Third Horizon

Lindsey Alexander

Lindsey Alexander is the Co-Founder and Principal of Third Horizon, a consulting firm that helps leaders navigate seemingly unwieldy challenges and improve their culture or performance.

Lindsey is a creative and collaborative leader dedicated to advancing equitable change in complex environments. With over twenty years of experience across philanthropy, government, and nonprofit spaces, she excels at cultivating trusting and high-performing cultures and designing and implementing ambitious initiatives.

Anderson Group

Paul Anderson

Paul Anderson is currently the president and CEO of The Anderson Group. He has been successfully navigating the intersection of government, politics, business, and non-profits for over 25 years. 

Paul was elected to the Minnesota Senate in 2016 and represented Senate District 44 and the communities of Plymouth, Minnetonka, and Woodland, from 2017 to 2021. As a first term Senator, he served as the chairman of the Higher Education Committee, Vice-Chair of the Jobs and Economic Growth Committee, and as a member of the E-12 (Education) Finance and Policy and Taxes Committees. In just four years, he authored over fifty bipartisan bills that became law, prioritizing legislation involving reforms to workforce development, training and business expansion, education, and taxes.

Paul’s prior work includes serving as Deputy Chief of Staff for Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, director of business development for a Silicon Valley startup, CEO for a national veteran’s charity, senior staff for U.S. Congressman Jim Ramstad, and co-owner of his family business.

A graduate of Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota, Paul went on to become a policy fellow at the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey Institute. He and his wife live in the Twin Cities suburbs with their two daughters.

Transformative Solutions

Huda Ahmed

Huda Ahmed is a mother and public health practitioner. She’s spent the last 18 years working in local public health government, academia, and in the private sector, with communities always at the center, to transform ecosystems and put in place processes that support the ability of individuals and communities to grow in their safety, health, and wellness. Her specialty is building and facilitating the process of community-institution power sharing to co-create and put in place sustainable, equitable, community-led solutions. She’s applied this specialty to issues ranging from the census to urban planning, cancer research and screenings to climate change, to impact the lives of thousands of Minnesotans and those beyond.

Huda is the founder and principal at Transformational Solutions, a strategy consultant firm that supports local and national clients in the public, nonprofit, and philanthropic sectors to achieve transformational change by providing comprehensive strategic support.

Minnesota Chamber of Commerce

Michelle Benson

Michelle Benson is a lifelong Minnesotan and former Republican State Senator. During her 12-year tenure she served as Chair of the Health and Human Services Committee, Deputy Majority Leader and as part of the budgeted negotiations. She had the privilege of serving as HHS Chair during the COVID pandemic. She currently works as the Director of Commerce and Utility Policy for the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce.

Michelle grew up on a small farm in Central Minnesota, surrounded by a large and supportive extended family. She and her husband, Craig, have been married for 33 years and are blessed with three children, two daughters-in-law and one grandchild. She is excited to work on good policy and civic engagement, and in her free time, she travels, improves her pickleball game, and takes care of her family and friends.

Vizient, Inc.

Robert Harper

Robert Harper serves as Sr. Program Manager of Community Contracting for Vizient, Inc. where he is focused on connecting diverse businesses with contract opportunities across Minnesota’s healthcare hub. Previously, Robert served as Senior Director of Business Consulting at MEDA where he brought capital, consulting, and contracting opportunities directly to BIPOC entrepreneurs. Robert’s career has been focused on supporting underrepresented communities through policy, advocacy, and economic development. He has consulted hundreds of entrepreneurs on wealth-accumulating strategies and his clients have been awarded $2 Million in capital and more than $500 Million in contracts in the public and private sectors. 

Robert founded R.D.T.H Consulting following the murder of George Floyd, to equip organizations across the country with the tools they need to strategically invest in Black & Brown communities. As a proud alum of our Capitol Pathways program, Robert blends forward-thinking policy expertise with responsible business techniques to drive equitable outcomes. He received his Masters in Public Policy from the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs, and his Bachelors in Sociology from Augsburg University. In his free time, he can be found singing R&B classics or watching Chicago sports with his beloved Grandma.

