Rojo Andriamihaja (she/her) was born, raised, and currently lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Her involvement with social justice was fostered during college, focusing on history and comparative racism. After a year as an AmeriCorps VISTA in Minneapolis, Rojo moved into her current role of Communications and Volunteer Services Coordinator at Tubman, in 2017. Her dual roles allow creativity, connection, and the ability to continue learning and facilitating conversations around issues of diversity, equity and inclusion, and racial justice. She also supports MAVA as a trainer for their Volunteer Impact Leadership Training series and contract DEI trainings.
Danielle Brady strongly believes we are only one story away from understanding each other. In so many cases egos and judgments get in the way of listening and understanding each other. During her career, she has thoroughly enjoyed providing training on intercultural awareness, difficult conversations, poverty/privilege and trauma informed care. It is her passion to help people to better understand their own motivations and privileges, and how these affect the lens they bring to interactions, conversations and even simple observations. Danielle is trained as in yoga therapy and mindfulness; and, she brings a holistic approach to all her work.
Brittany Clausen (she/her/hers) is the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Program Manager at the Minnesota Alliance for Volunteer Advancement (MAVA). Her work is focused on learning how to address systemic inequities in volunteer engagement systems to better engage communities of color as volunteers at nonprofit and government organizations. Brittany is a Social Change Agent and has defined her success by implementing equitable practices within organizations around the Twin Cities since 2013. Brittany holds a BA in Psychology from Saint Catherine University. She is currently pursuing her Master of Social Work degree from Saint Catherine University. In contributing to equitable practices amongst the communities, she currently serves on the National Association of Social Work- Twin Cities Chapter Racial Justice Subcommittee.
Jazlin Coley is the Director of Equity and Inclusion at Drake University. Prior to moving into this role, she served as the Service Coordinator of Equity and Inclusion in the Office of Community Engaged Learning through the AmeriCorps program for two terms. She holds a B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communications from Drake, along with a minor in Psychology and a concentration in Leadership. In her previous role, she spent most of her time researching and implementing common practices of diversity, equity, and inclusion in community engagement efforts. Jazlin is the primary staff person leading and facilitating Drake University's Crew Scholars and Flight programs. She also supports other diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts off-campus in local high schools.
Jackie Crow Shoe (Kkiitoos aakii) is an enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band in North Dakota. She currently serves as a Policy Associate II with the University of Southern Maine (USM), including Managing Director for the Capacity Building Center for Tribes. Previously, Jackie worked as an Independent Consultant as well as a Program Consultant for Minnesota’s Department of Human Services (DHS). In this role, Jackie assisted 87 counties and partnered with the 11 Mn Tribes in the areas of Indian Child Welfare, Child Welfare Reform and served as a Management Analyst for MN DHS, Office of Indian Policy.
Donte Curtis is the Owner/Leader of Catch Your Dream Consulting where he keynotes, consults with, and trains individuals, teams, and organizations, nationwide, on leadership development, racial equity, Inclusion, and supports them to create practical change. Donte currently serves on the Board of Directors at Social Enterprise Alliance Twin Cities and Youthprise, where he is a co-chair of the program investment committee. With over 12 years of facilitation and speaking experience, Donte is adept at fostering the collective wisdom in the room and engaging audiences in multiple ways. Probably one of the most energetic people you will ever meet, Donte lives a life that is dedicated to leadership, social justice and liberation. Donte resides in Saint Paul, Minnesota with his fiancé´, Rachel and two dogs, King and Moose.
Holly Daniels is a Millennial who's finally finding her groove in the field of volunteer engagement. In the past five years she earned her MFA in Nonfiction Creative Writing, worked as a Volunteer Coordinator, and recently she joined MAVA's staff as their Greater MN Program Manager. She loves talking about the differences that make a difference when it comes to recruiting and retaining volunteers.
