Title

Staff Directory

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Commissioners Office

Dennis Olson
Commissioner
(651) 259-3900dennis.w.olson@state.mn.us
Chris Hendrickson
Executive Assistant to the Commissioner
(651) 259-3901chris.hendrickson@state.mn.us
Winnie Sullivan
Deputy Commissioner
(651) 259-3922winnie.sullivan@state.mn.us
Wendy Robinson
Assistant Commissioner for Programs, Policy, and Grants
(651) 259-3903wendy.robinson@state.mn.us
Thomas Sanford
Assistant Commissioner for Operations
(651) 259-3960thomas.sanford@state.mn.us
Andrew Wold
General Counsel
(651) 259-3904andrew.wold@state.mn.us
Rafael Eubanks
Director of Tribal Relations and Tribal Liaison 
(651) 775-0925rafael.eubanks@state.mn.us
LaNesha Bryant
Human Resources Director
(651) 259-3941lanesha.bryant@state.mn.us

Auditing Unit and Minnesota College Savings Plan (529)

Robert Helgeson
Auditing Manager
(651) 259-3997robert.helgeson@state.mn.us
Annie Lee
Auditor
(651) 259-3953annie.lee@state.mn.us
Crystal Kubat
Auditor
(651) 259-3996crystal.kubat@state.mn.us
Erin Wayne
Auditor
(651) 259-3910erin.wayne@state.mn.us
Erin Poster
Auditor
(651) 259-3982erin.poster@state.mn.us

Campus Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Program

Melissa Watschke
Title IX Training Administrator
(651) 259-3921melissa.watschke@state.mn.us

Communications

Keith Hovis
Director of Communications
(651) 259-3902keith.hovis@state.mn.us
Fiorella Gallia
Marketing and Communications Manager
(651) 259-3971fiorella.gallia@state.mn.us
Libby Fahrenkamp
Outreach and Communications Coordinator
(651) 259-3909libby.fahrenkamp@state.mn.us
Robert Ferdinandt
Marketing and Communications Coordinator
(651) 556-0545robert.ferdinandt@state.mn.us

Direct Admissions Minnesota

Aaron Salasek
Coordinator of Direct Admissions Minnesota
(651) 259-3915aaron.salasek@state.mn.us

Financial Aid

For general questions about eligibility requirements, transcripts, application process, institutional reports and financial aid administration call (651) 642-0567 or (800) 657-3866. You may also email financialaid.ohe@state.mn.us.
Meghan Flores
State Grant/State Financial Aid Manager
(651) 355-0610meghan.flores@state.mn.us
Adam Johnson
State Program Administrator
(651) 355-0617adam.d.johnson@state.mn.us
Diamee Xiong Yang
State Program Administrator
(651) 355-0603diamee.xiong.yang@state.mn.us
Jennifer Skluzacek
Reciprocity/State Program Associate
(651) 355-0614jennifer.skluzacek@state.mn.us
Nicole Strowbridge
State Program Administrator
(651) 355-0608nicole.strowbridge@state.mn.us
Shannon Olson
State Program Associate
(651) 355-0611shannon.l.olson@state.mn.us
Shawn Reynolds
State Program Administrator
(651) 355-0615shawn.reynolds@state.mn.us
Tara Winchester
State Program Administrator
(651) 355-0616tara.winchester@state.mn.us

Financial Services

Thomas Sanford
Assistant Commissioner for Operations
(651) 259-3960thomas.sanford@state.mn.us
Poawit Yang
Chief Financial Officer
(651) 259-3951poawit.yang@state.mn.us
Nicole Blanchard
Accounting Supervisor
(651) 259-3989nicole.blanchard@state.mn.us
PaZong Thao
Contracts Director
(651) 259-3988pazong.thao@state.mn.us
Will Randow
Financial Services Manager
(651) 259-3962will.randow@state.mn.us

