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Craig Helmstetter

Craig Helmstetter

Meet Craig Helmstetter

Craig Helmstetter is the founding managing partner of the APM Research Lab, MPR | APM’s data journalism hub. He is a frequent contributor to MPR News on everything from public health and demographics to elections and public opinion.  

Since founding the APM Research Lab in 2017, the Lab has conducted analyses that have been cited thousands of times in local​, state, national and international news outlets, as well as established partnerships with universities and a variety of newsroom collaborations.   

Before joining MPR | APM, Craig led a research unit at St. Paul's Amherst H. Wilder Foundation, worked as an evaluator with Minnesota's Legislative Auditor's Office and as a project coordinator at a survey research center.   

After graduating from high school in Hastings and getting a bachelor’s degree at Luther College, Craig earned a master's degree in community and regional planning and a doctorate in sociology from the University of Oregon.  

Craig loves skiing, running and biking. Theodore Wirth Park, which offers all these and more, is his favorite local​ haunt.   

You can find Craig Helmstetter on LinkedIn, Threads and Bluesky​.