Policy Fellows: Alumni News

Frank Bates (1990-1991) professor of chemical engineering and materials science, was recently named a University of Minnesota Regents Professor, the University's highest faculty rank. He is a world leader in developing plastics and adhesives used in everything from balloon catheters (medicine) to steel-rod coating (construction), with 15 patents issued and pending. Read about it here. (8/17/07)

Gretchen Musicant (1991-1992) commissioner of health for the City of Minneapolis received the 2007 Paul and Sheila Wellstone Public Health Achievement Award from the Minnesota Public Health Association. She was also featured in a Minnesota Women's Press story about her work in public health (Women's Work: She found her calling, Gretchen Musicant is devoted to reducing health disparities, July 11-24). (8/17/07)

Greg Patterson (2000-2001) recently left the Star Tribune where he was assistant business editor. He had been project manager of the paper's newsroom/online integration initiative, interim night manager, and technology editor. (8/17/07)

William Tenney (2006-2007) recently co-authored an article with James B. Rice, Jr. from MIT on Supply Chain Risk Management. Bill Tenney is group manager, Business Intelligence and International SC Security at Target Corporation. Read about it here. (8/17/07)

Emily Zweber (2006-2007) is the new director for the Minnesota Ag in the Classroom Foundation, responsible for managing the foundation and increasing private sector financial support. She leaves the Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation, where she was special programs coordinator. (8/17/07)

Charissa Bryant (2006-2007) will be presented with the 2007 Diversity in Action award by Hennepin County at a recognition program on June 26. Bryant is the social work unit supervisor for Hennepin County's Child Foster Care Licensing. (7/12/07)

Scott Chazdon (2001-2002) joined University of Minnesota Extension in January, where he directs research and evaluation activities for the Community Vitality program area. Community Vitality includes economic development and leadership/civic engagement programming. Previously, Chazdon served as director of Research, Planning and Evaluation for the Minnesota Dept. of Human Services. (7/12/07)

Becky Christenson (2001-2002) is the new executive director of communications and public affairs for the Minneapolis Public Schools. She leaves the Minnesota Dept. of Revenue, where she was director of communications. (7/12/07)

John Doan (2005-2006) and his family were highlighted in a Star Tribune story about diversity and community-building in a Twin Cities suburban neighborhood (In Blaine, a global village, Sunday, June 17). Doan is president of his neighborhood association. Read about it here. (7/12/07)

Jessie Ostlund (2006-2007) wrote a letter to the Star Tribune published Sunday, June 24. "Letter of the day: To returning soldiers, our thanks and attention," emphasizes that returning veterans are citizens, not victims. Ostlund is an account executive with Himle Horner and a member of the volunteer Warrior to Citizen campaign. Read about it here. (7/12/07)

Diane Tran (2006-2007) has been accepted into the 2007-2008 cohort of Minnesota's Emerging Leaders' Network program. The Emerging Leaders' Network (ELN) is a year-long program designed to strengthen and diversify leadership for the public's health. It is also a statewide network of public health leaders skilled in collaborative leadership who share resources, contacts and expertise. (7/12/07)

Erik Lindseth (2003-04) joined Life Time Fitness as associate general counsel in August 2006. He manages all litigation - principally tort, employment, and commercial matters in state and federal court – and provides legal advice, compliance training, and other support for business units within Life Time Fitness. He previously served as an assistant attorney general in the Civil Enforcement Section of the Office of the Minnesota Attorney General. (6/12/07)

Jeff Rush (2005-06) has left the Star Tribune, where he was editor of the Star Tribune’s north suburban edition. This fall he will begin a master's program in applied economics at the University of Minnesota. (6/12/07)

Jay Weiner (2004-05) has left the Star Tribune, where he was on special assignment as manager of the paper’s new buzz.mn site. As part of his regular beat as a sports reporter, Weiner provided ongoing coverage of stadium issues. (6/12/07)

Congratulations to Emily Zweber (2006-07) and her husband on the birth of their son Erik in late May! (6/12/07)

