A Ministry of the ELCA - Supported by World Hunger

Staff

Reverend Cindy Crane – LOPPW Director

Cindy Crane

Reverend Cindy Crane began her position as LOPPW Director on January 9, 2014. She has 10 years of experience as a parish pastor and also spent several years managing secular nonprofits. Rev. Crane brings experience in statewide advocacy and building relationships with community leaders and government officials.

Former Interns and Hunger Advocacy Fellows

Frances Dobbs was our 2023-24 Hunger Advocacy Fellow.  She graduated from Marquette University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and International Affairs with a minor in religion.  She is excited to work on public policies and exercise her voice as a faith based advocate.  Frances is from Milwaukee, where she currently works out of her home part of the time when she is not in Madison or traveling around our six synods.

Kyle Minden graduated Summa Cum Laude from Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, with a Bachelor of Arts in Religion and Business Administration and a Minor in Social Entrepreneurship. Kyle is passionate about solving the systemic inequities and injustices that stem from public policy at the local, state, and federal level. He is particularly interested in poverty and hunger, income inequality, immigration reform, and criminal justice reform. After his fellowship, Kyle would like to attend law school and become an attorney for the public interest.

Evan Sadlon served as LOPPW’s 2020 summer intern before his senior year at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  Evan is double majoring in History and Religious Studies with certificate in Political Science. His post-graduation aspirations include attending law school and beginning a career in public service. His focus with LOPPW was on Care for God’s Creation.  Evan was with us during the pandemic and was our first intern to work remotely.

 

Amelia Gonzales joined LOPPW as a graduate student in social work at UW-Madison from September to December 2019.  She comes to us via the university’s 4W-STREETS (Social Transformation to End the Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking for Sex) program. Amelia is a recent graduate in social work and sociology from UW-Oshkosh.

 

Kelsey Johnson joined us as LOPPW’s 2018/19 full-time Hunger Advocacy Fellow thanks to a generous grant from ELCA World Hunger! Kelsey has an active history with the church. She came to us after serving as a Young Adults in Global Mission (YAGM) volunteer in Jerusalem and the West Bank.  She moved to Chicago to study at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago following her fellowship.

 

Sarah Schultz joined us as a part-time Lutheran Campus Ministry Faith and Vocation Fellow for the 2018/19 school year.  She is a Madison College student in the Liberal Arts Transfer Program and has the intention of completing multiple degrees in acting and directing.

 

Kyle and Genevieve

Kyle and Genevieve (far right) visiting Pastor Mary Martha Kannass of Hephatha Lutheran (far left) and Melissa Smith, Hephatha Lutheran and grassroots leader at Advocacy Convening.

Kyle Kretschmann joined LOPPW for 11 months after graduating with a degree in economics from UW-Madison.  While on internship he decided to attend the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota and was able to use his internship with us for graduate school.

Genevieve Baldwin joined LOPPW via the UW-Madison 4W-STREETS (Social Transformation to End the Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking for Sex) program.  Genevieve utilized her skills as a communications’ major during her semester internship.

Sarah Kretschmann came to us for one month during her winter break at St. Olaf College.  During that time she organized a PPT on human trafficking.  After graduation, she went on to study at Luther Seminary.