Meet the University Senate Office Team | University Senate Governance

Dr. Laurie Cooper Stoll, PhD, serves as the director of the University Senate Office and the University Honors & Awards Program. She earned her Ph.D. in Sociology with a concentration in Women's and Gender Studies from Loyola University Chicago, before spending over a decade at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. There, she rose to the rank of professor of Sociology and served as the founding director of the Institute for Social Justice. Dr. Cooper Stoll’s research focuses on understanding and addressing systems of inequality. She has authored numerous peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, and two books: Should Schools Be Color-Blind? and Race and Gender in the Classroom: Teachers, Privilege, and Enduring Social Inequalities—which won the 2015 American Sociological Association (ASA) Section on Race, Gender, and Class Distinguished Contribution to Scholarship Book Award. Beyond academia, she brings extensive leadership experience in both the non-profit and public sectors. She previously served as the executive director of YWCA La Crosse and was elected to two terms on the School District of La Crosse Board of Education, serving as president for two years and governance officer for one. Additionally, Dr. Cooper Stoll is a Board Certified Coach and a Qualified Neutral under Rule 114 of the Minnesota General Rules of Practice.

A proud double-alumna of the University of Minnesota, Amber Bathke earned her Bachelor of Arts in French with a Russian minor, graduating magna cum laude, and later completed a Master of Liberal Arts focusing on Language & Identity from the University.

Her professional journey at the U of M began in 2006, where she spent a decade fostering intercultural education in the Learning Abroad Center. In 2016, Amber transitioned to the Senate Office, where she currently serves as the deputy director. In this role, she oversees office communications, leads onboarding and develops training documentation, manages core business processes, and monitors compliance with University policies and other regulations.

Outside of work, Amber enjoys various styles of social dance—including contra, square dance, and ceili. She also performs around town and at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival with her folk band, Sycamore Gap. Amber resides in Apple Valley with her husband, son, and their two dogs, Gilly and Kira.

Jaclyn Adair serves as the CCSB Secretary and the policy liaison for the University Senate Office. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Art, with an emphasis in photography, from the University of Minnesota in 2008. Her University career began that year with a work‑study position in the Department of Speech‑Language‑Hearing Sciences, where she later transitioned into full‑time employment and spent four years supporting graduate student’s clinical education. In 2012, she moved to Faculty and Academic Affairs in the Provost’s Office, contributing eleven years of service to faculty affairs and programming. She joined the University Senate Office in 2023.

In her free time, Jaclyn enjoys knitting, weaving, and creating yarn bowls. Her fiber art has been featured in art galleries and has earned “Best in Show” honors at her local county fair. She also loves fishing, camping, horseback riding, and swimming in Lake Superior with her family.

Deena Barker is a senate associate dedicated to building inclusive, barrier-free spaces across campus. Drawing on her compliance background and certificates in Leading Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion from Northwestern Weinberg College of Arts & Science and Diversity; and Equity and Inclusion from Cornell University, Deena works alongside groups like the Disabilities Issues Committee to elevate diverse voices and ensure University policy works fairly for everyone.

In her free time, Deena likes to expand her horizons by watching a lot of reality TV and enjoys long walks and talks with her canine soulmate, Elora Dannen. She also enjoys hanging out with her son, his wife, and their two dogs. Her teenage niblings keep her on her toes and keep her laughing.

Donovan Lura earned both his Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and his Master’s degree in Higher Education Administration from St. Cloud State University. While there, he worked on policy development as a graduate assistant in the President’s Office, served for three years in student government, spent three years as a delegate for Students United, and worked as a government relations intern for the organization. In 2022, he began his career at the University of Minnesota as a residence hall director in Housing and Residential Life, later transitioning to the University Senate Office in 2024.

He currently serves as the senate associate for the P&A Senate and several committees, including the P&A Consultative Committee, Faculty Academic Oversight for Intercollegiate Athletics Committee, Intercollegiate Athletics Committee, Senate Committee on Educational Policy, Senate Committee on Faculty Affairs, Senate Committee on Information Technologies, Senate Research Committee, and the Openness in Research Subcommittee.

Outside of work, Donovan cherishes time with his family and his cat. He is an avid outdoor enthusiast who loves camping and canoeing—particularly in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA)—and stays active with regular gym sessions.

Cait McReavy graduated with a Bachelor's of Education as well as minors in English and Social Justice from the University of Wisconsin La Crosse. She served three years as a student senator in college and is a former K-12 educator. She will be supporting the Faculty Advisory Committee on Health Sciences, Health Sciences Student Consultative Committee, ROTC Subcommittee, Senate Committee on Student Affairs, Senate Library Committee, Student Committee on Committees, Student Senate. Student Senate Consultative Committee, and the Student Senate Nominating Subcommittee.

With nearly 25 years at the University of Minnesota and 20+ in the Senate Office, Jessica Paulsen brings deep institutional knowledge and dedication to the campus community. She serves as the administrative assistant with both the University Senate Office and the University Honors and Awards Program. At home, Jessica is devoted to her family and active in her local Catholic parish. Alongside caring for her elderly mother, she loves taking in live music, theater, and dance performances with her husband when they can.

Meet the Senate Office Team