Staff
The Citizens League has 6 FTEs. This is a list of our full- and part-time staff, interns and contractors.
- Cozzetta AbdurRahman, Administrative Assistant
- Adam Arling, Policy and Communications Intern
- Stacy Becker, Project Director
- Catherine Beltmann, Office Manager and Membership Coordinator
- Bob DeBoer, Director of Policy Development
- Dani Fisher, Development Manager
- Sean Kershaw, Executive Director
- Annie Levenson-Falk, Policy Manager
- J. Trout Lowen, Minnesota Journal editor
- Erin Sapp, CitiZing and DNR Project Manager
Cozzetta AbdurRahman
cabdurrahman [at] citizensleague.org
651-293-0575 ext. 15
Cozzetta is the part-time administrative assistant to the Citizens League and the mother to three wonderful children.
Currently reading: And the Band Played On by Randy Schultz
What I enjoy doing when I'm not working: Reading, listening to classical music, assisting others in any way that I can, and spending time with my children
Most people don't know that: I am ambidextrous
Adam Arling
aarling [at] citizensleague.org
651-293-0575 ext. 11
Adam joined the Citizens League in February of 2010 as an intern for Minnesota Idea Open. He is currently a student at the University of Minnesota pursuing a B.A. in Political Science and a minor in both Spanish and Psychology. He is actively involved as a Student Neighborhood Liaison through the University, reaching out to both students and long-time residents to improve livability in the neighborhoods. In addition, he has been working on utilizing community gardens and public art to focus on shaping community identity and improving relationships in the South East Como neighborhood.
Currently Reading: Habits of the Heart: Individualism and Commitment in American Life
What I enjoy doing when I'm not working: Attending local concerts, gardening, and singing in two collegiate a cappella groups
Most people don't know that: I consider my part-time job title a "lab rat" by participating in numerous research studies...needless to say, my mom worries daily.
Stacy Becker
stacybecker [at] comcast.net
651-646-5288
Stacy Becker served as the project director for the Citizens League Minnesota Anniversary Project (MAP 150). Her efforts with MAP 150 have been featured in the Stanford Social Innovation Review and with the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy. She continues to work with the Citizens League in a variety of policy areas, including long-term care, education and regionalism. Her independent consulting practice, Becker Consulting, advises government agencies, foundations, policy groups and nonprofits on strategic and financial matters. She formerly served as budget director for the City and County of San Francisco, budget director for the City of Saint Paul, and public works director for the City of Saint Paul. She holds an M.P.P. from the John F. Kennedy School of Government and a M.Sc. in City Design and Social Science from the London School of Economics, which she attended as a Bush Leadership Fellow.
Her latest work for the Citizens League includes a review of student and educator views of assessment and accountability in Minnesota, and an analysis of the relationship between public process and NIMBYism. You can also visit her blog "Cow Thoughts" at www.smbecker.blogspot.com.
Currently reading: Just finished "The Road."
Currently watching: I'm a "House" addict.
What I enjoy when I'm not working: During the winter I dream a lot of warmer weather. (Come to think of it, that's a work time activity too.) I have my black belt in tae kwon do and teach a kids' class. I also play the harp.
Most people don't know that: I'm going to be a best selling author someday.
Catherine Beltmann
cbeltmann [at] citizensleague.org
651-293-0575 ext. 10
Catherine joined the Citizens League staff in June of 2008. In the past, Catherine has volunteered with the Citizens League as a co-chair for the Public Leadership Action Group. The group organized Connect for a Cause on February 11, 2008 -- a volunteer speed-matching event that brought together area nonprofits needing volunteers with young leaders looking to contribute civically. She has also served as a public achievement coach for a group of middle school students. Currently, she is volunteering with Restorative Justice Community Action and looking for other opportunities to get involved with the community.
Catherine is 5 credits away from receiving her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a minor in Sociology from the University of Minnesota. She is passionate about breaking down barriers and uniting people around common causes.
Currently reading: Prego: An Introduction to Italian
What I enjoy when I'm not working: Traveling, traveling, playing volleyball, spending time with family and friends, anything adventurous, planning my wedding, and of course traveling.
Most people don't know that: Nothing...I tell anyone willing to listen my life story.
