Leaders of Today and Tomorrow Seminar
Past Speakers and Panelists

Keynote speaker

• Anne Knapp (GMAC Res Cap)

Panel - Women Making a Difference From the Inside

• Sherry Butcher - Eden Prairie City Council
• Toni Carter - Ramsey County Commissioner

Panel - Women Making a Difference in the Judicial System

• Susan Gaertner - Ramsey County Attorney
• Laura Pietan - City of St. Paul Attorney’s Office and Community Prosecutor
• Wilimina Wright - MN Court of Appeals Judge

Public Policy Career Exploration Dinner

• Cassaundra Adler - Lutheran Social Service
• Jackie Crosby - Star Tribune Reporter
• Melissa Embser-Herbert - Hamline University
• Cheryl Gelbmann - Owner/Founder of Impart Associates
• Laurie Halverson - Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota
• Trudy Moloney - Director Saint Paul City Council Research and Investigation Center
• Laura Nelson - MN Advocates for Human Rights

Panel - Advocacy 101

• Sheila Smith - MN Citizens for the Arts

Panel - Women Making a Difference in Non-Profit Organizations

• Susie Brown - Family and Children's Services
• Victoria Ford - Citizens League

Closing speaker

• Marcia Avner MN Council of Nonprofits

Keynote speaker

• Alisha Thomas-Morgan (Georgia State Representative)

Panel - Women Making a Difference

• Katie Boone (Former Candidate for Mankato City Council)
• Peggy Flanagan (Minneapolis School Board Member)
• Linda Koblick (Hennepin County Commissioner)

Pat Anderson (MN State Auditor)

Mary Kiffmeyer (MN Secretary of State)

Panel - Women Making a Difference From the Inside

• Sherry Butcher (Eden Prairie City Councilmember)
• Melissa Hortman (MN State Representative)
• Elona Street-Stewart (St. Paul School Board Chair)

Panel - Women Making a Difference in the Judicial System

• Susan Burke (Hennepin County Judge)
• Alexandra B. Klass (Associate Professor of Law, William Mitchell College of Law

Panel - Women Making a Difference in the Judicial System

• Sally Kenney (Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs)

Public Policy Career Exploration Dinner

• Amalia Anderson (League of Rural Voters)
• Cassaundra Adler (Financial Educator, Lutheran Social Services Financial Counseling)
• Ginny Black (Plymouth City Councilmember)
• Melissa Embser-Herbert (Associate Professor of Sociology, Hamline University)
• Marisa Helms (Reporter, Minnesota Public Radio)
• Rose Park (Staff Attorney, Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights)

Panel - Advocacy 101

• Sheila Smith (Minnesota Citizens for the Arts)

Closing speaker

• Arvonne Fraser (Co-Founder and Director, Humphrey Institute Center on Women and Public Policy)

Marie Wilson - The White House Project

Mary Kiffmeyer - Minnesota Secretary of State

Panel – Women Making a Difference from the Inside

• Karen Clark - Minnesota State Representative
• Peggy Flanagan  - Minneapolis School Board
• Judy Johnson - Mayor of Plymouth, Minnesota

Panel – Women Making a Difference in our Courts

• Beverly Benson - Hennepin County Attorney's Office
• Harriet Lansing - Minnesota Court of Appeals Justice
• Rosalie Wahl - First Woman Minnesota Supreme Court Justice

Panel - Global Perspectives

• Bri Chimilo
• Jane Gelbmann - HECUA

Public Policy Career Exploration Dinner

• Amalia Anderson - League of Rural Voters
• Susan Blood - Northwest Hennepin Human Services Council
• J. Drake Hamilton - MN for Energy Efficient Economy
• Sally Kenney - Humphrey Institute
• Rebecca Klett - Lockridge Grindal Nauen P.L.L.P.
• Cynthia Yongvang - WISE

Panel - Women Making a Difference in the Media

• Mary Lahammer - TPT Political Reporter
• Janis Lane Ewart - KFAI Executive Director
• Kim Ode - Star Tribune Columnist
• Martha Vickery - Korean Quarterly Editor

Panel - Advocacy 101

• Rosalyn Park - Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights
• Connie Ruth - Minnesota State Representative - Legislative Commission on the Economic Status of Women
• Colleen Schmitt - The Day One Center, Inc.
• Sheila Smith - Minnesota Citizens for the Arts

Miriam Simmons - LWVMN

Natalie Johnson Lee - Minneapolis City Council

Colleen Rowley - Special Agent, FBI

Panel – Women Making a Difference from the Inside

• Patricia Anderson - Minnesota State Auditor
• Barb Goodwin - Minnesota State Representative District 50A
• Heather Robins - Rice County Commissioner

Panel – Women Making a Difference in our Courts

• Amy Klobuchar - Hennepin County Attorney
• Judge Harriet Lansing - Minnesota Court of Appeals
• Judge Margaret Marrinan - Ramsey County District Court
• Justice Rosalie Wahl - First Woman Minnesota Supreme Court Justice

