Abigail Gadea

Abigail Gadea has a diverse work experience spanning various organizations and roles. Abigail currently holds the position of Deputy Director of Human Resources at the City of Saint Paul since July 2021. Prior to this, they had an extensive tenure at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, where they served as a Co-developer, Trainer, and Relational Coach for the Whole Learners Teacher Professional Development Program. In this role, they created and led a research-based program aimed at improving teacher performance and student learning through tailored training and coaching. Abigail also served as a Deputy Director and Research Implementation Specialist at the Healthy Youth Development Prevention Research Center, overseeing research projects and providing management support.

Before their time at the University of Minnesota, Abigail worked at the Community-University Health Care Center (UMN) as a Grants and Program Manager, where they led programs and grants for community medical, dental, and mental health services. Abigail also served as a Community Program Associate, providing direct mental health counseling and rehabilitative services to a diverse patient population.

Abigail'searlier experience includes roles as a Research Assistant at the University of Minnesota, where they designed program evaluation tools and conducted surveys and interviews for the Diversity Coalition Project, and as a Program Evaluation Assistant at Plan International, where they designed and implemented a participatory program evaluation process for a nutritional program in rural Honduras.

Throughout their career, Abigail has demonstrated strong skills in program development and evaluation, research, and project management. Abigail has a passion for community outreach and improving the lives of individuals through their work in various sectors.

Abigail Gadea holds a Master in Social Work (MSW) degree, specializing in Community Organizing and Advocacy, Global Policy, and Human Rights from the University of Minnesota, which they obtained from 2005 to 2008. Additionally, they earned a Master in Public Policy (MPP) degree with a concentration in Global Policy and Human Rights from the University of Minnesota's Humphrey Institute between 2006 and 2008. Prior to their graduate studies, Abigail completed their Bachelor's degree in Social Work, focusing on Housing and Human Environments, at the University of the Republic in Uruguay's College of Social Sciences' Department of Social Work from 1999 to 2004. Abigail has also obtained certifications in Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging from LinkedIn in 2021, Leading Positive Change through Appreciative Inquiry from Case Western Reserve University in 2020, and a Professional Train-the-Trainer Certificate from the University of Minnesota in 2020. Additionally, they hold an Advanced Certificate in Equity and Diversity from the University of Minnesota. Abigail is also a Licensed Independent Social Worker (LISW).