Grand Marais, MN — As a Cook County Commissioner, and former mayor of Grand Marais, Minnesota, Sue Hakes knows that rural communities are wrestling with big challenges that require strong leaders. She also knows that the challenges of small-town politics prevent many locals from stepping up to leadership positions. That is why Sue is working to build up leadership capacity in Northeastern Minnesota by serving as a mentor to individual leaders and forging partnerships between government, public and private sectors. She will use her Fellowship to pursue graduate education at the University of Minnesota, Duluth and at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