Kaitlin Desselle (she/her) is Director of Client Support & Development and brings over 10 years of inclusive leadership experience and business innovation to SDI. With a strong corporate background in crisis and change management, she is passionate about building empowered teams and organizational cultures that interrupt systems of oppression and marginalization. Kaitlin serves as a Diversity Educator and on the Chancellor’s Commission for LGBTQ People at the University of Tennessee, where she earned a Masters degree in Educational Psychology with a research focus in Critical HROD and Queer Empowerment. Her approach to social justice work balances reformist activism with mindfulness and emotional intelligence.
Breauna Dorelus is the Founder and Chief Cause Consultant at Connecting the Cause, a consultancy dedicated to identifying and uprooting harmful volunteer practices implemented by nonprofits and volunteers specifically towards Black and brown communities. Breauna believes in community inclusion in all aspects of the volunteer process and has dedicated her work to ensure that service is centered around helping and not harming. Starting her decade-plus stint in the nonprofit sector as an AmeriCorps member, she has continuously held positions in leading volunteers, creating programming, and spearheading community initiatives in the areas of humanitarian aid, refugee resettlement, and ministry. She received her Bachelor’s degree in International Studies from Georgia Southern University, and her master’s in Public Administration with a concentration in Nonprofit Management from Georgia State University (Summa Cum Laude). In her free time, you can find her trying to find the best hot chocolate, taking mini-adventures with her husband and daughter Arteese and going to thrift stores trying to find the latest deals.
Rosie Drumgoole is the Chief Program Officer at Chicago Cares. A dynamic and charismatic leader, Rosie has been in the volunteer engagement world for well over a decade. Rosie leads the programs team which mobilizes volunteers and catalyzes change by promoting diverse civic engagement and equips civic leaders while helping local communities, nonprofits, and corporations alike meet their strategic goals. As an executive leader Rosie has helped the organization navigate its way through the COVID-19 crisis while continuing to diversify its programmatic impact. Rosie currently serves on the board of Directors of Deborah’s Place. Deborah’s Place mission is to support women who have experienced homelessness in Chicago.
Idelle Erickson is Project Manager and Executive Assistant to the CEO and COO at Girl Scouts River Valleys, providing mission-driven project management, executive and board support, and leadership in areas of policies and procedures, DEIA/RJ, communications, meeting production, and operations. A Girl Scout alum herself, Idelle takes pride in developing the systems and resources that help provide unparalleled opportunities and experiences to girls. Idelle lives in St. Paul with her wife and their 2-year-old border collie and senior cat and spends her spare time on outdoor adventures or honing her skills as a living room musician and aspiring home barista.
Jaylani Hussein is currently the executive director of the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MN). Hussein worked as the Community Liaison Officer at Metro State University and as a Planner for the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. In 2013, he created Zeila Consultants to develop and offer cross-cultural training workshops on East African cultures. Hussein has presented on the Somali Culture to diverse public and private organizations across the US. He specializes in the areas of urban planning, community development, youth development (with over 8 years’ experience in working in juvenile treatment centers for court adjudicated youth), legal and civil rights.
Paul Johnson is the founder of Proactivism, a social business that helps white-identifying individuals stay actively and meaningfully engaged in anti-racism work through coaching and training. He also is the co-host of the podcast The Modern White Man, which explores the roles white men can play in racial and gender equity work. Basically, he is passionate about galvanizing white folks to be a part of the solution to end systemic racism and white supremacy. Paul lives in Minneapolis with his partner, Bailey, and their one-year-old, Mirae.
Renee Sedlacek Lee has spent her career supporting the development of service-learning and co-curricular service programs at small private liberal arts institutions. Prior to joining the Drake University staff in 2013, she served as the Service-Learning Coordinator at Wartburg College and as an Iowa Campus Compact AmeriCorps*VISTA at Central College. Renee received her B.A. from Central College in Sociology and Psychology and her M.A. from the University of Northern Iowa in Post Secondary Education: Student Affairs, and is currently a Ph.D. in Education candidate at Drake University. Sedlacek Lee lives near Des Moines, IA where she enjoys the many bike trails and spending time with her husband and daughter.