Ron Harris

Ron Harris is the former Minnesota State Director for the Harris-Walz presidential campaign. A former adviser and strategist to city governments around the country, Harris was also most recently a candidate for Congress in Minnesota’s 3^rd district, and he previously worked as the Chief Resilience Officer for the City of Minneapolis and as a City Council President Chief of Staff.

He is an effective leader with both a history of working within systems to bring about positive change as well as the lived experience to take on the issues close to home.

As a key community and policy member, Ron helped build and guide the coalition that successfully expanded paid sick leave to 144,000 workers across the city and inspired Saint Paul and Duluth to do the same.

Comcast

Kate Hensing-Hedrick

Kate Hensing-Hedrick is Director, External Affairs at Comcast where she focuses on business growth while responding to the rapid and dramatic changes in the regulatory landscape on the federal, state, and local levels. This includes focusing on driving cross-functional integration and strategic program management, as well as leading programs encompassing elements of the External Affairs team and its partners. Kate also serves on Comcast’s Women’s Employee Resource Group. Prior to joining Comcast in 2013, Kate was the Committee Legislative Assistant for both the Redistricting and Education Policy Committee at the Minnesota House of Representatives. Kate attended the University of Iowa for her Master of Arts in Strategic Communication. Kate graduated with a bachelor’s in political science from the University of Iowa. 

American Petroleum Institute

Mike Karbo

Mike Karbo is the regional director of the Midwest region for the American Petroleum Institute (API). Prior to API, he worked for a decade at the Minnesota Grocers Association as the vice president government affairs and for five years at the Minnesota Senate in various capacities. He served as president at the Minnesota Governmental Relations Council (MGRC), which represents the lobbying community in Minnesota. He was a Policy Fellow at the University of Minnesota Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs and served on the Humbert H. Humphrey Policy Fellows Alumni Board of Directors. He also was selected to the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce’s Leaders Lab program, which develops business leaders in the state. He participated in a delegation of emerging political leaders to Hungary, Romania, and Croatia that was sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and the American Council of Young Political Leaders in 2024. Born and raised in Minnesota, Mike went to the University of Minnesota and received a double major in history and political science. He studied abroad in France, Germany, and Mexico. Mike lives in Minneapolis with his wife Cristina, their daughter Amelia, and golden retriever Luca and he enjoys traveling, hiking, and biking with them.

The Connectors Group

Rima Kawas

Rima Kawas is the CEO and Founder of The Connectors Group, a consulting firm specializing in democracy and governance, organizational transformation, and executive leadership development. She brings more than 20 years of experience across the nonprofit, government, and corporate sectors and is an adjunct faculty member at the University of Minnesota Humphrey School of Public Affairs.

Rima has held senior leadership roles in the international democracy and governance field, overseeing multimillion-dollar portfolios, leading global teams, and advising leaders ranging from members of parliament to civil society organizations. She has also led a public policy portfolio at a Fortune 50 company and served as Senior Policy Advisor to a former Governor of Minnesota. Rima has represented the United States on four international delegations and is a published contributor to Diplomatic Courier and Modern Diplomacy.

Known for her commitment to inclusive and constructive dialogue, she focuses on creating spaces that foster mutual respect, understanding, and meaningful engagement.

Dave Kleis

Dave Kleis was first elected mayor of St. Cloud, Minnesota in November 2005. He was reelected in 2008, 2012 and 2016 all while running unopposed and was most recently elected for his fifth term in 2020, before choosing not to run again in 2024. He is the longest-serving mayor in St. Cloud history and has earned several awards and accolades, including being selected by the St. Cloud Times readers in 2010 as the most influential person of the last decade and in 2014 as the League of Minnesota Cities C.C. Ludwig Leadership Award.

During his tenure, Mayor Kleis served on many public committees, including the Governor’s Task Force on Government Financing. He is also a founding member and co-chair of the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative.

Mayor Kleis grew up in Litchfield, Minnesota, and later graduated from St. Cloud State University. He is a nine-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force and Air Force Reserve and became interested in politics while stationed at the Pentagon and as an Air Force liaison on Capitol Hill in D.C. He owns a driver’s education business in St. Cloud and when not advocating for his city or teaching young drivers, he travels the world and has visited more than 130 countries.

