Organization
Minnesota Department of Health
Current Position and how long
Communications Director since January 2013
Other experience: Professional, communications, education or anything else you'd like to share
Why do you want to be a Minnesota Association of Government Communicators board member?
MAGC is a wonderful resource for those of us communicating on behalf of government organizations. Given the pressures and time/resource limitations we all face, it is more important than ever that we find creative and effective ways to support each other and continue building our skills. I would love the opportunity to help MAGC with this important work.
What qualities and attributes will you bring to the organization?
My position and experience gives me valuable insights and perspective on the issues many of us face, and what we can collectively do to make things better for ourselves and our stakeholders. I believe I would bring a positive, partner-focused and level-headed approach to addressing the dramatic challenges we all face.
What do you consider to be the major issues facing government communicators today?
The biggest issue is the declining trust in government and experts reported among many Americans, driven in part by hyper-polarization but also by a cultural shift away from valuing education and expertise. A close second is the public health/economic crisis of COVID-19, recognizing that even as vaccines become available the lingering effects of this jarring pandemic will be a challenge in multiple ways for all of us.