Class II Legislative Fellows Bios

Legislative Fellows Profiles

Christopher Kashman

Claire Stoscheck

Indianapolis, IN

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Expertise: Tax and law policy Home Organization: Indiana State Senate Host Organization: CNI Host City: Brasilia, Brazil

Mr. Kashman is a specialist in tax law and policy and has held multiple policy-related positions on political campaigns and at the Indiana State Senate where he currently serves as the Majority Attorney.

As the Majority Attorney, Mr. Kashman is responsible for reviewing committee reports for accuracy, summarizing proposed amendments to bills for the republican caucus, drafting resolutions, and filing the above-mentioned documents with the Secretary of the Senate prior to daily deadlines in preparation for each day’s legislative session. In addition, he researches a variety of policy issues at the request of the members of the republican caucus.

As a Fellow, Mr.Kashman will observe CNI’s ­government relations and lobbying practices in Brasilia.

Minneapolis, MO

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Expertise: Rural Development Home Organization: Cycles for Change Host Organization: Iracambi Host City: Minas Gerais, Brazil

Ms. Stoscheck is an organizer, educator, and ­activist. She is currently one of the three ­Co-executive Directors of the nonprofit Cycles for Change in St. Paul, MN, which works to promote bicycle and ­transportation justice. As co-executive director, Ms. Stoscheck does everything from ­strategic planning, program management, to ­community organizing and outreach, especially in ­Spanish.

Ms. Stoscheck has worked extensively in bike ­advocacy and social justice in the United States and in Quito, Ecuador, with a particular focus on bike feminism and transportation justice. She also organizes in immigrant rights movements, local food justice movements, and anti-resource ­extraction movements.

As a Fellow, Ms. Stoscheck will explore rural ­sustainability projects, especially regarding food systems.

Legislative Fellows Profiles

September Hargrove Hopkins, MN

Vonzelle Johnson DeLand, FL

• Expertise: Public Policy & Urban Planning • Home Organization: City of New Orleans • Host Organization: Center for Facilitation of ­ Investment (CFI) • Host City: Port-au-Prince, Haiti

• Expertise: Social Work, Public Relations and ­ Local Government • Home Organization:City Commissioner • Host Organization: • Host City:

Ms. Hargrove relocated to New Orleans, LA in ­summer 2011 after graduating from Harvard University with her master’s degree in public policy and urban planning. As the Policy & Programs Manager for the City of New Orleans, Ms. Hargrove directly staffs the Mayor’s Advisor on Economic Development to develop and streamline policies, programs and initiatives such as the City’s Small Business Assistance Fund that promotes economic growth and inclusion.

Mr. Johnson serves as DeLand City ­Commissioner and Chair of the Volusia County Democratic Executive Committee. Mr. Johnson has served as a social work adjunct professor at Bethune-Cookman University and the University of New England. In 2009, Mr. Johnson founded Brothers Advocating Service and Inspiration in the Community, Inc., a non-profit mentoring organization that provides guidance and positive role modeling to adolescent males in the DeLand community.

Prior to graduate school, Ms. Hargrove worked in California state government as a Senate Fellow and Gubernatorial Apointee in the ­Schwarzenegger Administration advocating for legislation that ­addresses self-suficiency and economic equity for some of the state’s most vulnerable positions.

Mr.Johnson’s interdisciplinary background, ­consisting of public policy counseling, success coaching, fundraising, and non-profit development primed him to serve within his current p ­ rofessional role at Strategic Philanthropic Solutions, LLC., a multifaced public relations firm. Recently, Mr. Johnson served as an At-Large Delegate to the 2012 Democratic National Convention; he received an appointment as a 2012 Florida ­Democratic Presidential Elector, and was unanimously ­elected by the DeLand City Commission to serve as ­Legislative Liaision to the Florida State Legislature.

As a Fellow, Ms. Hargrove will explore economic development programs and collaboration between the city governments for New Orleans and Port-auPrince especially around disaster preparedness.

Legislative Fellows Profiles

Dan Ryan

Wilmington, NC

Jason Sabo Austin, TX

• Expertise: Conservation • Home Organization: Nature Conservancy N.C. • Host Organization: Alexander Van Humbolt Institute • Host City: Bogota, Colombia

• Expertise: Advocacy development and grant ­ making strategies • Home Organization: Frontera Strategy • Host Organization: Promundo • Host City: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Mr. Ryan is a Program Director for The Nature Conservancy in North Carolina He has worked in the conservancy field for over a decade, with work r­anging from property acquisition, policy ­development and prescribed fire. Before his ­tenure in the nonprofit sector, Mr. Ryan was a Peace Corps Volunteer in rural Bolivia focusing on soil c­ onservation and agroforestry. He received a ­Master of Public Administration from the ­University of North Carolina Wilmington and a Bachelors of ­Science in Environmental Studies from the ­University of North Carolina Asheville.

