Maureen O’Connell is the principal of O’Connell Consulting, LLC started in October, 2012. Maureen brings over 25 years of policy and government relations experience to our clients.

 

Her areas of expertise include health care, human services, and economic justice issues. She has worked for a variety of nonprofit organizations including AARP, Coalition of Asian American Leaders, Minnesota APRN Coalition, Minnesota Nurse Practitioners and TakeAction Minnesota. She is also the co-founder of Health Access MN, a MNsure navigator agency, providing health care outreach and enrollment assistance to individuals accessing health insurance coverage through MNsure.

 

Maureen spent over twenty years with Legal Aid as a staff attorney and then Director of the Legal Services Advocacy Project which works on policy issues impacting low-income Minnesotans and the Minnesota Legal Services State Support project. From 2010-2012 she served as the Assistant Commissioner of the Chemical and Mental Health Services Administration at the Minnesota Department of Human Services.

 

A St. Paul native, Maureen enjoys biking, hockey, skiing and travelling when she is not at the Capitol.

Sean Burke has over 12 years of experience in legal and policy advocacy working with individual and organizational clients. Sean has also worked as an attorney at Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid, the Minnesota Disability Law Center, and as the Public Policy Director with Minnesota Elder Justice Center.

 

Sean has advocated on a range of topics including: vulnerable adult maltreatment prevention, disability advocacy, Medicaid and health care access, health care appeals, consumer protection issues, housing advocacy and eviction defense, guardianship issues, and more.

Sean has a B.A. from Creighton University, Omaha and a law degree from the University of Minnesota. Outside of his work at the Capitol you can probably find Sean somewhere around his home in South Minneapolis, attempting to keep up with his twins.

Kenza Hadj-Moussa is a public affairs, public policy, and communications professional with over 15 years of legislative advocacy experience. At O'Connell Consulting, she helps organizations and coalitions advance their goals through policy development, advocacy campaigns, and strategic communications with an emphasis on earned media.

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She has worked on a range of issues including health care, housing, human services, labor and employment, economic development, public safety, and democracy. 

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She previously served as the Director of Public Affairs & Communications for TakeAction Minnesota, Communications Director for the Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless and was the Board Chair of the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits. 

 

She holds a Master’s in Advocacy & Political Leadership from the University of Minnesota-Duluth and a B.A. in economics from Guilford College. She lives in Minneapolis.

Kathleen Otto brings over 15 years of experience in community organizing, government relations, and state policy work. Her work spans eight states and a range of issues, including education, reproductive health, immigration, criminal justice reform, democracy and voting rights. Before joining O'Connell Consulting, Kathleen served as Senior Policy Director for a statewide advocacy organization in Wisconsin. 

 

Kathleen has a B.A. in Political Science and Community Development from Saint Louis University. You can usually find her biking around Minneapolis and St. Paul with her partner and their dog.

​Hana Abdelhamid joined O’Connell Consulting in January 2023 as a legislative and policy associate helping organizations advance their goals at the Legislature.

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Hana is experienced working on a variety of policy issues from elections and voting rights to health care, maternal health, workforce issues, and economic development. With years of campaign and lobbying experience, she helps organizations and coalitions navigate the legislative process and bring grassroot voices to the Capitol.

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Hana has a dual bachelor’s degree in Economics and Political Science from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. She lives in the suburbs of Minneapolis with her husband.

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​Sarah Greenfield has over 20 years of experience in policy, advocacy, and grassroots organizing to win ambitious policy change. A nationally recognized expert in health policy, Sarah has worked with a diverse set of organizations and coalitions to advance and win legislation that improve people’s lives.

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She is committed to well-crafted policy, collaborative relationships, and helping organizations engage their members in the policy arena. Prior to joining O’Connell Consulting, her work included labor organizing, community organizing, and program management.

 

Sarah joined O’Connell Consulting in 2019. She holds a B.A. in political theory from Hampshire College and lives in Minneapolis with her family, two cats, and an ever-expanding vegetable garden.

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Cacje Henderson has 10 years of experience in grassroots policy and government relations. She began her career as a Caseworker in the U.S. Senate. She previously served as the Movement Governance Director at TakeAction Minnesota and as Policy Director in the District 4 Office of the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners. She has experience working on a variety of issues including economic justice, public safety, and housing.

Cacje received her B.A. in Political Science from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. She lives in St. Louis Park with her partner and their pets.