Program Structure & Governance 

DIRECTORS OF GRADUATE STUDIES & PROGRAM DIRECTOR

The DGS serves as the coordinator of graduate studies within a program. Together with the graduate program faculty and department and collegiate leadership, the DGS shares responsibility for guiding and improving graduate education within the program(s) under his or her jurisdiction. The DGS is the liaison among the graduate students, program faculty, and the college and Graduate School administrations. DGS is also responsible for understanding and complying with University and collegiate policies that govern or have an impact on the graduate program and its students. 

The MDP program director coordinates cooperation and collaboration with inter-collegiate partners (internal) and with the MDP Global Association (external). The Director also oversees program coordination and management and is closely involved with student advising and recruitment. The Director is the primary responsible party for development and oversight of summer field experience projects and spring capstone projects, though both roles depend upon close collaboration with other internal and external partners.  Finally, the MDP program director develops and instructs several core MDP courses. 

• Dave Wilsey, Humphrey School of Public Affairs - co-DGS & Program Director

• Anant Maringanti, Interdisciplinary Center for the Study of Global Change [ ICGC ] - co-DGS

PROGRAM SUPPORT

• Abbe  Holmgren MDP Graduate Program Coordinator, Humphrey School of Public Affairs

2025-26 MDP PROGRAM COMMITTEE 

The MDP Program Committee represents the primary governance and administrative  structure for the MDP program. The committee comprises two co-chairs - one from the Humphrey School and the other from the Interdisciplinary Center for the Study of Global Change (ICGC) - the Program Director, representatives from each academic unit and student representatives to the Program Committee (see Organizational Chart at end of this document). The Program Committee oversees MDP curriculum, admissions, and several other program-specific factors. It meets monthly during the academic year.

PROGRAM COMMITTEE CO-CHAIRS

• Dave Wilsey (dwilsey@umn.edu)

• Karen Brown (kbt@umn.edu), Interdisciplinary Center for the Study of Global Change [ ICGC ] 

• Ragui Assaad (assaad@umn.edu), Humphrey School of Public Affairs   

PROGRAM COMMITTEE MEMBERS

• Dean Current (curre002@umn.edu), College of Food and Agricultural and Natural Resources Sciences 

• Elise Harrington (eliseh@umn.edu), Humphrey School

• Christopher Johnstone (john4810@umn.edu), College of Education and Human Development

• Claudia Muñoz-Zanzi (munozzan@umn.edu), School of Public Health 

• Dave Wilsey (dwilsey@umn.edu), MDP Director 

STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES TO PROGRAM COMMITTEE & EX-OFFICIO LIAISONS TO STUDENT-ALUMNI ASSOCIATION (SAAC)

• Arifa Amadou, Class of 2026

• TBD, Class of 2027

• Student and Alumni Advisory Committe, Thaise Constancio Temoteo, Alumna, Class of 2025

MDP FACULTY AFFILIATES 

• Ragui Assaad 

• Zobieda Bonilla

• Dean Current

• Greta Friedemann-Sanchez (on leave)

• Katherine Klink

• Caroline Krafft

• Elise Harrington

• Sarah Hobbie

• Chris Johnstone

• Nick Jordan

• Deborah Levison

• Claudia Munoz-Zanzi 

• Carrie Oelberger

• Stephen Polasky

• Heather Randell

• Chas Salmen

• Roozbeh Shirazi

• Eric Schwartz

• Dave Wilsey 

• Karen Brown, Retired