Martha Brand's (1998-1999) work drafting legislation and educating state lawmakers on environmental issues - particularly water quality - was featured in an April 20 article in the Star Tribune, "Martha Brand: Eco-strategist." Brand is an attorney and executive director of the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy. (4/24/07)

John Heino (1996-1997) was selected as a "community catalyst" for an economic and social development project coordinated by the Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation. Heino and 30 other professionals have committed to spend at least two hours per week over the next year listening to their peers, asking questions, and gathering community feedback to inform Duluth’s efforts to retain and attract more educated residents. The project is funded by the Knight Foundation. Heino is president and CEO of Como Oil & Propane in Duluth. (4/20/07)

Tomasz Inglot (1997-1998), associate professor of political science at Minnesota State University-Mankato, helped organize a visit by Jorge Castaneda, foreign minister under former President Vicente Fox. The visit was originally scheduled for April 2, but because of travel difficulties has been rescheduled. Mr. Castaneda will discuss Mexican-American Relations at 9 a.m. on Thursday, April 26, on the campus in Mankato. The lecture is free and open to the public. (4/20/07)

Denis McMahon (2000-2001) has provisionally been appointed principal private secretary to the First Minister of Northern Ireland and is due to take up his new post on May 8 when devolution is restored to the Northern Ireland Assembly. McMahon was previously programme director in the Department of Health Social Services and Public Safety with responsibility for implementing the Review of Public Administration in the Health and Social Services. This was an unprecedented reorganisation of Northern Ireland’s largest employers, which employ 70,000 people have combined annual budgets of £3.5 billion. Under McMahon’s direction, the 18 Health and Social Services Trusts have been reduced to five. (4/20/07)

Karen Louise Boothe (1996-1997) recently completed a project for the American Red Cross International Disaster Communications Team in Washington, D.C., working to launch the annual World Disasters Report and handle communications/media for the White House Summit on Measles led by President Bush and Laura Bush.

This month, Boothe will travel to Sierra Leone, where she will serve as one of two Americans on an eight-person team of elections observers appointed by the USAID, National Democratic Institute and British Council. Her role over the next three and a half months will be to work on the civic engagement programming and outreach strategies (including voter education) leading up to Sierra Leone’s presidential and parliamentary elections in July. She will also work with independent media on fair and balanced coverage of the elections.

Boothe, a journalist and international civic engagement trainer, has formed a consulting practice with others called Prepone Consulting LLC.

C. Scott Cooper (2005-2006) and Katie Sieben (2003-2004) are recipients of 2007 Bush Leadership Fellowships. The Bush Foundation describes Leadership Fellows as "accomplished, motivated people at mid-career, eager to prepare for greater leadership responsibilities within their professions and communities." Both Cooper and Sieben will use their fellowships to attend the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, starting this fall. Cooper is education fund director of TakeAction Minnesota, and Sieben represents district 57 (Newport, Hastings, Cottage Grove) in the Minnesota Senate. (4/12/07)

Kim Carlson (1998-1999) was featured in the LifeStyle section of the March Mpls./St. Paul magazine for her work helping "green become more mainstream." Carlson, who founded a green property management company, is developing a line of home décor products made of recycled or sustainable materials. (4/3/07)

John Gaddo (1995-1996), formerly of Northfield, is now working for Wisconsin Public Radio as regional manager for southwest Wisconsin and southeast Minnesota, based in La Crosse. In addition to his WPR management duties, Gaddo continues to pursue program initiatives and documentaries related to community issues, especially those affecting the lives of rural communities. (4/3/07)

Hussein Samatar (2003-2004), executive director of the African Development Center, recently returned from three weeks of travel in Europe as an American Marshall Memorial Fellow. More information at http://www.gmfus.org/fellowships/mmf.cfm. (4/3/07)

Matt Anderson (1999-2000) is now working for the Minnesota Hospital Association as vice president of regulatory and strategic affairs. He previously served as assistant general counsel with Minnesota State Colleges and Universities. (3/19/07)

