College of Business and Management
Azure Davis ’11, Princeton, was recently featured in Minneapolis-Saint Paul Business Journal as executive director and founder of Ruff Start Rescue. Over the past decade, Davis has grown the organization to a staff of 38, with more than 650 volunteers, and 500 to 650 animals in foster care at any given time.
Jared Gwaro ’24, Brooklyn Park, was recently featured in Kenyan diaspora news outlet Mwakilishi.com for his inspiring story of immigrating to the U.S. through the Diversity Visa Lottery.
Evon Inyang ’16, Minneapolis, recently founded ForwardUs Counseling, a virtual practice serving couples across Minnesota. Inyang is passionate about helping to prepare couples not only for birth, but for parenthood.
Julie Madden ’97, Minneapolis, currently works at Madden Accounting and Tax Service, preparing financial and tax reports for homeowner associations and neighborhood business groups.
Edrich Neville Ndofor ’22, Minneapolis, was recently featured in The Hans India, discussing the power of data management in modern organizations. Ndofor is researching the use of AI to predict and prevent migraine crises, aiming to improve clinical outcomes in healthcare.
Rick Stauter ’94, Cedar, recently published a book of poetry, “Rhymes with Windows – One Year of Looking Through the Glass,” available on Amazon. Rick has a website, jnzcreative.com.
Amanda Stone ’24, West Saint Paul, recently started Clean Up Bookkeeping, providing external bookkeeping, payroll, notary services, and more for small to mid-sized businesses.
Amy Yates ’14, Pine River, published her first book, “Murder at Harmony State Park, A Scamp Travel Trailer Mystery.” This is a quirky mystery for campers, travelers, and anyone who loves fun mysteries. Yates’s book is available on Amazon.
College of Community Studies and Public Affairs
Kristin Burgess ’11, Gaylord, recently graduated from Minnesota State University Moorhead with a Doctor of Education (EdD) degree. Kristin continues to proudly serve in multiple roles at Metro State University.
Todd Lee ’07, Howard, South Dakota, was recently named superintendent of Swanville Public School.
Maychee Mua ’22, Cottage Grove, was a recent recipient of a Bush Fellowship, for her work in establishing Minnesota’s Medicaid autism program for children under 21 and created the state’s first cultural competency training for autism providers.
David Nguyen ’14, Saint Paul, currently works at the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans and uses his degree to support the organization, team, and the veterans he serves.
Marina Peacock ’98, Luck, Wisconsin, released her book, “Gretel and Andy, God’s Gift: The Lives of Two Seeing Eye Dogs,” to praise and excellent reviews. In the book, Peacock’s two dogs describe their lives in their own words.
Robert Timmerman ’08, Burnsville, was recently appointed city auditor for the City of Minneapolis. With nearly two decades of experience in public service, Timmerman previously held leadership roles at the Minnesota Department of Transportation, the Office of the Legislation Auditor, and the Department of Revenue.
Paul Tupy ’02, Oroville, California, was recently appointed as director of the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control for the state of California by Governor Gavin Newsom.
Maurice Ward ’25, Brooklyn Park, was recently profiled in the Minnesota Spokesman Recorder, chronicling his rise from incarceration, through founding a nonprofit focused on reentry support, to his campaign for the Minneapolis City Council’s Ward 5 seat.
College of Individualized Studies
Andre Anderson ’23, Blaine, ran the Twin Cities Marathon through the organization, A Mile in My Shoes, a Twin Cities nonprofit that pairs local runners with people in substance-use recovery programs. Anderson works at Metro State as a reentry coordinator for students recently released from prison. He is also currently enrolled in Metro’s Master of Public Leadership program.
Peter Bell ’76, Minneapolis, was recently honored by the Citizens League for his significant contributions to the civic fabric of Minnesota.
Wendy Berry ’16, West Saint Paul, was recently named interim co-president of Literacy Minnesota. Berry serves as director of human resources for Literacy Minnesota.
Lynn Bolnick ’88, Minneapolis, recently celebrated the launch of her book, “From Generation to Generation: From Lithuanian Shtetl to Freedom, Family and Future in the City of Lakes.” The book is a memoir, a snapshot of her family, from her immigrant grandparents and their children through three subsequent generations. The book is available on Amazon.
