Carleton Career Summit

Megan Brakob Narvey ’13, Chemistry/Archaeology, Outreach Conservator, Minnesota Historical Society
Megan shares conservation knowledge and expertise with individuals and organizations across Minnesota to help them preserve and protect their collections and valued belongings. Megan has previously worked as an Objects Conservator for the National Parks Service and an Objects Conservation Fellow at the Canadian Conservation Institute. She has an MA and MSC in Conservation for Cultural Heritage and Museums from University College London and a BA in Chemistry from Carleton College.

Hunter Brown ’17, Biology, Associate Program Manager, BioMADE
Hunter leads efforts to transition to a sustainable bioeconomy by managing the full program process, which includes developing project calls to reviewing proposals and funding decisions aimed at reshoring biomanufacturing jobs and enhancing U.S. leadership in the bioeconomy. Hunter served with AmeriCorps in Chicago teaching STEM and college prep courses to students, then earned an MS in Biotechnology from Northwestern University. He later worked as a scientist at North Carolina State University’s Biomanufacturing Training and Education Center (BTEC), where he trained professionals and led research programs. Hunter is committed to closing the U.S. bioproduction gap by fostering public-private partnerships to drive innovation, decarbonize industries, and convert agricultural feedstocks and waste into valuable products.

Colette Celichowski ’15, Biology/Biochemistry, Forensic Scientist, State of Minnesota
Colette specializes in latent print analysis. She currently serves as a Latent Print Examiner at the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA), a position she has held since September 2019. In this role, Colette employs many techniques to develop latent prints on items of evidence submitted to the BCA laboratory by law enforcement agencies throughout Minnesota. She also attempts to identify the latent prints to individuals that may be connected to a crime scene. After graduating from Carleton, Colette earned a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Forensic Science from Hamline University in 2017. Prior to joining the BCA, she worked in the fields of medicine and food science.

Bill Grimm ’15, Geology, Geographic Information System Specialist, MN Geological Survey
Bill is an applied geospatial professional and geologist passionate about helping people solve problems with spatial thinking, analysis, and effective communication of results. Bill strives to apply his experience as an earth scientist to his GIS practice to help develop unique and impactful geospatial solutions.

Andy Tangen ’19, Chemistry/Biochemistry, Research & Development Chemist, Sherwin-Williams Company
Andy is a member of the polymer group focused on synthesizing polymers for industrial coatings at Sherwin-Williams. Andy began his career at Sherwin-Williams as an intern the summer before his junior year of college, after declaring a chemistry major to explore the field. Since joining the company, he has contributed to developing innovative solutions in the coatings industry.

August Brown ’07, Digital Arts, Video Game Producer, Studio Chyr
August began his career in the video games industry at a Flash games portal. Over the past 14 years, he has worked in games publishing as a producer for mobile, PC, and console titles. For the last two years, he has shifted to development production, working on an unannounced VR title.

Vincent DeZutti ’16, Cinema and Media Studies, Senior Video Editor, space150
Vincent helps bring creative ideas to life through video to space150, a Minneapolis-based advertising agency. He oversees all aspects of the post-production process, including editing, motion graphics, color, and sound, and manages the in-house edit suite and content studio. Vincent works on a wide range of projects, from traditional 30-second spots to social campaigns, long-form interviews, and animations. Outside of his work at space150, Vincent is an artist specializing in photography, video, and new media. His work blends analog and digital techniques and explores themes of memory, nature, place, and digital culture. Vincent’s artwork has been exhibited at venues like Rosalux Gallery, Squirrel Haus Arts, Public Functionary, and the Hopkins Center for the Arts, with his moving image work featured at both U.S. and international film festivals.

Jade Hoyer ’07, Studio Art/Environmental and Technology Studies, Assistant Professor of Art, Carleton College
Jade has been a faculty member at Carleton since 2022. In her multimedia artistic practice, Jade employs installation, printmaking, papermaking, and social practice to examine social issues, particularly related to questions of multiracial identity and environmental justice. As an artist, Jade has been awarded grants through Brown University, the Windgate Foundation, and the McKnight Foundation. Before pursuing a career in the arts and university education, Jade worked in college access as an academic advisor and completed two terms of AmeriCorps service with the nonprofit group, College Possible.

