Meet the Team
The NextGen Student Project Team is made up of dedicated professionals who represent our colleges and universities. These team members are working collaboratively with campus representatives to help ensure every policy, process, and system configuration is designed with the students’ best interests at heart. Open the accordions below to meet the team members working on NextGen.
Functional Area Coordinators and Stewards are pivotal to NextGen Project success. They serve as the critical link between strategy and execution. Working closely with project managers and Team Workday, they help bring the vision to life by guiding day-to-day progress and ensuring every decision keeps students at the center.
As trusted subject matter experts, they shape system design, inform configuration and testing, and help translate complex needs into practical solutions. They also play a key role in identifying policy and process impacts early, addressing risks, and keeping the project moving forward with clarity and purpose.
Laura Kittelson, Anoka Technical College, NextGen Student Records and Curriculum Management Functional Coordinator
"I'm excited to see how the Workday implementation guides more alignment across the Minnesota State system, resulting in a more seamless experience for students when transferring between schools."
Laura Kittelson has 13 years of higher education experience within Minnesota State. She currently serves as the Director of Records and Registration at Anoka Technical College. She has held previous roles with Saint Paul College (Assistant Director of Admissions, Records, and Registration), the Minnesota State system office (Reverse Transfer Specialist), and Minnesota Online (Advisor). Her primary areas of expertise include student record maintenance and release, registration, grading, graduation evaluation, academic planning, satisfactory academic progress, degree audit encoding, transfer evaluation, credit for prior learning (CPL), veteran education benefits, admissions (application) processing, academic calendars, curriculum, and course scheduling. Laura holds a master's in education from the University of Wisconsin-Stout and a bachelor's in English literature from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
Eric White, Southwest Minnesota State University, NextGen Student Academic Foundation Steward
"Our current student information system has limitations that Workday Student does not have which will greatly enhance our ability to serve students."
Eric White brings over 20 years of experience in higher education, with a strong foundation in information technology (IT) and student services. For 12 years, he served in the Information Technology Services division at the Minnesota State system office, where he provided training and support as a Business Systems Specialist, visiting over 40 campuses.
Transitioning into the role of IT Business Analyst, Eric led various projects and integrations, deepening his expertise in student data systems and earning a certificate in business process management along the way. His work consistently focused on optimizing processes and enhancing Minnesota State's student information system, ISRS, which Workday Student will replace.
In his current role as Registrar at Southwest Minnesota State University (SMSU), Eric draws on his extensive IT background to streamline operations, improve data accuracy, and support institutional goals. His career reflects a commitment to innovation, collaboration, and student success.
Functional Area Coordinators and Stewards are pivotal to NextGen Project success. They serve as the critical link between strategy and execution. Working closely with project managers and Team Workday, they help bring the vision to life by guiding day-to-day progress and ensuring every decision keeps students at the center.
As trusted subject matter experts, they shape system design, inform configuration and testing, and help translate complex needs into practical solutions. They also play a key role in identifying policy and process impacts early, addressing risks, and keeping the project moving forward with clarity and purpose.
Darcie Anderson, Winona State University, NextGen Student Advising Functional Coordinator
"I'm excited to be part of the NextGen project as we discuss what the Minnesota State college and university experience means to students, and consider how Workday Student will support advising, retention, and student success moving forward."
Darcie Anderson has over 25 years of professional experience in higher education at public and private colleges and universities. This includes leadership roles in Academic Advising, the Registrar’s Office, Financial Aid, student accounts, program development, and catalog management. Her experience includes designing, implementing, and teaching adult learning programs, as well as advising students enrolled in transfer pathway articulation agreements. While at the University of Minnesota, she managed front-line staff during the PeopleSoft implementation and recently led the implementation of a cloud-based scheduler/note system at Winona State University.
Darcie holds a doctorate in education leadership from Saint Mary’s University, a graduate degree in education with a concentration in professional development from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, and a bachelor’s in international relations from Concordia College in Moorhead. Darcie believes in a team approach to provide inclusive and equitable options that help students navigate the complexities in higher education.
