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2009-10 Program Participants

Holly Bunn

Human Resource and Organizational Development Specialist
Office of Human Resources, School of Dentistry

Holly Bunn joined the SOD Office of Human Resources in June 2006. Holly assists administrators, managers, and staff in policy and contract interpretation, performance management, strategic planning for staffing, grievances, and talent management/development. In her work, she regularly partners with other University offices such as Disability Services, Central HR, Labor Relations and the AHC Department of Human Resources. Holly frequently meets with union leaders and stewards in her work. Holly has participated in a non paid appointment task force, served on the organizing committee for SOD staff development day for 2007, co-chaired SOD staff development day for 2008, participated in Leading from Where You Are in 2006, 2007 and facilitated in 2008. Holly participated in the newly-designed Women’s Leadership Circles, in 2008.

Holly received her bachelor's degree in Applied Management, her generalist certification, and is completing her Master of Education in Human Resource Development at the University of Minnesota fall of 2009. Holly will begin pursuing her doctoral studies in Work and Human Resource Education Spring of 2010.

Ted Butler

Health Programs Financial Manager
Office of Human Resources – Employee Benefits

Ted joined the University with the Department of Audits in 1999 and conducted financial and compliance audits as an Auditor and Senior Auditor. In 2002, Ted accepted his current position managing the finances of the newly self-insured UPlan health care program. In that role his primary responsibilities include managing the ongoing financial operations of the medical, dental, life, and other benefit programs, working with vendors and external consultants on developing medical and dental plan budgets and rates, and reporting on the financial performance of the programs to University administrators and the Benefits Advisory Committee.

Ted received Bachelor's degrees in Accounting and German with a minor in Management Information Systems from the University of Minnesota, Duluth in 1999. He completed a Master's degree in Human Resources and Industrial Relations along with a Graduate Certificate in Policy Issues on Work and Pay in 2006.

Keith Carlson

Operations Manager
Center for Transportation Studies

Keith joined the University in 2003 as a project manager and later, Medicare data and audit manager for the associate dean for Graduate Medical Education. In this position Keith provided analytical and information systems support, initiated and championed new and existing processes and systems, and ensured regulatory compliance related to Medicare reimbursement. In 2007, Keith joined the Center for Transportation Studies (CTS) where he is responsible for managing the center’s day-to-day business and works closely with CTS leadership to manage human resources, sponsored effort compliance, office-wide operations, facilities, and the center's infrastructure systems.

Prior to joining the University, Keith received his Associate’s Degree in business administration and held retail management positions. Keith is nearing the completion of bachelor’s degree(s) in Family Social Science and Human Resource Development with minor(s) in GLBT Studies and Applied Psychology in Education and Community Settings. He intends to pursue advanced education related to higher education. Keith is a member of the University Senate, a Gopher football season ticket holder, and enjoys boating, gardening, traveling, and life-long learning.

Justin Christy

Communications Coordinator
Weisman Art Museum

Justin Christy joined the University in 2003 and has become particularly engaged with the performing and visual arts centers and programs on campus. In his current position at the Weisman Art Museum, he is responsible for coordinating projects and executing a variety of tasks for the communications and events team. Prior to joining the Weisman in 2008, Justin was the communications manager in the Department of Theatre Arts and Dance, where he served the department’s needs in marketing, public relations, graphic design, events coordination, and student recruitment.

Justin received his bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communication from Iowa State University and his master’s in arts administration from Saint Mary’s University.

Claudia Cody

West Metro Regional Extension Educator, Community Economics
Center for Community Vitality, U of M Extension

Claudia joined Extension in 2006 after 20+ years in the business sector. She has held leadership roles in the fields of retail, engineering, construction, real estate, management, communications, strategic leadership, advocacy, negotiation and program development. At the University of Minnesota's Humphrey Institute, Claudia studied planning, facilitation, strategic causal mapping, shared power leadership, public participation processes, cost analysis and policy analysis.

