Communications & Events Staff

Monica Wittstock is the Director of Communications for the University of Minnesota Law School. She serves as the editor-in-chief of Minnesota Law magazine, leads the communications and events team, directs external and internal communications, and oversees public and media relations for the Law School. Prior to becoming director, she served as the interim director of communications and the associate director of communications at the Law School. She holds a Master's degree in strategic communications from the University of Minnesota and a B.A. in Multidisciplinary Studies from the University of Minnesota.

Julie Longo is the Senior Manager of Visual Design & Social Media for the Law School. She has over 30 years of print and digital design expertise, visual brand management, marketing communications consultation, communications strategy, and over five years of experience closely collaborating with the Law School in her prior role as Communications Consultant and Designer at University of Minnesota Printing Services. She has a B.F.A. in Graphic Design from Iowa State University and an M.F.A. in Graphic Design with a minor in Printmaking from University of Minnesota College of Design. Julie has taught graphic design courses at MCAD and University of Minnesota, and is currently an adjunct professor at Augsburg University.

Riley Grittinger is the Senior Digital Strategist for the University of Minnesota Law School, focusing on digital content strategy & production, along with developing and analyzing key performance metrics. Connecting the law school to the wider digital infrastructure strategy at the U, Riley serves as the school's Web and Digital Accessibility Coordinator (WEDAC), and sits on the Drupal Advisory Board. He also currently serves as the co-chair of the school's Employee Engagement committee. Riley graduated from the University of Minnesota with a B.A. in political science, and an M.A. in strategic communications.

Randy Barrett is the IT Manager and Senior AV Media Producer for Minnesota Law. Prior to Minnesota Law; Randy was the acting Production Team Manager for Vermont PBS (now Vermont Public) in addition to being on air pledge talent and a seasonal news producer for South Dakota Public Broadcasting, as well as having produced news pieces for NPR, National Native News and the AP. Randy graduated from South Dakota State University with B.S. in Broadcast Journalism.

Mark Byart is an award-winning front-end web designer with more than 25 years of experience in web development across both commercial and higher education sectors. He was hired by the University's Learning Abroad Center in 2019 and joined the Law School in 2022. Originally from England, he holds a B.A. equivalent in Photography from Blackpool College and a Master's equivalent in Film & Television Production from Sheffield Hallam University.

Jason Paulson is an Classroom Technology and AV Specialist at the University of Minnesota Law School, where he supports classroom technology, communications, and media production for academic and public-facing projects. Previously, he was the Performing Arts Center Director for Waconia Public Schools, overseeing technical production, venue operations, and educational programming. He has over 20 years of experience as a recording engineer and content creator, producing award-winning music, podcasts, and video for artists, organizations, and storytellers.

Jason holds an A.A.S. in Multimedia Design from Ridgewater College, a B.S. in Educational Studies from Western Governors University, and a Master of Music in Audio Technology from Southern Utah University. He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) from Berklee School of Music

Rebecca (Bekka) Merrill is the Senior Events Manager for the University of Minnesota Law School. She has over 15 years of service to nonprofit organizations in the Twin Cities. Throughout her career, she has gained expertise in a variety of roles, starting in operations before transitioning into events, fundraising, and communications.

In addition to her professional career, Rebecca serves as board secretary for the Hennepin History Museum and her townhouse association, where she contributes her skills and insights to promote cultural preservation and local engagement. 

Rebecca holds a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from Grinnell College and a Master of Arts in Arts and Cultural Management from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota.

Mary Vang is a Digital Content Specialist with a focus on digital accessibility. She comes from a UI/UX and web design background where she’s contributed to the strategy, content, and design of websites. She has a B.S. in Business and Marketing Education and is currently working on her M.A. in Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling with a specialization in Expressive Arts Therapy at Adler Graduate School.