Tom Inglot (1997-1998), associate professor of political science at Minnesota State University Mankato, will welcome Jorge Castañeda to campus for a free public event on April 2. Castañeda served as foreign minister under Mexican President Vicente Fox, and will discuss Mexican-American relations and U.S. immigration policy. (3/19/07)

Congratulations to Jona (Turner) Van Deun (1997-1998) and her husband on the birth of their second child, Ainsley Elizabeth, on March 1. For the past year, Van Deun has been handling media relations and crisis management for the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI), based in Chicago. PCI represents over 1,000 property and casualty insurers from across the country. (3/19/07)

Congratulations to Pete Lindstrom (2002-03) and his wife on the birth of their first child, Zachary, on February 6. Lindstrom is director of public affairs for the Minnesota High Tech Association. (3/9/07)

Erik Aamoth (2002-03) director of employment programs at the Minnesota Dept. of Employment and Economic Development, was appointed to the planning commission in Plymouth, a suburb west of Minneapolis. Plymouth is one of the fastest growing communities in the Twin Cities metropolitan area, and has a current population of 70,000. Major employers in the city include insurance, high-tech research, light manufacturing, printing and publishing, telecommunications and computer-related industries. (2/28/07)

Perry Aasness (2001-02) was recently appointed Farm Service Agency state executive director for Minnesota. State executive directors oversee FSA's responsibilities to farmers and ranchers within the state's boundaries and contribute feedback to assist the agency with policy decisions. FSA's farm programs include commodity programs; farm ownership, operating and emergency loans; conservation and environmental programs; emergency and disaster assistance; domestic and international food assistance and international export credit programs. Aasness joins the FSA after nearly a decade with the Minnesota Dept. of Agriculture, where he held positions including deputy commissioner. (2/28/07)

Congratulations to Jon Commers (2005-06) and his wife on the birth of their daughter, Frances, on February 24. (2/28/07)

Julie Idelkope (1999-00) was recently hired by Wal-Mart as its first lobbyist designated for Minnesota. Idelkope will be working during the 2007 legislative session on a health care bill that would affect large retailers, and with local governments statewide on new store developments. Idelkope has lobbied on behalf of *Northwest Airlines Corp.* the Minnesota Twins, and Burger King Corp, and has served as deputy commissioner of the Minnesota Dept. of Trade and Economic Development. (2/28/07)

Jessica Peterson (2005-06) recently began working as a community coordinator for the University of Minnesota Extension Service's Horizons Program. Funded by the Northwest Area Foundation, the Horizons program is designed to "strengthen leadership and civic engagement systems in rural communities of between 500 and 5,000 that have experienced decline in population, income and resources." Peterson is working in several communities in southern Minnesota, including Elmore, Mountain Lake, St. James, Wabasha, and Hokah. (2/28/07)

Martha Brand (1998-99), an attorney and executive director of the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, wrote an editorial published in the Star Tribune on February 18 as part of an editorial pages project called "With Water in Mind" that focuses on threats to the quality of Minnesota's waters. (2/19/07)

Jessica Peterson (2005-06) was appointed to the Planning Commission in Rice County. The planning commission has the authority to review and make recommendations to the county board on matters related to zoning, ordinance changes, planning and land use. Rice County is a rapidly growing area south of the Twin Cities that includes the town of Northfield. (2/19/07)

David Strom (1998-99), vice president of the Taxpayers League of Minnesota, and Rep. Steve Simon (2000-01) appeared on Twin Cities Public Television's Almanac program on February 16. They were part of a panel offering political commentary. (2/19/07)

Freelance writer and consultant Kevin Featherly (2004-05) wrote a profile of Asad Zaman (2004-05) featured in the current edition of Minnesota Monthly magazine (Brothers' Keeper). Zaman is executive director of Tarek ibn Ziyad Academy, a charter school in Inver Grove Heights. He also serves as imam at his Bloomington mosque, and co-founded the Muslim American Society of Minnesota. (2/19/07)