Amy Staloch, Minnesota State University, Mankato, NextGen Student Academic Foundation Functional Steward
"I'm excited to collaborate across our system and campuses on cross-functional processes to build a strong framework for this project. NextGen will streamline the student experience and strengthen our collective efforts to support student success."
Amy Staloch (she/her/hers) is a higher education leader with over 17 years of professional work experience in student success, retention, strategic planning, and project management. She currently works as the Director of Student Success at Minnesota State University, Mankato where she leads the University’s efforts to proactively identify and address student success barriers, gaps, and opportunities to help students meet their goals. Through this work, Amy has led successful implementations of two Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems, EAB's Starfish and Navigate360, impacting more than 15,000 users.
With a background spanning academic advising, admissions, course placement, grant leadership, and apprenticeship/business and industry r03oles, Amy excels at bridging the gap between technical and functional teams. Her collaborative approach ensures seamless integration and high adoption rates across diverse user groups. Amy holds a bachelor’s in English and speech communication from Minnesota State Mankato, and a master’s in post-secondary education with a concentration in student affairs from the University of University of Northern Iowa.
Merry Schmitt, Minneapolis College, NextGen Student Advising Functional Steward
"I'm excited for the ability to consolidate the many platforms the advising communities use to support student success and streamline processes during a student’s educational journey into Workday.”
Merry Schmitt has over a decade of experience in academic advising and enrollment management within Minnesota State. Currently, Merry serves as the Director of Advising and Retention at Minneapolis Community and Technical College, in addition to her role as a NextGen Student Advising Functional Area Steward. She was involved in the NextGen student records, advising, and curriculum management functional area steward group last year, working on policy and process alignment and has engaged in various Minnesota State enrollment and course placement initiatives. Merry is currently one of the co-leads for the Advising Community of Practice.
Merry holds a master’s in college student affairs from Eastern Illinois University and a bachelor’s in nutritional science from the University of Missouri. She is passionate about working collaboratively to streamline processes to support and enhance the student experience and aid in student retention and completion.
Functional Area Coordinators and Stewards are pivotal to NextGen Project success. They serve as the critical link between strategy and execution. Working closely with project managers and Team Workday, they help bring the vision to life by guiding day-to-day progress and ensuring every decision keeps students at the center.
As trusted subject matter experts, they shape system design, inform configuration and testing, and help translate complex needs into practical solutions. They also play a key role in identifying policy and process impacts early, addressing risks, and keeping the project moving forward with clarity and purpose.
Brittany Tweed, Metro State University, NextGen Student Financial Aid Functional Coordinator
"I am looking forward to improvements in reporting/querying capabilities and procedural efficiencies while preserving compliance and functionality for financial aid administrators. One area that I believe we can make significant progress for Minnesota State students is in our communication platform, aid notice availability, streamlined access to important updates and information, and their user experience. One of my goals is to draft a data dictionary for use after implementation for research, reporting, and data analysis purposes."
Brittany Tweed has more than 16 years of financial aid administration experience within the Minnesota State system. She has served in various leadership roles within this time on behalf of the system, including as a campus representative for the Satisfactory Academic Progress Work Group, the Equity by Design Team, NextGen Student Financial Aid Functional Area Steward Group, NextGen Data Cookbook (FA), SO-Strategic Enrollment Management Group, and more. Brittany is also a member of the Financial Aid User Group which is a leadership group that guides system office information technology development priorities and assesses training needs.
Outside of Minnesota State, she is an active member of national, regional, and state financial aid associations, with a focus on providing training and mentoring to incoming financial aid professionals. She most recently provided training in early 2025 at the National Association of Financial Aid Leadership Conference on considerations of integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into financial aid operations and in 2024 at the state level regarding Student Consumer Information requirements. She has served in several roles for the Midwest Association of Financial Aid Administrators: as a member of their Executive Board in 2017 and 2019, as a member of their Professional Development Committee for the last three years, and now for the second time as a member of their Mentoring Committee. She was also Executive Board President of the Minnesota Association of financial aid administrators from 2020 to 2021. Lastly, since 2023, she has been featured as a spokesperson for Metro State University for her financial aid expertise in various topics on KARE-11, WCCO-TV, and Minnesota Public Radio. She is pleased to be included in the planning and implementation process for Workday Student as she considers her strengths to be her inquisitive and analytical nature.