Marcia Cole ’94, Minneapolis, was recently named Fellow & James Renier Chair in Security Technologies at the University of Minnesota. Prior to this role, Cole was a lecturer in the program.
Lynette D'Amico ’91, South Kingstown, Rhode Island, won the 2024 Gournay Nonfiction Prize for her book MEN I HATE: A Memoir in Essays, and will be published by Mad Creek Books in February 2026. MEN I HATE asks the question what happens when the people we are closest to change? Can a lesbian who is with a trans man still call herself a lesbian? Compelled by questions of identity, class, and queerness, MEN I HATE explores what do we mean when we say the words marriage, husband, home, and how do we reconcile who we were with who we are becoming. Pre-order is available from Ohio State University Press.
Talaya Dendy ’02, Hastings, was the recent recipient of a Bush Fellowship for her work as founder of On the Other Side, a service that provides non-medical navigation and support for patients, caregivers, and survivors in Minnesota. Dendy will user her Bush Fellowship to pursue wellness certification, travel to areas knows for exceptional longevity and low rates of chronic disease and strengthen her healthcare networks to champion holistic, personalized care for cancer patients and survivors.
Domenic Canyon Lalama ’17, Minneapolis, recently started a travel blog at www.onaroadtonowhere.com, where Canyon writes about teaching English in China and traveling throughout Central and South America.
Terryann Nash ’17, Saint Paul, is currently an ASL instructor at Hopkins High School. Nash holds a master's in advocacy and public leadership from Metro State, and is currently pursuing a PhD in Human Development, with research centered on Deaf Pedagogy and Indigenous World Knowledge in the classroom.
Naima Dhore ’17, Dalbo, was the recent recipient of a Bush Fellowship.
Jolanta Young ’16, Inver Grove Heights, was recently featured in the Trinidad and Tobago Guardian about co-founding the cultural fashion and arts company, Mum & Me Production, and its upcoming show in New York’s Fashion Week called “Minnesota 10,000 Lakes Meets Trinidad Carnival—A Celebration of Culture, Fashion, and Art.”
College of Liberal Arts
Tracy Byrd ’14, Minneapolis, was recently featured in Minneapolis-St. Paul Magazine’s “Stars of the North” spotlight on Minnesotans who made a lasting impact this past year in education. Byrd is a ninth-grade English teacher at Washburn High School and earned his teaching degree from Metro State in 2014. Byrd was named Teacher of the Year in 2024.
College of Nursing and Health Sciences
Brett Anderson ’14, Minneapolis, recently named president and CEO of Ebenezer Senior Living, the largest senior housing network in Minnesota.
Jane Mugambi ’17, Mankato, recently published a memoir titled, “Echo of my Father’s Voice: A journey from Israel to Mount Kenya to America: A Memoir,” now available on Amazon.
Lyna Nyamwaya ’09, New Hope, recently launched a campaign to succeed Rep. Cedric Frazier in the Minnesota House of Representatives for District 43A. Nyamwaya believes her years of experience in nursing and entrepreneurship have equipped
College of Sciences
Michael Agerbeck ’16, Fridley, was recognized in Marquis Who’s Who for his 20 years of excellence in manufacturing and production. A U.S. Army veteran, Agerbeck studies chemistry at Metro State.
Kevin Day ’20, Eagan, recently won Best Paper Award at the International Cyber Security Conference. Day’s work addresses the growing threat of Android banking malware, designed to steal sensitive financial information from users.
Farris Hassan ’13, Lakeville, recently celebrated the grand opening of Mamas Market & Deli, a women-led, community-driven grocery, deli, and specialty coffee shop located in Saint Paul.
Henriette Mambe Tago ’20, Saint Paul, was recently profiled in the Case Western University News, The Daily, as one of eight standout graduates of their class of 2025. Originally from Cameroon, Mambe Tago pursued a bachelor’s degree in biology and a minor in chemistry at Metro State before going on to fulfill her dream as a dentist.
Mike Nurmela ’17, Lakeville, recently received the Cyber Summit Visionary Award. Nurmela works at US Bank as a senior information security engineer.
