Tom Daniel (MURP ’98)

Tom Daniel is the Manager of the Economic Development Section of the City of Minneapolis' Department of Community Planning and Economic Development.  Tom began his employment with the City of Minneapolis in 2000 as a Project Coordinator for the MCDA.  He has worked on a variety of economic development projects with a focus on downtown, as well as department-level initiatives, organizational development, and cultural change.  Prior to joining the City, Tom was an active volunteer in his neighborhood association and served in several leadership roles.

Tom has a Master's degree in Urban and Regional Planning with a concentration on community and economic development from the Humphrey School.  He is certified by the National Development Council as a Housing Development and Economic Development Professional.  In 2003, Tom completed the City of Minneapolis' Leadership Development Program.  He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners, the American Planning Association, and the Economic Development Association of Minnesota.  Tom was a member of the 1998 entering class.

Jennifer Godinez (MA ’97)

Jennifer Godinez is executive director of the Minnesota College Access Network, in conjunction with the Minnesota Minority Education Partnership, Inc. Her professional experience includes nonprofit management, fund development, and speaking both locally and nationally on topics related to education and emerging demographics in the U.S.

Jennifer was awarded as a "Top 25 Under 40" by the Hispanic Business Chamber in 2005, and named "Leader of the Year" by La Prensa newspaper for her work advocating on immigrant access issues in education. She earned a BA in sociology at Drake University, and completed an MA in public affairs with a concentration in nonprofit management and education policy from the Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs.

Miriam Goldfein (MA ’88)

Miriam Goldfein is director of Best Buy's Market Analysis group at its Richfield headquarters.  Her Market Analysis team works closely with Best Buy's real estate staff and is instrumental in identifying emerging markets, helping locate individual stores and providing specialized regional and market-related evaluations for the company's property development. Prior to joining Best Buy in 1997, Miriam worked in the locational analysis area for Target Corporation as well as Lane Bryant.

  A Humphrey School graduate, her studies there emphasized land-use planning. While at the university as a graduate student, she co-authored the economic study "Trade Centers of the Upper Midwest."  Miriam has her undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania where she was a regional science major. She is an active volunteer for the Greater Minneapolis Crisis Nursery.

Katharine Hill (MPP/MSW ’99)

Katharine Hill is a project coordinator at the Institute on Community Integration (ICI) at the University of Minnesota. She is responsible for the coordination, implementation, and evaluation of a variety of state and federal research and evaluation projects in the areas of special education and disability policy. Katharine also completed a Master of Social Work in a dual degree program with the Humphrey School and is a 1994 graduate of Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Charles E. Johnson (MA ’83)

Mr. Johnson serves as the assistant commissioner for Children and Family Services for the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS). He is responsible for programs and policies that promote economic stability, child safety and permanency, opportunities for children to develop to their potential and successful transitions for immigrant families. 

In his previous position as director of Transitions to Economic Stability, Mr. Johnson led DHS’ welfare reform efforts. He has been involved in the development of Minnesota’s primary welfare reform effort, the Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP), since its inception. Mr. Johnson has been with DHS for 16 years, and has spent all of his 21 years in state government working on policies and programs that support low-income families and children.

Bernadine Joselyn (MPA ’00)

Bernadine Joselyn is a graduate of the Humphrey School's MPA program, a 30 credit program for mid-career professionals. She was president of the Humphrey School's Alumni Board for 2005-2006. A Minnesota native, Bernadine also has a master's degree in international affairs and a certificate in advanced Soviet studies from Columbia University. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Minnesota.

Bernadine currently is the Director of Public Policy & Engagement at the Blandin Foundation, in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. As director, Bernadine is responsible for promoting rural perspectives in the realm of public policy in Minnesota.  Under her leadership, the Foundation currently is implementing two public policy initiatives: Vital Forests/Vital Communities, and the Blandin Broadband Initiative: Keeping Rural Communities Competitive. Bernadine served for seven years as a diplomat with the United States Department of State, including assignments in New Delhi, India and Moscow, Russia. She spent the better part of a decade living and working in Russia, including as Director of the Moscow office of the Eurasia Foundation, and Director of the Moscow office of the International Research and Exchanges Board.

Sabrina Lau (MA ’95)

Sabrina Lau is a new business analyst with the CriMNet Program in the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, where she will facilitate data integration projects for the benefit of criminal justice agencies statewide. With CriMNet, she will be aiding in liaison work, assistance to local agencies, small jurisdiction integration planning, and project-specific business analysis. Previously, Sabrina has worked with Dakota County as an analyst, and with nonprofit organizations in the areas of economic development and sustainability, including two years with the Polish Ecological Club in Warsaw. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of California at Davis. 