Sarah Tan ’16, Theater Arts/Educational Studies, Educational Manager, Pangea World Theater
Sarah is an artist educator born and raised in Singapore. She has since worked in the field of theater in both the United States (Arkansas, Arizona, and Minnesota) and Singapore. As an artist educator, she strives to build spaces of belonging for her students—providing opportunities for them to open up to their authentic selves and others. Sarah believes in engaging work that builds on the strengths and stories of participants in the room, meeting each person where they are at, and growing with them. Her past research and interests include digital creations with young people, the performance of identity, and the intersection between the performing arts and trauma. Sarah holds a BA in Theatre Arts with a concentration in Education Studies from Carleton College, and a MFA in Theatre for Youth and Community from Arizona State University.

Spencer Wigmore ’11, Art History, Curator of Fine Art Collections, Minnesota Historical Society
Before starting his current role in the fall of 2023, Spencer was the Associate Curator of Paintings, Sculpture, and Works on Paper at the Amon Carter Museum of American Art, in Fort Worth Texas, where he curated nearly a dozen exhibitions and authored several publications. Spencer earned his MA and PhD in Art History at the University of Delaware. As a specialist in the history of American landscape painting, he has held fellowships at several institutions, including the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Library Company of Philadelphia, and the Denver Art Museum.

Brandon Fabel ’18, Economics, Vice President, Wells Fargo & Company
Brandon is currently a Vice President in Wells Fargo’s Corporate & Investment Bank, on the Power, Utilities & Renewables Team. Brandon has experience navigating the finance recruiting process. He is happy to share career advice, whether about roles at Wells Fargo, banking, or other careers in finance. In addition to his role at Wells, Brandon serves on the Community Board of YMCA Camp Northern Lights.

Adam Fetcher ’06, English, Founder & CEO, Big Future Mission & Message
Adam is a seasoned strategist with expertise in business, politics, advocacy, and media. He helps brands drive growth through impactful advocacy strategies and has worked with top brands like Patagonia, Obama, Rivian, and New Belgium Brewing. Co-founder of Big Future Mission & Message, a Minneapolis-based agency, Adam advises leaders on building resilient advocacy platforms. He also served as a top communications official in the Obama administration and on presidential campaigns. Adam lives in Minneapolis with his partner, Christine, and their two daughters.

Chase Garcia ’19, Linguistics, Senior Account Manager: Healthcare Research & Insight, Lumanity
After graduating with a degree in linguistics, Chase leveraged his analytical skills and social science training to specialize in qualitative market research for pharmaceutical clients. In his current role, he helps clients understand how their customers—such as patients and physicians—perceive their products, moderating 1:1 interviews and delivering insightful reports that inform strategic decisions. Previously, Chase gained experience in online market research communities at C Space, and contributed to electronic health record implementation at Epic.

Dashini Jeyathurai ’08, English/Women’s and Gender Studies, Senior Director, Upstart (Keynote Speaker)
Dashini is the Senior Director of Development, Employee Experience, and Talent Programs at Upstart. At Upstart, her focus is on enabling Upstarters to do great work in a digital-first environment. Prior to joining Upstart, Dashini spent nine years at Alphabet where she worked with YouTube and Waymo. She began her career at Google in customer service operations and vendor management. Her passion for learning and development led her to Google’s People Development team where she had the opportunity to work on onboarding and ongoing development, as well as a manager and leadership capability-building. Most recently, she was accepted into UC Berkeley’s Transformative Chief Human Resources Officer Leadership Program led by Lazlo Bock, and she will be starting that program in April 2025. Dashini has a master’s degree in English Language and Literature from the University of Michigan. While at Carleton, she was awarded the Mortar Board Fund Prize, the Niles Prize in Medieval and Renaissance Studies, the Noyes Prize, and the Scott Tyler Bergner Prize, and served as the student commencement speaker for her graduating class. She now serves as an advisor to LifeLabs Learning and is a member of the Board of Trustees of Carleton. She lives in Oakland with her husband, Byron White ’08 (a former Young Alumni Trustee), and their daughter Selma. She’s currently training for her first marathon which will take place on March 23, 2025!