Linda Lelis-Her is a writer-poet and community organizer. Her work and relationships are shaped by her lived experiences as a 2nd generation, Hmong American, queer-feminist. Linda was born and raised in St. Paul, Minnesota. She is the Executive Director of Asian American Organizing Project (AAOP), a grassroots organization led by and for youth and young Asian Minnesotans with a focus on civic engagement, community organizing and leadership development.
Hayat Mohamed began her work in Volunteer Services through the English Learning Center coordinating and later manager of the volunteer program. The English Learning Center primarily focuses teaching basic English to adult learners and the teaching is entirely done by volunteers! Hayat is a huge advocate for representation in volunteerism especially considering the strong need in today's society. Working with adult learners, she sees representation to be extremely necessary in shaping the success of students and she is always looking for ways to make this possible. Aside from her career in Volunteer Services, Hayat is a new mom of one, a community advocate and a lover of all things Ice Cream all-season!
Stefanie Munsterman-Scriven (she/her) serves as the Executive Director of the Cedar Rapids Civil Rights Commission, an agency that works to eliminate discrimination and increase equity. She leads the strategic direction, operations, and community engagement. She serves on several boards, including the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights – Iowa Advisory Board; President of the ACLU of Iowa; and volunteers as a sexual assault advocate. She holds a Master of Business Administration; a Master of Strategic Leadership; and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. Stefanie is passionate about equity and human rights and believes it is our responsibility to work towards building a community of belonging.
Brian Orellana (he/him) is a current first-generation sophomore at Drake University studying secondary education and math education with endorsements in math 5-12 and talented and gifted. He is the current Community Engagement Peer for Equity and Inclusion through Drake’s Office of Community Engaged Learning, where he spends his time giving presentations about the importance of diversity in service and provides opportunities for local youth non-profits to expose their students to higher education. Brian served his first year at Drake as an AmeriCorps Member with the Engaged Citizen Corps where he was placed with the Center for Social Ministry to provide social justice education.
Rob Pabon is an accomplished community advocate and non-profit leader who has dedicated his life and career to creating opportunities for and centering folks at the margins. Currently, Rob serves as the Manager of Civic and Community Relations where, since 2016, he has successfully created and implemented innovative pathways for volunteers across Chicagoland to become more civically engaged. He also serves on the organizations equity task force, where he and others have diligently worked to transform the culture of the organization. Rob has also committed himself to deepening his civic engagement by serving as a City Council member in Berwyn, IL. His mission is to broaden the civic ecosystem and center equity.
Anne Phibbs (she/her) is Founder and President of Strategic Diversity Initiatives and has extensive experience in training, teaching, curriculum development, and training of trainers, delivering workshops and classes to participants in corporate, government, higher education, nonprofit, healthcare, and faith community settings. Anne served as Director of Education in the Office for Equity and Diversity at the University of Minnesota, where she built a successful diversity and inclusion leadership program with a focus on emotional intelligence (EQ). Anne is an EQ Practitioner certified in the EQ-i2.0 and EQ360 method. Anne earned her PhD in Philosophy and Feminist Studies from the University of Minnesota.
Channel Powe has been a champion for communities, public schools, families and children for over a decade. She stands in the gap of racial inequities by using her experience, knowledge and influence to create equitable policies and strategy. Ms. Powe’s work as an equity activist began as a child advocate in Detroit, Michigan which led to the City of Phoenix and Maricopa County appointments to boards and commissions. She served two consecutive terms on the Balsz Elementary School District Governing Board with her term in December 2020. In 2015, the Arizona School Board Association named Channel Powe Advocate of the Year. Currently Ms. Powe is an education, political and equity consultant. She's a keynote speaker, Progressive Governance Academy Lead Trainer, and Desert Botanical Garden Monarch Council member. Channel Powe’s vision and expertise in empowering and training those who seek systemic, universal change is invaluable.