Stephanie Andrews (2005-2006) has accepted the role of deputy commissioner (a newly reinstated position) at the Minnesota Dept. of Finance. Andrews has 13 years of experience in the budget division, and most recently worked as an executive budget coordinator. (2/14/07)

Jim Chen (1995-1996) has left the University of Minnesota Law School, where he was James L. Krusemark Professor of Law and associate dean for faculty, to take the position of dean at the University of Louisville's Louis D. Brandeis School of Law. (1/30/07)

Joan Cleary (2004-2005) was named vice president of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Foundation, with responsibilities for the day-to-day leadership of the foundation. She will also continue some of the work she did as director of foundation programs and communications. (1/30/07)

The Asian American Press published a Jan. 26 article about John Doan’s (2005-2006) recent move to SRF Consulting in Plymouth, Minn. (1/30/07)

Jeanne Tramel Rasmussen (1997-1998) has been selected as a volunteer resource leader trainer with the Minnesota Association for Volunteer Administration (MAVA), where she will help others learn about the professional management of volunteers. Rasmussen is a full-time volunteer coordinator with Guild Incorporated. (1/30/07)

Will Brooks (2004-2005) recently joined the Reserve Officers Association (ROA) of the U.S. as director of Naval Services. The ROA is a non-profit organization that is congressionally chartered to supply national security advice to Congress along with information to support a strong guard and reserve force. Brooks works on all issues related to the reserve forces within the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, US Public Health Service, and NOAA. He is also a Navy Reserve Officer serving as an Intelligence Officer in the Washington, D.C. area. Brooks previously served as military legislative assistant for Congressman Jim Kolbe (R-AZ), who retired in late 2006. (1/25/07)

Therese Gales (2001-2002) will moderate post-play discussions following performances of 'In Darfur' at the Guthrie Theater in late January. Gales is public information and outreach manager for the American Refugee Committee based in Minneapolis. (1/25/07)

Nate Garvis (1994-1995) will be the featured speaker at a discussion hosted by the Citizens League at the Walker Art Center on February 7. Garvis, who is a member of the board of the Citizens League and vice president for government affairs at Target Corporation, will examine the ways outrage is becoming an industry in and of itself, intent on keeping us angry. Going beyond a statement of the problem, Garvis will suggest ways to weave ourselves back together so we can tackle today’s complex issues with sustainable results. "Uncivil Discourse and the Rise of the Outrage Industry" is free and open to the public, but advance registration is required. (1/25/07)

Last October, Melissa Manderschied (2002-2003) joined the law firm of Kennedy & Graven in Minneapolis as an attorney. (1/25/07)

Kent Thiesse (2000-2001) was recently re-elected to a three-year term on the Minnesota School Boards Association (MSBA) board of directors, and will serve on the MSBA executive board and as the MSBA treasurer. (1/25/07)

Dave Hage (1997-1998), an editorial writer at the Star Tribune, has been named chairman of the board of advisers of the Casey Journalism Center at the University of Maryland. The center, founded in 2002 by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, provides education and training for journalists in family and social policy. (1/18/07)

Kevin Featherly (2004-2005) and Tim Penny wrote an editorial published in the St. Paul Pioneer Press (January 16) urging Governor Tim Pawlenty to "use his amazing natural skills for something bigger than just looking and sounding good at the podium." Featherly is a freelance writer and consultant. (1/18/07)

George Klauser (1992-1993) was appointed to a two-year term on the Opportunity Partners board of directors, where he has served as vice chairman and secretary, and has been a member of the Executive, Human Resources and Advancement committees. In addition to his board service, Klauser has been an active volunteer for various programs supporting greater independence for children and young adults with special needs. He works for Eden Prairie-based XIOtech Corporation, where he is vice president responsible for worldwide customer service. (1/18/07)