Galen Ryan ’14, Psychology, Transit Planner, Kimley Horn
Galen supports project management, financing, public engagement, and planning for large public transit projects across the country. In 2020, he obtained a master’s degree for urban and regional planning that allows him to play a role in improving public transit locally and regionally. After graduating from Carleton, thinking medical school was in his future, Galen held a variety of jobs for about four years seeking opportunities to work toward the common good. These roles included special education assistant, political field canvasser, and free meal site coordinator. Galen pursued the planning profession because of its influence on housing, transportation, and environmental issues that impact our communities.

Jamie Van Nostrand ’01, American Studies/Educational Studies, Director, Nonprofit Relationship Management, RSM
Jamie has 20 years of experience in nonprofit fundraising and development operations. She now leads a team of nonprofit technology consultants at a global consulting firm, helping organizations leverage technology to
maximize impact.

Mike Habermann ’15, Economics, Director, IT Strategy Advancement, Humana
Mike is a strategist in healthcare technology, directing strategic solutions, products, teams, and learning initiatives. With a focus on improving individual health and the environment, he leverages user-centric design, organizational agility, and effective change management. Mike specializes in technology, AI, and bilingual (Spanish/English) settings. Mike appreciates people and organizations that can balance the individual and the system.

Ryan Skinner ’13, Physics, Senior Manager, Data Science & Machine Learning, Proofpoint
Ryan is a people leader specializing in applied AI and machine learning. After graduating from Carleton, he spent five years gradually pivoting from an Aerospace Engineering Ph.D. program into the tech industry as a data scientist. Ryan currently leads a team of data scientists and engineers at Proofpoint, a cybersecurity company trusted by 87 of the Fortune 100 to defend against email-based attacks, malicious data exfiltration attempts, and other threats.

Liralyn Smith ’20, Statistics/German, Senior Data Analyst, Target
Liralyn joined Target as an Analyst one year after graduating from Carleton College. This past summer, they were promoted and now specialize in Test and Measurement.

Kelly Thompson ’09, Biology, Software Engineer, NextEra Analytics (NextEra Energy)
Kelly develops software, data pipelines, and infrastructure to support renewable energy project planning, forecasting, and optimization. As a tech lead, Kelly mentors developers, manages team projects, and collaborates across the organization. She holds a Master of Library and Information Science degree from the University of Iowa and has previously worked as a data engineer and technical services librarian. Outside of work, Kelly serves on the board of the Minneapolis Modern Quilt Guild and enjoys quilting, weaving, gardening, and baking in Maple Grove, MN, where she lives with her wife and cat.

Sam Tucker ’11, Computer Science/Mathematics, Principal Engineer, Amazon AI
Sam left a Computer Science PhD program to pursue an opportunity at Amazon. In that role, he contributed to machine learning for Alexa during its early development, before its launch. He worked on Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Q&A for Alexa until 2020. From 2020 to 2024, Sam focused on recommendation system challenges, working on the home timeline algorithm at Twitter, and addressing payments and customer service at Spotify. In August 2024, he rejoined Amazon to work on the runtime services for Amazon’s AGI/LLM service.

Avery Davis ’20, Studio Art/Art History, Human Resources Coordinator, Minnesota College of Art and Design
Avery is a Human Resources professional passionate about the arts, organization, and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) work. Avery brings a wealth of experience in office administration and program management. They have a strong work ethic, enthusiasm, and a deep commitment to fostering inclusive and dynamic environments in the arts and education sectors.

Sophie Kerman ’08, Sociology/Anthropology, Upper School French Teacher, St. Paul Academy and Summit School
Sophie teaches introductory and advanced French courses. Her curriculum covers a wide range of topics, including French in North America, the Négritude movement, climate change, the legacies of the French Revolution, the Algerian War for Independence, and Existentialist philosophy and theater. Sophie has also co-led numerous student travel experiences, including exchange trips to France and student backpacking and conservation programs.

