Contacts for community development
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Extension's Center for Community Vitality helps communities in Minnesota make important choices. Our educators will work with your community to address questions or concerns on economics, leadership and civic engagement, and tourism. Use our custom research and education programs to better engage and inform your community.
Contact us. We're eager to get to know your community!
Find a local educator
Use our interactive map to find an educator near you. Click where you live in the below map to see a list of contacts.
Community economics contacts
Our community economics team helps communities retain and expand local businesses, know and grow their retail sector, make informed public finance decisions and develop tourism opportunities.
Michael Darger
Business retention and expansion
Email: darger@umn.edu
Phone: 612-625-6246
Other phone: 612-360-4478
Eric King
Regional office: Minneapolis
Email: kingx953@umn.edu
Phone: 612-626-8762, ext. 46814
Other phone: 612-310-7952
Jennifer Hawkins
Regional office: Rochester
Email: hawki044@umn.edu
Phone: 507-280-5575
Other phone: 651-408-5477
John Bennett
Regional office: Cloquet
Email: jbennett@umn.edu
Phone: 218-726-6471
Other phone: 218-343-6742
Neil Linscheid
Regional office: St. Cloud
Email: lins0041@umn.edu
Phone: 320-203-6109
Other phone: 651-334-2373
Rani Bhattacharyya
Regional office: Crookston
Email: rani-b@umn.edu
Phone: 218-281-8689
Other phone: 218-275-3444
Ryan Pesch
Regional office: Moorhead
Email: pesch@umn.edu
Phone: 218-770-4398
Other phone: 218-236-2270
Laura Kalambokidis
Extension economist, Department of Applied Economics
Elton Mykerezi
Associate professor, Department of Applied Economics
William Lazarus
Professor and Extension economist, Department of Applied Economics
Leadership and civic engagement contacts
Our leadership and civic engagement team helps communities build local leadership, strengthen relationships, and make more informed public decisions.
Brian Fredrickson
Regional office: Moorhead
Email: fred0252@umn.edu
Phone: 218-236-2120
Other phone: 612-568-5323
Catherine Rasmussen
Regional office: Mankato
Email: rasmu035@umn.edu
Phone: 507-389-6749
Other phone: 507-276-3514
Christina Kallevig
Alumni programs
Email: kallevig@umn.edu
Phone: 320-235-0726 ext. 2018
Other phone: 320-235-1175
Denise Stromme
Regional office: Brainerd
Email: stromme@umn.edu
Phone: 218-828-2680
Other phone: 218-330-6758
Jody Horntvedt
Regional office: Roseau
Email: hornt001@umn.edu
Phone: 218-463-0296
Other phone: 218-689-0281
Lisa Hinz
Regional office: Farmington
Email: hinzx001@umn.edu
Phone: 651-480-7734
Other phone: 651-366-7464
Lori Rothstein
Regional office: Cloquet
Email: roths040@umn.edu
Phone: 281-726-6476
Other phone: 218-296-2113
Mary Ann Hennen
Regional office: Andover
Email: henne011@umn.edu
Phone: 763-767-3877
Other phone: 612-360-4457
Tobias Spainer
Regional office: Willmar
Email: spani001@umn.edu
Phone: 320-235-0726 ext. 2020
Other phone: 507-220-1812
Ryan Allen
Associate Professor, Humphrey School of Public Affairs
Fernando Burga
Assistant Professor, Humphrey School of Public Affairs
Tourism contacts
Our Tourism Center helps communities to assess their tourism assets and diversify their local economy.
Other contacts
These Community Vitality contacts oversee leadership and handle administration.