Patty Hemann, Riverland Community College, NextGen Student Financial Aid Functional Steward
"I'm most excited about leveraging technology to make financial aid more accessible and efficient for students and staff. The NextGen Project will create a seamless, user-friendly experience that supports students and staff across our colleges and universities.”
Patty Hemann has over 25 years of experience in higher education. Patty has built a career dedicated to student success and access. She began in admissions at a private college, where she spent two years helping students begin their educational journeys. She then transitioned into Financial Aid at Riverland Community College, serving as a Financial Aid Officer for 10 years. Her work in this role focused on guiding students through the financial aid process with clarity and compassion. She later broadened her impact by working as an Enrollment Advisor for three years, supporting students in a more holistic way. For the past 11 years, she has served as the Director of Financial Aid, where she leads efforts to ensure compliance, streamline operations, and remove financial barriers for students. Her work is driven by a deep commitment to equity, access, and student-centered service.
Patty has been an active contributor to institutional and statewide initiatives through her committee work. She serves on the Minnesota State system’s Edit Committee, where she contributes to the development and enhancement of ISIR review processes and programming, ensuring accurate and efficient handling of student financial aid data. Patty has also been an engaged member of the Minnesota State User Group, collaborating with peers across the system to share best practices and improve financial aid operations. She has done extensive work with Microsoft Access, developing queries that are used across Minnesota State colleges and universities to manage various financial aid processes.
Functional Area Coordinators and Stewards are pivotal to NextGen Project success. They serve as the critical link between strategy and execution. Working closely with project managers and Team Workday, they help bring the vision to life by guiding day-to-day progress and ensuring every decision keeps students at the center.
As trusted subject matter experts, they shape system design, inform configuration and testing, and help translate complex needs into practical solutions. They also play a key role in identifying policy and process impacts early, addressing risks, and keeping the project moving forward with clarity and purpose.
Tim Meendering, St. Cloud State University, NextGen Student Records and Curriculum Management Functional Coordinator
"I'm excited for the opportunity to fundamentally improve and streamline the student experience, along with the connected elements the Workday implementation offers to build a more cohesive and comprehensive ecosystem for campus and system operations."
Tim Meendering has over 20 years of higher education experience working at public and private universities. Early roles were in campus life, first year experience, and as Senior Academic Advisor supporting undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students, including the implementation of PeopleSoft. Later roles have included Business Office supervisor at Capella University overseeing a team responsible for supporting students resolve bad debt, understand financial aid options and improving collection rates; Director of Academic Operations at University of St. Thomas supervising a team, advising graduate students, and executing on the College of Business’ portfolio management strategies; and for the past five years as SCSU Registrar supervising a team of professional staff responsible for curriculum modernization efforts, transitioning from analog to digital forms, implementing CourseDog curriculum management system, overhauling the campus transfer processes, and building skills at managing technology advancements.
Tim holds a master’s of leadership in higher education (Capella University), a master’s of college counseling and student development (St. Cloud State University), and a bachelor’s in psychology (Luther College). Tim has been successful at enhancing staff engagement and customer service standards, reducing inefficiencies, and fostering a culture of continuous inclusion and improvement at every organization he has supported.
Sharlene Allen, Minnesota State Community and Technical College, NextGen Student Records and Curriculum Management Functional Steward
"I’m happy to be part of the NextGen Student Project Team and be involved in some of the behind the scenes work that will go into implementing Workday across the system. Having worked in Minnesota State since our current student information system was first introduced, it is exciting to see a new system in development. I look forward to the opportunities that Workday will provide to all of our system institutions and especially the impact it will have on our students."