The Good Acre

Theresa Schneider McCormick

Theresa Schneider McCormick is the Executive Director of The Good Acre, the largest nonprofit food hub in Minnesota. The mission of The Good Acre is to unlock economic opportunity for farmers through a unique combination of personalized support and market development, creating pathways to strengthen economic well-being and build generational wealth for small farmers, especially Black, Indigenous and Famers of Color. Under Theresa’s leadership, the organization unlocked more than $2 million in sales for local and emerging farmers in 2023, and the number of individual growers with sales over $15,000 has tripled since 2020. This means not only economic growth for farmers partnering with The Good Acre, but also means increased local food offerings for kids eating school meals, neighbors visiting food shelves, and TGA’s community of 600+ CSA members.

Theresa is a proven leader with experience in nonprofit fundraising, program development, and operations. She sees collaboration and partnerships as the key to creating meaningful and lasting change. In addition to joining the board of the Citizens League, she  serves on the board of the Twin Cities Agriculture Land Trust and is a past president of the Junior League of Minneapolis. She lives with her family in Northeast Minneapolis.

Firefly Advocacy

Fatima Moore

Fatima Moore is the Principal at Firefly Advocacy, a government affairs boutique based in Minnesota. With a career in public policy spanning work with nonprofits and state and local governments, she finds purpose in ensuring that impacted voices are included in the public policymaking process. Her over ten years of engagement in this work have allowed her to align her purpose with other values in leading the work under Firefly’s umbrella.  

As a first-generation immigrant from Liberia, West Africa, raised in Providence, Rhode Island, she uniquely brings people from varying perspectives together and navigates complex systems. Her experiences have sharpened her aptitude for bridging people, systems, and lives with a deep commitment to social and racial justice. These core values are integral to her approach, guiding her as she navigates various political and social systems.

Community building is at the heart of Fatima’s advocacy work. She understands that actual change requires collaboration, support, and empowerment and actively incorporates these principles into her advocacy efforts. Whether rallying support for policy reform or championing grassroots initiatives, Fatima is driven by a passion for justice.

Beyond her professional endeavors, Fatima finds joy in her personal life. She resides on the East Side of Saint Paul with her partner, two daughters, and their beloved puppy, Teddy. In her downtime, Fatima can often be found teaching fitness classes, enjoying quality time with her family, neighbors, and friends, or indulging in a captivating read.

Fatima’s unwavering dedication to social justice and her innate ability to foster collaboration and community make her a formidable force for positive change in Minnesota and beyond. Through her work at Firefly Advocacy, Fatima continues illuminating the path toward a more just and equitable future.

WSB

Karne Newburn

Karne Newburn is General Counsel of WSB, a design and consulting firm specializing in engineering, community planning, environmental, and construction services. Karne leads legal, risk management, insurance, and real estate for WSB, ensuring that legal, business, and operational risks are well anticipated, understood, and mitigated in a way to drive financial success and growth.

Prior to WSB, Karne practiced litigation and political law at Winthrop & Weinstine and McDermott Will & Emery and was Associate Counsel of Campaign Finance and Political Law for the National Association of Realtors®. Before law school, Karne served roles as a legislative aide for U.S. Senator Norm Coleman, with the Host Committee for the 2008 Republican National Convention, and as a paralegal for the U.S. Department of Justice.

Karne received her B.A. in History from Cornell University and her law degree magna cum laude from the University of Wisconsin Law School. She lives in Minneapolis with her husband and three children, serves on the Foundation Board of Bethlehem Lutheran Church Twin Cities, and on the Annunciation Catholic School Council.

Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis

Hue Nguyen

Hue Nguyen currently serves as the Assistant Vice President for Policy Development and Community Affairs Officer leading the work of the Community Development and Engagement department at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis to identify and develop policy solutions for issues affecting low- and moderate-income communities and tribal nations.

Hue has extensive experience facilitating community engagement and leading policy teams in both the executive and legislative branches in Minnesota state government. Hue has spent over 20 years advancing policies in the areas of housing, education, and taxation. She previously served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Legislative Affairs for Governor Tim Walz, and as Assistant Commissioner at the Minnesota Department of Education.