Bob DeBoer
bdeboer [at] citizensleague.org
651-293-0575 ext. 13
Bob joined the Citizens League staff in October 2003. He staffed the 2004 Transportation Study Committee and the 2005-06 Medical Facilities Study Committee. Bob is currently staffing the Citizens League Prosperity Project and is the primary staff for the Citizens League Policy Advisory Committee, managing editor of the Minnesota Journal, and is responsible for the three property tax studies that the Citizens League issues each year (residential homestead survey, tax increment financing and fiscal disparities).
Before coming to the Citizens League, Bob was director of communications at the Office of the State Auditor and committee administrator for the Minnesota House of Representatives Committee on Taxes and Committee on Local Government and Metropolitan Affairs. Bob also has experience as a journalist, market researcher, and health care manager and worker. During a short stint as a consultant, Bob produced a report on the efficiency of the state lottery in April 2003.
After years of "research" into the transient behavior of college undergraduates (including study in Birmingham, England and Tel Aviv, Israel), Bob received a Bachelor of Arts in Speech-Communication from the University of Minnesota in 1987. He has also completed coursework in state-local fiscal relations and economic development at the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs.
Bob lives in St. Paul with his wife Katie and their three children: Dillon, Malcolm and Eileen.
Currently reading: Just trying to keep up with the news
What I enjoy when I'm not working: Live local music, running and baseball
Most people don't know that: when looking for more creative forms of expression than property tax spreadsheets, Bob moonlights on the trumpet in two local bands, Chooglin' and GST, as well as sitting in occasionally with the Minneapolis Free Music Society.
Dani Fisher
dfisher [at] citizensleague.org 651-293-0575 ext. 17
Dani joined the Citizens League in April of 2009 as the Development Manager, responsible for developing and leading the implementation of an individual fund-raising program for the organization.
Immediately prior to joining the Citizens League, Dani worked at several Centers housed at the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute, University of Minnesota. At the Center for Democracy and Citizenship, Dani contributed to the establishment of Center relationships with Minnesota-based public and non-profit organizations, community groups, elected officials, and individuals; coached students in several Community Organizing courses; and served on a fund-raising strategy team working to generate new sources of revenue for the Center. She also partnered with the Center on Women and Public Policy to explore professional development for women serving in local elected office.
Dani has a Master's degree in Public Policy, with a concentration in Nonprofit Management and Leadership, from the University of Minnesota, and a BA in Political Science and International Relations from the University of California at San Diego.
She currently lives in Southwest Minneapolis with Alex, their children Aviva and Judah, and their first-born, a black lab mix named Hershel.
Currently reading: All the interesting fiction I can get my hands on.
What I enjoy when I'm not working: Spending time with family and friends, exploring Minnesota, dance and yoga, continued learning
Most people don't know (but they learn quickly) that: My name is pronounced "Donnie." Not "Danny."
Sean Kershaw
skershaw [at] citizensleague.org
651-293-0575 ext. 14
In 2003, Sean Kershaw became just the sixth Citizens League president in its 50-plus-year-history. Sean had been a member of the Citizens League Board of Directors since 1996, and co-chaired the Citizens League's 50th Anniversary report, Doing the Common Good Better.
Sean left his position as Deputy Director for the City of Saint Paul's Department of Planning and Economic Development (PED), where he had worked for 11 years. During his tenure, Sean chaired then-Mayor Norm Coleman's e-Government initiative and coordinated Coleman's information technology, charter school and education initiatives. Sean also worked as community outreach coordinator on the Mayor's Y2K initiative (where he learned many now-important aspects of community emergency preparedness!). Before coming to Minnesota, Sean was planning coordinator for the Public Housing Authority in his hometown of Omaha, Nebraska.
Sean describes his life work as building the institutions necessary to "make policy public." Sean is passionate about active citizenship, civic organization and good public policy. He is a founding member of the Active Citizens School for Young Adults, a young-adult civic leadership program, and is currently working on non-profit civic leadership efforts through the Minnesota Active Citizenship Initiative. He's not afraid to admit that he's been a policy wonk his whole life; he drew political cartoons even as a third grader.
Sean has a BA in Sociology from Haverford College. He lives in Saint Paul's West Seventh neighborhood with his partner Tim Hawkins and their son, Aidan, and daughter, Grace.
