National Convening Program Books 2014 YEO National Convening Program Book | Page 22

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FRIDAY, MAY 16, 2014

DETAILED AGENDA

FORMER ALDERWOMAN BRIDGET MANIACI
City of Madison, Wisconsin
Alder Bridget Maniaci was elected to the Madison Common Council in
April 2009 after beating the eight-year incumbent and succeeding in
a five-way primary. She was successfully re-elected in April 2011 and
left office in April 2013 to pursue her graduate degree in public policy
and management at Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz College. She is
currently working with Pittsburgh’s Local Government Academy as project
assistant to their Newly Elected Officials Course. Maniaci spearheaded tenants’ rights, affordable
housing, and increased building inspection efforts during her tenure serving on the city’s housing
committee, and authored a tenant voter registration ordinance inspired by YEO’s 2012 Convening
that served as model legislation nationally for efforts subsequently introduced and adopted in
other states. Overseeing an active urban neighborhood, her 11,500 constituents saw over $250
million in infrastructure and development projects approved during her four years in office,
including a 4-year battle for the $98 million redevelopment of Madison’s Edgewater Hotel.

Governing as Progressives

Catalina Room
What happens after Election Day? How can we “keep it real” while being highly effective at
winning tangible results for our constituents? How can we use elected office to truly reflect
and empower the communities we serve? This training, developed by Wellstone Action, is
based on interviews with hundreds of progressive elected officials around the country. It is
designed to lead participants through discussions of challenges that both new and seasoned
policymakers may grapple with at all levels of government.

FORMER CITY COUNCILMAN MELVIN CARTER
Minnesota Department of Education
Melvin W. Carter III was appointed director of the Office of Early Learning
at the Minnesota Department of Education in July 2013. Prior to joining
the department, Carter served on the Saint Paul City Council from 2008
to 2013. In that capacity, he sponsored legislation to address some of
the city’s most pressing issues, including: forming the city’s Department of
Human Rights and Equal Economic Opportunity; “Banning the Box” to
eliminate employment discrimination against people with criminal backgrounds; requiring
landlords to notify tenants of a pending foreclosure on their property; and prohibiting the sale
of candy cigarettes and toy lighters to reduce “practice smoking” among children. In 2009, he
created a partnership between city, county, school, and grassroots leaders to support high quality
education outcomes, which later became the Saint Paul Promise Neighborhood. He has trained
with and for several national organizations, including Wellstone Action, People For the American
Way Foundation, Black Organizing for Leadership and Dignity, and Progressive Majority. For his
committed service to community, Carter received the 2011 Barbara Jordan Leadership Award
from the National Young Elected Officials Network and was recognized in Ebony Magazine’s
“30 Under 30” issue in 2008.

2014 Young Elected Officials Network National Convening