Anna Gedstad

Anna Gedstad has a diverse work experience, starting with their current role as Assistant to Commissioner Thom Petersen in the Commissioner's Office at the Minnesota Department of Agriculture since September 2022. Prior to this, they worked as an Executive Aide to the Commissioner at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources from December 2019 to September 2022.

Anna also has experience working internationally, as a Graduate Student Researcher at the Ministerio de Ganadería, Agricultura y Pesca in Uruguay from May 2019 to August 2019. Their work there involved conducting economic and policy research, integrating gender theory into project development analysis, and conducting qualitative analysis through interviews and surveys.

Anna has also held positions in legislative coordination and assistance, including serving as a Legislative Coordinator at Messerli & Kramer P.A. from November 2016 to June 2018, a Legislative Assistant in the Minnesota Senate from February 2016 to November 2016, and a Legislative Assistant I (session-only) in the Minnesota Senate from February 2014 to May 2014.

Anna has also worked as a Primary Literacy Advisor in the Peace Corps from March 2015 to February 2016, a Field Organizer at McCollum for Congress from June 2014 to November 2014, and as a Web and Communications Assistant and Undergraduate Researcher at the University of Minnesota from January 2013 to February 2014 (Web and Communications Assistant) and September 2012 to December 2012 (Undergraduate Researcher).

Anna Gedstad completed their Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science, with minors in Management and Spanish, from the University of Minnesota, where they attended from 2010 to 2013. In 2012, they also attended Fundación Cimas del Ecuador for a short period of time to study Public Health. Anna later pursued a Master's degree in International Development Practice from Trinity College Dublin, beginning in 2018 and completing in 2019.