Get Ready GEAR UP Minnesota

Patrick Milton
Director
(651) 259-3914patrick.milton@state.mn.us
Heidi O'Hair
Assistant Director
(651) 259-3908heidi.ohair@state.mn.us
Amanda Twite
Postsecondary Pathways Supervisor
(651) 259-3927amanda.twite@state.mn.us
Amie Jannetto
Logistics Specialist
(651) 259-3918amie.jannetto@state.mn.us
Ciara Houston
Special Projects Manager
(651) 259-3920ciara.houston@state.mn.us
Jessica Yang
Senior Implementation Manager
(651) 259-3932jessica.yang@state.mn.us
Ka Siab Yang
Postsecondary Pathways Coordinator 
(651) 259-3995ka.siab.yang@state.mn.us
Katie Newgard
Communications Specialist 
(651) 259-3930katie.newgard@state.mn.us
Mai Chue (Moua) Ozcan
Get Ready Scholarship and Alumni Specialist 
(651) 259-3961mai.chue.ozcan@state.mn.us
Matt Gutsch
External Relations Manager
(651) 331-0890matthew.gutsch@state.mn.us
Tom Bartholomay
Evaluations Manager 
(651) 259-3934tom.bartholomay@state.mn.us

Grants and Workforce Initiatives

Megan FitzGibbon
Manager of Grants and Workforce Initiatives
(651) 355-0606megan.fitzgibbon@state.mn.us
Jacquelynn Mol Sletten
Assistant Manager of Grants and Workforce Initiative
(651) 355-0609jacquelynn.mol.sletten@state.mn.us
Cha Her
Grants Administrator
(651) 259-3991cha.her@state.mn.us
Grace Ferdinandt
Grants Administrator
(651) 259-3926grace.ferdinandt@state.mn.us
Joanna Moua
Program Administrator
(651) 355-0613joanna.moua@state.mn.us 
Laura Benson
Grants Administrator
(651) 259-3906laura.benson@state.mn.us

Legal Services

Andrew Wold
General Counsel
(651) 259-3904andrew.wold@state.mn.us
Jonathan Drewes
Deputy General Counsel
(651) 259-3963jonathan.drewes@state.mn.us
Paul Overbee
Associate General Counsel
(651) 259-3956paul.overbee@state.mn.us
Jennifer Labey
Legal Assistant
(651) 259-3950jennifer.labey@state.mn.us

Minnesota P-20 Education Partnership

Josiah Litant
Executive Director of P-20 Education Partnership
(651) 468-1483josiah.litant@state.mn.us

Postsecondary Education in Prisons

Sheila Hoffman 
DOC-OHE Liaison and Senior Project & Change Manager
(651) 259-3945sheila.hoffman@state.mn.us

Private Institution Registration and Licensing

Brian Geraghty
Administrator
(651) 259-3976brian.geraghty@state.mn.us
Kate McCartan
Regulation and Monitoring
(651) 259-3912kate.mccartan@state.mn.us
Monica Devers
Academic Program Reviewer
(651) 259-3965monica.devers@state.mn.us

Research

Carrie Schneider
Director of Research
(651) 259-3936carrie.schneider@state.mn.us
Christine Kim Park
Health and Safety Research Analyst
(651) 259-3919christine.kimpark@state.mn.us
Lesley Sisaket 
Student Success Research Analyst
(651) 259-3925lesley.sisaket@state.mn.us
Nicole Whelan
Research Analyst
(651) 259-3967nicole.whelan@state.mn.us
Sally Krager
Direct Admissions Research Analyst
(651) 259-3937sally.krager@state.mn.us 
Steve Rogness
Research Analyst
(651) 259-3917steve.rogness@state.mn.us

SELF Loan

Marilyn Kosir
SELF Loan Manager
(651) 355-0600marilyn.kosir@state.mn.us
Sarah Linehan
SELF Loan Assistant Manager
(651) 355-0602sarah.linehan@state.mn.us
Lauren Erdman
SELF Student Success Coach Manager
(651) 259-3942lauren.erdman@state.mn.us
Luke Cardona
SELF Loan Marketing Manager
(651) 259-3940luke.cardona@state.mn.us 
Emily Hennes
SELF Student Success Coach
(651) 699-3062emily.hennes@state.mn.us
Mainong Yang
SELF Student Success Coach
(651) 259-3954mainong.yang@state.mn.us
Ongers Herr
SELF Student Success Coach
(651) 699-2715ongers.herr@state.mn.us
Tracee Bishop
SELF Student Success Coach
(651) 259-3972tracee.bishop@state.mn.us

SLEDS (Statewide Longitudinal Education Data System)

Nora Morris
SLEDS Director
(651) 259-3983nora.morris@state.mn.us

Student Parent and Whole Family Support

Miriam Cullimore
Student Parent and Whole Family Support Coordinator
(651) 259-3974miriam.cullimore@state.mn.us