Activities

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Jefferson Center

‘Sent to Coventry’ by Citizens Juries
This post was written by Dr. Lisa Riste, Research Fellow, NIHR Greater Manchester PSTRC, The University of Manchester, and originally published on the Greater Manchester Patient Safety Translational Research Centre website. We worked with our UK-based partner, Citizens Juries c.i.c., to conduct these Citizens Juries on Artificial Intelligence. I never thought I’d enjoy ‘being sent… […]
Annie Pottorff
The Power of Minnesota: Community Energy Discussion
A growing network of landowners, local government officials, educators and businesses are at the heart of Minnesota’s bustling clean energy industry, which produced about 25% of the state’s electricity last year. The industry has created 59,000 clean energy jobs statewide, while also supporting farmers and generating property tax revenues that fund community projects. The Power… […]
Annie Pottorff
How can everyday citizens create better public policy?
Each election, the United States Congress looks a little bit more like the country it represents. In 2018, we celebrated a record number of congressional firsts, including the youngest woman elected, first Muslim congresswomen, first Native American congresswomen, and many other ‘firsts’. While representation is improving, there are still clear differences according to Pew: the… […]
Annie Pottorff
Building rural climate resilience: The State Program Navigator
By Tara Ritter at the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, our Rural Climate Dialogues and Rural Energy Dialogues project partner. At the 2016 Rural Climate Dialogues State Convening, the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy and the Jefferson Center gathered residents from three rural Minnesotan counties and staff from ten state agencies to strategize on how to meet… […]
Annie Pottorff
Using public opinion on Artificial Intelligence to inform policy
This post was written by Carly Rolfe and originally published on the Greater Manchester Patient Safety Translational Research Centre website. We are working with our UK-based partner, Citizens Juries c.i.c., to conduct these Citizens Juries on Artificial Intelligence. Citizens Juries offer a novel way of gathering public opinion on important issues, which is used to inform… […]
Annie Pottorff
A look back at 2018
“We need to come to the table, not just wonder what we can do.” This statement, drafted by participants at the end of the Willmar Community Assembly, probably rang true for many of us in 2018. When it comes to the numerous issues we hear about from our neighbors, the local news, or social media,… […]
Annie Pottorff
Meet our new Program & Research Associate Katherine Sims
As we start 2019, we’re thrilled to welcome our research analyst intern, Katherine Sims, to the team as a full-time Program & Research Associate! Katherine graduated from Hamline University in December with bachelor degrees in Political Science and Economics. I wholeheartedly believe, like the rest of the team at the Jefferson Center, that dialogue is… […]
Annie Pottorff
Thank You to Retiring Board Member Judy Healey
After almost 25 years on the Jefferson Center board, talented author and foundation consultant Judy Healey is retiring. Throughout her time here, she’s seen the organization grow, change, and go dormant for a few years, only to come back with more innovation and enthusiasm than before. While our employees, offices, and board members have shifted,… […]
Annie Pottorff
Citizens Juries: Empowering (and Re-empowering) the Public
Last Fall, we hosted the 3 weekend long Willmar Community Assembly, where a group of 32 citizens learned about the ins and outs of local government and discussed how the city could better reflect their priorities. At the end of last day, participants drafted a shared statement about what they were taking away from the… […]
Annie Pottorff
Across Ohio, community assets are also community needs
This story was written by Doug Oplinger, former managing editor of the Akron Beacon Journal, who now leads our Your Voice Ohio media collaborative. Ohio’s gubernatorial candidates – Mike DeWine and Richard Cordray — have plans for improving life in Ohio. How do those plans square with what Ohioans say they need? The candidates, campaigns and… […]
Annie Pottorff