Policy Roundtable

Advancing the right public policies, at the right time, for the right reasons

Dialogue on Legislative Affairs Impacting Aging

Minnesota Leadership Council on Aging Delegates, their key policy staffers, and our invited guests hold meetings during each Legislative Session to share timely updates and information about aging issues and legislation unfolding at the Minnesota State Capitol. This group is grounded in the members of our Policy Committee and others from the community. 

You can request to join and get log-in credentials by contacting adam@mnlcoa.org

Policy Committee Chair

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Robert Freeman, Vice President of Public Policy, Alzheimer's Association

Policy Committee Vice Chair

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Kimelyn Knight, Director of Aging Services, Amherst H. Wilder Foundation

Policy Committee Staff

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Adam Suomala, Executive Director

MN Leadership Council on Aging

2025 Contributors

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Jane Pederson, Chief Medical Quality Officer, Stratis Health

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Rajean Moone, Associate Director of Policy, Center for Healthy Aging and Innovation, University of Minnesota

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Tabatha Barrett, Senior Director of Social Services and Innovation, DARTS

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Dawn Simonson, President and CEO Trellis (Minnesota Association of Area Agencies on Aging)

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Ruth Olkon, Chief Executive Officer

Jewish Family Services of St. Paul

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Amy Gavanda, Director of Aging

and Disability Services, Catholic Charities Twin Cities

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Cathy McLeer, State Director

AARP Minnesota

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Thomas Elness, Associate State Director - Advocacy, AARP Minnesota

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Adrián Rafael Magaña, Director of Public Policy and Community Relations

Amherst H. Wilder Foundation 

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Amanda Vickstrom, Executive Director, Minnesota Elder Justice Center

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Sean Burke, Senior Consultant

O'Connell Consulting LLC and

Consultant, Minnesota Elder Justice Center

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Patrick Rowan, Executive Director Metro Meals on Wheels

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Tory Merhar, Associate Vice President Older Adult Services

Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota

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Erin Sutton, Senior Director of Advocacy

Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota

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Lily Hijazi-Sacay, Public Policy Manager, Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota

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Toby Pearson, President and CEO

 Care Providers of Minnesota

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Kari Thurlow, President and CEO

LeadingAge Minnesota

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Erin Huppert, Vice President

of Advocacy, LeadingAge Minnesota

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Anjuli Cameron, Executive Director

SEWA-AIFW

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Jarrod Peterson, Public Policy Chair

Minneapolis Area Senior Workers Association

and St. Paul Senior Workers Association

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George Schoephoerster,

Past President, MN Association of Geriatrics Inspired Clinicians

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Kathy Messerli, Executive Director

Minnesota Home Care Association

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Anni Simons, Senior Government Affairs Specialist, Fredrikson and

Consultant, MN Home Care Association

Effective Advocacy 

Media Relations

Policy Archive

The AGEnda