Kim McNealy (2002-2003) has taken a job with Intuit – maker of Turbo Tax, Quicken and Quickbooks – as marketing director for Business Customer Initiatives in San Diego. McNealy leaves the General Mills corporate headquarters, where he most recently worked as marketing manager on Snacks Innovation. (1/18/07)

Don Ness (2002-2003) has taken a job as director of programming and development for the AH Zeppa Family Foundation in Duluth. Ness has served as Congressman Jim Oberstar's campaign manager for the past 10 years. He also serves on the Duluth City Council and is considering a run for mayor later this year. (1/18/07)

Dave Colling (2005-2006) has taken a job as chief operating officer for Campaign Services Corporation, a new Minneapolis-based political consulting firm providing professional business and organizational services to Democratic political campaigns in Minnesota and around the country. Colling has several years of campaign experience, and served as campaign manager for Rep. Keith Ellison, who was elected in 2006 to his first term in Congress. (1/12/07)

Dan Gilchrist (2003-2004) has joined the government relations team at the University of Minnesota as coordinator of federal relations. Gilchrist most recently spent six years as speechwriter in the university’s Office of the President. (1/12/07)

Carolyn Sandberg (1992-1993) recently left the law firm of Lindquist & Vennum, where she was a partner, to serve as diversity manager for the law firm of Faegre & Benson. (1/12/07)

Andrea Schmidt Scamehorn (1996-1997) is leaving her position as manager of state government relations for CenterPoint Energy at the end of January to spend more time with her family. (1/12/07)

Eric Schubert (2003-2004) wrote an editorial for the Jan. 4 St. Paul Pioneer Press, "Tapping Into Your Inner Lobbyist," with suggestions about how Minnesotans can effectively lobby their legislators about issues important to them. (1/12/07)

Bill Oemichen (1993-1994) was appointed to a three-year term on the board of Farm Credit Council Services, Inc., headquartered in Denver, Colorado. He was also appointed to a second three-year term on the board of directors, and as chair of the Audit Committee, of GreenStone Farm Credit Services, a $3.5 billion cooperative farm credit association headquartered in East Lansing, Michigan. Oemichen works for the Wisconsin Federation of Cooperatives/Minnesota Association of Cooperatives, based in Madison, Wisconsin. (1/4/07)

The Center for the Study of Politics and Governance was pleased to host about 40 Policy Fellows alumni and most of the current class of Policy Fellows for a happy hour at the Humphrey Center on December 7. Larry Jacobs, director of the center, provided a welcome, and Jay Weiner (2004-05) of the Star Tribune and Andrew Haeg of Minnesota Public Radio spoke during a brief program about citizen journalism and how media outlets are adapting to meet the demands of 21st century news consumers. (12/8/06)

Lynnette Slater Crandall (2004-05) and Anne Lockner (2004-05) were both named 2007 Rising Stars by Minnesota Law & Politics magazine. Rising Stars are selected on the basis of peer recognition and professional achievement. Crandall practices political law at Dorsey & Whitney, and Lockner is an attorney in the business litigation practice of Robins Kaplan Miller & Ciresi. (12/8/06)

In January, John Doan (2005-06) will leave the Minnesota Dept. of Transportation, where he is FAST Lanes program director, to take a job with SRF Consulting Group in Plymouth. Doan will work on transportation planning projects with cities, counties, and the state. (12/8/06)

Ward Einess (2002-03), who has been serving as acting commissioner of the Minnesota Dept. of Employment and Economic Development, was asked to serve as Commissioner of the Minnesota Dept. of Revenue. Einess is a former senior policy adviser to Governor Pawlenty. (12/8/06)

Congratulations to Eric Schubert (2003-04) and his wife, who recently had a baby boy. Schubert is director of communications for Ecumen. (12/8/06)

Kathy Tingelstad (1999-00) won reelection to the Minnesota House, where she will represent district 49B in Andover for a sixth term. (12/8/06)

