Alumni Notes

1950s

Grant Merrit (MA ’55) practices throughout Minnesota and in federal courts in the areas of environmental regulation, transportation, governmental relations, litigation, municipal law, nonprofit organizations, and real estate for Kalina, Wills, Gisvold & Clark, PLLP.

1970s

Anna Ginn (MA ’74) is senior director of development and communications for the Synergos Institute in New York, NY.

Jay Greenberg (M ’71) is executive vice president of the National Council on Aging in Washington, D.C.

1980s

Scott H. DeLisi (MA ’80) was confirmed as Ambassador to the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal within the U.S. Department of State.

Kay Franey (MA ’80) accepted a job as grants specialist coordinator at the Minnesota Department of Human Services. She will coordinate contracts with the State Health Access Program, a 5 year federal grant. Further, Franey will be negotiating and monitoring contracts with agencies that help uninsured people find health coverage.

Jim Mulder (MA ’83) retired from his the Association of Minnesota Counties (AMC) in March where he was executive director for 21 years. Mulder wil focus on his doctoral studies at Hamline University’s public administration program. His dissertation is on the regressivity of mandates on local governments. Read the press release in Politics in Minnesota http://politicsinminnesota.com/blog/2010/02/amc-executive-director-jim-mulder-will-retire-in-march/.

Judy Poferl (MA ’82) became president and chief executive officer of NSP-Minnesota in August 2009. She joined NSP in 1998 and subsequently assumed increasing responsibilities in the regulatory area.

Robert Sauer (MA ’89) is senior counsel at Health Partners corporate office in Bloomington, MN.

Kevin Wolf (MA ’88) was confirmed as Assistant Secretary of Commerce (export administration) at the U.S. Department of Commerce.

1990s

Dennis Albrecht (MA ’97) is a fiscal analyst for the Minnesota Senate, Counsel, Research and Fiscal Analysis in the Higher Education Budget Division.

Jessica Burke (MPP ’98) is a research analyst with ORC Guideline in Minneapolis, MN.

Jasna Burza (MPP ’04) was promoted to regional sales director at Social Solutions.

Steve Eiken (MA ’93) works as a senior research leader specializing in aging and disability policy at Thomson Reuters in Eagan, MN.

Mark Fagan (MS ’97) was promoted to manager of resource planning at Great River Energy.

Jennifer Godinez (MA ’97) co-authored an article in Politics in Minnesota “Is Minnesota becoming a state that believes college isn’t for everyone?” http://politicsinminnesota.com/blog/2010/03/is-minnesota-becoming-a-state-that-believes-college-isn%E2%80%99t-for-everyone/

Christina Jennings (MA ’95) is executive director for Northcountry Cooperative Development Fund in Minneapolis.

Elizabeth Mertz (MA ’95) is an assistant professor at the University of California, San Francisco.

Lorenzo Taylor (MA ’91) is a public health analyst in San Francisco regional office for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Mike Taylor (MS-STEP ’98) is the director of research and education for Solar Electric Power Association, based in Washington, D.C.

David Ungemah (MP ’94) is senior supervising planner at Parsons Brinkerhoff in Austin, TX.

Katherine Wulff (MPP ’99) is now a senior analyst at U.S. Government Accountability Office in Washington, D.C.

Trina Zwicker (MA ’98) is branch chief for NGO and interagency outreach at U.S. Africa Command, located in Stuttgart Germany.

2000 to 2004

Ian Alexander (MPP ’03) has started a private business, The Alexander Law Firm.

Todd Anderson (MPP ’00) is now a senior analyst at U.S. Government Accountability Office in Washington, D.C.

Bethany (Claus) Widick (MPP ’01) took a new position as vice president and compliance officer at Citibank, N.A. in New York, NY.

Angella (Krueger) LaTour (MPP ’03) is a congressional affairs specialist in the office of Communications in the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs.

Matthew LaTour (MPP ’03) is now a senior analyst at U.S. Government Accountability Office iin Washington, D.C.

Laurie McGinnis (MPA ’03) serves at acting director of the Center for Transportation Studies.

Neeraj Mehta (MPP ’01) is a program officer for Nexus Community Partners in St. Paul, MN.

Stephanie Nelson (MPA ’00) has a new position as faith community relations senior associate at Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity

John Nolan (MPP ’02) is assistant relationship manager in the Community Lending group of Commercial Real Estate at U.S. Bank in Minneapolis, MN.

