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Topic: Politics/Public Policy

Hollie Hendrikson

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Hollie Hendrikson, M.A., is an affiliate professor in the Department of Political Science at Metropolitan State University of Denver. Hendrikson has over 12 years of experience working with government agencies, legislatures, advocacy organizations, academic institutions and research think tanks to develop data-driven policies for municipalities, states and organizations. She has worked with several communities to develop data-driven strategic plans that create opportunities for affordable housing. In addition, she ran a small consulting firm that specialized in social policy research and strategic planning, qualitative and quantitative research projects and developed policy options for governments. In this role, she also worked with clients to successfully complete and submit HUD Consolidated Plans and Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice.

Her other previous experience includes working at the National Conference of State Legislatures where she led the organization’s public health policy work. During her tenure at NCSL, she provided technical assistance to legislatures in all 50 states, facilitated policy planning conversations with several groups of public health policy stakeholders as well as wrote over 30 magazine articles, journal articles and policy white papers.

Hendrikson received her master’s in social policy and development form from the London School of Economics and Political Science in 2009, where she earned the top classification for her research on migrant women’s access to services in the United States. In addition, she holds a bachelor’s in political science from the University of Colorado.

Mindy Glover

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Mindy Glover, M.A., is an affiliate professor in the Department of Communication Studies at Metropolitan State University of Denver. Her areas of expertise include communication in politics, organizational communication and online communication. She is currently teaching Diversity and Communication in the U.S.

Glover has been teaching at MSU Denver since 2003. Prior to joining MSU Denver, she taught communication courses to commercial art students at the Art Institute. Glover has worked as the executive director of Sage Relationships LLC since 2010, where she combines relationship coaching, communication-skill acquisition and yoga instruction to build relationships. She specializes in teaching public speaking and interpersonal-relationship skills to yoga teachers. She has recently taken on an additional position at CARE Counseling as a mental health counselor working with adults and people in relationships.

Glover received her second master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of St. Thomas in 2020. She received her first master’s degree in Communication, Culture and Technology from Georgetown University in 2002. She received her bachelor’s degree in English and Political Science from the University of South Dakota in 1996. Glover is currently pursuing her Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor accreditation.

Tom Cech

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Tom Cech, M.A., is the founding director of the One World One Water Center for Urban Water Education and Stewardship at Metropolitan State University of Denver. He retired from the University in 2021. Cech’s areas of expertise include water resources management and development, water education, water history, water law and water policy.

Cech was the executive director of the Central Colorado Water Conservancy District in Greeley for nearly 29 years. He also taught undergraduate and graduate level courses on water resources at University of Northern Colorado and Colorado State University for 11 years before joining MSU Denver in 2011. Cech received the Education and Public Service award in 2016 and the Diane Hoppe Leadership award in 2018.

As an expert source, he has authored/co-authored several published books including “Principles of Water Resources: History, Development, Management and Policy,” “Introduction to Water Resources and Environmental Issues” and “Colorado Water Law for Non-Lawyers.”

Cech received a master’s in community and regional planning from University of Nebraska, Lincoln and a bachelor’s in math education from University of Nebraska at Kearney.

Jeremy Castle

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Jeremy Castle, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in the Department of Political Science at Metropolitan State University of Denver. His areas of expertise include United States elections, public opinion, polarization, religion and politics, church and state, and media and politics. Castle currently teaches American National Government and Conducting Political Analysis.

Prior to joining MSU Denver, Castle worked as a lecturer and postdoctoral teaching fellow at Central Michigan University. He received an honorable mention during his time as a Presidential Fellow in the graduate research fellowship at the University of Notre Dame. He was awarded several grants for research projects, including grants from the Rooney Center for American Democracy.

Castle’s research areas include political polarization; religion and politics; and media and politics, especially how popular films and pop culture influences public opinion. His primary research examines the role of religion in political polarization in the United States. He also has studied Martin Luther King Jr.’s contributions to political philosophy. Castle’s work includes “The Effect of the #MeToo Movement on Political Engagement and Ambition in 2018” published in Political Research Quarterly and “New Fronts in the Culture Wars?: Religion, Partisanship, and Polarization on Transgender Rights and Religious Liberty in the United States,” published in American Politics Research.

Castle received both his doctorate and master’s degrees in political science from the University of Notre Dame in 2015 and 2012, respectively. He received his bachelor’s degree in political science from Hanover College in 2010.

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