“The abuse of any child in Minnesota is one child too many. No child should have to suffer from the violence or neglect of a family member or other adult. I look forward to the recommendations of this new Task Force, and I urge the Legislature to act on them in January.” —Governor Dayton
On Friday, October 3, Governor Mark Dayton issued a press release naming the individuals who will serve on the Governor’s Task Force on the Protection of Children. One of the appointees includes Jean K. Quam, who is the dean of our college, the College of Education and Human Development. Dean Quam also co-founded our Center with Professor Esther Wattenberg in 1992.
The purpose of the task force will be to make recommendations for comprehensive improvements to the child protection system in the upcoming 2015 legislative session.
Appointees to the Task Force
- Lucinda Jesson, Co-Chair, Commissioner, Department of Human Services
- Toni Carter, Co-Chair, Commissioner, Ramsey County Board
- Sheriff Terese Amazi, Mower County Sheriffs’ Office
- Chief Blair Anderson, St. Cloud Police
- Kathleen Blatz, Former Chief Justice, MN Supreme Court
- Judith Brumfield, Director, Scott County Health & Human Services
- Michelle Zehnder Fischer, Nicollet County Attorney
- Peggy Flanagan, Executive Director Children’s Defense Fund
- Rich Gehrman, Executive Director Safe Passage for Children of Minnesota
- Kraig Gratke, Early Head Start Manager Tri-County Community Action Program, Inc.
- MayKao Y. Hang, President and CEO Amherst H. Wilder Foundation
- Stacy Hennen, Director, Grant County Social Services
- Dr. Lisa Hollensteiner, Physician, Emergency Physicians Professional Association
- Dr. Mark Hudson, Certified Child Abuse Pediatrician, Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of MN
- Kathy Johnson, Director, Kittson County Social Services
- Carri Jones, Chairwoman, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe
- Molly Kenney, Director of Family Services, Crisis Nurseries
- Robert O’Connor, Associate Professor, Metropolitan State University
- Commissioner Todd Patzer, Lac Qui Parle County Board
- Larene Randle, Parent Consultant, Prevent Child Abuse Minnesota (PCAMN)
- Edward Toussaint, Professor, William Mitchell College of Law, and Former Chief Judge, Minnesota Court of Appeals
- Jean K. Quam, Dean, College of Education and Human Development (CEHD)
The leaders of the four legislative caucuses also appointed one member each to the Governor’s Task Force:
- Representative Ron Kresha, House Appointee
- Representative Joe Mullery, House Appointee
- Senator Julie Rosen, Senate Appointee
- Senator Kathy Sheran, Senate Appointee
Within this same press release, Governor Dayton also declared October to be Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Minnesota. See the press release for more details.