Staff
Open positions: The Citizens League is seeking applications for internships on the following projects: Communications, Development, and MN Idea Open. Applications are due January 12.
- Catherine Beltmann, Office Manager and Membership Coordinator
- Bob DeBoer, Director of Policy Development
- Janna Caywood, Pathways to Prosperity Project Intern
- Dani Fisher, Development Manager
- Sean Kershaw, Executive Director
- Annie Levenson-Falk, Policy Manager
- Juventino Meza, Immigrant Students and Higher Ed Intern
- Sandy'Ci Moua, Admin. Assistant: Membership, Events and Communications
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 brough 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.
Janna Caywood
jcaywood [at] citizensleague.org
651-293-0575 ext.15
Janna joined the Citizens League in October 2009 as Pathways to Prosperity Project Intern, providing study committee support and research. A Citizens League member since 2008, Janna most recently served on the Water Policy Study Committee and is an active member of the Policy Advisory Committee.
Inspired by her involvement in the Water Policy Study Committee, Janna founded the Como Lake Neighborhood Network, a neighborhood collaborative of Como citizens, local water management officials and other Como Park advocates. The CLNN seeks to build the human capacity and civic infrastructure needed to collectively address Como Lake's water quality struggles. Janna also serves on the Civic Engagement Protocol Task Force for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, sharing her studies in deliberative dialogue and the field of public engagement. And she is Block Leader for her home street in St. Paul. Through this work, Janna hopes to influence the adoption of improved public involvement processes in watershed management.
Prior to her foray into Civic Organizing, Janna was Program Coordinator for the Master of Social Work degree at Augsburg College. She holds a BA in Sociology from Augsburg and lives in St. Paul with her husband and kitty cat.
Currently Reading: The Latehomecomer by Kao Kalia Yang
What I enjoy when I'm not working: Napping, sleeping, laying in a prone position, dreaming. And also telling everyone I'm gonna learn to ride a unicycle. (I've got the book!)
Most people don't know that: I only have 24 teeth in my mouth (8 yanked as a teen -- too big for my mouth)
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 poverty 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, GST and Chooglin'.
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 a comprehensive fund-raising program for the organization.
Before coming to the Citizens League, Dani spent two years working toward a Master's degree in Public Policy with a concentration in Nonprofit Management and Governance at the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute, University of Minnesota. While at the Humphrey Institute, Dani held a position with the Center for Democracy and Citizenship. At the CDC, 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.
From 1999-2008, Dani worked in the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, Portland, and Minnesota as a Regional Political Director and Area Director for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a national membership-based advocacy organization.
Dani has a BA in Political Science and International Relations from the University of California at San Diego. In a volunteer capacity, Dani serves on the Strategic Planning Committee of her synagogue and on the Families with Young Children subgroup of the Minneapolis Jewish Planning Commission.
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: Material related to my master's thesis.
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 Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz (again)
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.
Juventino Meza
jmeza [at] citizensleague.org
651-293-0575 ext. 15
Juve joined the Citizens League in September 2009. He is an intern through HECUA-MUST, where he is learning about poverty, inequality, and social change. Juve closely works with Annie in advancing the work on immigrant students and higher education.
During the spring of 2009, Juve interned with Rep. Carlos Mariani at the Minnesota House of Representatives. Juve brings the experience of working with other immigrant students through his volunteering with NAVIGATE, a student-led organization assisting other students who face economic, social, and legal barriers when pursuing college.
Juve is a junior studying Sociology and Justice and Peace Studies at Augsburg College and has done research on civic engagement, Augsburg College, and immigrants in Minneapolis. Juve graduated from Arlington High School and is an Admission Possible boy.
Currently reading: Open Veins of Latin America by Eduardo Galeano.
What I enjoy when I'm not working: Family, family, family, and sometimes throw in some friends, eating, and either running or biking somwhere in the cities.
Most people don't know that: I dislike peanut butter with a passion to put it mildly.
Sandy'Ci Moua
smoua [at] citizensleague.org
651-293-0575 ext. 11
At the Citizens League, Sandy processes and updates membership renewals, manages and updates the database, functions as an events/meeting planning team member, and performs specific communications and administrative tasks.
Sandy has over 10 years of non-profit experience in youth service, community organizing, admin, event planning, and website/newsletter communications, focusing within immigrant and refugee communities of color.
Some of her current interests are promoting ROWE(results-only-work-environment), social networking media, and Hmong American philanthropic fundraising and donor development.