Sharlene Allen has over 34 years of experience in higher education, with the majority of that time being spent at Minnesota State Community and Technical College, where she has been since 1994. She has worked with curriculum management and term course scheduling, built and maintained the college’s degree audits in uAchieve, and served as the Transfer Specialist. She became the college’s Registrar in 2012 and has held her current role as Director of Financial Aid and Records since 2022. Having been at the college when ISRS was implemented, she is excited to be part of the transition into Workday.
Sharlene is committed to the mission of two-year colleges, having earned two Associate of Science degrees from North Dakota State College of Science. She also holds a Bachelor of Science in Management from the University of Mary. She is a past president of the Upper Midwest Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (UMACRAO) and is involved with volunteering in her community.
Heather Soleim, Minnesota State University Moorhead, NextGen Student Records and Curriculum Management Functional Steward
"I'm excited about the automation which will take place within Workday, making it easier for faculty, staff, and, most importantly, students to navigate everyday business processes.”
Heather Soleim has twenty-five years of registrar experience, most recently as the Registrar at Minnesota State University Moorhead. She previously held roles at North Dakota State University (NDSU) as a Transfer Specialist and Assistant Registrar. During her time at NDSU, she served on the North Dakota State Transfer Task Force, led a Perceptive Content implementation, and was integral in the success of the Student Information System (SIS) conversion from a home-grown system to PeopleSoft. She is very active in her professional organization, holding positions at different times as Site Selection Chair, Local Arrangements Chair, and serving as president of Upper Midwest Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (UMACRAO). At Minnesota State University Moorhead, she uses her skills of combining big-picture visions and detailed execution to streamline existing student services and university operations and launch comprehensive continuing studies and programs for credit for prior learning and concurrent enrollment.
Heather holds a bachelor’s in mathematics from the University of North Dakota and a master’s in educational leadership from NDSU. She is known for her strategic oversight and sense of humor—capable of both leading complex meetings and sparking laughter—and is committed to innovation and student success.
Functional Area Coordinators and Stewards are pivotal to NextGen Project success. They serve as the critical link between strategy and execution. Working closely with project managers and Team Workday, they help bring the vision to life by guiding day-to-day progress and ensuring every decision keeps students at the center.
As trusted subject matter experts, they shape system design, inform configuration and testing, and help translate complex needs into practical solutions. They also play a key role in identifying policy and process impacts early, addressing risks, and keeping the project moving forward with clarity and purpose.
Ricardo Gonzalez, Anoka-Ramsey Community College, NextGen Student Recruiting and Admissions Functional Coordinator
"I am excited for this work to create something that is user-friendly for the student to aid in their success within Minnesota State.”
Ricardo Gonzalez has worked in the Minnesota State system since 2010 and started in Admissions and Academic Advising at Hennepin Technical College where he served in roles like Latino Outreach Specialist, Academic Advisor, and Assistant Director of Admissions until 2015. Since then, he has served as Director of Enrollment Management at Anoka-Ramsey Community College. He received his associate degree from Linn-Benton Community College and his bachelor’s from Linfield University in social and behavioral sciences. He has a master’s in higher education leadership for student success from Walden University and obtained a graduate certificate from Walden University in enrollment management and institutional marketing in 2013.
Ricardo has a passion for helping students access higher education and strives to remove barriers for low-income and students of color to gain access to—and complete—education at any one of our Minnesota State colleges or universities. He sees his work as NextGen Student Functional Area Co-Coordinator for recruiting and admissions as a way to work collaboratively with other leaders across the state system to bring future students a product in Workday that will aid them in their success and access to Minnesota State colleges and universities.
Katrina Young, Winona State University, NextGen Student Recruiting and Admissions Functional Steward
"I'm excited and honored to be a part of this project as it gives me the opportunity to think outside the box. Our team examines ways to streamline the processes to apply, send documents, sign up for classes, receive financial aid, and so much more. Our objective is to create a seamless transition from high school to a two-year or four-year school all the way through graduation! What a win for our students and our staff.”
Katrina Young has over 18 years of experience in higher education at Winona State University, with a strong focus on admissions operations Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems.
