New MHP Staff2In September MHP welcomed five new employees, growing our staff to meet our expanding policy and national technical assistance work. Each individual brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise that will make them a valuable part of our team. We also wished Barbara Kennedy well, a long-term employee who began her retirement in early September. Barbara will stay on part time to coordinate the Crisis Housing program for a few more months. Please welcome ThaoMee Xiong, Jen Shadowens & Beth Ziebarth to our policy team and Sunny Bjorklund Schultz & Matt Reuland to our operations team.
ThaoMee Xiong – Policy Director
ThaoMee (pronounced Tao-May) works on federal, state, and local housing policy issues. She has professional legal advocacy and public policy experience on issues related to poverty, immigration, refugee resettlement, domestic violence, housing, and civic engagement. She is committed to developing meaningful and effective public policy through community engagement and grassroots organizing. She believes that the communities most impacted by the policy proposal should have an opportunity to be involved in the decision-making process. ThaoMee's passion for public policy comes from her refugee parents' commitment to the democratic process and community building. ThaoMee is the mother of two young children, Kynnedi and Maxim. She is an aspiring gardener and is on a quest to visit every bakery in the Twin Cities.
Jen Shadowens – Federal Policy & Communications Associate
Jen supports MHP's federal policy and communications work. She is responsible for the Minnesota roll-out of the United for Homes campaign to fund the National Housing Trust Fund. Jen has ten years of advertising agency experience working with local and national clients and is currently a graduate student at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs with a focus in affordable housing. A resident of Northeast Minneapolis for over a decade, she has worked on neighborhood revitalization efforts there including the NRP program, the Eastside Food Co-op, the Northeast Investment Co-op, plus house rehabilitations. She is a board member of Yinghua Academy, the Chinese immersion charter school that her two children attend. Jen enjoys biking, hiking, and skiing with her family.
Beth Ziebarth - Federal Policy Intern
Beth supports MHP's federal policy work through outreach and community organizing for the United for Homes campaign. Prior to her position at MHP, she worked for state Representative Carolyn Laine doing research, data analysis and constituent outreach. She also has experience facilitating leadership development programming and coordinating conferences. Beth is a senior at Hamline University completing a dual degree in Sociology and Urban Studies. In her free time, she enjoys reading, caramel lattes, and naps.
Sunny Bjorklund Schultz- Director of Finance & Contracting
Sunny oversees MHP's finances and collaborates with others to ensure accurate tracking and timely reporting of MHP contracts. She brings over 20 years of executive and finance/accounting experience to MHP. Sunny began her career in the finance department of an international nonprofit followed by work in the private and public sectors, including four years with the Scott County Housing & Redevelopment Authority (now CDA). When not at work (and the weather cooperates), Sunny loves to sit at the beach and read. Sunny believes her two greatest successes in life are her two children.
Matthew Reuland – Operations & Communications Assistant
Matt is a jack-of-all trades who functions as administrative support for several staff teams to strengthen the performance of MHP and its mission. His responsibilities include general office administration, fund development and communications, and general technology support. A graduate of the University of Minnesota, Matt's diverse job history ranges from independent filmmaking to trail work to volunteer management. Most recently, he completed a year of service as an AmeriCorps member with Habitat for Humanity - an invaluable experience that has led to his current passion for housing work. Outside of the office, Matt enjoys rock climbing, biking and frolfing, and is pursuing an additional degree in Computer Graphics and Animation.
We are thrilled to have a full team on board with all the skills they bring. We welcome you to introduce yourself to our new staff.
Click here for contact info and bios for all of our current staff.
