Chanda Smith Baker, senior vice president at the Minneapolis Foundation, will deliver the keynote address at the Humphrey School's 2023 commencement ceremony on May 13.The Humphrey School of Public Affairs is pleased to announce that Chanda Smith Baker, chief impact officer and senior vice president at the Minneapolis Foundation, will deliver the keynote address at the School’s 2023 commencement ceremony on May 13. Her expertise in cultural and organizational transformation, talent management, and fluency in diversity, equity, and inclusion has had a positive impact in the Twin Cities and beyond for more than 25 years. In her current role, Baker oversees the Minneapolis Foundation’s grant-making programs, providing strategic direction to community initiatives and multi-sector partnerships. “Our students come to the Humphrey School because they want to better their communities and create lasting change. Chanda Smith Baker embodies those ideals through her localized advo
L-R: New Humphrey School faculty members Tricia Olsen, Heather Randell, and Nichola Lowe, who will join the School for the fall 2023 semester.The Humphrey School of Public Affairs is pleased to announce three new faculty members who will join the School in the fall of 2023: two in the global policy area and one in urban and regional planning. Global Policy Tricia Olsen will become the new Harold E. Stassen World Peace Chair, a joint appointment with the Department of Political Science in the University of Minnesota’s College of Liberal Arts. Olsen is currently an associate professor and associate dean at the University of Denver’s Daniels College of Business, with a joint appointment at the Korbel School of International Studies. She studies and teaches about public policy and the political economy of human rights and development, with a focus on Latin America. “Professor Olsen brings to the Humphrey School an extraordinary research record in the field of global human right
The editors of the book "Making Healthy Places," recently published in a second edition by Island Press, discuss the intersections of public health and planning, including key concepts such as green gentrification, health impact assessments, and AI.
Mike Hiltner of Best Buy, left, and Isaac Reyes of Target make remarks at the 2022 Hubert H. Humphrey Public Leadership Awards dinner on May 25, 2022. Photo: Bruce SilcoxThe Humphrey School of Public Affairs is pleased to acknowledge Best Buy and Target for their major sponsorship of the School’s 2022 Hubert H. Humphrey Public Leadership Awards. The two Minnesota-based companies are longtime supporters of the annual awards event, which recognizes individuals and organizations that contribute to the common good through leadership and service. This year’s gala, which took place on May 25, recognized Reatha Clark King, a pioneer in chemistry at NASA, in higher education, business, philanthropy, and community service; Acooa Ellis, senior vice president of community impact at Greater Twin Cities United Way; Tracey Williams-Dillard, CEO and publisher of the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder; and Xcel Energy. In addition, Humphrey School alumna Lee Wallace (MPP ‘05) received the Univer