Congratulations to MAPL Cohort 13! The Master of Advocacy and Political Leadership (MAPL) program honored their thirteenth graduating cohort on Saturday, May 5th, 2012 in the Griggs Center at the University of Minnesota Duluth. MAPL is an applied degree program designed for persons with experience or interest in having an impact on and changing public policy through positions as local community leaders, labor leaders, government relations specialists in businesses, nonprofit sector policy advocates, inter-governmental relations specialists, political operatives, lobbyists, elected and appointed officials, staff to policy-makers, and citizens. This program seeks to create a professional group of ethically grounded advocates and organizers. Since the MAPL program started in 2004, 128 students have earned their Master's Degree in Advocacy and Political Leadership. MAPL is proud to present the Class of May 2012! Congratulations Cohort 13!
Internships: The Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless
John Hakes: Family guy, former auditor, Middle-aged student, History lover, Recreational singer, Contextual thinker, Political risk taker, On-again, off- again runner, K-12 education junkie, Appreciator of nuance, Environmental steward, Memory man, Practitioner of principle before politics
Kat Katoski grew up in Duluth. Kat received two bachelor’s degrees in 2008 from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. After college Kat discovered her heart was in Duluth and returned home with plans to complete a Ph.D. in Psychology. While volunteering at a local mental health clinic and witnessing patients being turned away due to lack of insurance Kat decided she needed to do more- that’s when she found MAPL. While finishing her degree, Kat helps manage her family’s local liquor store. She and her fiancé Andrew will be getting married June 2nd. In the future, Kat intends to open a 100% free-of-charge Walk-in Counseling Center in Duluth. The center will mirror a similar center in Minneapolis and offer mental health help without the worry of insurance, paperwork, appointments or even a name. Internships: Duluth City Councilor Emily Larson
Drew Sandquist is an honorary member of MAPL Cohort 13. He graduated from the University of Minnesota Duluth with a degree in Philosohpy in May of 2005 and originally began his career with MAPL as part of cohort 3 in the Fall of 2005. He then began working as an IT Coordinator for McGladrey. In 2008, he worked for the Obama campaign and went on to provide IT support for the 2009 Presidential Inaugueration committee in Washington DC. He also provide IT support for the Susan G Komen for the Cure Campaign and 2tor, INC. In March of 2011, Drew accepted a position with the Executive Office of the President where he currently works as an Information Technology Specialist. He resides in Washington DC. Internships: Media Matters for America
Internships: Lutheran Social Services
Internships: Duluth City Councilor Dan Hartman
Congratulations MAPL Cohort 13! Go forth and Advocate! |
Lucie Passus is the Best Practices Officer for the City of Saint Paul, MN. She is also a Buyer for the City of Saint Paul and Ramsey County and serves as the City of Saint Paul’s Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Coordinator. She has 8 years of public sector experience at the municipal and state level and previously worked for the Minnesota Department of Transportation. She is the current Treasurer for the City of Saint Paul Professional Employees Association, a current member of the St. Paul City School Board of Directors and serves on the HealthPartners Patient Council. Active in her local community, Ms. Passus directed and managed the successful re-election campaign of Saint Paul Councilmember Melvin Carter in 2011 and served on the Frogtown Neighborhood Association (District Council 7) Board of Directors. Ms. Passus was a Ronald E. McNair Scholar at the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities, a Page Education Foundation Scholar and a recipient of the Freeman Foundation-ASIA Award for studies at Doshisha University in Kyoto, Japan. She graduated from Carleton College in Northfield, MN in 2003 with a B.A. degree in Political Science. She is expected to receive a Master’s degree in Advocacy and Political Leadership from the University of Minnesota – Duluth in May 2012. She speaks four languages (Hmong, English, French and Japanese) and currently lives in Saint Paul, MN. Ms. Passus plans on pursuing a PhD. in Evaluation Studies and will continue to be an advocate in her community and will shape and guide the future of government and public
Shane Solga is finishing up his internship with the Sierra Club while looking for a full-time job hopefully in the nonprofit sector here in the Twin Ports. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Studies and Sociology also from the University of Minnesota Duluth. In the future, Shane is hoping to find a job that will allow him to pay off his student loans while helping to improve the lives of each of the people he will have the privilege to serve.