Hue also served as a director of government affairs at Target Corporation, a leadership advisor to the Senate Majority Leader and Committee Administrator for the Senate Tax Committee.  She is also active on several community and statewide boards. Hue holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and journalism from the University of Minnesota.

Securian Financial

Keri O’Brien

Keri S. O’Brien is assistant general counsel at Securian Financial. She has spent 25 years with Securian Financial, initially working in the litigation area, and transitioning to work with the distribution of various financial products and services through Securian Financial’s broker-dealer and registered investment adviser, Securian Financial Services, Inc. She is a board member on the Minnesota Life and Health Guaranty Association, and a corporate secretary for two legal entities. She is also a regular volunteer for Junior Achievement in Minnesota. Keri earned her Juris Doctor from William Mitchell College of Law, and she currently resides in White Bear Township, Minnesota.

US Bank

Andrew Ryall

Andy Ryall currently serves as the Chief Risk Officer for strategy, HR and corporate affairs, as well as the Chief Reputation Risk Officer for the overall company. He has spent 17 years in risk leadership roles since relocating to Minneapolis in 2003. Andy previously served on the Hennepin County Mental Health Advisory Council and was the treasurer for the Small Business Financial Exchange, a non-profit organization operating a credit data exchange where member institutions partnered to support access of credit to small businesses independently from major credit reporting agencies.  Andy also serves as management advisor for the U.S. Bank Twin Cities Development Network and is an active mentor within the firm’s MentorConnect program. Andy holds a BA from Syracuse University and an MBA from Indiana University. He currently resides in the western suburbs of the Twin Cities.

Velocity Public Affairs

Becky Scherr

Becky Scherr is an Account Director at Velocity Public Affairs where they help clients navigate public affairs challenges and seize public relations opportunities. In her role, Becky helps create content and develop messaging in a variety of issue areas to educate the general public, inform elected officials, and activate grassroots voices for her clients. Prior to joining VPA, Becky spent a decade working in partisan politics and government. Her experience includes serving as Communication Director for Congressman Tom Emmer in Washington D.C., Campaign Manager for Congressman Jason Lewis’ re-election Campaign, and as Executive Director for the Republican Party of Minnesota. In addition to her position at VPA, Becky also serves as a co-host of “The Break Down with Brodkorb & Becky” podcast which takes aim at the returning civil discourse and open conversations to politics. The Podcast focuses on interviews with candidates, elected officials and professionals from all backgrounds and political ideology and bridging the gap of division currently facing our nation. 

Becky currently lives in Fridley with her husband, son and adorable dog.

Minnesota National Guard

Eduardo Suarez

Eduardo Suarez currently serves as the Director of Communications for the Minnesota National Guard where he oversees their DEI program, Government Relations, Public Affairs, and Joint Prevention and Support Services division. He is a 2022-23 Humphrey Policy Fellow. Since completing the program, Eduardo is intrigued by the intersection of military service, community engagement and how that can improve civic engagement.

He has over 35 years of military service and has served in a variety of traditional and non-traditional assignments. In 1996 he graduated with distinction from the University of Minnesota’s ROTC program. He has deployed several times including Bosnia Herzegovina, Iraq, and Kuwait 2011-2012. Some of his military awards and decorations include the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, and the Army Commendation Medal.

He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Minnesota in architecture, and Masters degrees from Central Michigan University in Administration and the US Army War College in Strategic Studies. He also serves as president for a non-profit that provides funding to organizations that support the military connected community. Eduardo is an alumnus of the 1988 US Olympic Team. He lives near Scandia with his wife Jennifer, two dogs and two cats. They have two children, Antonio, and Maria.

Office of Mpls Mayor Jacob Frey

Grace Waltz

Grace Waltz is the Chief of Staff to Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. Prior to her current role she served as Vice President of Public Policy at the Minneapolis Regional Chamber, directing public policy and advocacy for the largest local chamber in Minnesota. Grace has served as a senior aide to several of Minnesota’s top leaders, including MN Department of Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar on her presidential campaign, U.S. Senator and Lt. Governor Tina Smith, Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan, and Governor Mark Dayton. Grace is a graduate of the University of St. Thomas.