April Coon

Principal Grant Administrator
Sponsored Projects Administration

In 2002, April joined the University as part of Effort Certification and then transitioned into becoming a grant administrator. Currently, April is a Principal Grant Administrator, a newly created position in Sponsored Projects Administration (SPA). With the reorganization of SPA, her team works mainly with the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resources Science. In this role, her and her team process proposals, negotiate contracts, respond to department questions and serve as liaisons between sponsor and researcher. With the president’s goal to become one of the top three public research institutions in the country, she finds that she is exposed to new challenges regularly.

April received a bachelor’s degree in Theology with a minor in French from the University of St. Thomas. She has recently been appointed to the Grants Management Users’ Network Advisory Panel.

William Dana

Lead Business Analyst
Academic Support Resources

William Dana serves as a liaison between Academic Support Resources’ customers and technical development staff in the creation, maintenance, testing and implementation of a variety of student self service web applications. Previously, William served as a Counselor in One Stop Student Services where he advised the University community in all areas of registration and student finance. William has his B.S. in psychology from the University of Illinois, Urbana.

Kristen Gandrow

Executive Office and Administrative Specialist
Law School

Kristen Gandrow joined the University of Minnesota in fall 2007 and coordinated the ’07-08 College of Liberal Arts Dean Search as administrator to the search committee. She helped establish and currently coordinates the Program in Law and History. She also coordinates the Judicial Externship program and serves as assistant to a number of law faculty.

Kristen received her BA with a double major in English and communications/theatre from Central College in Pella, Iowa. She holds an MA in English/creative nonfiction and an MFA in theatre/dramaturgy from the University of Iowa.

Beth Isensee

Undergraduate Student Services Coordinator
International Student and Scholar Services

Beth Isensee joined the University of Minnesota in 2003. Her work focuses on the recruitment and retention of undergraduate international students, in support of the University's strategic goal of forging an international university. She has brought together colleges and student service units to develop and implement effective enrollment and retention strategies for the rapidly increasing international student population. To further support retention, she directs programs that bring together international and domestic students to build a global student community, based on the University’s Student Development Outcomes. She is active in numerous university-wide committees in order to integrate cross-cultural perspectives into University initiatives.

Beth earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Winona State University and a master’s degree in Counseling and Student Personnel Psychology from the University of Minnesota.

Jeremy Jenkins

Chief Administrative Officer
Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy

Jeremy Jenkins is an administrator in the College of Pharmacy’s Office of Research and Graduate Studies and the chief administrative officer of the Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology. Jeremy is the first non-faculty personnel to hold a senior leadership role in a Pharmacy academic department. As CAO, Jeremy is responsible for managing the administrative and financial operations of the department. He coordinates internal/external sales activities for the College and serves on the College Safety Committee.

Jeremy received his bachelor’s degree in government from Harvard University. Prior to arriving at the University of Minnesota in 2005, he was the operations coordinator of the Harvard University Office for Technology and Trademark Licensing. Jeremy was co-founder and co-chair of the Harvard-Radcliffe Mental Health Awareness and Advocacy Group and currently serves on the Washington County Mental Health Advisory Council.

Alissa Jones

Community Health Coordinator
Health Survey Research Center (HSRC), School of Public Health

Alissa Jones coordinates the Call Center at the HSRC, which serves the data collection and participant recruitment needs of researchers within the University community and beyond. In her role, Alissa focuses on financial and developmental strategies to advance the organization. In addition, she oversees project management and daily operations, and specializes in the survey translation, validation, and implementation for studies targeting Spanish-speaking populations.

Alissa received a bachelor’s degree in Spanish/Portuguese and Chicano Studies from the University of Minnesota and a master’s degree in Anthropological Studies of Mexico from the Universidad de las Américas Puebla. Previously, Alissa worked in the University’s Division of Epidemiology and Community Health; El Colegio Americano in Puebla, Mexico; and a Minnesota nonprofit legal agency. She remains connected to the Latino community through volunteer work and coordinated a fundraising event for La Escuelita with the Minnesota Twins and the Pohlad Family Foundation.