Katrina has played a key role in the successful implementation of three distinct CRM systems. Throughout these projects, she collaborated extensively with departments across Winona State, including Information Technology, Admissions, the International Office, the Registrar’s Office, Financial Aid, Marketing, and academic colleges and departments.
As a Functional Area Steward, Katrina Young is dedicated to facilitating a seamless transition for high school students entering higher education. She is committed to aligning institutional processes, streamlining workflows, and empowering staff through the strategic use of data-driven tools such as reports and dashboards. Her focus is on enhancing operational efficiency and enabling staff to perform their responsibilities with greater speed and effectiveness.
Functional Area Coordinators and Stewards are pivotal to NextGen Project success. They serve as the critical link between strategy and execution. Working closely with project managers and Team Workday, they help bring the vision to life by guiding day-to-day progress and ensuring every decision keeps students at the center.
As trusted subject matter experts, they shape system design, inform configuration and testing, and help translate complex needs into practical solutions. They also play a key role in identifying policy and process impacts early, addressing risks, and keeping the project moving forward with clarity and purpose.
Kelley Murphy, Minnesota State, NextGen Student - Student Financials Functional Co-Coordinator
"I am excited to be a part of the NextGen student financials transition. I believe NextGen Student will provide consistency between Minnesota State colleges and universities for students, and provide less confusion when students attend more than one institution in the same term. I am enthusiastic about being a part of a team to contribute to building a streamlined process, to reduce manual intervention in the student financials area, including the implementation of automated email communications triggered at predetermined intervals.”
Kelley Murphy received her bachelor’s in finance from St. Cloud State University. She worked in the Business Office in Student Accounts there for almost eight years. She started at the front counter assisting students with their questions regarding their charges, making payments, and general questions about their accounts. She then worked as the Accounting Officer and interacted with third-party payers and students, reconciling deposits and handling collections. Before joining this project, she was working in the role of Director of Student Accounts, a position which involved entering the rates for tuition and fees and assisting with more complex questions students had.
Project Managers are central to the success of the NextGen Student initiative as they drive momentum, alignment, and accountability across the project. They serve as the connective force that brings together people, priorities, and progress to ensure the work moves forward with clarity and purpose.
Working across functional areas and in close partnership with Team Workday, Project Managers coordinate efforts, align resources, and keep teams focused on shared goals.
Rick Nahrgang, NextGen Student Project Manager
‟I am excited by the number of areas within Workday that improve our processes or add functionality. Students can expect a more modern, consistent, and interactive experience at the same time that our staff can leverage the additional capabilities to rebuild their workflow in a way that allows them to focus more on our students.”
Rick Nahrgang is a Winona, Minnesota native currently serving as a Project Manager for NextGen Student, managing the functional areas of student finance, financial aid, and recruiting and admissions.
Prior to the Project Manager role, Rick served as Chief Information Officer at Minnesota State College Southeast for 13 years. During that period, he led his team through many technical initiatives that improved the student experience, enhanced staff capabilities, and increased the stability and capacities of the technology systems.
Rick has a bachelor’s degree in computer science and his work experience prior to Minnesota State includes 20 years in private industry. He progressed through multiple areas of responsibility in information technology (IT), including the maintenance of home-grown enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, conversion to commercial ERP systems, and data warehousing and analytics development.
Rick’s combination of experience within IT and his 13 years serving in higher education allow him to contribute to the implementation of Workday Student directly as well as to manage the tasks, resources, and communications that are building our next student information system (SIS).
Kayla Westra, NextGen Student Project Manager
‟The NextGen Student project is a once in a career opportunity to reset some of our business processes to better serve students. While this is a large and complex project, the people engaging with this project, from campuses and from the system office, are passionate about improving the student experience.”
Kayla Westra has been in higher education for over 20 years, with experience as a Faculty Member, Academic Dean, and Chief Information Officer. Prior to working in higher education, Kayla was a Technical Communications Manager at a large engineering company. Kayla has worked on multiple system-level initiatives while serving at Minnesota State colleges and universities and enjoys working with others to bring about positive change. Kayla has served nationally as the Board President for the National Alliance for Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP) and currently, as a member of the Technology, Leadership, and Culture (TLC) Advisory Committee for EDUCAUSE.
