2025 Minnesota Compass Annual Meeting

Place Matters presentation: Find out what trends are saying about the places where you live and work. Compass Project Director Allison Liuzzi will unveil the 2025 Compass Points dashboard and present the latest data on quality of life across the state, with particular attention to differences and similarities throughout the state. She will also share stories from unique communities around the state that may signal broader changes to come.

Panel discussion: Voices from around the state will share why place matters in their work.

• Kelly Asche, Senior Researcher, The Center for Rural Policy and Development
• Stephanie Peterson, Director of Learning, Saint Paul and Minnesota Foundation
• Rawhi Said, Program Director, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science
• Jamie (Schumacher) Kalakaru-Mava, Senior Program Officer—Creative Placemaking & Communications, LISC Twin Cities

Guided discussion: The convening will include plenty of time to reunite with colleagues and build new connections. We will engage in discussions to identify key issues and areas for action. Briellen Griffin, community engagement and partnership manager at Wilder Research, will facilitate these conversations with the goals of deepening relationships, centering community voice, leveraging strengths, and moving participants toward alignment and collective action.

Kelly Asche, Senior Researcher, The Center for Rural Policy and Development

After receiving his Master of Public Policy at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, Kelly was hired as the Research Associate at the Center for Rural Policy and Development and moved to the best city in Minnesota, New London. Kelly’s work at the Center for Rural Policy and Development is focused on data analysis, busting myths related to the rural narrative, and attempting to become knowledgeable in whatever rural issues are considered important at the time.

During his off time, you will likely find Kelly floating in his kayak, bicycling across rural Minnesota, gardening, spending time with his wife and cat, and generally shying away from places where there are large amounts of people.
 

Jamie Kalakaru-Mava, Senior Program Officer—Creative Placemaking & Communications, LISC Twin Cities

Jamie traded the warm beaches of California for the snowy lakes of Minnesota where she found art, community, and more - though it took months for what she found to thaw out completely.

By day she works with LISC Twin Cities in support of the Twin Cities cultural districts, and she teaches graduate students at the University of Minnesota via the Civic and Engaged Leaders Program. She lives in Bloomington with her family, where she also serves as a Creative Placemaking Commissioner.

By night Jamie is a visual artist and an accomplished writer, the recipient of multiple MRAC and State Arts Boards awards. Her written work has been featured in Pollen and Minnesota Women’s Press, and she contributes regularly to the Star Tribune. Her first two books, It’s Never Going To Work (2018) and Butterflies and Tall Bikes (2021), are narrative nonfiction featuring Minnesota’s creative communities. Her children’s book Half A World Away (2024), which she illustrated, is based on the story of her father’s return to Sri Lanka. She performs comedy regularly, and is an active member of the Funny Asian Women Kollective. Jamie is also a Loft Literary Center Mirrors and Windows fellow, and was a member of the 2024 Creative nonfiction cohort. 

Stephanie Peterson, Director of Learning, Saint Paul and Minnesota Foundation

As part of the Community Impact team, Stephanie  uses data to better understand and grow the Foundation’s impact in service.

Prior to joining the foundation, Stephanie worked for the Wilder Foundation where she focused on the evaluation and research of arts, cultural, and educational programs. She received her bachelor’s degree from Macalester College and has taken graduate-level coursework at the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities. During her free time, Stephanie enjoys urban hiking, crafting and cooking with her family.

Rawhi Said, MBA, Program Director, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science

As Program Director at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rawhi leads key initiatives focused on education and belonging. Since December 2021, he has been instrumental in developing programs that foster community engagement and workforce development, particularly empowering underrepresented youth.

Rawhi is deeply passionate about advancing digital equity and financial literacy for underrepresented, marginalized, and underbanked communities. Through his leadership roles, he works to create opportunities that bridge gaps in access to technology and financial resources, helping individuals and families build stronger, more secure futures.

He also serves as a Board Member and Vice Chair at First Alliance Credit Union, where he leverages his expertise to support financial inclusion and community development.

Rawhi earned his Master of Business Administration from Saint Mary's University of Minnesota and holds a Bachelor's in Cellular and Molecular Biology from Winona State University. His professional background includes significant roles at the Intercultural Mutual Assistance Association (IMAA), where he managed community engagement and diversity programs and worked as a community health worker.

As Program Director of the RISE for Youth program—a collaboration between Mayo Clinic and the NAACP—Rawhi champions educational and leadership opportunities for youth from diverse backgrounds, preparing them for careers in healthcare and science. His dedication to diversity and inclusion was recognized with the Champion of Diversity Award at the Mayor's Luncheon in Rochester, Minnesota, and the 2021 Virginia McKnight Binger Unsung Hero Award.

The 2025 Minnesota Compass Annual Meeting is made possible by the generous support of our sponsors:

• Blandin Foundation
• First Bank & Trust Community Fund
• Southwest Initiative Foundation