Tim Marx (MA/JD ’79)

Governor Tim Pawlenty appointed Tim Marx Commissioner of the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency in April 2003. Prior to his appointment as commissioner, he was with the law firm of Briggs and Morgan.

Tim began with Briggs and Morgan in 1986 and has extensive experience representing governmental, non-profit and private clients.  In 1993, at the request of Saint Paul Mayor Norm Coleman, he left Briggs and Morgan to serve as Saint Paul City Attorney. In 1997, he was named Deputy Mayor and served in this capacity until rejoining Briggs and Morgan in 1998. He has also served as general counsel to several non-profit organizations.  

Tim is active in numerous organizations as board member or task force member including the Saint Paul Area Chamber of Commerce and its Political Action Committee, the Capital City Partnership, the Citizens League, the Saint Paul Board of Education, and the Minnesota Children's Museum. Tim is a frequent author and lecturer at legal and other seminars. 

Scott McMahon (MPP ’03)

Scott McMahon is the research director at the National Institute of Health Policy. His past work experience includes aide to the dean at the Humphrey School and program associate at the Citizens League.

  While a student at the Humphrey School, Scott represented the students as the President of the Public Affairs Student Association (PASA) and as an ex-officio member of the alumni board. 

McMahon is a graduate of Saint John's University with a bachelor of arts degree in political science and he received a master of science in administration from the Mendoza College of Business, University of Notre Dame in 2005.

Jim Mulder (MA ’82)

Jim Mulder is the Executive Director of the Association of Minnesota Counties (AMC).  He is a graduate of the University of Minnesota, Morris, with a Bachelor of Science degree.

Mr. Mulder has been the Executive Director for AMC for fifteen years.  Prior to holding this position, Mr. Mulder served as the county coordinator for McLeod County. He worked for the Minnesota House of Representatives as a researcher, and as a committee administrator for the House Tax Committee. 

The AMC is a voluntary association of all of Minnesota’s eighty-seven counties. The Association provides a broad range of services that include lobbying the Minnesota Legislature, working with state departments and agencies and providing training and information to Minnesota County officials.

Kiyoshi Nakasaka (MA ’89)

Kiyoshi Nakasaka is President & CEO of a business and public policy consulting firm, Washington CORE, L.L.C. Kiyoshi advises top business/government/trade association executives on strategic business & policy issues. He has played a key role in establishing numerous successful alliances/collaborations across the Pacific.
He is a member of the Radio Club of America, a wireless communications professional society, and is selected as a member of the International Who's Who of Information Technology in 1998.
Prior to starting his consulting firm, Kiyoshi worked as a public policy and government affairs analyst in the Washington, D.C., and also worked for CBS News in Tokyo, Japan.
Kiyoshi earned an MA in public affairs from the University of Minnesota's Humphrey School of Public Affairs, and a B.A. from Sophia University in Tokyo, Japan.

Katherine Siggerud (MA '85)

Kate joined the alumni board as the Washington, D.C., representative. She works for the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), where she directs GAO's work related to the U.S. Postal Service and federal highway and transit policy. Kate remains in close contact with the Humphrey School by recruiting Humphrey students for internships and permanent positions at GAO.

Mary Vidas (MPA ’03)

Mary Vidas is the Public Policy Program Manager for the University of Minnesota’s Landscape Arboretum working closely with diverse stakeholders regarding issues of land-use and design, ecology, preservation of natural resources, low impact development and sustainability. Mary is also a consultant to the University of Minnesota’s Business and Community Economic Development Center assisting locally owned businesses and public/private partnerships, as well as, non-profit organizations looking to strengthen their capacity and outreach.

Recently, Mary was the recipient of the 2005 Arthur Naftalin Award for her public service and community governance work. She received a 2004 television Emmy while working as a project partner with the U.S. Attorney General’s Office. She is a former human rights commissioner and recognized leader for her work in education, media and public engagement. Mary earned a B.A. in communications from Metropolitan University, is a trained mediator certified in community development, and completed a MPA with concentrations in public leadership, nonprofit management, and social policy from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs.

Susan Von Mosch (MA ’79)

Susan works for the Minnesota Senate Counsel, Research, and Fiscal Analysis Office as a fiscal analyst with the Tax Committee. Prior to starting this position in March of 2006, Susan worked as manager of research and planning for the Legislative Commission on Minnesota Resources, a position she held for four years.  Susan also has worked as a program evaluator for the Office of the Legislative Auditor, a planner with the Metropolitan Council, and a policy analyst with Ramsey County.Susan earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Minnesota, Morris, majoring in history and political science.