2024 State of the Region

Partnerships help ensure a prosperous, sustainable, competitive region

Friday, March 22, 2024
9:00 - 11:30 a.m.

Hopkins Center for the Arts
1111 Mainstreet
Hopkins, MN 55343

The State of the Region event featured remarks from state and regional leaders about how partnership and planning will address challenges and make the most of opportunities to support the vision for the Twin Cities region to become the best it can be.

Speakers

Introduction: Patrick Hanlon

Patrick Hanlon was elected Hopkins mayor in 2021. He has worked in several environmental jobs with the City of Minneapolis, including Deputy Commissioner of Sustainability, Healthy Homes, and Environment.

Met Council Chair Charlie Zelle

Charlie Zelle has served as chair of the Met Council since December 2019. He is chairman of Jefferson Lines and held the position of president and CEO for more than 20 years until 2012, when he was appointed Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Transportation.

Reva Chamblis

Reva Chamblis, vice chair and Met Council member for District 2, has experience in planning, organizing, and implementing community engagement projects and organizations. She served as consultant for engaging underrepresented residents in planning for the METRO Blue Line Extension and is founder and president of Northwest Community Building.

Ryan O'Connor

Ryan O’Connor is the Met Council's new regional administrator, leading more than 4,000 employees, overseeing the development of policies and programs, providing leadership in implementation, and advising the Chair and Council members on regional policy, program development, and implementation. He previously served as Ramsey County manager.

Panel discussion

Local speaker and emcee Tane Danger will facilitate a panel discussion of elected and community leaders, who will be adding their insights about the power of partnership, collaboration, and engaging community to address regional challenges.

Moderator: Tane Danger

Tane Danger is the director of the Westminster Town Hall Forum, the Upper Midwest’s largest and most prestigious speaker series. He earned a Master’s of Public Policy from the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs, studying and writing about how improv theater can inform and improve politics and public policy.

Mary Jo McGuire

Ramsey County Commissioner Mary Jo McGuire is co-chair of Active Living Ramsey Communities Coalition and a member of the Extension Committee, Suburban Ramsey Family Collaborative, Ramsey County League of Local Governments, and the Transportation Advisory Board. She is active in state and national advocacy organizations on behalf of counties.

Anne Burt

Woodbury mayor Anne Burt has served on the city's on the Park and Recreation Commission, Planning Commission, and the 2040 Comprehensive Plan Task Force for the city. She’s also been involved with the Woodbury Community Foundation’s Citizen’s Academy and its health and wellness initiative, Woodbury Thrives.

Adair Mosley

Adair Mosley is CEO of African American Leadership Forum. In 2020 he launched Justice Built Communities, an equitable economic development corporation to prevent gentrification while prioritizing wealth creation in Black and brown communities. At Pillsbury, he led a capital campaign to build North Market, a grocery store that’s transforming food access in North Minneapolis.