Catie Smith ’10, Political Science/Sociology/Anthropology, Assistant Vice President of Engagement, Macalester College
Catie has spent the past 14 years specializing in engagement, volunteer management, communications, and strategic planning for higher education advancement. She currently leads the Engagement team at Macalester, consisting of alumni engagement, special events, and the Macalester Fund annual giving. Previously, Catie served as the Director of Alumni Engagement at Macalester and held numerous positions in alumni engagement at Carleton College. While a student at Carleton, she graduated with a double major in SOAN and Political Science and held roles as a Mellon Mays Fellow, McNair Scholar, and Admissions Fellow. Catie currently resides in the Twin Cities with her husband, two children, and rescue dog Billy.

Eli Skinner ’15, Environmental Studies, Project Manager, Split Rock Studios
Eli is a Project Manager at Split Rock Studios, an interactive museum exhibit design/build firm in Brooklyn Park, MN. Eli began their career in environmental education and entered the museum field in 2018. Since then they’ve built experience across teaching, program administration, and exhibit fabrication roles at the Science Museum of Minnesota and other local institutions. They also hold a master’s degree in marketing from the University of Minnesota. Outside their day job, Eli coaches cross-country skiing and serves on the board of Transforming Families MN, a peer-led organization supporting transgender youth and their families.

Roger Faust ’19, Biology, Postdoctoral Fellow in Environmental Studies, Carleton College
Roger is a faculty member in Environmental Studies and a FOCUS alum. After Carleton, Roger completed a MS and a PhD in Conservation Sciences at the University of Minnesota. For his master’s degree, Roger studied Voyageur’s Ecosystem wolf diet using stable isotope analyses. For his PhD, Roger used community-based approaches to engage Tribal communities in understanding the threats that chronic wasting disease has on their communities and what approaches are best for these Tribes’ natural resource agencies to use in combating the disease. Roger’s work at Carleton builds off of these Tribal relationships where he continues to engage Tribal communities in environmental and natural resource management as they see fit.

Stu Grubb ’85, Geology/Science, Technology, & Public Policy, President, Minnesota Ground Water Association
Stu is a hydrogeologist with extensive experience in the environmental consulting industry. Since graduating from Carleton, he has worked with several consulting firms. In 1998, he joined Emmons & Olivier Resources, a small environmental engineering firm in Lake Elmo, MN, with just six employees. Over the years, he has played a key role in the company’s growth to more than 75 employees and offices in three states and Canada. In addition to his work as a professional geologist, Stu has held various business management roles throughout the company’s expansion.

Michael Happ ’17, Political Science & International Relations/Educational Studies, Program Associate, Climate and Rural Communities Institute for Agriculture & Trade Policy
Michael advocates for policy changes, coalitions, and research to ensure agriculture addresses the climate crisis. His focus includes greenhouse gas regulations, farmer incentives, and innovations like grazing and cover cropping. Michael previously worked at the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, contributing to farm conservation, and co-authored the 2020 Farmers’ Guide to the Conservation Stewardship Program. He has also worked with the National Wildlife Federation and former Representative and current Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. Michael earned distinction for his thesis on racism’s impact on economic perceptions of Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Detroit.

Amanda Jarrett Smith ’08, English/Environmental and Technology Studies, Air Assessment Section Manager, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA)
Amanda leads efforts to improve air quality, particularly in environmental justice communities in Minnesota. Previously, she supervised MPCA’s Climate Unit, focusing on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing climate resilience. Amanda has led key projects, including air toxics and clean cars rulemaking, securing a $200M grant for Climate Smart Food Systems, and developing Minnesota’s Climate Action Framework. In true liberal arts fashion, Amanda majored in English with concentrations in Environmental Studies and Spanish, beginning her career in academic publishing at Cambridge University Press. She later earned a Master’s of Public Administration from Syracuse University’s Maxwell School and transitioned into environmental policy.

David Ruff ’09, History/Music, Associate Director of Forest Strategies: Natural Climate Solutions, The Nature Conservancy (TNC)
David is the Associate Director of Forest Strategies for The Nature Conservancy’s Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota Chapter. A native of Winona, MN, David focuses on forest-based solutions to climate change and biodiversity loss. Previously, he led TNC’s conservation efforts in Minnesota’s Driftless Area, working with state agencies to protect critical habitats. He has also served on TNC’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice working group and the Young and Emerging Professionals steering committee. David holds a master’s degree in Forest and Natural Resources Management from SUNY-ESF.