Public Policy Career Exploration Dinner

• Col. Anne Beers - Minnesota State Highway Patrol
• Cyndi Cook - Minnesota Coalition for Battered Women
• Sally Kenney - Humphrey Institute
• Stephanie Malone - Augsburg College
• Kathy Mock - Blue Cross/Blue Shield
• Ember Reichgott Junge - Minnesota Women's Political Caucus
• Lorraine Teel - Minnesota AIDS Project
• Rebecca Yanisch - Chandler Group Executive Search

Panel – Breaking In

• Kelly McGivern - Project Director, Minnesota Women's Political Caucus
• Christine Nelson - Former St. Paul City Council Candidate
• Katie Sieben - Minnesota Representative District 57A
• Fatima Villasenor - Hispanic Outreach Coordinator, Sen. Mark Dayton's Office

Panel – Women Making a Difference in the Media

• Rachel Stassen-Berger - Pioneer Press
• Caroline Ticarro-Parker - Mind on the Media
• J. Trout Lowen - Editor, Minnesota Women's Press

Angela High-Pippert - University of St Thomas

Neva Walker - Minnesota Representative District 61B

Kris Amundson - Public Relations/Public Affairs at Goff & Howard

Carol Molnau - Lt. Governor

Panel - Women Making a Difference from the Inside

• Representative Karen Clark
• Julie Kirchner - Research Consultant
• Linda Loomis - Mayor of Golden Valley
• Barb Sykora - Minnesota State Representative
• Neva Walker - Minnesota State Representative

Panel - Women Making a Difference in our Courts

• Hilary Caligiuri - Attorney General's Office
• Gail Chang-Bohr - Children's Law Center of Minnesota
• Judge Jill Flaskamp-Halbrooks - Minnesota Court of Appeals
• Judge Natalie Hudson - Minnesota Court of Appeals

Public Policy Career Exploration

• Tisha Bolger - Chief Operating Officer, Girl Scouts
• Cindy Goff - Public Policy Director Blue Cross/Blue Shield
• Sarah Janecek - Editor of Politics in Minnesota
• Nancy Schouweiler - Dakota County Commissioner

History of Women's Involvement

• Miriam Simmons - League of Women Voters of Minnesota
• Erin Ghere - Education Coordinator for Minnesota Women's Campaign Fund

Panel - Breaking In

• Becky Hilgert - Campaign Manager
• Christine Nelson - St. Paul City Council Candidate
• Katie Seiben - Minnesota State Representative
• Elona Street-Stewart - St. Paul School Board Member

Panel - Women Making a Difference in the Media

• Holly Heyser - Politics Editor for St. Paul Pioneer Press
• Mary Lahammer - Almanac Political Reporter
• Caroline Ticarro-Parker - Mind on the Media

Angela High-Pippert - University of St. Thomas and LOTT

Mee Moua - Minnesota State Senator

Becky Lourey - Minnesota State Senator

Judi Dutcher - Minnesota State Auditor

Panel - Women Making a Difference from the Inside

• Ellen Biales - Moderator
• Ellen Anderson - Minnesota State Senator
• Patricia Awada - Mayor of Eagan
• Kathy Lantry - St. Paul City Council Member

Panel - Women Making a Difference in our Courts

• Sheldyn M. Himle - Moderator
• Kathleen A. Blatz - Chief Justice Minnesota Supreme Court
• Susan Gaertner - Ramsey County Attorney
• Juliane Russomanno - Children's Law Center

Public Policy Career Exploration

• Anne Beers - Chief of the Minnesota State Patrol
• Mary Jo George - Public Policy Coordinator for the Minnesota AIDS Project
• Aimee Gourlay - Executive Director of Hamline Mediation Center for Dispute Resolution
• Melodie Hanson - Family Services Coordinator, Robbinsdale Area Redesign
• Jane Ransom - Director of the Women's Foundation of Minnesota
• Ember Reichgott Junge - President of the Minnesota Women's Political Caucus
• Heather Worthington - City Manager of Falcon Heights

Preparing for working on a campaign or running for office

• Nancy Haas - Intergovernmental Relations Director for the City of St. Paul
• Shirley Nelson - Minnesota Women's Candidate Development Coalition
• Mary Ellen Otremba - Minnesota State Representative

Preparing for Community Involvement

• Rebecca Kutty - WATCH
• Mary Hartmann - New Foundations
• Linden Gawboy - Welfare Rights Committee

Panel - Women Making a Difference in the Media

• Janice Klimek - Moderator
• Hannah Allam - Legal Affairs Reporter, Pioneer Press
• Vineeta Sawkar - Weekend Anchor for KSTP
• Jennifer Thaney - Assistant Editor, Minnesota Women's Press
• Martha Vickery - Editor, Korean Quarterly

Miriam Simmons - League of Women Voters Minnesota
Mary Ellen Otremba - Minnesota State Representative