Our Work

Grasstops works with nonprofits & community groups overcome the following barriers to impacting public policy:

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Distance

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Time

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Knowledge

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Money

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Access

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Contact Us!

Grasstops, Inc.
550 Rice Street
St. Paul, MN 55103
(612) 756-1313 info@grasstopsinc.org

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Board and Staff Pages

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Copyright 2008 Grasstops, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to the following for donating their time and talents to our efforts:

Web Site & Design:
Orange Dream Designs

Web Hosting:
Spinutech

Accounting Assistance:
Amy Joslin

Program Evaluation:
Chad Ramaker

Ask about how to contribute your time/talent for current Grasstops projects.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Staff
Anne

Anne Bomstad Miller- Executive Director

anne@grasstopsinc.org

612.756.1313

 

As co-founder and director of Grasstops, Inc., Anne Bomstad Miller has overseen the inception and development of Grasstops while guiding the vision of the organization.  Through Grasstops, Anne has had the opportunity to serve many organizations with their public policy efforts. Her recent projects include lobbying to fund the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act and advancing the efforts of the Minnesota Youth Advancement Act; advocating for effective student support services in schools with the Minnesota School Social Workers Association; and assisting Restorative Justice organizations compare the costs of their programs to the traditional justice system in order to make the case to legislators for renewed funding. Anne has also provided numerous advocacy trainings to nonprofit organizations including the Mentoring Partnership of Minnesota.

Previously, Anne assisted the MN Chapter of NASW by serving as P.A.C.E. (Political Action for Candidate Election) Coordinator. Through P.A.C.E. she encouraged member involvement in political campaigns and assisted in endorsing candidates. She has also served as an adjunct faculty member in the school of Social Work at St. Olaf College. Anne has a Master's degree in Social Work from the University of Minnesota, with a concentration in community organizing and advocacy and is a licensed graduate level social worker.

Erin

Erin Anderson-
Policy Advocate

erin@grasstopsinc.org

763.228.5689

Erin was born and raised in Minnesota. She went to The University of Minnesota Duluth where she got her BA in Psychology. ¬ÝWhile she was attending UMD she was a volunteer through AmeriCorp at the Duluth YWCA. ¬ÝShe worked with children through the GirlPower program and the Grant Collaborative. ¬ÝThe programs help children, especially girls, develop important life skills. ¬Ý¬ÝDuring graduate school Erin interned with then Duluth City Council President Roger Reinert. ¬ÝShe worked with Councilor Reinert on communication with constituents, developed and passed resolutions, and kept records. ¬ÝErin also worked as a Field Coordinator for the Patty Wettering for Congress campaign in 2006. ¬ÝDuring the campaign she worked with volunteers, organized phone banks and door knocks and helped raise funds. ¬ÝIn December of 2006 Erin graduated from the¬ÝMasters in Advocacy and Political Leadership program at UMD. ¬Ý She then worked at Neighborhood Housing Services of Duluth on special programs. ¬ÝIn 2007 she moved to the Twin Cities and worked as the Legislative Director at Minnesota ACORN. ¬ÝErin advocated for Paid Sick Leave policies, minimum wage increases, and helped pass a the Minnesota Subprime Foreclosure Deferment Act of 2008 through the House and Senate.¬Ý

 

Willow

Willow Rheault-
Policy Corps Director

willow@grasstopsinc.org

612.270.5988

 

Willow Kreibich first came to Minnesota to attend Macalester College where she attained an MA in Environmental Studies. After a successful career in the Environmental Education field she returned to her roots in New England. During which time Willow attained a Masters in Environmental Studies with a focus on Advocacy in Organizing and she worked in the nonprofit sector implementing a state funded grant program designed to preserve and protect working landscapes in Maine. Willow returned to Minnesota in the spring of 2008 to be with her husband, Josh and has been exploring ways to continue her work on helping communities become more self sustaining. During the 2009 legislative session she was a fellow with Grasstops’ Policy Corps and enjoyed experience so much she remained with the organization to help insure that there is a Policy Corps for sessions to come.

Policy Interns

Jana Klien ’Ä¢ Tamara Moore ’Ä¢ Abby Windmeier ’Ä¢ Kara Skahen

Board of Directors
Mary

Mary Nienow
Mary Nienow is currently working as a researcher for the Minnesota Senate on the Health and Human Services Committees. She was a community organizer for a state-wide multi-issue child advocacy organization. After completing her MSW at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, she started a lobbying and advocacy consulting organization, Grasstops, to provide public policy assistance to nonprofits and community organizations. She serves on the board of the National Association of Social Workers-Minnesota Chapter.  She is an adjunct faculty at the University of Minnesota in the Social Work program.  She has presented several times at the NASW Annual Conference on "Implementing Advocacy into Everyday Practice" and received the NASW Early Career Excellence Award in 2006. Mary is married to Jeremy and is the proud mother of a very spirited three year old daughter.
 

Christina

Christina Zeise

Christina Zeise is a Planner with Sherburne County Social Services. She is responsible for department planning, grant writing, program development, evaluations, public relations, legislative liaison and supervises contract management within the department.

Prior to working with Sherburne County Christina has worked in the non-profit sector as a volunteer manager and executive director.

Christina has an undergraduate degree in Social Work and graduate degrees in Social Work and Public Policy.



Michelle Humphrey

Michelle Humphrey currently works as a first grade teacher in North Minneapolis.  Previously she has taught in Brooklyn, New York and Chicago.  Prior to teaching, Michelle worked in Social Services for over 6 years in Minneapolis, first as a case manager to truant youth, than as a supervisor of a homeless youth drop in center.  She has also served as a Community Relations Consultant for the Minneapolis NAACP. Michelle has a Masters degree in Social Work from the University of Minnesota, and a Masters degree in Elementary Special Education from the University of Staten Island. 

 

Jim

Jim Carlson

Jim Carlson currently serves as Director of Public Policy for Child Care Works a MN Non-profit organization whose mission is to achieve and sustain affordable, high-quality childcare options for the families and communities of Minnesota. Jim began his career in sales with General Mills, consistently growing his territories and later starting his own telecommunications firm. However, it was his strong sense of commitment to community service that led Jim to focus his energy and passion in the public sector. His management experiences in the non-profit and public sector include serving as Executive VP of Comunidades Latinas Unidas en Servicio (CLUES), the Executive Director of Chicanos Latinos Affairs Council, American Heart Association and the Arthritis Foundation.  Jim's community service and leadership earned him the prestigious Bush Leadership Fellowship where he completed a Masters in Public Administration from Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government. He holds a BA in Economics from Macalester College in St. Paul, MN and is a graduate of the Miami-Dade Chamber of Commerce Leadership Miami Program.