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Alison Niemi

Owner, North Star Policy Consulting, L.L.C.

Ali has over thirteen years of public policy experience, specializing in the intersection of housing and healthcare. Ali served as a Housing and Homelessness Policy Specialist at the Minnesota Department of Human Services. Prior to serving in this position, she was the Housing Manager for Minnesota’s Money Follows the Person (MFP) demonstration and the State Team Lead for the SOAR  program (SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access and Recovery).

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Ali lives in Minnesota with her husband and two young daughters. She enjoys reading, catching up with friends and family, and following her other passion, gymnastics.

  • Led development of new Medicaid-funded Housing Stabilization Services for people with disabilities and seniors: Facilitated planning work groups and feedback sessions, wrote state statute, and worked across DHS to successfully submit an application to the federal government 

  • Implemented SOAR (SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access and Recovery) program in Minnesota

  • Part of the founding team of Minnesota's Housing Benefits 101 site

  • Designed Foundational Service Practices to help people experiencing homelessness access mainstream benefits and programs

  • Key role in the development of Minnesota's Plans to Prevent and End Homelessness and the initial creation of the MN Interagency Council on Homelessness

  • Facilitated popular trainings for SOAR and Housing Best Practices

  • Presented at numerous state and national conferences on programs and policies

Accomplishments

Credentials

  • Master’s degree in Public Policy from the University of Minnesota's Humphrey School of Public Affairs, with a minor in Women’s Studies

  • Graduate of State of Minnesota Emerging Leaders Institute

  • Successfully completed Continuous Improvement Green Belt training

  • Team member recipient of a 2016 Governor's Award for Better Government

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