Humphrey Policy Fellowship Program

The Policy Fellows program is one of the country’s most respected public affairs leadership experiences for emerging and mid-career professionals. The nine-month program is unmatched in its interaction with public officials, leadership training, diversity of participants and perspectives, and opportunity to undertake important projects that benefit the wider community.

Vision

Build leadership skills, expand your network and develop greater capacity for impact.

The program is an initiative of the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance, and is led by faculty director Professor Larry Jacobs.

https://www.hhh.umn.edu/fellowships-and-professional-development/policy-fellows

Each year, approximately 35 leaders from government, business/industry, and nonprofit organizations from around the state come together as a cohort. Out of this cohort, small project groups are formed to design and implement collaborative projects affecting important regional issues.

Humphrey Policy Fellows 2022/2023

Medicaid in Schools Project Group

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Ethnic Studies Teacher

Abdirizak Diis

Abdirizak Diis is a Somali Ethnic Studies teacher at Minneapolis Public Schools, a position he has served since 2018. He developed the Somali Ethnic Studies curriculum for the first time in the US. Abdirizak also serves as a host at Somali TV of Minnesota and addresses issues of great concern for the Somali community in Minnesota, such as healthcare, education, housing, drug abuse, etc. Abdirizak holds a Masters's degree in International Relations from Western Illinois University and a bachelor's degree in education. Abdirizak is a certified 5-12 Social Studies teacher in Minnesota. Abdirizak is also a Humprey Fellow and Bush Fellow, and pursuing Masters of Public Affairs at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota.

Abdirizak can be reached at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abdirizak-diis-294657a7/

Senior Program Officer

Allison Corrado

Allison Corrado is a senior program officer with the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Foundation, a statewide racial and health equity funder, where she is responsible for the strategy, management and execution of grantmaking focused on early childhood care and education. Allison holds a bachelor’s degree in family social science and master’s degrees in public policy and social work from the University of Minnesota. Outside of her formal work role, she has spent the last few years developing electoral skills by supporting progressive candidates across the country and locally. Allison is passionate about working in partnership with other organizations and advocates to advance racial & health equity and dismantle oppressive systems. She lives in Minneapolis with her husband, child and two cats.

Allison can be reached at:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/allisoncorrado/

Director of Health and Safety

Bianca Virnig

Bianca Ward Virnig lives in Eagan with her husband, three young children and golden doodle. She is the director of health and safety for Metro ECSU, an educational services cooperative, where she has served as the regional COVID coordinator and currently manages a COVID workforce grant that supports school health. In 2021, Bianca was awarded the Public Health Achievement Award by Dakota County and she was elected to the ISD 196 Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan school board. She is also the Deerwood Elementary PTO secretary. In her free time, she enjoys fishing, coaching Lego League, and going up north.

Bianca can be reached at:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/bianca-w-1ba9773/

Creative Strategy Senior Manager

Joanne Brockington

Joanne Brockington leads creative strategy on marketing campaigns for Target, where she brings cultural insights and the human perspective to complex problems. Through Target, she has supported long-term pro bono projects with local businesses in the Twin Cities. With a deep passion for performing arts, she spent the first part of her career in non-profit arts management in New York City before moving to Minneapolis and shifting to retail marketing communications. She is involved with several public education advocacy groups and has two children in Minneapolis Public Schools. Joanne holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Oberlin College.

Joan can be reached at :

https://www.linkedin.com/in/joanne-brockington-2561435/

Director of Enrollment, Minneapolis Pblic Schools

Marta Swanson

Martha Swanson is interested in the intersection of affordable housing and education, and in board governance and policy. She's currently the Director of Enrollment at Minneapolis Public Schools, and formerly manager of the New Families Center, with a background in public relations and engagement. She also serves as board chair of Aeon, an affordable housing developer, and as co-chair of the Metro Immigrant & Refugee Health Network (MN Department of Health), and was a 2021 Massachusetts Institute of Technology SAQ Fellow.

Martha can be reached at:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/marthaswanson/