Sara Barrow (1999-00) has accepted a job as director of development for the North Side Health and Wellness Center in Minneapolis. The work of the Health and Wellness Center will be complemented by a broader effort to revitalize one of the poorest communities in the Twin Cities and with a $60 million investment by the University of Minnesota, Hennepin County and neighborhood institutions. (11/27/06)

Toni Coleman (2004-05) now serves as the associate editor of Diverse: Issues in Higher Education (formerly Black Issues in Higher Education), and is responsible for the news section of the magazine and daily news alerts. Previously, Coleman worked for the D.C.-based Gannett News Service as a congressional correspondent, and spent five years as a reporter at the St. Paul Pioneer Press. (11/27/06)

Tom Conlon (1994-95) was inducted into the Highland Park Senior High School's Hall of Fame in recognition of 15 years of service on the St. Paul School Board and as president of the school's alumni association. (11/27/06)

Betsey Buckheit (2002-03) of Northfield, Minn., lost her bid by 10 votes for the Rice County Commission seat currently held by Jessica Peterson (2005-2006). (11/14/06)

Scott Dibble (2001-02) won reelection to the Minnesota Senate, where he will represent district 60 in Minneapolis for a second term. He previously represented southwest Minneapolis for one term in the Minnesota House. (11/14/06)

Julie Remington (1994-95) has left her position as a management analyst with the Minnesota Workforce Center System. She worked for the Dept. of Employment and Economic Development for nine years. (11/14/06)

Glenn Switzer (2003-04) narrowly lost his bid for reelection as mayor of Dundas, a small town bordering the city of Northfield, Minn. (11/14/06)

Leanne Wirkkula (2000-01) has left the University of Minnesota's Office of the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, where she was a policy analyst and assessment coordinator, to serve as special assistant to the dean at the university's Carlson School of Management. The dean, Alison Davis-Blake, came to the university in July. (11/14/06)

Amy Klobuchar (1991-92) won election to the U.S. Senate as the first elected woman senator from Minnesota. She has served as Hennepin County Attorney since 1998. (11/9/06)

Julie Bunn (1996-97) won election to the Minnesota House, where she will represent district 56A (Lake Elmo). Bunn is an independent economist and policy consultant. (11/9/06)

Pat Garofalo (2005-06) won reelection to the Minnesota House, where he will represent district 36B (Farmington) for a second term. Garofalo is a network engineer for Allianz Life Insurance. (11/9/06)

Frank Hornstein (1995-96) won reelection to the Minnesota House. This will be his third term representing district 60B in Minneapolis. (11/9/06)

Mike Maguire (2003-04) was elected mayor of the city of Eagan. Maguire previously served on the Eagan City Council. (11/9/06)

Carlos Mariani (1991-92) won reelection to the Minnesota House. This will be his ninth consecutive term representing district 65B in St. Paul. (11/9/06)

Erin Murphy (2005-06) won election to the Minnesota House, where she will represent district 64A in St. Paul. Murphy is executive director of the Minnesota Nurses Association. (11/9/06)

Jessica Peterson (2005-06), a Rice County Commissioner and small business owner in Northfield, narrowly lost to incumbent Tom Neuville in her bid to represent Minnesota Senate district 25. (11/9/06)

Katie Sieben (2003-04) won election to the Minnesota Senate, representing district 57 (includes Hastings, Afton and St. Paul Park). Sieben previously represented Minnesota House district 57A for two terms. (11/9/06)

Steve Simon (200-01) won reelection to the Minnesota House, where he will represent district 44A (Hopkins and St. Louis Park) for a second term. Simon is an attorney with Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi. (11/9/06)

Jay Weiner (2004-05) has been named temporary project manager for a new Star Tribune "hyper-local" and citizen journalism Web site, www.buzz.mn. It's a new tool to cover neighborhood and community news using Star Tribune staffers and citizens. Weiner's job is to get the Web site up and running, a switch from his usual sports issues reporting. (11/9/06)

Last August, Curt Yoakum (2005-06) left his job with the Association of Minnesota Counties to become a full-time master's of public policy student at the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs. As part of his studies, Yoakum will spend the spring semester at the University of Vienna in Austria participating in the Good Governance Consortium. (11/9/06)

John Heino (1996-97), president and CEO of Como Oil & Propane in Duluth and a longtime local rock musician, wrote all 13 tracks on an album released earlier this month by the Centerville All Stars. The band's decades-long evolution was profiled in an Oct. 12 Duluth News Tribune story.

