Senior Transportation Planner at the MIC. He completed an Urban Studies degree at UMD, is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners and earned Professional Transportation Planner certification from the Institute of Transportation Engineers.
Kris joined the MIC in 2022, where he is working to improve multi-modal mobility within the Twin Ports region. His 40-plus year planning career includes both public service and consulting work in the states of Arizona, Minnesota, Ohio, and Washington. His specialties include preparing areawide and corridor plans, transit service and facility plans, capital project programming, and environmental documentation for transportation projects, programs, and plans.
Prescott started with the MIC in April 2022. Prescott’s background is mainly in bike and pedestrian facility on-street design, with a perspective for better understanding how we can use our public spaces to enhance quality of life and optimize our built environment.
Prescott has an undergraduate degree in Environmental Studies from the University of Minnesota Duluth, as well as a Masters in Urban and Regional Planning from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs and a Masters in Landscape Architecture from the University of Minnesota’s College of Design.
On his off-time, Prescott thoroughly enjoys working on his bikes, paddling the waters of the BWCA, and indulging in fine art.
Barb works part-time to coordinate policy board and advisory committee meetings and is responsible for writing the meeting summaries. She provides assistance to other staff members when the need arises, including learning to update the MIC website as well. She graduated from the University of St Thomas with a BA in Mathematics and also brings quite a varied background in customer service, office processes and procedures.
When not at work, she enjoys her gardens, making old things new, updating her home and keeping up kids and grandkids.
Ricky Sarran
Ricky started working for the Duluth-Superior Metropolitan Interstate Council in November 2017 as GIS Specialist after a three month internship with ARDC’s Regional Planning division.
He graduated with a BS in Physical Geography from the University of Wisconsin – Superior and a minor in GIS. He studied in Scotland for a semester and traveled all over Europe and is excited to go back at some point. Besides traveling he enjoys working on cars, and building and working on computers.
As Planning Communications Coordinator, Rondi works with MIC planners to implement public involvement strategies for its plans and studies. develops communication pieces and manages the MIC’s presence on its website and social media outlets,
She studied English and Public Health at the University of Minnesota and worked for eight years in Human Resources at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. Now an enthusiastic Duluthian, she serves on the Duluth Transit Authority board and was an e-bike early adopter in this city of steep hills and strong headwinds.