Polly Roach is the Program Manager at the Minnesota Alliance for Volunteer Advancement (MAVA), supporting its Service Enterprise Initiative, a holistic change management process designed to help organizations strategically deploy volunteer talent to better achieve their missions. Polly has worked in the volunteer engagement field for over 30 years, primarily in youth development. Before joining MAVA’s staff in 2018, she served on its Board of Directors, chairing the Strategic Services Committee. She received MAVA’s Mary Wiser Award for Leadership in the Field of Volunteer Resources in 2011. Polly holds a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Minnesota.
Corina Sadler is the Volunteer Resources Supervisor at the City of Plano, Texas. Her work includes supervising their municipal volunteer program of up to 10,000 volunteers a year. Her career spans 16 years in local government and committee work for professional volunteer management associations. Corina has been featured speaker on several podcasts and has trained volunteer managers through virtual workshops and in-person presentations. Ms. Sadler holds numerous certificates in the fields of volunteer and nonprofit management along with a Bachelors Degree from the University of North Texas. She has been a Certified Volunteer Administrator (CVA) since 2012.
Susan Sanow, CVA, is the Senior Manager for Special Projects and Training at Volunteer Fairfax (Fairfax, Virginia). She leads the volunteer management educational programming including webinars, roundtables and a new 9-month community engagement cohort discussion group. Susan is an experienced meeting facilitator and trainer in nonprofit management and volunteer management. She has presented educational programs in the local area, statewide conferences and at national meetings. Susan holds a B.S. in Consumer-Community Services from Michigan State University. She became a Certified Volunteer Administrator (CVA) in 2020 and joined the board of the Northern Virginia Association of Volunteer Administrators in 2021.
Brandon Schorsch joined JCA in January 2020 after several years of working on progressive electoral politics in the Twin Cities. Having seen multiple childhood friends become radicalized online, Brandon has been researching hate for many years prior to working on JCA's Combating Antisemitism and White Nationalism campaign. Since 2020, much of Brandon's work has been focused on the Communities Combating Hate coalition, an effort of 16 organizations pushing for non-carceral policy solutions to address hate. Outside of the coalition he has developed/co-developed numerous trainings examining contemporary antisemitism's origins, mechanisms, motivations and intersections with other forms of marginalization and oppression. Brandon is currently finishing a Masters of Public Policy at the University of Minnesota's Humphrey School of Public Affairs, specializing in Elections Admin.
Ben Sereda (they/them) has been in the non-profit sector for the past seven years in multiple capacities. They have done volunteer management and coordination for several types of volunteering. During their experience, they have received training in peace circle-keeping through Precious Blood Ministries in Chicago and anti-oppression training through the National SEED Project in Philadelphia. Currently, Ben sits on MANNA’s DEAI Committee. In this role, they collaborate with colleagues to create procedures that make MANNA’s commitment to DEAI actionable. Personally and professionally, Ben has been transitioning for the past three years. They appreciate the love and support during so.
Jen Thorson is the Chief Operating Officer for Girl Scouts River Valleys, which serves more than 20,000 girls and 10,000 adults. In this role, Jen is responsible for program and mission delivery; girl recruitment; volunteer recruitment, training, and management; customer service; marketing and communications; and the iconic Girl Scout Cookie Program. Jen serves on the boards of Leaders of Today and Tomorrow and the Blueprint Foundation. She also serves on the City of St. Paul Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission. Jen lives in St. Paul with her husband and son. Her oldest son attends the University of Montana.
Wendy Vang-Roberts (she/her) is the Training Director at the Minnesota Alliance for Volunteer Advancement (MAVA). Prior to joining the MAVA staff, Wendy served on MAVA's Inclusive Volunteerism Task Force and provided training on inclusive volunteer recruitment. She has worked in a variety of student, volunteer and national service outreach and recruitment roles. She most recently managed volunteer and adult learner outreach, coordinated support and professional development for volunteer coordinators and facilitated racial justice trainings for staff and volunteers at Adult Basic Education organizations statewide. Wendy holds a Master of Public and Nonprofit Administration from Metropolitan State University, and serves on the Antiracism Study Dialogue Circles (ASDIC) Metamorphosis Board and Marketing Committee and Asian American Organizing Project (AAOP) Board.