Meet the Team

MNA’s Public Policy Team

Joan Gustafson – External Affairs Officer

Joan is responsible for the development and execution of a comprehensive public affairs and civic engagement strategy for the organization. Previously, she spearheaded the communication and government affairs efforts for the International Food Protection Training Institute (IFPTI), a W.K. Kellogg Foundation initiative. Prior to joining IFPTI, Joan was the Regional Director of West Michigan for Governor Jennifer M. Granholm and served as the Governor’s liaison and ombudsman for the region.

Annie Hamaty - Public Policy & Government Relations Manager 

Annie earned her Bachelor of Arts in Comparative Cultures and Politics from Michigan State University's James Madison College in May 2023, supplementing her primary major with a secondary focus on Social Relations and Policy.

Klarholz Jobe – Public Policy Fellow 

Klarholz hails from the West African nation of Gambia where she was born and raised. As an undergraduate student at Ithaca College in New York, Klarholz majored in politics, with legal studies as her minor. 

Mahek Khangura – Public Policy Intern 

Mahek is a first-year law student at MSU. She graduated from MSU with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Theory and Constitutional Democracy in the James Madison College, with a double major in Human Capital and Society in the College of Social Sciences.