Kayla holds a doctorate in educational leadership from Minnesota State University, Mankato; a master's in English with an emphasis in technical communication from Utah State University; and a bachelor's in English from Minnesota State Mankato. For the NextGen Student project, Kayla is focused on facilitating alignment during this transformational change, with a goal of improving the student experience, as well as supporting faculty, staff, and administration at the colleges and universities of Minnesota State. Her functional areas are academic foundation, records, curriculum management, and advising. She appreciates the engagement of the experienced campus personnel who are involved with this work.
Implementation Leads are instrumental in guiding the successful planning, execution, and delivery of Workday Student across each functional area. They ensure that progress is intentional, coordinated, and aligned with the broader goals of NextGen.
Working closely with project managers, functional teams, and stakeholders, Implementation Leads drive day-to-day advancement within their areas by bringing clarity to priorities, maintaining momentum, and ensuring work stays on track. They play a key role in shaping and advancing design decisions, while proactively identifying when to elevate critical issues.
Brent Glass, NextGen Student Implementation Co-Lead
“I am focused on the financial aid, admissions and recruiting, and student finance functional areas. I am excited about the talent that we have been able to engage in this work and the opportunities of using Workday technology to better support our students and their educational goals. Workday Student has workflows that will streamline and reduce the administrative burden for our students. Students will also be able to receive notifications on the Workday app to remind and alert them to actions they need to complete in regards to business processes.”
Brent Glass has over 25 years of professional experience in higher education, serving in a variety of leadership roles for student affairs and enrollment management at the Minnesota State system office and campuses within the Minnesota State University and College system. Prior to serving in his current position, Brent served as the Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management at Minnesota State. He also led various Student Affairs and Enrollment Management departments at Metropolitan State University and Inver Hills Community College.
Brent holds a master’s in higher education administration from St. Cloud State University; a bachelor’s in criminal justice from Bemidji State University and an associate degree from Northland Community College. Brent is passionate about working collaboratively to support students with a primary focus on equity, inclusion, and student success.
Kristina Keller, NextGen Student Implementation Co-Lead
“I really felt called to work in this role and on this project. My experience at multiple colleges in multiple roles will be an asset to the project and will help support our ability to capitalize on current successes, learn from previous challenges, and prepare for what is one of the most critical system implementations in our history. The impact of what we are able to do will help students navigate institution and system infrastructure and prioritize their needs while removing barriers and focusing on their success.”
Kristina Keller serves as a NextGen Student Implementation Co-Lead. In this position, her work focuses on Workday Student project planning, progress, and implementation. This role supports the academic functional activities of the project, makes design and configuration decisions, collaborates with system senior leaders on policy and process alignment initiatives, and engages in ongoing communication with our campus and system stakeholders.
Prior to this role, Kristina served as the Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs at Normandale Community College for seven years. This position had broad responsibilities for the planning, development, and administration of the college's educational programs and services. As a member of the President’s Cabinet, this role provides leadership in strategic planning, policy formulation, budgetary decisions, problem solving, and offers advice and counsel on the implications of institutional decisions on both the student experience and academic programs. In this position, Kristina oversaw all academic divisions, custom training, continuing education, academic operations, and academic services.
Kristina also served as the Associate Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs and Academic Dean in multiple areas at St. Cloud Technical and Community College for over 12 years, overseeing liberal arts, technical programs, and Student Affairs. Interim roles during this time also included Senior Academic Officer (SAO) Foundation Director, and Custom Training and Continuing Education Director. Prior to moving to administration, Kristina worked as a Business Faculty Member at Northland Community and Technical College and Valley City State University.
Her work within Minnesota State colleges and universities has focused on college-wide and departmental strategic and operational planning, new program development and redesign, student-ready design, employee development, college accreditation, online program development, and policy development. Kristina is also an active member on several Minnesota State committees and taskforces, community and industry related committees and boards, and regularly presents on academic and student affairs topics regionally and nationally.
