Tarek Abdelqader
Marketing and Communications Associate
[email protected]
Tarek Abdelqader works closely with OPE staff and contacts in partner units and throughout the University to provide marketing and logistical support for OPE programs, digital and design storytelling for M Engage, and editorial content and management of OPE's Engaging U newsletter. He holds a bachelor's degree in journalism and mass communication from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, and has previously held positions in the University's Institute for Advanced Study and Disability Resource Center.
Merrie Benasutti
Director for Civic Engagement and Community Partnerships
[email protected]
Merrie Benasutti oversees the establishment and implementation of a wide range of community-campus partnerships throughout the University system. As the University system's voting coordinator, she also facilitates civic leadership initiatives and promotes teaching and learning within the University District neighborhoods. A recipient of the University of Minnesota President's Outstanding Service Award, Merrie has bridged campus and community for nearly 30 years, serving in leadership roles with the Humphrey School's Center for Integrative Leadership and Mandela Washington Fellowship program, as well as in community engagement roles at Augsburg University, St. Olaf College, and Metro State University.
Amber Cameron
Director for Public Engagement Initiatives
[email protected]
Amber Cameron facilitates the design and implementation of key strategic public engagement initiatives, working with public engagement staff across the University’s five campuses. Activities include supporting the University’s Carnegie Foundation Elective Classification for Community Engagement, convening and staffing public engagement councils and committees, and incorporating public engagement goals and activities into other key University initiatives. Amber has been with the Office for Public Engagement for over a decade. Previously, she served as the Associate Director in Carleton College’s community engagement office. Amber holds a bachelor's degree in African/African-American studies from Carleton College and a master's degree in non-profit/NGO leadership from the University of Pennsylvania.
Jack Craven
Public Engagement Footprint Project Coordinator
[email protected]
John “Jack” Craven supports the development and aids in the coordination of the University of Minnesota's Public Engagement Footprint project. His duties include communication and outreach, as well as data support for the project and maintaining the database using ArcGIS. He holds a bachelor's degree in economics with a focus in environmental economics and policy from Luther College.
Nathan Patten
Engagement Impact Manager
[email protected]
Nathan has been working in the data and analytics space for over ten years, with a focus on developing solutions for monitoring and reporting to help inform data driven decision making. He is working with OPE on the implementation of an enterprise solution for managing all aspects of community engagement opportunities across the University of Minnesota system. He holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Minnesota—Twin Cities, and a master's degree from the University of Victoria, British Columbia.
Laurie Van Egeren
Vice Provost for Public Engagement
[email protected]
As the University of Minnesota's chief engagement officer, Laurie Van Egeren is responsible for growing and deepening public engagement practices and policies throughout the University’s entire five campus system. Most recently, she has served as the assistant provost for university-community partnerships and adjunct professor in Human Development and Family Studies at Michigan State University (MSU). Recognized as an experienced leader of public and community engagement in higher education and a scholar in the field of public engagement and evaluation methods for community-engaged research, Laurie is president of the internationally recognized Engagement Scholarship Consortium and serves on the leadership team of the National Science Foundation-funded Center for Advancing Research Impacts in Society. She holds a doctorate in developmental psychology and a master's degree in child/family clinical psychology from MSU.
David Weerts
Associate Vice Provost for Public Engagement
[email protected]
A professor of education in the University's College of Education and Human Development, David Weerts serves as associate vice provost for public engagement for the University's five campus system. His responsibilities includes overseeing OPE's professional development opportunities, Summer Institute, Engaged Scholar workshops, public engagement promotion and tenure offerings, and the University’s Review Committee on Community-Engaged Scholarship. David also oversees the nationally recognized Engagement Academy, an executive training program for higher education leaders. Over the past 20 years, his scholarship and teaching has focused on intersections among University-community engagement, state financing of higher education, and institutional advancement. He holds a doctorate in educational leadership and policy analysis from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
General contact Info
Office for Public Engagement
110 Morrill Hall
100 Church Street S.E.
Minneapolis, MN 55455
Office: 612-624-6876
Fax: 612-626-8388
[email protected]