Amy Kampsen

Associate Academic Advisor
College of Education and Human Development

Amy Kampsen joined the University in 2003 providing academic advising and programming support in the Access to Success, Commanding English, and TriO programs. Her work revolves around access and retention for low-income and first generation college students. She is currently a member of the Career Development Network Diversity Committee, Multicultural Concerns Network, and Teacher Education Diversity Committee.

Amy received her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from St. Cloud State University and a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from St. Mary’s University. She is currently a doctoral candidate in the Education Policy and Administration program in the College of Education and Human Development.

Toni Rhodes Leeth

Research Coordinator
Department of Surgery, Medical School

With an extensive background in laboratory and clinical research and research administration, Toni Rhodes Leeth joined the University of Minnesota in 2006 as the Research Coordinator for the Department of Surgery in the Medical School. In this role she provides comprehensive operational leadership in planning, organizing, managing and evaluating Department research activities. Toni also serves as a research process liaison for Department faculty, residents and staff and aides in the identification of funding opportunities and in the preparation of grant applications. In addition, she is the program manager for the U’s Surgical Oncology Research Training Program and the UAB/UMN SPORE in Pancreatic Cancer.

A native of Van Vleet, Mississippi, Toni attended Mississippi State University, where in 1997 she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in microbiology. She was awarded a Masters of Public Health degree in epidemiology in 2002 from the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health.

Ginny Levi

Assistant Director for External Relations and Educational Services
Technological Leadership Institute

Ginny Levi joined the University in 2008 and is responsible for marketing, communications, and student support for three Masters degree programs in technology leadership and management. She works closely with staff members to recruit, assess and enroll students in these programs. She has been deeply involved in developing and submitting a proposal for the newest degree in security technologies, and will play a central role in implementing it.

Ginny holds a BA from Oberlin College and an MA from Case Western Reserve University (CWRU). Before joining the U she worked in administrative positions at both Oberlin and CWRU, served as administrator for two philanthropic organizations, and spent a short time in fund raising for the American Red Cross. In her free time, Ginny sings in several choral groups and enjoys reading and travel.

Jason Marchiafava

Coordinator
Conference and Event Services

Jason is originally from Minneapolis and attended the U of M as an undergrad, finishing in 2001 with a BFA in sculpture. He then moved to New York and attended graduate school at Pratt Institute and received an MFA in sculpture in 2003. He returned to Minneapolis about 6 years ago, started a studio, and exhibited nationally for a couple of years while working at the U of M in Housing & Residential Life. After just under four years, He completed an MBA this summer through the Carlson School of Management with an emphasis in entrepreneurship and operations. He is an avid learner and enjoys the arts, sports, and the outdoors. He is currently with Conference & Event Services and enjoys working with many departments and areas on campus. He is looking forward to being a part of the PEL program and to future challenges at the U of M.

Sandy Massel

Associate Director of Alumni Relations and Development
College of Biological Sciences Dean’s Office

Sandy Massel joined the University of Minnesota in September of 2007. In addition to coordinating alumni events and assisting with development initiatives, she also manages the CBS Mentor Program (recruiting alumni volunteers in specific areas of interest to CBS students), staffs the Biological Sciences Alumni Society Board of Directors, and serves as the CBS representative for the University’s Grassroots Committee/Legislative Network. As the CBS liaison to the U of M Alumni Association, Sandy collaborates with colleagues throughout the University to further develop the mentor program, create new initiatives to engage alumni, and expand networking opportunities for alumni and students.

Sandy earned her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin – LaCrosse with a double major in Political Science and Public Administration. She comes to the University after 16 years of experience in nonpartisan positions in three levels of government; county, state and federal. Ten of those years were at the Minnesota State Legislature.

Amy Porter

Program Administrator
The Interdisciplinary Center for the Study of Global Change (ICGC)

After many years of affiliation with ICGC, Amy Porter joined their staff full-time in 2006. A few of her roles include administrator for their undergraduate honors program for students historically under-represented in higher education, instructor in the honors program, project manager for initiatives created in the office, committee participant, and supervisor of scholarships and graduate student recruitment.