Kristina holds a bachelor’s in business; a master of business administration degree (operations and human resource emphasis); a doctor of education degree in higher education administration; several professional certifications in leadership, intercultural communications, project management, and human resources; and has completed the Luoma Leadership Academy and Minnesota State Executive Development programs.
The Student Worker Project team is responsible for designing and implementing a systemwide Workday solution for student employment across Minnesota State. The team partners with campuses to align policies and processes, document current and future state workflows, and integrate student hiring, time tracking, and payroll into streamlined Workday business processes. Through strong campus engagement and stakeholder collaboration, the team works to address the complex connections between student employment, financial aid, and institutional operations.
Shanel Carter, NextGen Student Worker Implementation Lead
"I'm excited about the Workday Student Worker implementation, as it will streamline processes and create more accessible employment opportunities for our diverse student population. NextGen will best serve Minnesota State students by providing a unified, modern platform that eliminates repetitive processes across institutions, allowing them to focus on their academic success rather than administrative hurdles."
Shanel Carter is the NextGen Student Worker Implementation Lead for Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, where she is spearheading the system's most significant HR transformation to date. In this capacity, she leads the enterprise-wide Workday Implementation for over 54,000 student workers across 33 institutions, managing the complex coordination of universities, colleges, and external partners.
With over 30 years of HR experience, Shanel specializes in large-scale system implementations and organizational transformation. Her career began working for the United States Air Force, with global assignments in Japan and Italy that built her foundation for leading diverse, multi-site organizations.
Throughout her career at various institutions like Arizona State University and Maricopa Community Colleges, Shanel has successfully navigated presidential transitions, managed workforce crisis responses, and built talent pipelines. A former Business Adjunct Faculty member, she holds a dual MBA in Strategic Human Resources and Global Business Management.
Mary Oluwalowo, NextGen Student Worker Project Manager
“The NextGen project is a game-changer for student employment, bringing greater simplicity, consistency, and sustainability to the process for both students and staff. In my role, I’m excited to help coordinate the many moving parts of implementation and use my experience to drive efficient, meaningful progress that ultimately improves the student experience.”
Mary Oluwalowo is the Project Manager for NextGen Student Worker, leading and supporting implementation planning, coordination, and execution, and keeping stakeholders informed. She is committed to using technology to help deliver a system that streamlines workflow processes, advances equity and data protection, strengthens organizational resilience, and enhances the student employment experience. Mary is passionate about creating clearer pathways and fewer barriers for students, and believes the NextGen project will significantly enhance their experience and access to opportunities.
Mary has over fourteen years of IT leadership and project management experience, including enterprise system integrations, Agile delivery, and compliance-driven initiatives. Her career positions include Director of Application Systems, IT Business Analyst, Agile Project Manager, and Senior IT Operations Analyst. She has led enterprise-level initiatives across IT, HR, Finance, Administration, Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, and employee- and student-centered services. Mary holds an MBA in Strategic Management and is currently working towards a formal Data Analyst Certificate.
Laura Moser, NextGen Student Worker Payroll Coordinator
"I am very excited for the NextGen Student Project and I look forward to working together to improve the student experience.”
Laura Moser is the Student Worker Payroll Coordinator on the implementation team. She has worked for the State of Minnesota for 20 years in various accounting and HR roles, including the last 7 years with Century College in administration and finance.
Laura is a graduate of Inver Hills Community College and Metro State University.
Jeff Thomas, NextGen Student Worker Sustainment
“I am excited to be part of the NextGen initiative and the transition of student worker processes into Workday. I’m enthusiastic about the opportunity to rethink how student employment is supported in Workday in a way that’s sustainable and easy to use.”
Paul Jeffrey “Jeff” Thomas brings extensive experience in the HR systems centering around first-level security and sustainment. Jeff supported the initial Workday HCM rollout and is currently serving in a shared role as an HCM Functional Security Partner and Student Worker Sustainment Partner.