Mr. Sabo is a consultant and speaker on political and legislative strategy, high impact philanthropy, and nonprofit effectiveness. Jason specializes in assisting organizations develop advocacy and grant making strategies for challenging fiscal and poltical circumstances.

In Colombia, Mr. Ryan will work with Legislative Fellow, Sergio Peñoloza, on regulation policy in the Orinoquia Region.

He is the Founder of Frontera Strategy, a ­public affairs consulting firm serving nonprofits, ­philanthropists, and others interested in advancing sound public policies. Prior to launching F ­ rontera, Jason worked at the Texas Capitol as a policy analyst and lobbyist for nonprofit organizations, including United Ways of Texas. He has worked as a techer in the United States and Brazil and has coordinated community-based youth employment, dropout prevention, and immigrant family literacy programs.

As a Fellow, Mr. Sabo will offer advocacy trainings to grassroots organizations and explore the issuses of domestic violence and child rights.

Legislative Fellows Profiles

Maureen Ramirez Saint Paul, MN

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Expertise: Civic Engagement Home Organization: Growth & Justice Host Organization: Host City:

Ms. Ramirez is Policy and Research ­Director at Growth & Justice, a ­nonprofit, nonpartisan r­esearch and ­advocacy organization that develops ­innovative ­public policy proposals based on ­independent ­research and civic engagement. ­Growth & ­Justice has a ­mission to make ­Minnesota’s economy ­simultaneously both prosperous and more fair.

Ms. Ramirez is a ­researcher, writer and ­lobbyist, ­advocating for specific policy proposals on ­taxes, t­ransportation, government ­accountability, ­education and ­workforce development. Ms. Ramirez’s past work with ­nonprofits ­includes many years teaching and training ­nonprofits to do voter outreach and civic ­engagement. She ­currently serves on advisory boards for ­Minneapolis ­Community and ­Technical College and the ­Minneapolis Public Schools. Ramirez recently ­completed a six year term on the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota.

Noel Guerrero

Silver Spring, MD • Expertise: Education Policy • Home Organization:Hispanic Association of ­ Colleges and Universities • Host Organization: • Host City: Mr. Guerrero currently serves as the ­Senior ­Associate Director of the HACU National ­Internship Program. In this capacity, ­Mr. G ­ uerrero is part of the team that manages the ­nation’s ­largest ­Hispanic-centric internship program, which is run by the Hispanic Association of ­Colleges and ­Universities. He works closely with ­universities in the US and federal government agencies to find ways to address the problem of ­under-representation of Hispanics, the largest and fastest growing minority in the US, in the federal government, the largest employer in the country.

Mr. Guerrero is a native of Managua, Nicaragua and a longtime resident of Silver Spring, MD.

Legislative Fellows Profiles

Julio Taillepierre

Laura Gomez

Lilburn, GA

• Expertise: Public Health • Home Organization: CDC-Centers for Disease Control and Prevention • Host Organization: Ministerio da Saúde • Host City: Brasilia, Brazil

Harlingen, TX

Mr. Taillepierre has been in the CDC since 2001 and is the Team Leader for the ­Initiatives and Partnerships Unit of the Office of ­Minority Health and Health Equity. Previously, Mr. Taillepierre was a Public Health Analyst for the Capacity Building Branch - DHAP, ­serving as the lead for ­capacity building to ­support HIV Prevention Community Planning activities, and the Latino lead for HIV capacity building efforts in the Branch from 2001 through 2011. Prior to his ­position at the CDC, he was the ­Research ­Coordinator for the Star Center at State ­University of New York (SUNY) Downstate Medical Center, overseeing a national ­longitudinal study on the potential impact of changes in ­welfare ­legislation on Latina’s prenatal and postpartum health. He has also served as an organizational ­development c­ onsultant for minority and Latino health ­organization in the US and Latin America; an ­assistant editor for POZ en Español magazine; and as as the director of one of the first ­federally-funded multiple service HIV prevention and care programs targeted to Latino/a immigrant population in New York City.

• Expertise: Health and Environment • Home Organization: U.S. Environmental ­ Protection Agency • Host Organization: Autoridad Nacional de ­ Licencias Ambientales (ANLA) • Host City: Bogota, Colombia Ms. Gomez works for the US Environmental ­Protection Agency (EPA) which is a Federal ­Government Agency whose mission is to protect ­human health and the environment. Within EPA, Ms. Gomez works in the Administrator’s Office in the Office of Congressional and ­Intergovernmental Relations. Her job as a Congressional Liaision ­Specialist is to support the Agency’s relationship with the US Congress. This includes responding to congressional inquiries, legislative tracking, day-to-day operation and tracking of the EPA’s ­congressional correspondence response process, ­arranging congressional visits, crafting ­strategy in terms of how the Agency positions itself.

Ms. ­Gomez has also had extensive international ­experience in Spain, Mexico, the U.K and India after having ­participated in four study abroad while completing her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees.

As a Fellow, Ms. Gomez hopes to learn how the Ministry of the Environment Department of Public Policy liaises with the National Congress and to share her experience of doing the same on behalf of EPA in the United States.