Currently reading: Atlantics and New Yorkers. Looking longingly at the pile of books I compulsively buy at Borders from their discount section.
Currently watching: Six Feet Under -- never saw this when it was going --and depraved reality shows that I'm too embarrassed to name.
What I enjoy when I'm not working: family time, my yard, and not working
Most people don't know that: I took a glass blowing class (and loved it); and I'm proud of being a Nebraskan.
Annie Levenson-Falk
alevensonfalk [at] citizensleague.org
651-293-0575 ext. 16
Annie joined the Citizens League staff in April 2006. As Policy Manager, she leads the Water Policy Study Committee and our work on immigrant students and higher education, as well as staffs the Action Groups. In addition, she manages the Citizens League website and electronic communications.
Before coming to the Citizens League, Annie interned with Dirigo Health Now, an alliance of individuals, businesses, and nonprofit organizations building support for Maine's Dirigo Health Reform. She was also a member of Youth Adelantando, a grassroots organization in Bangor, Maine, focused on building youth leadership in the community, in cooperation with Bangor's sister city in El Salvador.
Annie graduated from Haverford College in 2005 with a B.A. in Political Science and has studied in Northern Ireland and Guatemala.
Currently reading: The Late Homecoming by Kao Kalia Yang (thanks Dani)
What I enjoy when I'm not working: Being outside, cooking and eating with friends, dancing, and trying to run around the lakes in south Minneapolis without collapsing.
Most people don't know that: I can wrestle sheep.
J. Trout Lowen
tlowen [at] citizensleague.org
download high resolution photo (suitable for printing)
J. Trout Lowen joined the Citizens League as an independent contractor in 2000. As editor of the Minnesota Journal, she helps shape the publication's content from first idea to finished product. She works with members and other contributors to hone their Journal articles to a fine point and intermittently writes the Take Note column.
In addition to editing the Minnesota Journal, Trout works as a freelance writer and editor for local, regional, and national magazines, website and nonprofit organizations. She is a former daily newspaper reporter and editor of the Minnesota Women's Press. She has written several articles on education policy for Connect! magazine, published by the University of Minnesota's College of Education and Human Development. She is currently working with the Center for Transportation Studies to develop a new online magazine for alumni and researching a book on women in politics.
Trout has a B.A. from the University of Minnesota's School of Journalism and Mass Communication and an M.A. from Syracuse University's Newhouse School.
Currently reading: I try to keep up with the New Yorker and the New York Times each week, and I'm always looking for that illusive, terrifically engrossing novel. Recommendations are welcome.
Currently watching: Mad Men and the United States of Tara, in season, and a variety of semi-obscure foreign films dredged up on Netflix.
What I enjoy when I'm not working: Walking around the lakes, yoga, jazz, working on my house, and exploring new restaurants and cuisines as the budget allows.
Most people don't know that: I changed my name to Trout in high school.
Erin Sapp
erin [at] citizensleague.org
Erin Sapp is an independent consultant in public policy. She is the Project Manager for the first ever civic networking platform, CitiZing, a project of the Citizens League. She also works with the Citizens League as the Project Manager with the Department of Natural Resources for the public participation aspect of its Parks and Trails Legacy Project.
Specializing in cutting-edge public engagement practices, she strives to enable more effective problem-solving practices via collaboration with the public online and in person. As an independent consultant, she has also served as the Project Director for both the League of Women Voters' State of Democracy project and Heartland Democracy. Additionally, she previously served as the Associate Director for the Responsible Credit Partnership, a special project of the Saint Paul Foundation, where she managed the national college credit score awareness campaign, What's My Score. Other clients include the Center for Financial Services Innovation, Visa USA, the City of Edina, and Payne Lake Community Partners.
Prior to starting her own consulting business, Erin worked in British Parliament and the Minnesota Senate. She holds a MSc in public policy and planning from the London School of Economics and an Honors BA from Gustavus Adolphus College.
Currently reading: Super Freakonomics, Connected: The Surprising Power of Our Social Networks and How They Shape Our Lives, and several gardening books.
What I enjoy doing when I'm not working: Traveling, organic gardening, dancing, biking, shopping locally and trying to cook new things (next up: souffle!).
Most people don't know that: I'm currently training my dog for therapy certification so we can volunteer with kids at a local hospital.