Benjamin Vargo Email & Phone Number

United States

Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States

Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States

Propelled growth by identifying and empathizing with target audiences using mixed methodologies Collaborated with client teams to define direction, build roadmaps for success, and inspire actionClients: Tommy John, Northern Tool + Equipment, Securian Financial, Pet Valu

Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul Area

Conducted and distilled consumer and secondary researchProduced brand identities, value stories and contentPlanned product launches and engagement campaignsSolved problems through cross-discipline collaborationClients: Boston Scientific, Medtronic, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Optum, Further, Wells Fargo, U.S. Bank, Elavon, Northwestern Mutual, Wolters Kluwer, Stinson LLC, Joyya, Spave, Ryan Companies, Facebook

Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul Area

- Junior Strategist, May 2018 - November 2019- Strategy Intern, March 2018 - April 2018- Research Intern, November 2017 - February 2018

Saint Paul, Minnesota

I used GIS software to measure the outcomes of Met Council programs against our KPIs, ultimately resulting in data-driven insights that guided our efforts to maximize mission impact. My responsibilities included: - Designing and implementing a new Environmental Justice screening process - Creating maps and visualizations that inform the public about our work and our organizational needs, with the goal of building public support for Met Council initiatives. - Analyzing how our resources have historically been allocated across city neighborhoods - Anticipating where our activities may impact households with limited English proficiency

St. Paul, Minnesota

Created compelling data visualizations and infographics that demonstrate the NEC's impact to policy makers, stakeholders, and investors in the Twin Cities. Secondly, I provided crucial spatial analytics that bolster the NEC's understanding of their customer base and highlight neighborhoods that could benefit further from the NEC's programs.

St. Paul, Minnesota

Enabled students with varying levels of mapping experience to learn and succeed in Macalester’s GIS Lab. This required an ability to clearly communicate technical jargon to inexperienced users, an expert knowledge of ArcGIS software and techniques, and most importantly, empathy and an eagerness to help others succeed. Ultimately, my success in this position came from my ability to foster an environment that rewards creativity, promotes learning through mistakes, and celebrates diversity in all shapes and forms.

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Consulted with a local nonprofit housing developer to revitalize their efforts to create and sustain the Hawthorne EcoVillage, an urban ecovillage meant to be affordable, inclusive, and vibrant. My two partners and I developed a multifaceted approach to this challenge that included the following projects: • Planned and oversaw the neighborhood-wide Green Fairs – events aimed to educate the residents about recycling, composting, and hazardous chemical materials with support from the City of Minneapolis, Habitat for Humanity, and local community solar garden providers. • Created a branded identity for the Ecovillage by designing public-facing, large-scale signage to delineate the Ecovillage boundary, with the intention of increasing the community's sense of place. • Developed and executed multiple small-scale place-making projects meant to increase participation in communal gardening and otherwise increase residents' sense of ownership in their neighborhood. • Surveyed residents of the Hawthorne EcoVillage to identify the needs and wants of the neighborhood. • Created a portfolio of unique projects focusing on communal cohesion and sustainability learning for PPL to implement in the future.

Oslo, Norway

Worked to cultivate a safe and rewarding after-school space for refugee and migrant youth in Oslo Norway. Focused on helping them develop healthy relationships with peers and achieve academic success by offering tutoring and English immersion.

St. Paul, Minnesota

Supported GFCDC's mission to offer fair and equitable housing to all by leading site suitability analyses for housing projects, and researching the structure of affordable mortgage loans. These responsibilities forced me to confront unique challenges, from locating food deserts in St. Paul to determining best practices for creating a Sharia-compliant mortgage loan program.

Bachelor Of Arts (B.A.), Geography, Urban Studies, With Honors

Relevant Coursework: Advanced Cartography and Geovisualization, Architecture + Circumstance + Sustainability, Geography of World.

International Relations And Affairs

Lived Oslo for four months, studying the rise of the Norwegian welfare state and the real and perceived challenges it faces in an age.