Date: Friday, Sept. 25, 8:30-9:45am
Location: Blake campus, Dining Commons

The reunion edition of Breakfast at Blake featured our 2026 Outstanding Alumna Award recipient Amy Bergquist ʼ86. This year’s Jenny Stephens Hagen Spirit Award recipient John Brooks '71 was also recognized.

Bergquist is associate program director of the International Justice Program at The Advocates for Human Rights, a nonprofit that represents people in the Upper Midwest who are seeking asylum, detained by immigration, unaccompanied children or trafficking victims. In her role, Bergquist coordinates advocacy at the United Nations and with regional human rights bodies, focusing on the death penalty. She collaborates with partners in the United States and around the world to amplify their voices, leveraging the United Nations to press governments to respect, protect and fulfill human rights. She draws inspiration from the courage and creativity of The Advocates' clients and partners.

Bergquist clerked for the Honorable Ruth Bader Ginsburg, associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, the Honorable William A. Fletcher of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and the Honorable John R. Tunheim, district judge of the District of Minnesota. She was an associate at Faegre & Benson, LLP. While in law school, Bergquist served as editor-in-chief of the Minnesota Law Review. Before attending law school, she worked for 11 years at Minneapolis South High School, where she taught social studies and Russian and coached debate and speech.

Bergquist received her law degree summa cum laude from the University of Minnesota Law School, graduating order of the coif and receiving the William B. Lockhart Award for Excellence in Scholarship, Leadership and Service. She graduated magna cum laude from Amherst College with a degree in political science and received her teaching certification through Macalester College.

Bergquist represents The Advocates on the Steering Committee of the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty and chairs the Coalition's World Day Against the Death Penalty working group. Since 2014, she has served as a commissioner on the Minneapolis Commission on Civil Rights.