Ross Chavez ’01, Latin American Studies, Clinical Supervisor/Paramedic, Emergency Physicians PA (EPPA)-The Urgency Room
Ross has over 20 years of experience in various healthcare settings including clinical, administrative, marketing/outreach, and teaching roles. The majority of his career was at Hennepin Healthcare in EMS and Emergency and Trauma Services. He recently transitioned away from 9-1-1 response as a municipal Paramedic/Firefighter, and now supervises one of the Emergency Physician Professional Association’s Urgency Room locations in the Twin Cities. Ross has had notable experiences in his career including the 35W Bridge Collapse and other mass casualty incident management, Emergency Operations Center Health and Safety Officer for the City of Woodbury’s COVID-19 response, and a lead role in Hennepin Healthcare’s management of the public and regulatory investigation into Ketamine use and research.

Jennifer Holle ’10, Biology, Genetic Counselor, Invitae
Jennifer is a board-certified genetic counselor with diverse experience in the medical genetics and diagnostic testing industry. After studying biology at Carleton, she obtained a master’s degree in genetic counseling from the University of MN. Over her 12-year career, she has worked as a clinical and laboratory genetic counselor and held several non-traditional genetic counselor roles in the biotech industry; these include working in medical education, market access, and revenue cycle management. Her favorite genetics subspecialties are oncology and immunology.

Quinn Johnson, MD ’19, Chemistry/Biochemistry, Physician Orthopedic Surgery Resident, Mayo Clinic
Quinn is a first-year orthopedic surgery resident at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Quinn plans to further specialize in pediatric orthopedics after he completes his residency. He previously attended the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine in Rochester, MN for medical school. Outside of his professional pursuits, Quinn enjoys reading, working out, and spending time with his wife and daughter.

Laura Motschenbacher ’10, Biology, Assistant Professor, Vet Internal Medicine Specialist, University of Minnesota
Laura is an Assistant Professor and Small Animal Internal Medicine Specialist at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. She earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) from the University of Minnesota in 2015. After completing a small animal rotating-internship in Chicago and an internal medicine residency at the University of Minnesota, she joined the faculty in 2019. Dr. Laura specializes in gastrointestinal diseases and noninvasive procedures, such as laser lithotripsy, and is dedicated to teaching veterinary students and mentoring residents.

Terra Peterson Jonker ’11, Religion, Director of Doula Operations, Doula Minnesota
Terra is the Owner and Founder of Doula Minnesota and the current Director of Doula Operations at Blooma. Trained in Bali, Indonesia, and certified with DONA International, she has worked with doulas from 13 different countries and supported close to 200 births across the Twin Cities since early 2015. With a strong background in healthcare-related nonprofits, she spent five years providing support to families and children through her work at Ronald McDonald House Charities, and Upper Midwest before entering the birth world. Terra is a trained prenatal and baby yoga teacher who started providing postpartum doula services in 2017. She is a Childbirth Educator at Blooma, primarily teaching classes to individuals and families welcoming a second baby or beyond. Her passion for supporting families led her to start Doula Minnesota LLC in 2017. She is thrilled to continue to offer professional doula services across Minneapolis and St. Paul.

Adalinda Sanchez Uzueta ’07, American Studies, Psychotherapist, Change Inc.
Adalinda is a psychotherapist and mental health consultant focused on working with those who are struggling with parent/child intergenerational pattern transmission, racial and historical trauma, or immigration/acculturation experiences, to name a few. She is trained in modalities including IFS therapy, Narrative Exposure Therapy, and Brainspotting. She uses a collaborative and experiential approach that seeks to honor each family and individual values and origin.

Greg Boyle ’93, P’25, Political Science, Partner, Jenner & Block
Greg defends clients in litigation and government investigations involving complex financial products. As Co-Chair of the firm’s Markets and Trading Practice, he works closely with the Investigation, Compliance, and Defense Practice on matters involving the CFTC, SEC, and DOJ. His experience includes defending securities and derivatives market-related cases for sophisticated market participants. A strong advocate for pro bono work, Greg is the immediate Past President and a Director of the Chicago Bar Foundation, working to improve access to justice. He also serves as a Director of the Institute for Global Affairs, which educates on the impact of geopolitics on daily life.

