Bio (2025)
Linda L. Hoeschler, a New York native and St. Paul resident since 1968, has enjoyed a business and non-profit career leading the turnaround, building and management of organizations.
From May 1991 through July 2003, she was Executive Director of the St. Paul-based American Composers Forum, which she led from its position as a small regional organization to become a nationally significant arts leader.
Prior to joining the Forum, Hoeschler worked for 14 years in the corporate sector, including roles as vice president of the Dayton Hudson (now Target) Corporation, group vice president of National Computer Systems, and president of Landmark Investors, Ltd. From 1976 to 1977 she directed the Minnesota Governor’s Commission on the Arts, after 6 years working as a free-lance writer for Twin Cities media and not-for-profits. Prior to their move to St. Paul, the Hoeschlers worked as Vista Volunteers in Chicago where Linda ran a Hull House center in the Dearborn Homes housing project.
Hoeschler has served on several business and many charitable boards over the years. She currently serves as trustee of the Ascendium Education Group (formerly Great Lakes Higher Education Corp), the Hampsong Foundation, and Regions Hospital Foundation. She also chairs the advisory board for PBS Undertold Stories Project, housed at the University of St. Thomas, and serves on the Artistic Advisory Committee of the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra.
She is a past member of the Minnesota Governor’s Commission on Education (Committee Chair), North Central Regional Educational Laboratory (Vice Chair), and the National Education Policy Information Center.
Prior board memberships include the Minnesota Women’s Economic Roundtable (President), Lark String Quartet (President), American Council for the Arts (Treasurer), Jerome Foundation (Treasurer), Milkweed Editions (Chair), Northwest Area Foundation (Finance and Investments Chair), Delegation for Friendship Among Women (President), Collegeville Institute (Secretary/Treasurer), Chamber Music America (Treasurer), St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Ordway Music Theatre, Minnesota Dance Theater, VocalEssence, Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies, Landmark Center, Dodge Nature Center, Madison Council of the Library of Congress, United Theological Seminary, St. John’s University (Chair, Student Development), University of St. Thomas (Executive Committee), and Opus College of Business. She was also a company board member of Personnel Decisions Research, Inc. and the Gift Certificate Company.
Hoeschler is an honors graduate of Barnard College, and a Herbert Lehman Fellow at the New School University where she received her M.A. with highest honors. In 2003 she was awarded two Doctor of Humane Letters Degrees: by St. John’s University, Collegeville, Minnesota and by the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul.
Linda was married to attorney John G. Hoeschler from1966 until his death in 2022. Their two children are Kristen Hoeschler (Terence) O’Brien and Frederick Reeves (Julia) Hoeschler, plus two grandsons, Jack and William. In 2023 she wed Peter A. Blyberg.