Steve Hunegs (1997-98) has been named executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas. A longtime community activist and attorney, Hunegs served on the JCRC’s board of directors from 1993 to 2002 and as board president from 1998 to 2000. In November he will leave his law practice at Hunegs, Stone, LeNeave, Kvas & Thornton, P.A., where he is a partner. (10/12/06)

Daniel Lainsbury (2003-04) has joined Wells Fargo Bank as counsel. He previously worked as an attorney for the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. (10/12/06)

John Manning (2001-02), director of marketing and communications for the Minnesota Private College Council, Fund and Research Foundation, played a role in putting together a web site called Learnmore. Learnmoremn.org is designed to promote discussion and identify solutions to ensure that more Minnesota children succeed in school and pursue higher education. (10/12/06)

Cristine Almeida (2002-03) was awarded a 2007 Marshall Memorial Fellowship. She will visit countries in the European Union next year to study health care and immigration. (10/6/06)

Kelly Irvine (2004-05) joined Carlson Capital Management in Northfield last summer as director of marketing and communications. She previously worked as senior development officer/director of operations for the University of St. Thomas. (10/6/06)

Three translations by Jay Miskowiec (2000-01) will have entries in the updated Library of Congress Handbook of Latin American Studies: the novel 'Desire and Its Shadow,' by Mexican writer Ana Clavel, and two books by Colombian Eduardo García Aguilar, the short story collection 'Luminous Cities' and a book-length critique of globalism called 'Mexico Madness: Manifesto for a Disenchanted Generation.' Miskowiec also received a grant recently from Mexico's Consejo Nacional para el Arte y La Cultura (CONACULTA) to translate another novel by Clavel called 'Cuerpo naufrago,' or 'Shipwrecked Body,' about a woman who one day wakes up as a man. (10/6/06)

Kevin Featherly (2004-05) and current Policy Fellow Frank Jossi have launched a new Web site (www.featherly-jossi.com) devoted to their content-creation joint venture. Featherly-Jossi specializes in writing, designing and producing white papers, case studies and research reports for the healthcare, high-technology and public policy arenas. (9/29/06)

Paula Rauschendorfer (2000-01) recently left Home State Bank in Willmar, where she was vice president, to join Bremer Bank Willmar as vice president of business banking. (9/29/06)

Hussein Samatar (2003-04) has been awarded a 2007 Marshall Memorial Fellowship. He will travel to European cities next spring to study the absorption of African immigrants into local economies and compare those examples with what is happening in the Twin Cities. (9/29/06)

Holly Heyser (2002-03) recently left her position as state editor for the Orange County Register to teach at California State University-Sacremento. As professional journalist in residence, Heyser also serves as adviser to the campus newspaper. (9/26/06)

Erich Mische (1999-00) is leaving Capitol Hill, where he has served as chief of staff for Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.) since 2004, to become senior vice president of the Washington, D.C.-based government relations firm mCapitol Management. In that role, he will be responsible for providing government relations, public affairs and communications strategy and advice to the company's clients. He also will assist with the firm's expansion into the Midwest. (9/26/06)

Michael Ward (1992-93), who was a Distinguished McKnight Professor in the Chemical Engineering and Materials Science Department at the University of Minnesota, accepted a position last summer as professor and director of the Molecular Design Institute at New York University. (9/26/06)

Ward Einess (2002-2003), who was previously a deputy commissioner in the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, has been serving as acting commissioner of the department since March of this year. Before joining DEED, Einess worked as a senior policy advisor to Governor Pawlenty on economic and employment issues. (9/1/06)