Anita Patel (MPP ’02) was named a Top Ten Outstanding Young Minnesotans by the Jaycees www.mnjaycess.org/toym.htm and a “Graduate” in the top six young leaders under 39 by Minnesota Business Magazine www.minneostabusiness.com/0t6p334/magazine/

Jenn Reed Moses (MURP ’03) is a planner with the City of Duluth, MN.

Ting Ren (MPP ’02) completed a Ph.D. in Business at the Carslon School of Management and has taken a position as an assistant professor in management at Peking University HSBC School of Business in Shenzen, China.

Bethany Snyder (MPP ’04) is director of field operations for Senator Al Franken.

Joseph Touschner (MPP ’03) is a state health policy analyst for the Center for Children and Families in Washington, D.C. In this capacity, he supports the efforts of state level advocates and to improve health care coverage policies for children and families. He also conducts research on Medicaid, CHIP and related topics.

 Emily Troutman (MPP ’03) is writing a series of dispatches form Haiti for AOL News. Read her essay here: http://www.aolnews.com/world/article/photo-essay-remembering-haiti-just-before-the-quake/19318665

Jessica Webster (MPP ’00) is running for the Minnesota House of Representative in district 65A (St. Paul).

2005 to present

Bjorn Arneson (MPP ’07) works for Horizons, a subdivision of the University of Minnesota Extension.

Brant Birkeland (MURP ’07) joined the City of Great Falls, Montana, as a comprehensive planner.

Sara Breakiron (MURP ’07) took a position with the Minnesota Department of Transportation as a senior transportation planner.

Dan Craigie (MPP ’07) is seeking the Green party endorsement for the 2010 Minnesota House of Representatives race in district 59B.

Ipyana Critton Spencer (MPP ’07) works for Peck, Madigan, Jones & Steward, Inc., in Washington, D.C.

Celina Davidson (MPP ’05) let the Met Council for a position with the U.S. GAO in Washington, D.C.

Jerry Doyle (MPP ’07) works as special assistant to the deputy director at the National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

Leah Gardner (MPP ’07) is outreach coordinator for the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits.

Sudhir Garg (MPA ’08) is a director for the Ministry of Defense in Delhi, India.

Adam Gill (MPP ’05) was hired by The Animal Foundation to serve as its executive director. Adam previously worked for Rural Dynamics as a fundraiser.

Kristy Goodfellow (MPP ’05) is an international economist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C.

Michael Hawton (MPA ’08) is working with the Minnesota Department of Helath on strategic planning for the Statewide Health Improvement Program (SHIP) which is focused on tobacco and obesity issues.

Daniel Jackson (MPP ’04) left St. Olaf College last fall but continues to work with TriO programs at Augsburg College. He is assistant director of the McNair Scholars Program.

Peter Janelle (MPP ’06) is a senior pricing analyst at UnitedHealth Group.

Manoj Kumar (MPA ’07) is secretary to the Minister of Social Welfare for the Government of Delhi, India.

Anna Langer (MPP ’07) took a job as project coordinator for Development Alternatives, Inc., in Bethesda, Maryland.

Sarah Martyn Crowell (MPP ’06) is a management analyst (presidential management fellow) at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD.

Vineet Mathur (MPA ’08) is director at the Central Vigilance Commission in Delhi, India.

Johanna Maynard (MPP ’06) is Program Director of the Women’s Business Center at Queens Economic Development Corporation.

Stacy Myhre (MPP ’07) is a state program administrator for the Minnesota Department of Human Services.

Manoj Singh (MPA ’07) is commissioner for the Moradabd region of India.

Rashmi Singh (MPA ’07) leads Mission Convergence in Delhi, India. Mission Convergence coordinates and makes accessible through the work of a multitude of NGOs, over 40 government programs for millions of Delhi residents. Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit describes Rashmni’s work as an “unique idea for harnessing government resources and private citizen partnership to spread awareness and facilitate access to various schemes run by the government.” Additionally, Ms. Singh has been nominated for Gordon Draper Award for this outstanding working in applying integrative leadership in the City of Delhi. 

Eden Spencer (MURP ’07) is a program coordinator for Greater Metropolitan Housing Corporation in Minneapolis, MN.

New Additions

Libby Starling (MP ’94) a son, Theodore Starling Dutcher, born Feb 10, 2010, joins big sister Charlotte (5) and brother Ben (18).

Christina Connelly (MPP ’03) twins! Son Daniel Paul, and daughter Emma Rose, were born March 21, 2010.