What’s the alternative to a system built on invisible networking? Breaking down barriers and cross-pollinating relationships and networks. Under the leadership of Anika Ward, Statewide Executive Recruiter for the State of Minnesota, the state government is taking big steps in realizing a more diverse workforce—especially in its highest executive positions and appointments.

To do so, the state partnered with the Coalition of Asian American Leaders (CAAL), a network of Asian Minnesotan leaders whose mission is to harness their power to advance equity to improve the lives of community. The state of Minnesota and CAAL came together to co-design and pilot a new program, “Lead-In: Connect to Help Minnesota Shine!” For inspiration, they looked to a similar program that CAAL launched in 2015, formatted around a relationship-centered method for connecting leaders that uses small-fire conversations and speed networking.

Lead-In’s objective: connect state and community leaders, encouraging discussion and partnerships that lead to job and board opportunities with the state of Minnesota.

Why Are You Here?

More than forty community leaders and state executives came together to network, learn, and inspire one another.

Saengmany Ratsabout

“I’m here to network, meet new leaders from state government, and to lean more about the government’s plan for including people of color in their workforce.”

Saengmany is the administrative associate at the Immigration History Research Center. He manages and coordinates research projects, academic programming, and community engagement at IHRC. He is a leading digital storytelling and facilitator for the IHRC’s Immigrant Stories Project.

Rowzat Shipchandler

“I’m here to build lasting relationships with members of the Asian American community. We need intentional events like this that are thoughtful efforts to diversify what leadership looks like at the executive state level.”

Rowzat serves as the deputy commissioner for the Minnesota Department of Human Rights. She oversees the operations of the department and supports the state of Minnesota’s Civic Engagement Committee, which works to meaningfully engage Minnesotans in public policy decisions.

Fei Wong-McKhann

“As a first-generation immigrant, I’m here to better understand my role and responsibility in supporting my community here in St. Paul. I’m excited to learn what equity means to Minnesota’s state government—beyond equity for equity’s sake.”

Su-Fei is a marketing optimization lead at Target Corporation and an experienced professional with management consulting, retail marketing, financial services, and hands-on nonprofit leadership experience. She’s earned two Stanford degrees, an MBA from the Graduate School of Business, and an AB in International Relations.

As the event started, Bo Thao-Urabe, Network Director of CAAL, called attention to a big reality for the Asian American community: “While Asian Americans are well represented in lower-level positions, we are severely underrepresented at the management and executive positions.” Bo pushed the leaders in the room to see this challenge as an opportunity—to move beyond lip service and begin investing in building new relationships.

“Investing in each other means doing more than just exchanging business cards. Our seasoned leaders in different fields know that leaders don’t just succeed by themselves. They must be competent, but they must also have work environments that support them to succeed.”  — Bo Thao-Urabe

And then with the sound of a Tibetan Singing Bowl, the speed networking began. State government and members from CAAL dove into immediate conversations at small, intimate tables of two or three people per conversation. Every ten minutes, the CAAL leaders would rotate, each member getting to network with four different leaders from state government.

Minnesota government invited some of its top leaders:

• James Burroughs, Chief Inclusion Officer, Office of Governor Mark Dayton and Lt. Governor Tina Smith
• Melvin W. Carter, Executive Director, Minnesota Children’s Cabinet
• Blake Chaffe, Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer, Department of Employment & Economic Development
• Lee Ho, Assistant Commissioner, Department of Health
• Edwin Hudson, Deputy Commissioner, Enterprise Human Resources, Minnesota Management & Budget
• Nancy Johnston, Deputy Commissioner, Direct Care and Treatment, Department of Human Services
• Wanda Kirkpatrick, Director of the Office of Equal Opportunity, Metropolitan Council
• Kevin M. Lindsey, Commissioner, Minnesota Department of Human Rights
• Lynn M. Mueller, Director of Internal Affairs/Affirmative Action, Department of Public Safety
• Hue Nguyen, Assistant Commissioner, Department of Education
• Andrew Olson, Director of Appointments, Office of Governor Mark Dayton and Lt. Governor Tina Smith
• Alice Roberts-Davis, Assistant Commissioner, Department of Administration
• Rowzat Shipchandler, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Human Rights
• Jaime Tincher, Chief of Staff, Office of Governor Mark Dayton and Lt. Governor Tina Smith
• Charlie Zelle, Commissioner, Department of Transportation

Bo made it clear that the Asian American leaders in Minnesota are diverse, that “no one narrative defines us.” And that’s what today was about. It was a sharing of narratives. It was the beginning of new relationships that have the potential to change what leadership looks like in the state of Minnesota. It was the blurring of networks and a great step forward in breaking down tendencies towards invisible networking.