Search Gustavus

The founder of Inversity Solutions will discuss how we can cultivate cultures of inclusivity.

Dr. Karl Larson is a Professor and Program Director for the interdisciplinary major in public health and has been a member of the Gustavus community since 2005. He holds a doctorate in Community Health Education from Southern Illinois University, and the Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES®) credential.  Dr. Larson is very active in the profession, having served on the board of several organizations including as the first president of the Minnesota chapter of the Society for Public Health Education. He has coordinated the National Case Study Competition in Health Education for more than 20 years. Dr. Larson is the author of three books and has been recognized as a national leader in mentoring young professionals. His research interests include pedagogy in education and issues affecting youth and adolescents. When not at the college, he is an avid golfer and a regular participant in community-based theater and music productions.

Karrin Meffert-Nelson teaches clarinet, chamber music, and courses within the music education curriculum. She maintains an active performing career as Principal Clarinetist with the Minnesota Opera Orchestra and performs as a freelance musician with the Minnesota Orchestra, Northrop Ballet Orchestra, and in productions at the State and Orpheum Theaters. She has also performed with the St. Louis Symphony, Milwaukee Symphony, and St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, and has served as guest Principal Clarinet with both the Quad City Symphony and the Minnesota Orchestra.

A founding board member and clarinetist for Minnesota Winds, Meffert-Nelson contributes to the leadership of the professional wind ensemble. An experienced clinician, she regularly adjudicates regional solo and ensemble contests and works with the woodwind sections of the Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies. Dr. Meffert-Nelson holds a DMA from the University of Minnesota, an MM from Northwestern University, and a BM from St. Olaf College.

Kate Aguilar is an active part of the History Department (assistant professor of African American and Sport History); Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies; African/African Diaspora Studies; and Sport Management. She challenges students to consider not only what Black history is, but what it does in the world. Her public scholarship includes contributions to the Washington Post and TIME magazine, and she is the Film, Media, and Museum Reviews section editor for the Journal of Sport History. Her current book expands an understanding of the revolt of the black athlete into the 1980s. She is also a part of a broader community of scholars working on campus to learn more about, implement, and assess inclusive teaching pedagogies. 

Dr. Kate Knutson began her Gustavus career in the Political Science department in 2005. Kate's areas of focus are U.S. politics and public policy, and she teaches courses on public policy, interest groups, Congress, women and politics, and child welfare policy. She is the recipient of the Edgar M. Carlson Award for Distinguished Teaching (2020) and the Swenson-Bunn Memorial Award for Teaching Excellence (2024). Kate’s research focuses on the role of advocacy groups in the creation of public policy. She is author of "Interfaith Advocacy: The Role of Religious Coalitions in Political Process" and a textbook, "An Introduction to U.S. Public Policy: Theory and Practice." Kate serves as the faculty advisor to Pi Sigma Alpha (the political science honor society), Building Bridges, and Proclaim.  Outside of Gustavus, Kate volunteers with Seeds of Hope, a faith-based summer camp for kids from southern Minnesota who are served by the social services system.