![[Skip Tools]](http://www.d.umn.edu/base/extras/spacer.gif){kind=small}
The MAPL Program
- About the MAPL Program
- News and Events
- MAPL graduate survey
- Requirements of MAPL Students/Co-Teachers
- Faculty, Staff, & Advisors
- Concentrations
- MAPL Academic Calendar
- Courses
- Sponsoring Organizations
- Internships
- Apply Online
- Guest Speakers
- Contact Us
- FAQ
- Make a Gift to MAPL
MAPL Home
CLA Home
UMD Home
The MAPL program contacts a number of outstanding leaders in advocacy and politics to ask them to agree to be part of MAPL's pool of community faculty. This page lists some of our guest speakers involved in the Fall 2004 Semester.
Michael Guest joined our MAPL classes as a community faculty team member on Saturday 11/20/04.
Michael Guest is a professional advocate, currently working for the Minnesota Safe Highways Coalition trying to prevent the introduction of longer and heavier trucks on our roads. During the 2002 election he was coordinator of a Green Initiative in Dakota County, Minnesota, in which voters approved open spaces and green space requirements, fully knowing that it would lead to somewhat higher property taxes. It was an amazing feat, especially since the theme of the successful gubernatorial candidate in the same election was “No New Taxes.” Guest will explain how it was done.
Sheila Smith joined our MAPL classes as a community faculty team member on Saturday 12/11/04.
Sheila M. Smith has been Minnesota Citizens for the Art's Executive Director since 1996. She also recently served as a Public Policy Consultant for the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits and is part of MCN's Public Policy Cabinet. Before joining MCA and MCN, Smith served as staff at the Minnesota State Senate and lobbied local governments for Continental Airlines in Houston, TX. Appointed by the Governor in 2002 to the Capitol Area Architectural Planning Board, she volunteers for the Capitol 2005 Commission, which is organizing the 100th birthday celebration for the Minnesota State Capitol. Smith serves on the Executive Committee of the State Arts Action League, part of Americans for the Arts. She received a Master's degree in Arts Administration from St. Mary's University and has a B.A. in Shakespeare from St. Olaf College. She also teaches and lectures, both statewide and nationally, about the arts, grassroots advocacy, and other issues.Tom Kelly joined our MAPL classes as a community faculty team member on Saturday 11/13/04.
Tom Kelly is President of Strategic Communications in Roseville, MN. He is a communications consultant specializing in message development and media relations for nonprofit organizations. Tom has over ten years experience as a reporter and communications professional. He served for two years as a US Capitol reporter for FDC Reports and three years as communications director for the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor party. Since 2000 Kelly has helped develop public relations strategies and opportunities for political clients and nonprofit organizations such as; Judi Dutcher for Governor, Wellstone for Senate and Citizens for a Safer Minnesota, the Philips Partnership, the American Cancer Society, the Minnesota Smoke-Free Coalition, that National Environmental Trust, the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy and the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits. He earned an MA in American History from George Mason University and a BA in Political Science from Kalamazoo College.
Dorian Grilley and Julia Cuchna joined our MAPL classes as a community faculty team on Friday 10/22/04 and Saturday morning 10/23/04.
Dorian Grilley has been the Executive Director Parks & Trails Council of Minnesota since 1996. He has over twenty-five years in natural resource management, operation, planning, development and advocacy with the Minnesota and Wisconsin Departments of Natural Resources and the Parks & Trails Council. He has worked with non-profits as a volunteer or staff for almost twenty years. He was involved in the planning of the state trails and state forest recreation areas early on in his career and was the manager of the Lake Superior Harbor Program for the DNR prior to his current position. He has worked closely with state and local governments on dozens of park and trail projects. His education includes Graduate work in Natural Resource Policy & Landscape Architecture at the University of Wisconsin, Madison and a Landscape Architecture degree from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. He and his family of park and trail users live in Mahtomedi near White Bear Lake. He and his wife commute daily to their jobs by bicycle, most of the way on the Gateway State Trail.
Julia Cuchna is the Development Director of the Parks & Trails Council of Minnesota. She has over twenty years of experience in natural resource management in Minnesota. Julia has been a director, program manager, and interpretive naturalist for organizations, such as the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the Lake Carlos Environmental Center for the Luther Crest Bible Camp Corporation. She has a Master of Science in natural resource management.
Congressman Jim Oberstar joined our MAPL class, Saturday, September 18, 2004.
David Arons, former co-Director of Charity Lobbying in the Public Interest joined our MAPL 5200 Nonprofits and Civic Engagement class on October 2. David F. Arons, former Co-Director of Charity Lobbying in the Public Interest, a national organization based in Washington DC that educates nonprofits about how to engage legally and effectively in the public policy process. He is also the co-author of a recent book, A Voice for Nonprofits, published by the Brookings Institution about factors that influence the advocacy behavior of nonprofits. Mr. Arons has taught courses in nonprofit advocacy at Johns Hopkins University and George Mason University. He has provided workshops on NGO advocacy in South Korea, Nicaragua and Argentina. He was formerly a lobbyist for Independent Sector, an umbrella association of charities and foundations in Washington DC and prior to that a staff person for former U.S. Senator Charles Robb. Mr. Arons has an M.A. in Urban and Environmental Policy from Tufts University and he currently resides in St. Paul, Minnesota where he is a law student at William Mitchell College of Law and a board member of Hmong National Development.
George Latimer, Chair, Urban Studies, Macalester College, Undersecretary of Housing at HUD, and Former Mayor of St. Paul; and Jim Solem, former Executive Director of Metropolitan Council and Director of Minnesota Housing Finance Agency joined our MAPL classes on October 8-9 and discussed housing issues in Minnesota.
Pamela Kramer, Program Director of Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), joined our classes on October 9 for a housing tour in Duluth.
Gary Sjoquist joined our MAPL classmates on Friday, September 17, 2004.
Gary Sjoquist is the Director of Advocacy for Quality Bicycle Products, the nation's largest distributor of bicycle parts and accessories; his position was created by QBP as the first fulltime industry advocate position among the 1000 or so companies that make up the American bicycle industry. Mr.Sjoquist is also the Director of Membership Development for Bikes Belong,the bicycle industry's advocacy-oriented trade association, is on the board of directors for the Bicycle Products and Suppliers Association, and is the Treasurer for BikesPAC, the bicycle industry's political action committee.Mr. Sjoquist received the Advocate of the Year Award in 2002 from the bicycle industry, received an Action Hero award from the Sporting Goods and Manufacturers Association in 2001, and in 1998 won a Shimano Action Hero award for his work with mountain biking. His Twin Cities Bicycle Map and Commuter Guide won a "Best Practices" award from the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy in 1997. An avid mountain biker and road cyclist, Mr. Sjoquist will be leaving Duluth after the September 17th presentation to take part in the Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival, the nation's largest mountain bike race, on Sept. 18th. Mr. Sjoquist considers himself fortunate to be a close riding companion of Congressman James Oberstar, cycling's best friend in Congress.