Bruce Manning ’96, P ’27, Political Philosophy, Judge, Hennepin County District Juvenile Court
Judge Manning earned a Master of Public Policy (MPP) and Juris Doctor (JD) degrees from the University of Michigan in 2001. Following graduation, he began a private litigation career at Robins Kaplan in Minneapolis, where he practiced from 2001 to 2013. In 2013, Judge Manning was appointed to the bench in Minnesota’s 4th Judicial District and has served in various rotations, including criminal, civil, juvenile, and child protection cases. Judge Manning was reelected to the bench in 2014 and again in 2020.

Lizzie Merrill ’08, Psychology, InREACH Consultant, Office of Equity & Diversity,  Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT)
Lizzie focuses on developing inclusion, diversity, and equity (IDE) strategies that engage employees across the agency. Before working at MnDOT, Lizzie worked at HealthPartners where she implemented IDE initiatives to address disparities regarding health and wellness. She has spent much of her career working in the fields of racial justice and social justice for organizations, as well as, providing resources and strategic advancement of IDE through consulting work. Lizzie played soccer for Carleton participating in the MIAC. In her spare time, she enjoys sailing on Lake Harriet with her family and watching her favorite soccer club Liverpool FC.

Erica Moran ’09, Art History/Studio Art, Associate-Product Liability and Mass Torts, Faegre Drinker
Erica defends pharmaceutical, medical device, and food and beverage manufacturers against high-stakes complex litigation, including mass torts, product liability, consumer fraud, and class action cases. She is involved in all aspects of the litigation process in her cases, including: developing legal strategy; advising clients; leading major brief writing efforts; and pre-trial fact and expert discovery, including deposing plaintiffs, medical providers, and experts. Erica focuses her pro bono efforts on voting rights issues and is particularly proud of her contributions to a team that successfully challenged Michigan’s state legislative and congressional maps as partisan gerrymanders. Erica is a working mom to two young kids, who she hopes will be future Carls.

Geoffrey Isaacman ’92, Political Science, Managing Attorney, Hennepin County Public Defender’s Office
Geoffrey graduated from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1996 and has been with the Hennepin County Public Defender’s Office ever since. Currently serving as a Managing Attorney, Geoffrey heads the Felony Unit and oversees the administration of the college intern and law school clerk programs.

Evan Rowe ’09, Political Science, Deputy Commissioner, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED)
In this role, Evan leads Vocational Rehabilitation Services, Unemployment Insurance, State Services for the Blind, Paid Leave, Disability Determination Services, and the agency’s technology and product teams. Before joining DEED, he worked at the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority and Google.

Angely Guevara ’16, Cinema and Media Studies, Marketing Strategist for Development and Alumni Relations, Carleton College
Angely began her career in advertising and marketing through a Carleton Career Center-funded internship at Mullen Lowe U.S. in Boston, Massachusetts. Since graduation, she has worked at leading Minneapolis agencies, including Carmichael Lynch, Superhuman, and BBDO MPLS, where she contributed to campaigns for brands like Pillsbury, Stamps.com, and Twin Cities In Motion. In August 2024, Angely joined Carleton College as a Marketing Strategist for Development and Alumni Relations, where she supports donor engagement, alumni relations, and fundraising initiatives within the Division of Communications. She currently resides in Minneapolis with her husband, dog, and two cats.

Erica Helgerud ’20, English/German, News & Social Media Manager, Carleton College
Erica is the News and Social Media Manager at Carleton College, overseeing content for the Carleton News website and managing the College’s social media across multiple platforms. She writes most of the articles and leads a team of 5-7 student contributors. Erica returned to the College in 2022 after serving as a Weitz Fellow at Opera Omaha. As a student, she held several roles, including Office Manager in the Music Department and Research Assistant in the German Department. She completed internships at 11:11 Press, University of Minnesota Press, and the Wallis Annenberg Center, among others.

