Jessica Hill
Jessica Hill – Prior to joining the Central Corridor outreach team in 2007, Jessica Hill worked for 12 years in the non-profit sector providing assistance in education and job training for the Somali population and serving as a trainer of trainers for cultural understanding across the state of Minnesota. Hill is a graduate of the University of Minnesota and knows American Sign Language, and some Somali and French. She lives one block off the Hiawatha LRT, is an active board member for her neighborhood association, and is Board President for her local park.
Contact:
651-602-1840
jessica.hill@metc.state.mn.us
Prospect Park, Stadium Village, University of Minnesota, and West Bank
Dan Pfeiffer
Dan Pfeiffer – A University of St. Thomas graduate student in public policy, Dan Pfeiffer is a former U.S. Army infantryman and Minnesota National Guardsman who served in Iraq from 2004 to 2005. Upon his return to the United States, Pfeiffer completed his undergraduate degree in political science at the University of Minnesota where he also studied Arabic. As an outreach intern, Pfeiffer will work with outreach coordinator Jessica Hill in the University of Minnesota, West Bank, Stadium Village and Prospect Park areas.
Contact:
651-602-1952
daniel.pfeiffer@metc.state.mn.us
Hamline, Lexington, Victoria, Dale, Western, Capitol/Rice and Robert
Nkongo Cigolo
Nkongo Cigolo – Formerly outreach coordinator for the Rural Integrated Development Program of Africa based then in Golden Valley, Minn., Nkongo Cigolo (pronounced NEN’-kong-goh SEEG’-uh-loh) speaks Swahili, French, two dialects of Bantu and English. A University of Minnesota graduate, Cigolo was an outreach coordinator for the Central Corridor LRT Project from the summer of 2007 until early 2008 when he left to return home to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly the Belgian Congo) to help his family rebuild their home and business following an earthquake. He returned to the project in summer 2010. He works with outreach coordinators Shoua Lee and Dana Happel in St.Paul.
Contact:
651-602-1559
nkongo.cigolo@metc.state.mn.us
Michelle Webb
Michelle Webb – A University of Minnesota graduate student in public policy concentrating in economic and community development, Michelle Webb received her undergraduate degree in international studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Before joining the Central Corridor LRT Project in spring 2011 as a community outreach intern, she worked for the American Red Cross in New Orleans where she did community outreach, taught classes and responded to local and national disasters. She speaks conversational Spanish in addition to English. She works in the Westgate, Raymond, Fairview, Snelling and Hamline station areas.
Contact:
651-602-1485
Michelle.webb@metc.state.mn.us
Westgate, Raymond, Fairview and Snelling
Rita Rodriguez
Rita Rodriguez – Executive Director for the Association of Women Contractors and a previous business owner on University Avenue, she speaks Spanish and English. She previously worked for Women Venture, developing and managing the Jobs in the Trades Program to prepare women for employment in pre-apprenticeship programs in the construction industry.
Contact:
651-602-1805
rita.rodriguez@metc.state.mn.us
Downtown St. Paul
Dana Happel
Dana Happel - With more than nine years of experience working in and with neighborhood and community-based organizations, Happel is very familiar with the Central Corridor. Happel, who is fluent in Spanish, has been an employment counselor for Goodwill/Easter Seals in south Minneapolis, a job counselor for St. Paul-based Communidades Latinas Unidos En Servicio (CLUES) and a bilingual staff associate at Listening House in St. Paul, where she assisted clients with mental and chemical health issues.
Contact:
651-602-1954
dana.happel@metc.state.mn.us
Laura Callaghan
Laura Callaghan – A Community Engagement Scholar at the University of Minnesota, Laura Callaghan is a senior finishing her undergraduate degree in human resource development, with a minor in human resource and industrial relations as well as leadership. She previously interned for more than a year at Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity doing research and other projects within the family services department before becoming a community outreach intern in spring 2011 on the Central Corridor LRT Project. She serves the Capitol and downtown St. Paul areas.
Contact: 651-602-1853
Laura.callaghan@metc.state.mn.us
Acting Manager of Public Involvement
Shoua Lee
Shoua Lee (pronounced SHOO’-ah LEE’) – Formerly project manager/loan specialist for the city of St. Paul’s Department of Planning and Economic Development, she speaks Hmong and English. With the city, she served as a liaison about the LRT project to businesses, nonprofit organizations and ethnic chambers of commerce. She was one of two city staff who organized the Hmong Business Association that later evolved into the Asian Economic Development Association to prepare for the LRT line.
Contact:
651-602-1014
shoua.lee@metc.state.mn.us
(NOTE: Media have permission to download and reprint the maps and staff photos on the Central Corridor downloads web page.)