GAPSA Executive Board 2008-2009
Kristi Kremers
President
kremers@umn.edu
Degree Sought: Ph.D. in Educational Policy and Administration
Hometown: St. Cloud, MN
Job: Graduate Assistant for the EDPA program
Fun Fact: I was once invited to appear on WWF Smackdown on my way to work at First Avenue in downtown Minneapolis. I declined the offer.
Statement: "I passionately hate the idea of being with it, I think an artist has always to be out of step with his time." ~Orson Welles
Matt Kaplan
Executive Vice President
kapla123@umn.edu
Degree Sought: Ph.D. in Rhetoric and Scientific & Technical Communication
Hometown: Dallas, TX
Job: Graduate Instructor, Department of Writing Studies
Fun Fact: Since age 4, I've owned twenty-five different video game systems. Needless to say, I'm hopelessly addicted and nerdy.
Statement: "I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not
bound to succeed but I am bound to live the best life that I have." - Abraham Lincoln
Christina Brakken-Thal
Vice President for Administrative Affairs
brakken-thal@cems.umn.edu
Degree Sought:
Hometown:
Job:
Statement:
Xiao Jin
Vice President for Finance
jinxx152@umn.edu
Degree Sought: Masters in Accounting
Hometown:
Job: I am the GAPSA VP of Finance. At GAPSA, I account for the cash in flows and out flows.
Fun Fact:
Statement:
Jasmine Blanks
Vice President for Public Affairs
blan0255@umn.edu
Degree Sought: Masters of Public Policy, Concentration in Public and Nonprofit Leadership and Management/ Social Policy
Hometown:Somerset, NJ and Philadelphia, PA
Job:Track state legislation pertinent to graduate students at the U of M so that the committee can lobby effectively on behalf of graduate students.
Fun Fact: I flew off of a jet-ski when I hit a dolphin in the Gulf... don't worry, the dolphin was ok!
Statement: "Greatness is not in where we stand, but in what direction we are moving. We must sail sometimes with the wind and sometimes against it -- but sail we must and not drift, nor lie at anchor." -oliver wendell holmes
Emily Wang
Vice President for Programming
wang0675@umn.edu
Degree Sought: Masters in Public Health, Maternal and Child
Health/Epidemiology/Global Health
Hometown: Woodbury, MN
Job: Organizing events and providing opportunities for graduate and
professional students to network, socialize, and have fun!
Fun Fact: Before every school year begins, I have to buy a new set of
Gellyroll pens.
Statement: "I'm the biggest boss that you've seen thus far." -Rick Ross
Kaitlin Johnson
Vice President for Grants
john2921@umn.edu
Degree Sought: Ph.D. in Linguistics, Cognitive Science Minor
Hometown: Saint Paul, MN
Job: Processing grant applications and evaluations, answering all your grants-related questions.
Fun Fact: I have cadaver tissue in my left knee.
Jeffrey Anderson
Vice President for Student Affairs
ander034 at umn dot edu
Degree Sought: Ph.D. in Educational Policy and Administration, Higher Education track
Hometown: Northeast Minneapolis
Job: I am currently teaching undergraduate learning skills courses here at the U, which I really enjoy.
Fun Fact: I am a music geek and enjoy collecting vinyl LPs. CDs are junk - long live vinyl!
Statement: "You can have everything if you let yourself be" - Donovan P. Leitch
Monica Howell
At-Large Director
howe0096@umn.edu
Degree Sought: PhD in Educational Policy & Administration, K-12 track
Hometown: Amana, IA
Job: Graduate assistant in EdPA
Fun Fact: I hold the rank of second-degree black belt in kyudo
(Japanese archery)
Statement: "When in doubt, go to the library." --Harry Potter and the
Chamber of Secrets
GAPSA Staff
Danielle Tessmer
Office Assistant
gapsaoa@umn.edu
Degree Sought: BA in Global Studies and Italian
Hometown: Glencoe, MN
Job: I spread the GAPSA cheer
Fun Fact:
David LeGault
Grants Assistant
gapsaga@umn.edu
Degree Sought: M.F.A. in Creative Writing (Nonfiction Emphasis)
Hometown: Gladstone, MI
Job: Answers all your grant-related questions
Fun Fact: I’m currently training for my fourth marathon (and hope to qualify
for Boston this year!)