Elissa B. Alzate, PhD
Winona State University

Elissa Alzate is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Winona State University, where she has been since 2012.  She received her BA in Political Science from Florida International University and her MA and PhD, also in Political Science, from University of California, Davis.  Being at WSU was like coming home, though, having grown up in the Midwest.  She teaches political theory and international relations and emphasizes civility, civil discourse, and civic responsibility in her classes and research.  She is currently working on the second edition of her textbook From Concept to Dialogue: An Introduction to Political Theory that aims to help students become more thoughtful, civil, and responsible citizens of their communities.  She has two beautiful children, three dogs, and two cats.

Tesla Mitchell
Freelance Journalist

Tesla Mitchell is an award winning freelance journalist and writer of ten years in the Winona, Minnesota area.  She spent 8 years reporting for the Winona Daily News covering local events, government, human interest features, columns, and writing several series on homelessness and student successes.  In 2017 she was selected as one of three journalists to be awarded for feature writing in the Minnesota Newspaper Association’s Better Newspaper Contest.

Heidi Holtan
Radio news and public affairs director

Heidi Holtan has worked at KAXE/KBXE – an independent NPR affiliate in northern Minnesota – for over 20 years.  She started as a volunteer, creating a weekly literary program “Realgoodwords” where she interviewed authors like Ray Bradbury, Anne Lamott, Cheryl Strayed, Kate DiCamillo and Billy Collins.  In the last 5 years she has been the News and Public Affairs director – hosting the local NPR Morning Edition with local stories.  Prior to working in public media Heidi worked for the Legislative Reference Library for 10 years in St. Paul – learning and assisting others in understanding the legislative process.  She studied Journalism and Women’s Studies at the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities.

Heidi is committed to producing and providing the people of Minnesota local stories that connect:  from the Strong Women series about rural women leaders – facilitating focus groups with rual women about issues like sexual harassment in the workplace – weekly conversations with Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan during the coronavirus pandemic –misinformation during elections – racism in small town Minnesota – as well as regular information about the MN Legislature as it relates to rural places.

Heidi is one of the panelists during election season on Lakeland Public Television and this fall will be a regional correspondent for Duluth Public Television’s Almanac North.  In 2018 Heidi received the “Building Bridges in Media” award from the Islamic Resource Group for her work on KAXE/KBXE hosting conversations about anti-Muslim movements in rural Minnesota.