John Hoffman 763-245-7562

8224 109th Place, North Champlin MN  55316    john@johnhoffmanmn.com

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION:

John Hoffman is a current Minnesota State Senator service Senate District 34 which is made up of Brooklyn Park, Champlin, Coon Rapids, Dayton and Rogers. He was first elected in 2012 and reelected in 2016, 2020 and 2022. He is the current Chair of the Human Services Finance and Policy Committee in the Minnesota Senate which oversees 16 Billion Dollars of services in Minnesota. He served on the Human Services Reform Policy and Finance Committee as the Ranking Lead. He also served on the Aging and Long-Term Care committee, Governors Workforce Development Committee, the School Trust Land Education Committee as Vice Chair, and on the Governor’s Developmental Disabilities Council as former Chair. He was the Business Development Director for ALLY Business Solutions, an organization that finds employment opportunities for adults with disabilities.  He co-founded Consumer Credit of Minnesota and is also a Federal Title V reviewer for HRSA (Health Resources and Services Administration).  He coordinated PACER Center’s Early Childhood Project and its Partnership with the National Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center at the University of North Carolina’s Frank Porter Graham Early Childhood Institute. John’s areas of expertise include Natural Environments/Inclusion/Least Restrictive Environments, Special Education Law, Parent Training, and Early Childhood Education.  From 1997-2001 he was a Technical Assistant/Program Manager with The Iowa Department of Human Services working with Interstate Compact Laws as well as in the development and response to the Infants and Toddlers Act of IDEA serving on the Technical Assistance Team for PART C.  He also served on the Governors Special Education Advisory Committee and was appointed by the Senate to a Family Support Sub Committee. In 2001, United States Secretary of Education Rodney Paige, appointed him to serve on the Federal Interagency Coordinating Council, a federally mandated council that was charged with advising and assisting the Secretaries of Education, Health and Human Services, Defense, Interior, and Agriculture as well as the Social Security Commissioner in their response to services for Children and Families with disabilities ages birth to six.  In 2003 he was appointed to a 3-year term by the Governor of Minnesota to serve on the State Interagency Coordinating Council.  In 2004 he was appointed to serve on the MN MCHB Health Advisory Task Force.  He was elected in 2005 and served as Vice Chair of the Anoka Hennepin School Board, which is the largest School District in the State of Minnesota.

Additional Information

Family

⮚ Married, wife Yvette, and daughter Hope

Past Business and Employment

⮚ Executive Director of Begin Anew Recovery, a recovery community organization helping people with mental health and addiction supports.

⮚ Business Development Director for ALLY Business Solutions, a 501C3 organization that finds employment opportunities for adults with disabilities. 

⮚ Co-founder of Consumer Credit of Minnesota, as well as co-founder and co-director of Consumer Financial Management Inc.

⮚ Federal Title V reviewer for HRSA (Health Resources and Services Administration) in the U.S Department of Health and Human Services. 

⮚ Early Childhood Coordinator at PACER Center, one of the nation’s oldest and most respected Parent and Training Information Centers, from 2001 through 2007.   It is a national and international leader in providing information, support, and skills as well as technical assistance.  While there he coordinated PACER Center’s Early Childhood Project and coordinated PACER Center’s Partnership with the National Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center partnership at the University of North Carolina’s Frank Porter Graham Early Childhood Institute.  In this capacity, he provided technical assistance to both local and state personnel as well individual families.

⮚ Technical Assistant/Program manager from 1997-2001 with Iowa Department of Human Services, working with Interstate Compact Laws as well as in their development and response to the Infants and Toddlers Act of IDEA and served on the Technical Assistance Team for PART C of  IDEA P.L 94-142 and P.L 99-457. 

⮚ Supervisor with the Department of Youth Services from 1992-1997 providing services to adjudicated youth. 

Public Service

⮚ Currently a Minnesota State Senator representing Brooklyn Park, Champlin, Coon Rapids, Dayton and Rogers for  Minnesota Senate District 34.

⮚ Elected in 2005 and served as Vice Chair of the Anoka Hennepin School Board, which is the largest School District in the State of Minnesota.

⮚ Served on the Board for directors for Family Voices of Minnesota,

⮚ Member of Midway Chamber of Commerce’s board of directors and served as the Co-Director of its ambassador committee reaching out to local business and outreach. 

⮚ Served as Treasurer on the Board of the Metropolitan Educational Cooperative Service Unit (ECSU). 

⮚ Appointed in 2013 to the Minnesota Governor’s Workforce Development Committee. Also served on the National Taskforce on Workforce Development for People with Disabilities.

⮚ Appointed in 2013 and served as the Chair of Minnesota Developmental Disabilities Council, a Federally mandated structure under the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act (DD Act) the fundamental law supporting and enhancing the lives of people with developmental disabilities and their families.

⮚ Appointed in 2004 by Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty to the MN MCHB Health Advisory Task Force.  Re-appointed by the Commissioner of Public Health in 2012.

⮚ Appointed to a 3-year term in 2003 by Governor Tim Pawlenty to serve on the State Interagency Coordinating Council. 

⮚ Appointed in 2001 by United States Secretary of Education Rodney Paige to the Federal Interagency Coordinating Council, a federally mandated council that is charged with advising and assisting the Secretaries of Education, Health and Human Services, Defense, Interior, and Agriculture as well as the Social Security Commissioner in their response to services for Children and Families with disabilities ages birth to six. 

⮚ In 2000 served, by mayoral appointment, on the Northwest Hennepin Human Services Advisory Council. 

⮚ Served on the Iowa Governors Special Education Advisory Committee and was appointed by the State Senate to a Family Support Sub Committee.  Areas of expertise included, Natural Environments/Inclusion/Least Restrictive Environments, Special Education Law, Parent Training, Early Childhood Education, and Juvenile Justice. 

⮚ Recognized by Vice President Al Gore for work with Iowaccess in partnership for reinventing government. 

⮚ Previously, from 1991-1997 worked for the Department of Youth Services for Polk County Iowa as a Supervisor of the Juvenile Detention Center.

 National Presentations

⮚ Interagency work with states involving families, National TAALLIANCE Conference, Washington D.C, January, 2002

⮚ Policy Forum-Child Care and Young Children with Disabilities, Federal Interagency Coordinating Council, Washington D.C March 14, 2002.

⮚ Early Intervention and Natural Learning Opportunities, National OSEP (Office of Special Education Programs) Early Childhood Conference, December 2003

⮚ Part C and PTI involvement, National TAALLIANCE Conference, Washington D.C, January 2003

⮚ “Why Natural Environments are important to our family,” National Inclusion Institute, Chapel Hill North Carolina, July 9, 2003.

⮚ “Whose IFSP is this anyway?” presentation to the fourth Annual National Inclusion Institute, University of North Carolina, August 11, 2004.

⮚ “Understanding Early Intervention” presentation to the National Down Syndrome Congress, Minneapolis, MN Aug 21, 2004.

⮚ Project Forum, participation with the Office of Special Education Programs to look at barriers to inclusion in Preschool, Washington D.C. December 12-16, 2004.

⮚ “What about Fathers?” presentation to the National Early Childhood Conference in Washington D.C in 2005 and the National Inclusion Institute in North Carolina in 2006.

⮚ “School Board Accountability” presentation at the National School Boards Conventions 2005- 2008