SPTRFA Staff

Paul V. Doane – Executive Director, Christine MacDonald – Assistant Director
Nancy Langer, Susan Nystrom, Janet Williams, Tamera Zielinski

Paul brings a broad background in pension and investment related areas.  He is formerly the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer of two state-wide multi-billion dollar retirement systems in Massachusetts and Arkansas, sandwiched around a fifteen year career as a senior executive with the New York based investment management firm of Oppenheimer Capital, which formerly managed assets for the SPTRFA.  He also recently completed a term as Commissioner and Chair of the Investment Committee with the Massachusetts Public Employee Retirement Administration Commission (PERAC) which oversees and regulates the operational management of the state’s 109 municipal and state agency pension plans.

Paul’s career also includes having been a former combat decorated Naval officer, twelve years as a Senior Vice President with the investment brokerage firm of AG Edwards and Sons and a four term Massachusetts State Senator representing his home district of Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket.

His wife of nearly 40 years, Helen, is a decorative painter.  They have two children, Seth, a television news correspondent in New York City, and Sarah, a geologist, in Boulder.  Until being brought back from retirement to help the Board manage the SPTRFA, he and his wife divided their time between Massachusetts and New Mexico.  His interests include the piano and banjo, golf and reading – although, he may have to take up curling as well.

Chris joined the SPTRFA in June 2003 with ten years of accounting, auditing, legal, and technology experience obtained at the Minnesota Office of the State Auditor. Her accounting, auditing, and legal experience includes service as Director of Public Pension Oversight under State Auditor Judith Dutcher. Chris has extensive experience in public pension regulation and investment performance monitoring.

Her technology experience includes information management, networking, and database development. She led a number of projects that helped streamline and enhance information management during her tenure at the Auditor’s office.

She works closely with other Minnesota public retirement funds to make sure there is continuity between the funds relating to member benefits. This networking function encompasses investment, administrative, and legislative issues.

Chris is a 1993 graduate of the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management, where she earned a B.S.B. in Accounting with High Distinction, finishing in the top 3% of her class.

Nancy began her career with SPTRFA in 1978. Her responsibilities include maintaining the active teacher database and updating payroll information from the St. Paul Public Schools and Saint Paul College. Nancy also handles all of the refund of contributions requests and inquiries about repayment of refunds.

Susan Nystron
Fiscal Services
Contact Info

Phone: 651-642-2550

Susan began her career with the SPTRFA in December 2007, as an independent accounting contractor and became a permanent employee in June 2008. She comes to SPTRFA with 20 years of experience in accounting, financial reporting, taxes, and administrative support.

Her responsibilities include Financial Reporting, Cash Management and Investment Monitoring in addition to Accounts Payable and the SPTRFA Payroll.

Susan graduated from Dakota County Technical College in 2003 with an AAS degree in accounting and is currently pursuing her BS degree in Accounting/Finance at Metro State University in St. Paul.