First Year on the Job
Clockwise from top left: Suzanne Rivera, Katherine Crawford Luber, Duchesne Drew, Joan Gabel
Welcome to 2021, the year we finally move forward again. The only question now is, how? We interviewed some key Twin Cities stakeholders, community voices, and leaders who will be central to what happens–or doesn't–in the year to come.
Duchesne Drew
Duchesne Drew
Duchesne Drew
President, Minnesota Public Radio | Start Date: May 2020
Duchesne Drew became the head honcho at Minnesota Public Radio just as the pandemic and summer of social unrest were really hitting their strides. So he did the only thing he could do—and leapt in with all Zoom screens blazing…
“Having to do all the relationship building, the wrapping my mind around all pieces of the job, both internal and external aspects, doing that virtually? It was odd. Most days I have between 8 and 12 Zoom calls. And you’re getting to know people during uncertain times—but also when it’s really clear that what we do matters to so many people. I’m proud of the work folks are doing, especially because everyone is carrying additional burdens. They might have three kids under 10, or aging parents they can’t see, or spouses or partners who have lost jobs or had their hours cut back. People are carrying all kinds of stress and getting the work done, and I’ve actually been very heartened with how well people are doing despite the challenges—it’s a sign of strength, and passion for the work we do.”
Photo courtesy of Macalester College
Suzanne Rivera
Suzanne Rivera
Suzanne Rivera
President, Macalester College | Start Date: June 1, 2020
Suzanne Rivera accepted the job as president of Macalester College during the before times, January 31, 2020. But her first day on the job was mid-pandemic, the week after social unrest reached its zenith…
“The transition plan started with the idea of visits my spouse and I would make from Cleveland, creating connections, attending department meetings, having receptions, building relationships, and being introduced in person—probably including an inauguration. Rites of passage. Instead, there were no in-person community-building events, and I arrived to a city in extreme grief. I’ve had to make some tough decisions without the benefit of trust built with this community through that process. I’ve been joking that just like when my first child was born prematurely and the doctors kept telling me I had to think about my milestones adjusted for gestational age, in some ways I have to think of my presidency adjusted for pandemic age. Even though you might imagine we would feel socially isolated moving to a new state and new city in the middle of a pandemic, it’s been really sweet to be on the receiving end of so much warmth and kind welcome. People keep asking me: ‘How do you like St. Paul?’ We love it now, so we’re really going to love it when it’s really open!”
Photo courtesy of University of Minnesota
Joan Gabel
Joan Gabel
Joan Gabel
President, University of Minnesota | Start Date: July 1, 2019
Joan Gabel left the University of South Carolina in the halcyon days of 2019. If only she’d known on July 1, 2019, her first day at the U, how different the following July would be…
“These past nine months have been something else. If we set aside the obvious challenges that we’ve all faced individually, one of the toughest challenges was the loss of togetherness. Our faculty transitioned to alternative instructional formats and new COVID-related research in a matter of days. Staff stepped up, from our frontline workers to those behind the scenes supporting our massive move to remote learning. Our students have been flexible and clever. I’m hopeful that our 2021–22 academic year brings us back together, but with all of the lessons learned from the last months intact. We are focused on amplifying the university’s commitment to service, mission, and culture while leveraging our innovation and creativity to help those who need it most. And while there are many challenges still to face, we are grounded in a willingness to adjust as new information and circumstances dictate and to ensure the health, safety, and wellness of all those we serve.”
Photo courtesy of Mia
Katherine Crawford Luber
Katherine Crawford Luber
Katherine Crawford Luber
Director and President, Mia | Start Date: January 2, 2020
Katherine Luber relocated from San Antonio in early January, bright-eyed and ready to dig into her new role at Mia. And then…
“The silver lining, if you can say such a thing, has been the racial reckoning. I feel hopeful that it will maybe change our nation and how we think of access, inclusion, diversity, and equity. We’re never going back to how it was before the spring. Our staff has always believed and worked for museums to be the most equitable place they can be. We’re working on being equitable internally, in how we treat and recognize our BIPOC staff and team. Our board is pretty progressive; with intentionality we recruit board members of color, share power, make sure they feel included, and that we’re walking the walk. Our growing commitment to equity dovetails with some of the digital initiatives we’ve had to use. We talk now of exhibits having a physical component and also a digital one—physical plus digital makes ‘phygital.’ We’re reaching much larger audiences. I can’t imagine we’ll ever go back.”
This article originally appeared in the January 2021 issue.