Freelance writer and consultant Kevin Featherly (2004-2005) co-authored an article in the current edition of Minnesota Monthly titled 'Red State, Blue State, Old State, New State.' The article looks at the Center of the American Experiment and its influence on Minnesota's conservative movement. Both Vin Weber and Larry Jacobs, director of the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance, are quoted. The other author of the piece is 2006-2007 Policy Fellow Frank Jossi. (9/1/06)

The African Development Center in Minneapolis was recently awarded a $100,000 financial assistance grant from the Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund of the U.S. Treasury Department. This funding will go directly to ADC's programs in business development, home ownership training and financial literacy. Since its founding in 2004, the center has increased its operating budget from $10,000 to nearly $1 million. Hussein Samatar (2003-2004) is the center's founder and executive director. (9/1/06)

Curt Yoakum (2005-06) recently left his position as a policy analyst with the Association of Minnesota Counties to pursue a master's degree in public policy at the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs. (9/1/06)

Michelle Basham (1998-99) accepted a promotion within the Department of Human Services. In her new position as coordinator of organizational planning and stakeholder relationships, Basham will report to the assistant commissioner of Health Care Administration and be responsible for multiple issues having a major impact on health care policy including coordinating communications internally and externally, advising the senior management team, and acting as an internal and external liaison and lead worker for multiple stakeholder groups. (8/4/06)

Roberta (Bobbi) Cordano (1997-98) will join the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs on August 14 as assistant dean, providing leadership in strategic positioning, interdisciplinary partnerships, and public engagement within the community. Cordano has served as director of Disability Services at the University of Minnesota since 2000. Prior to that, she worked in Minnesota's Office of Attorney General from 1990 to 2000 as both assistant and special assistant attorney general. (8/4/06)

Jill Rowlison (2005-06) is leaving Target, where she managed the political action committee, to take a position as manager of external affairs for Comcast Corporation. Rowlison will split her time between Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. (8/4/06)

Congratulations to Joshua (JB) Borenstein (2005-06) and his wife on the birth of their son Baruch Hashem on July 23. Borenstein is executive director of Torah Academy in St. Louis Park. (7/24/06)

Will Brooks (2004-05) recently took a position as the military legislative assistant (MLA) for Congressman Jim Kolbe (R-AZ). As MLA, Brooks is responsible for military, defense, veteran's affairs, and judiciary issues and policy. He will serve in the position until the end of the year, when Congressman Kolbe is expected to retire after 11 terms in office. (7/24/06)

Therese Gales (2001-02), public information and outreach manger for the American Refugee Committee (ARC) International, recently returned from a three-week site visit to Pakistan. While there, she photographed and documented ARC's relief operations, which serve both Afghan refugees and earthquake survivors. Therese's photos from the trip can be found in a photo album on ARC's website. Since 2003, Gales has worked for ARC, an international humanitarian relief agency which assists one million refugees and displaced people around the world each year in Africa, Asia and the Balkans. (7/24/06)

Chris Kimball (1996-97) has taken a post as provost and vice president for academic affairs at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, Calif. Kimball was formerly vice president for Academic and Student Services and Dean of the College at Augsburg College in Minneapolis. (7/24/06)

Congratulations to Pat Sexton (2002-03) and his wife on the birth of their second son, Timothy Patrick, on July 15. Sexton is director of Legislative Affairs for the Minnesota Dept. of Commerce. (7/24/06)

Morgan Brown (1997-98) was named assistant deputy secretary for the Office of Innovation and Improvement at the U.S. Dept. of Education. As head of the office, he will coordinate the implementation of the public school choice and supplemental services provisions of No Child Left Behind Act. Brown previously served as director of the Division of School Choice and Innovation in the Minnesota Department of Education, where he oversaw the administration of 25 programs in the area of school choice, non-public school options, voluntary integration, American Indian Education, supplemental education services, and post-secondary scholarships. Brown will move to Washington, D.C., at the end of July. (7/14/06)