New Staff Profile: Jami Flesner

Jami joins the MCC Refugee Services team in a newly-created role coordinating cultural orientation classes for new refugees arriving in the Twin Cities. As part of a new consortium approach through the Minnesota Refugee Programs Office, we will be coordinating with the International Institute of Minnesota and the Twin Cities YMCA to offer orientation to a broader group of new families than before. Jami will be working closely with the instructor for these new courses who is based at the International Institute. We also plan to offer new, advanced classes for people who have been in Minnesota for a longer period of time and are ready to learn about topics like home buying, tax preparation, and more. Jami comes to us having worked with refugees in her home state, South Dakota. While working with a resettlement agency there, she worked as a teacher and then a case manager.  During college, Jami studied in Tanzania and had the privilege of observing the tribunal for the Rwandan genocide. It was a very inspiring experience and sparked her desire to work with refugees. Jami has her PhD (ABD) in Political Science and is also an adjunct faculty member for Bellevue College, where she teaches online courses. Jami is also the owner of two rescue rabbits—Joe Biden and Rosie Parks.