Karina Hill ’06, Political Science/Cinema and Media Studies, Campaign Marketing Manager, Explore Minnesota Tourism
Karina currently serves at the main marketing and promotion agency for the state of Minnesota. She hails from a well-rounded marketing and communications background supporting nationally recognized healthcare and nonprofit brands.

Liz Skree ’07, Political Science/Environmental and Technology Studies, Director, Marketing & Communications, Greater Twin Cities United Way
Liz oversees the organization’s marketing and communications strategy and leads a team that connects the organization’s impact with donors and the community. As a Melvin Brorby Wingspread Fellow, she was later hired as a policy intern, where she attended hearings on Capitol Hill and learned about advocacy and the legislative process. After graduation, she worked for 11 years at the Environmental Defense Fund, where she rose to Communications Manager for the Coastal Resilience Program, leading communications during the BP Gulf oil disaster and the passage of the RESTORE Act. In 2017, Liz returned to Minneapolis and joined the Greater Twin Cities United Way.

Tara Sullivan ’91, English, Owner, Messages Matter Consulting
Tara helps companies connect with their audiences through effective marketing, brand messaging, and content creation. With 30 years of experience, Tara focuses on practical solutions and avoids corporate jargon. Known for her fast response times and hands-on approach, Tara has experience leading teams and executing projects. She is passionate about connecting people and is always willing to share her network. Outside of her work, Tara enjoys volunteering, reading, walking her dogs, and exploring history podcasts.

Clarissa Guzman ’22, Sociology and Anthropology/Educational Studies, Career Development Program Coordinator, Wallin Education Partners
Driven by a deep passion for education justice, Clarissa’s commitment to this cause has shaped past and present professional experiences, guiding her work in creating equitable opportunities for students.

Anna Heinzerling ’10, Psychology, Mental Health Therapist, Legacy Mental Health Center
Anna is a licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker who provides psychotherapy for children, adolescents, adults, and families. She has been working in the mental health field for over 15 years in a variety of residential, outpatient, and school settings. Anna specializes in seeing people who are Autistic and/or otherwise neurodivergent from a neurodiversity-affirming perspective.

Daisuke Kawachi ’13, Cinema and Media Studies, Program Officer for Holistic Grantmaking, Greater Twin Cities United Way
Daisuke (pronounced Dice-Kay) oversees Food Security and Economic Opportunity portfolios at the Greater Twin Cities United Way. He collaborates with partners to address both immediate needs and systemic inequities. Previously, Daisuke was a Senior Program Manager for Government and Public Programs at Primary Health, where he supported COVID testing and vaccination efforts statewide and nationwide. He also worked in Community Engagement at the Guthrie Theater, developing community-generated performances. With a decade of experience, Daisuke is dedicated to amplifying community voices and designing equity-focused programming.

Bonnie Melville ’92, Economics, Vice President of Business Operations, Twin Cities R!SE
Bonnie currently oversees Business Operations at Twin Cities R!SE, which helps individuals overcome socio-economic and racial barriers through career training and employment. Her previous roles include Vice President of Service Delivery at Scholarship America, a Forbes Top 100 social enterprise nonprofit, and senior leadership roles in SaaS HR Tech firms, GeoLearning, Ceridian, and RedBrick Health. She began her career in accounting with Ernst & Young and as a budget manager for ADC Telecommunications. Bonnie serves as the Regional Board Chair for Reading Partners–Twin Cities and the Board of Directors and Finance Committee Chair for Genesys Works–Twin Cities. She has also held board positions at Carleton College, Listening House, and YWCA of St. Paul. She and her husband, Dan TerLouw ’93, are based in Bloomington, where they coach youth Ultimate.

Jake Woodward ’18, Women’s and Gender Studies, PRIDE Lead Case Manager, The Family Partnership
Jake provides long-term support, crisis response, and a range of services to individuals affected by sex trafficking and the commercial sex industry. Jake studied Women’s and Gender Studies, with a focus on Studio Art, at Carleton. After graduating, he served in an AmeriCorps program focused on HIV/AIDS in Washington, D.C., and continued working in direct service for several years. Outside of his professional work, Jake remains passionate about creating art.