Meet Our Executive Director

Khalique Rogers – Executive Director
Khalique Rogers is a dedicated advocate, strategist, and leader committed to creating transformative change. As the Executive Director of Catalyst for Systems Change, Khalique leverages his personal experiences and professional expertise to drive initiatives that empower youth, families, and underserved communities.

Background and Leadership
Khalique’s passion for change stems from his lived experience navigating housing instability and systemic inequities. Growing up in Chicago and later moving to Minnesota, he witnessed firsthand the challenges faced by marginalized communities. These experiences fueled his drive to dismantle barriers and create pathways to opportunity.

Key Achievements:

  • Under Khalique Rogers' leadership, Catalyst for Systems Change successfully advocated for $200,000 in funding from the Minnesota Housing Agency in December 2024 to launch programs in two school districts. These programs teach students construction skills while building housing for low-income individuals and those experiencing homelessness.

    Building on this momentum, the agency announced an additional $500,000 in funding for 2025 to expand the initiative to at least five more public schools, demonstrating Khalique's impact in aligning education, workforce development, and housing solutions.Led efforts to secure $20 million annually for affordable housing programs.

  • Helped pass legislation supporting workforce development and school-business partnerships.

  • Mobilized youth to advocate for policy priorities, amplifying their voices at the state and local levels.

  • Recognized as one of the '50 African American Leaders to Know in the Twin Cities' by Twin Cities Business Journal.

  • Policy Fellow at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs and participant in the Harvard Young Leaders Program.

Leadership Philosophy
Khalique believes in building solutions through co-design with those directly impacted by systemic challenges. His approach prioritizes lived experience, empathy, and strategic thinking to inspire meaningful, measurable change.

Joe Nathan – Director Emeritus

Joe Nathan has dedicated his 50+ career to advocacy for, and empowerment of youth, families, educators and community members - especially those representing under-served communities. He has served as a K-12 district public school teacher, project director at the National Governors Association, senior fellow at the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey Institute, and newspaper columnist, In 1988, he founded and began serving as director of Center for School Change.

Priorities included

  • Expanding programs that combine classroom work and community service,

  • Increasing opportunities for high school students to earn free college credit, either in their high schools, on line or on college campuses, and

  • creating policies and programs that expand public school choice for students, families and educators

  • Helping young people to use their interests, priorities, creativity and energy to help solve community problems

  • Encouraging local, state and national policy-makers to listen to and learn from young people.

Nathan helped create, research, defend and refine transformative solutions addressing systemic challenges.

As of January, 2025, Khalique Rogers and Joe Nathan have worked together for 13 years. They met when Nathan visited a St Paul district school where Rogers was the only person taking a Post Secondary Options class - where he was earning free college credit. CSC was trying to encourage greater participation in PSEO and other dual enrollment programs. Nathan hired Rogers - then age 17, to talk with students, educators and family members about the value of dual (high school/college) credit programs. Nathan and Rogers have co-mentored each other since then. Nathan served as a founder force in creation of Catalyst for Systems Change.

Lighting the Torch for the Next Generation
Nathan’s work laid the foundation for CSC’s mission, serving as the spark that ignited Khalique Rogers’ vision for the future. Khalique often credits Joe for “lighting his torch” and empowering him to “blaze a trail” for the next generation of leaders, ensuring that CSC’s impact continues to grow and evolve. Nathan has suggested that Rogers has earned a doctorate in challenging life experience.

Board Leadership

  • Jeff Aguy - 2043 Corp.

    Board Chair

  • Adrian Wilson - Emmy Award Winning Filmmaker - Founder & CEO, Bryson Studios

    Vice Chair

  • John Smith - Climate Communications | Manager, Paid Media | MS-STEP

    Board Treasurer

  • Jaiden Leary - Seinor at St. Louis Park HS

    Board Secutary

  • Wokie Weah- President Emeritus, Youthprise

    Board Member

  • Paul Creager - Curriculum & Media Arts Coordinator Saint Paul Public School

    Board Member