Amy received her bachelor's degree from Macalester College in English, International Studies and Anthropology, and her MBA in Management from Southern Methodist University. Continuing her work as an interdisciplinary scholar in Fall 2009 she plans to complete her Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology with a graduate minor in Developmental Studies and Social Change. Her Ph.D. fieldwork was done in Cuba and explores issues of identity, labor and consumption in Cuba’s mixed currency economy. Prior to coming to the University, Amy worked at West Publishing as a project manager for more than seven years and taught Anthropology at Century College. She is an alumna of the University's Women's Leadership Institute, 2007-08.

Barbara Schwab

Assistant Director
Office of the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs, College of Liberal Arts

Barbara reports to the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs, which oversees curriculum, instruction, advising, student recruitment, scholarships, and K12 outreach. Barbara facilitates the work of the Associate Dean, leads office operations, and implements policies and processes related to all areas of Undergraduate Programs. She is responsible for the fiscal and administrative operations of the unit, including oversight of scholarship administration, teaching and advising awards, freshman research opportunities, and special projects and initiatives.

Barbara received her B.A. in Business Administration from Bethel College and holds an M.A. in Business and Leadership from Hamline University. She began her employment at the University in 2000 as Associate Director in the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid. Barbara has worked over twenty years in higher education.

Joseph Shultz

Associate Analyst, Policy and Planning
Office of the Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Provost

Joseph Shultz supports the provision of information, analysis, and coordination for executive leadership at the University. Joe's responsibilities include evaluating college and campus proposals for new, discontinued, and modified programs; producing accountability reports to the Board of Regents and the State of Minnesota; coordinating the collegiate compact planning process; and managing institutional accreditation.

Joe holds a Ph.D. in educational policy and administration from the University of Minnesota, a M.S. in college student personnel from Indiana State University, and a B.S. in consumer science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Deanne Silvera

Associate Counselor
International Student and Scholar Services

Deanne Silvera’s responsibilities include both advising and program administration. She advises on immigration and academic policy as well as cross-cultural and personal issues. Deanne acts on an International Programs exchange team, coordinating programs for incoming students, consulting on partnership agreements, and developing resources for University-wide use to support international student and staff exchange. Additionally she is responsible for coordinating the International Student Orientation Program, which reaches nearly 1500 new students annually. She has 13 years of experience working with international students in Minnesota, and received a Fulbright Scholarship to Germany in 2007.

Deanne earned her bachelor's degree in International Relations from Minnesota State University - Mankato and a master's degree in Educational Policy and Administration from the University of Minnesota.

Heidi Wagner

Interim Assistant to the Director
School of Social Work

Heidi joined the University in 2005. She is currently the key contact for human resources and financial issues for the School of Social Work. Heidi’s responsibilities include working with the CEHD Financial Services and Human Resources for the benefit the School of Social Work, participation on the College-wide administrator team (CQIG), and supervision. She works closely with administrative team at the School to mold policy and strategic decisions.

Heidi also has a passion for the arts. Recently, she has focused on comparative research of communities regarding strategic planning, economic development, wage data analysis, and wage disparities in arts nonprofits. Heidi has also headed strategic planning processes and re-branding and marketing campaigns for grant-based organizations. Heidi received her Bachelor of Music from the Wichita State University and her Master of Arts in Arts Administration from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota.

Michael Werner

Coordinator of Learning Services
McNamara Academic Center for Student-Athletes

Michael Werner joined the University of Minnesota in January of 2006. As Coordinator of Learning Services in the McNamara Academic Center for Student-Athletes (MAC), Michael oversees all MAC tutorial and learning programs and services. To promote the mission of the McNamara Academic Center, Michael supervises a student tutoring staff of 35 tutors who can help student-athletes master academic subjects as varied as Electrical Engineering to Swahili. Michael also works with on-campus entities, such as the Center for Writing and the Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) Program, to introduce student-athletes to the many academic resources available to them in both the MAC and on campus. Along with supervising the tutorial and learning programs and services in the MAC, Michael also enjoys serving as a general academic resource for University of Minnesota student-athletes.

Michael received his bachelor’s degree and his master’s degree from the University of Notre Dame.

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