Maureen Rafferty

Maureen Rafferty’s initial interest in working with refugees from Burma was inspired by a volunteer trip along the Thai-Burma border in 2008. During this trip, she worked with families who had fled Burma due to political, economic, and social persecution. Then, as an intern for the Council on Asian Pacific Minnesotans (CAPM) in 2012, she wrote a synopsis of the Burma Health Forum, which aimed to educate healthcare professionals on best practices for such refugees.

Motivated by these experiences and knowing the population growth of refugees from Burma in Minnesota, Maureen dedicated the majority of her master’s coursework to learning about Burmese issues, and finally wrote her Plan B paper on educational challenges for refugees who settle in the state.

She earned a B.A. in English literature in 2005 and an M.A. in Educational Policy and Administration in 2013 from the University of Minnesota and has ELL teaching experience in both Minneapolis and Japan. Maureen worked as the Youth and Administrative Support Coordinator at KOM from 2013-2015 and is now the VP of Development & Communications at Jeremiah Program, a two-generation anti-poverty solution for families headed by single mothers.

She joined KOM’s Board in October 2016 and is excited to re-connect with organization and the community it serves.