Whitburn Center
MPA Alumni Board
About the MPA Alumni Board
The MPA Alumni Board consists of alumni of the UW Oshkosh Master of Public Administration (MPA) program. The 10-member board provides guidance to curriculum development, professional development programs, networking, and social events in collaboration with the Whitburn Center. It connects UWO students, alumni, faculty, and staff, as well as the constituents they serve. For the 2022-2024 term, the board includes:
Co-Chairs
Reggie Parson, ’16 MPA, JD – Senior Legislative Aide/Policy Analyst for the Speaker of the House of Representatives (State of Maine)
Reggie was born and raised on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois and a 2016 graduate of UW Oshkosh with a Master of Public Administration degree. He is currently a Senior Legislative Aide and Policy Analyst for the Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives in the Maine Legislature.
He resides in Portland, Maine and is involved in the community serving as the Vice Chair of the Police Citizens Review Subcommittee in Portland. He received a Bachelor of Science in Homeland Security from Marian University (WI) and Juris Doctor from the University of Maine School of Law.
Alexander Trembley, ’20 MPA – Supervisor of Quality and Clinical Development at North Memorial Health (Twin Cities Metro Area, MN)
Alex Trembley is the Quality and Education Supervisor at North Memorial Health Ambulance, where he is heavily engaged in public policy and EMS administration. He has spent his entire professional career in the Public Safety industry, gaining experiences in areas such as Emergency Management, Healthcare Leadership, and Public Policy. A 2020 alumni of the UW Oshkosh MPA program, Alex is currently completing his DPA at Valdosta State University. Alex and his wife, Lauren, live in Saint Paul, Minnesota and welcomed their first child in 2022.
Members
Cynthia Anderson, ‘18 MPA – Executive Director, BSP Free Clinic (Middleton, WI)
Chris Astrella, ‘21 MPA – Municipal Consultant, HeyGov and Town Web Design (Las Vegas, Nevada)
Chris was a Clerk/Treasurer for over 16 years, most recently for the Town of Oakland in Jefferson County, Wisconsin. From 2012 through 2018 he served on the Board of Directors for the Wisconsin Municipal Clerks Association and served as its 37th President from 2016 – 2017. Currently he is consulting for HeyGov and Town Web, two worldwide companies specializing in digitizing municipal government and municipal websites.
From 2020 through mid-2021 he served on the Wisconsin State Treasurer’s Homeowner’s Task Force to formulate sustainable solutions to prevent foreclosure and improve homeownership throughout Wisconsin.
Chris, his wife Dr. Julie and their dog Thumper moved to Southern Nevada in September of 2021 looking to escape the frigid midwestern winters. Chris (and Julie) are both proud Green Bay Packer Owners, huge Disney fans, love to travel and Chris loves to bike and shoot photography. Chris enjoys being able to eat at In N Out Burger whenever he likes and finding all the incredible food Southern Nevada has to offer.
Chris earned his undergraduate degree in Political Science (’03) and his Master of Public Administration (’21) from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh.
Viva Las Vegas and Go Pack Go!
Danielle Block, ‘19 MPA – Director of Public Works (Appleton, WI)
Danielle L. Block, MPA, PE is the Director of Public Works for the City of Appleton. She has been with the city since July of 2022. Prior to joining the City of Appleton, she was the Administrator for the Village of Kimberly for five years and prior to that over 10 years of experience with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Danielle has a master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, is a Certified Public Manager through the University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension, holds a bachelor’s degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is a licensed Professional Engineer with the State of Wisconsin. She is responsible for the overall leadership and direction of the nine sections of Public Works (Engineering, CEA, Inspections, Parking, Safety & Training, Sanitation, Sewer Maintenance, Street Maintenance, and Water Distribution).
John Fitzpatrick, ‘15 MPA – Assistant City Manager/Director of Administrative Services (Oshkosh, WI)
Jennifer Gauthier, ‘18 MPA – Director of the Sustainable Development Institute, College of Menominee Nation (Keshena, WI)
Jennifer Gauthier is the Director of the Sustainable Development Institute at the College of Menominee Nation. Programming, projects, and research are focused on the Menominee theoretical model and Menominee sustainability. Before this position, she worked with the Division of Extension for nearly 11 years where she helped local government and educational institutions with planning, health focused community development efforts, and Indigenous food sovereignty work. Jennifer also has experience in Tribal government having worked for the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin. Jennifer is also an adjunct professor at the College of Menominee Nation and serves on a number of local boards where Menominee language revitalization and food sovereignty are prioritized. Jennifer earned a Master of Public Administration from UW-Oshkosh and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from UW-Madison.
Said Hassan, ‘19 MPA – President & Executive Director, Community Services Agency INC (Green Bay, WI)
Mikko Hilvo, '19 MPA - City Administrator (Cedarburg, WI)
Mikko Hilvo received his Bachelor’s of Arts in Secondary Education from Valparaiso University in Indiana and his Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh. Mikko has over 20 years of professional experience in local government management. Since July 2020, Mikko has served as the City Administrator of the City of Cedarburg. Prior to becoming the Administrator, Mikko was an Interim Administrator, Assistant Administrator, and Director of Parks, Recreation, & Forestry for the City. Mikko began his municipal career working for the City of Hartford as an Aquatic/Fitness Supervisor and has served both the City of Hartford and City of Cedarburg as a volunteer Firefighter/EMT.
Mikko is a member of the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) and Wisconsin City/County Management Association (WCMA). He is also a recipient of the UW-Oshkosh Master of Public Administration Stephen Hintz Award (2019).
Kelsey McDaniels, ‘20 MPA – Assistant Director of Study Abroad, UWO Office of International Education (Oshkosh, WI)
Kelsey McDaniels began working as the Study Away Coordinator in the Office of International Education at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh in January of 2014. While pursuing her undergraduate degree in French Language and Literature, she spent a semester abroad on the European Odyssey program which took her to five countries over three months. When she decided to further her education, she began the MPA program at UW Oshkosh and graduated in May of 2020. In February of 2021 she was promoted to Assistant Director of Study Abroad and continues to work in this role. She is currently serving as a senator on the Senate of Academic Staff, and previously served as the Education Abroad Representative for the Wisconsin Association of International Educators (WAIE). Outside of her professional role, Kelsey is a member of the Development Committee for the Oshkosh Area Food Pantry (OACP) and works as an Election Inspector for the City of Oshkosh. This year, she started the “Pantry Podcast” for the OACP and joined the Ripon Community Church band as a violinist.