Legislative Fellows Profiles

Katherine Conners

Krista Rivera

Saint Paul, MN

• Expertise: Representation of indigent clients • Home Organization: Ramsey County Public Defender’s Office • Host Organization: Santiago Public Defender’s Office • Host City: Santiago, Dominican Republic

Ms. Conners has worked for the State of ­Minnesota as an ­Assistant Public Defender for six years. Prior to this position, she has worked as a law clerk while in law school. Her ­current ­assignment is ­representing indigent clients in criminal cases from first appearance to trial in suburban cities surrounding Saint Paul. She deals specifically with lower level crimes, ­misdemeanors and gross ­misdemeanors. ­Additionally, she is a Representation professor to fisrt-year law students at the William Mitchell College of Law, in the Writing, Representation, Advocacy, and Persuasion (WRAP) Program.

As a Fellow, Ms. Conners will compare the public defense system in the United States with that of the Dominican Republic.

Indianapolis, IN

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Expertise: Fiscal policy processes Home Organization: Indiana State Senate Host Organization: Host City: Porto Alegre, Brazil

Ms. Rivera currently serves as a fiscal analyst for the Indiana State Senate. In this ­capacity she analyzes the impact of state and federal ­legislation upon the state’s fiscal resources. She tracks ­legislation, researches fiscal policy issues, and summarizes this information for senators and staff members. Ms. Rivera has worked for the Senate for three and a half years in a variety of ­capacities, ­including completing an internship with the ­President Pro Tempore of the Senate, a fiscal fellowship with the Tax Policy and Appropriations chairmen, and working as a legislative assistant for two Senators.

As a Fellow, Ms. Rivera is interested in learning more about the fiscal policy and fiscal transparency processes in Porto Alegre in order to compare them to Indiana’s policy processes.

Legislative Fellows Profiles

Tammy Hinnenkamp Hopkins, MN

Wendy Ramirez Washington, DC

• Expertise: Representation of indigent clients • Home Organization: Assistant Public Defenser in St Paul, Ramsey County • Host Organization: Santiago Public Defender’s Office • Host City: Santiago, Dominican Republic

• Expertise: Strengthening of political/civic participation in Latin America • Home Organization:National Democratic Institute for International Affairs • Host Organization: • Host City:

Ms. Hinnenkamp has been an Assistant Public ­Defender in St. Paul, Ramsey County, Minnesota, for the past 10 years.

Ms. Ramirez is a program manager for the ­National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) in Washington DC where she supports ­programs in Latin America to strengthen ­political and civic ­organizations, safeguard elections, and ­promote citizen participation.

She has extensive trial experience ­representing indigent clients charged with offenses ­ranging from homicide, criminal sexual conduct, ­domestic ­assault, and traffic matters. Currently, she is ­assigned to the misdemeanor unit of the ­Public ­Defender’s office. Her representation begins ­following arraignment through resolution of their case, including pretrial hearings, contested ­evidentiary hearings, trial, and sentencing.

As a Fellow, Ms. Hinnenkamp will be hosted with her MN collegue, Ms. Conners, in a capacity in which they may compare public defense between the United States and the Dominican Republic.

Prior to joining NDI, she served as a Senior ­Legislative Assistant for U.S. ­Congressman Xavier Becerra where she developed legislative ­proposals and made policy ­recommendations in the ­areas of immigration, ­education, foreign affairs and ­international trade. Ms. Ramirez arrived to DC as a Congressional ­Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) law fellow. Earlier in her career, she worked in the legal departments of the Children’s Rights ­Project and the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles. Wendy has taught ­multiple subjects to 3rd graders, law courses to high school students and Spanish to adults.

Legislative Fellows Profiles

Denis Nolasco New York, NY

• Expertise: International Trade and Economic ­ Development • Home Organization: City University of New York • Host Organization: Semillas para la Democracia • Host City: Asunción, Paraguay Ms. Nolasco earned her Bachelor’s degree from ­Baruch College, City University of New York, in ­political science and Black and Hispanic ­Studies.

While at Baruch, Ms. ­Nolasco spearheaded an event on r­emittances and ­migration at Baruch College. Upon her ­graduation, she was selected to become a ­Congressional ­Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) Public Policy Fellow. During her fellowship, she worked for the U.S. House of ­Representatives’ Ways and Means Committtee on trade issues.

She became very ­passionate about international trade and e­ conomic ­development, which led her to secure a position with the Solidarity Center. This gave her the ­opportunity to work on U.S. State ­Department and U.S. Department of Labor projects with Latin America. Ms. Nolasco currently works for the City ­University of New York as a Student Life S ­ pecialist for the ­Malave Leadership Academy.

She is ­responsible for designing and i­mplementing a ­leadership curriculum for students interested in civic e­ ngagement. She also serves on the Lumina grant steering ­committee initiative designed to improve the retention and completion of CUNY students.