NextGen Program Leadership provides the vision, direction, and coordination that drives the success of the entire initiative. Overseeing all connected efforts—from Workday HCM and Finance to Workday Student, Student Worker, Policy and Process Alignment, and Companion Projects—they ensure every part of NextGen moves forward in alignment toward a shared goal: better outcomes for students, faculty, and staff.
Kristina "Kris" Kelpe, NextGen Director
“Having worked in a multi-institution environment most of my career, I am motivated by the opportunity to help align and connect work happening across the system so it advances a shared vision for Minnesota State. When that coordination is approached with clarity, care, and a long-term view, it can fundamentally improve how institutions function and how students experience higher education.”
Kris Kelpe serves as the NextGen Director for Minnesota State, providing leadership and strategic direction for the system’s enterprise transformation through the implementation of Workday. In this role, she focuses on aligning technology, operations, governance, and institutional readiness across a large, multi-institution environment.
Kris brings extensive experience working directly within colleges and universities, in a variety of roles spanning enrollment management, admissions, advancement, and career services. She has since held Workday roles in student records, project management, and senior leadership, bringing a comprehensive understanding of how HR, Finance, and Student functions intersect across enterprise operations. Kris brings deep knowledge of Workday methodology, including the critical work beyond implementation timelines that enables true enterprise transformation. Her experience emphasizes strong communication, sound decision-making, operational readiness, and long-term sustainability.
She has been involved in more than 15 Workday implementations and has spent much of her career in complex, multi-institution settings, most notably at The Claremont Colleges, where she served in multiple roles across member institutions and most recently as Senior Project Manager for the Workday Student implementation.
Kris holds a master's degree in the Social Sciences from the University of Chicago and a bachelor’s degree in political science and English from Purdue University.
Nate Hallanger, NextGen Interim Program Manager
“"I am excited about the opportunity to support a seamless student experience across the colleges and universities of Minnesota State by building a strong digital foundation that supports equity, opportunity, and student success."”
Nate Hallanger is the NextGen Interim Program Manager. As a member of the program management office (PMO), he is responsible for coordinating the work of the project teams, managing project resources and budgets, and ensuring that project goals and timelines are met.
Nate joined the system office at Minnesota State in 2020 as Special Assistant to the Senior Vice Chancellor of Academic and Student Affairs. Prior to that, he worked for eleven years in Academic Affairs at Augsburg University, during which he served as Augsburg’s Accreditation Liaison Officer for the Higher Learning Commission and oversaw academic operations, budgeting, and faculty payroll.
He graduated with a bachelor’s in English from Augustana University before earning a master’s at Harvard Divinity School and a doctorate at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California.
Elizabeth Wallace, NextGen Deputy Program Manager</strong
“I am excited to be part of the NextGen project, where I can work on complex, enterprise-level initiatives that drive lasting institutional improvements. I am particularly energized by NextGen’s potential to streamline processes while enabling students to more easily navigate their unique educational journeys and achieve their goals.”
Elizabeth Wallace is the Deputy Program Manager for the NextGen ERP initiative. As a member of the program management office (PMO), she supports the planning, coordination, and execution of a multi-year enterprise transformation, partnering with Minnesota State Colleges and Universities to advance the implementation of Workday Student. In this role, she helps align project teams, manage interdependencies, and support program governance to ensure milestones, timelines, and objectives are achieved.
Elizabeth joined the Minnesota State NextGen program team in late 2025, bringing prior experience leading complex technology and operational initiatives in higher education. Before this role, she supported large-scale CRM, ERP, and strategic operations projects, including Salesforce implementations and process improvements impacting thousands of employees and students. Her work has focused on system modernization, cross-functional collaboration, and translating institutional needs into executable plans, and she brings a strong foundation in program management, stakeholder engagement, and enterprise systems delivery within mission-driven, highly regulated academic environments.
She holds an undergraduate degree in Public History from the University of Wisconsin at Eau Claire, a master’s degree in Public Policy and Leadership from the University of St. Thomas, and an MBA from Strayer University.