GAPSA Executive Board 2009-2010
Kristi Kremers
President
kremers@umn.edu
Degree Sought: Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership and Policy Development
Hometown: St. Cloud, MN
Job: Graduate Research Fellow & Assistant
Fun Fact: I was once invited to appear on WWF Smackdown on my way to work at First Avenue in downtown Minneapolis. I declined the offer.
Statement: "I passionately hate the idea of being with it, I think an artist has always to be out of step with his time." ~Orson Welles
Jasmine Blanks
Executive Vice President
blan0255@umn.edu
Degree Sought: Masters of Public Policy, Concentration in Public and Nonprofit Leadership and Management/ Social Policy
Hometown:Somerset, NJ and Philadelphia, PA
Job:Research Assistant at the Center for School Change in the Humphrey Institute.
Fun Fact: I flew off of a jet-ski when I hit a dolphin in the Gulf... don't worry, the dolphin was ok!
Statement: "Greatness is not in where we stand, but in what direction we are moving. We must sail sometimes with the wind and sometimes against it -- but sail we must and not drift, nor lie at anchor." -oliver wendell holmes
Christina Brakken-Thal
Vice President for Administrative Affairs
brakken-thal@cems.umn.edu
Degree Sought: MD/PhD Chemical Engineering
Hometown: Plymouth MN
Job: I am a Graduate Assistant in a mathematics group.
Xiao Jin
Vice President for Finance
jinxx152@umn.edu
Degree Sought: Masters in Accounting
Hometown:
Job: I am the GAPSA VP of Finance. At GAPSA, I account for the cash in flows and out flows.
Tyler Price
Vice President for Finance
price326@umn.edu
Degree Sought:
Hometown: Bloomfield, Michigan
Job: I'm a Graduate Assistant walking a fine line between Chemical Engineering and BMBB.
Fun Fact: I spent a summer studying at Oxford University. We only had classes two days a week. Two other days I'd spend in the library working on our assignments. Then, each weekend, we'd travel all around Britain and Europe. Oh... and I've kept every single fortune cookie fortune I've gotten since 9th grade.
Statement: "Be bold. Be bold and everywhere be bold. But be not too bold." - Edmund Spenser
Emily Wang
Vice President for Programming
wang0675@umn.edu
Degree Sought: Ph.D in Chemical Engineering and Materials Science
Hometown: Woodbury, MN
Job: Organizing events and providing opportunities for graduate and
professional students to network, socialize, and have fun!
Fun Fact: Before every school year begins, I have to buy a new set of
Gellyroll pens.
Statement: "I'm the biggest boss that you've seen thus far." -Rick Ross
Kaitlin Johnson
Vice President for Grants
john2921@umn.edu
Degree Sought: Ph.D. in Linguistics, Cognitive Science Minor
Hometown: Saint Paul, MN
Job: Processing grant applications and evaluations, answering all your grants-related questions.
Fun Fact: I have cadaver tissue in my left knee.
Jeffrey Anderson
Vice President for Student Affairs
ander034@umn.edu
Degree Sought: Ph.D. in Educational Policy and Administration, Higher Education track
Hometown: Northeast Minneapolis
Job: I am currently teaching undergraduate learning skills courses here at the U, which I really enjoy.
Fun Fact: I am a music geek and enjoy collecting vinyl LPs. CDs are junk - long live vinyl!
Statement: "You can have everything if you let yourself be" - Donovan P. Leitch
Monica Howell
At-Large Director
howe0096@umn.edu
Degree Sought: PhD in Educational Policy & Administration, K-12 track
Hometown: Amana, IA
Job: Graduate assistant in EdPA
Fun Fact: I hold the rank of second-degree black belt in kyudo
(Japanese archery)
Statement: "When in doubt, go to the library." --Harry Potter and the
Chamber of Secrets
Lindsey Lahr
At-Large Director
lahr0039@umn.edu
Degree Sought: Masters in Educational Policy and Administration, Comparative and International Development Education track
Hometown: St. Cloud, MN
Job: IT Fellow for the CLA Language Center/Asian Languages and Literatures
Fun Fact: I once rolled an ATV off a cliff on Kauai and broke my pelvis. I was told they revamped the route after my antics. I decided to go surfing 3 weeks later...not something I advise.
Statement: "Only those who attempt the absurd will achieve the impossible. I think it's in my basement... let me go upstairs and check." ~M.C. Escher
Kristina Hefty
Vice President for Public Affairs
heft0020@umn.edu
Degree Sought: Degree - M.S. Health Services Research, Policy, and Administration (School of Public Health) and Master of Public Policy (Humphrey Institute)
Hometown: Waunakee, WI
Job: Gopher Hockey Cheerleading Team Coach.
Fun Fact: My junior year of college, I was featured as Sports Illustrated On Campus's Cheerleader of the Week.
Statement: "The future belongs to those who believe in the the beauty of their dreams." ~Eleanor Roosevelt
GAPSA Staff
Danielle Tessmer
Office Assistant
gapsaoa@umn.edu
Degree Sought: BA in Global Studies and Italian
Hometown: Glencoe, MN
Job: I spread GAPSA cheer
David LeGault
Grants Assistant
gapsaga@umn.edu
Degree Sought: M.F.A. in Creative Writing (Nonfiction Emphasis)
Hometown: Gladstone, MI
Job: Answers all your grant-related questions
Fun Fact: I'm currently training for my fourth marathon (and hope to qualifyfor Boston this year!)
Jacob Chin
Public Affairs Assistant
gapsapa@umn.edu
Degree Sought: Master's of Public Policy, Humphrey Institute of Public
Affairs
Hometown: New Bedford, MA
Job: Keeping graduate students updated and informed on the most current
legislation and policy affecting graduate education in Minnesota and
nationwide.
Fun Fact: I once rode a camel along a nubian village in Egypt guided by a 5 year old egyptian boy. The camel in front of me slid off the sand dun thrusting its rider off. In utter panic, my camel decided to fall to the ground and also throw me off of its hump. I did love the pyramids though!
Statement: "Never let someone else's definition of you define who you are.
Instead, define yourself by your own truths, thoughts, beliefs, and
understand of who you are and how you came to be."