Lara Griffin is the founder of Grounded Practice Consulting, LLC, a Minneapolis-based consulting firm that specializes in work with youth-work professionals seeking to do meaningful work in the world. Lara provides customized support to youth-serving organizations to feel grounded in their values and connected to structures that support their work. The primary services of Grounded Practice include: data and evaluation, …
Carolyn Kinzel, MSHS, is the Founder and President of Brighter Days Family Grief Center, the first family-focused nonprofit grief center serving the state of Minnesota. Bringing her personal grief experiences to the forefront, Carolyn formed an unparalleled model of care for Brighter Days that addresses the logistical, psychosocial and financial aspects of grief illuminated by the death of a family …
Abby Neisen (they/them) graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Women and Gender Studies with minors in Spanish, and Human Development and Family Sciences from North Dakota State University. They are passionate about building encouraging and supportive relationships with youth to help further these passions and make a difference in the development of the LGBTQIA+ community. As the Program and …
Michelle Kissinger (she/her), PhD, is the founder of [ree-sheyp] your story, LLC, an art-based consultancy focused on at-risk youth and youth-serving organizations. She helps organizations transform art programming to support the development of young people. She also helps clients deploy the arts to nurture the growth and wellness of their valued team members. Michelle is a seasoned management and organizational …
Carly Hiti is the Safe Harbor Youth Advocate at the Program for Aid to Victims of Sexual Assault (PAVSA) in Duluth, MN. In her current role, Carly provides supportive services to youth across four counties who have experienced sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, and/or sex trafficking. Prior to this role, she worked with homeless and runaway youth in a shelter setting …
Ann Gaasch has provided leadership in community and national family service initiatives for more than 25 years now. In honor of her decades of dedication to helping children and parents transition from healing to thriving, she was invited by Alia Innovations/IDEO as a 10 of 10 for Kids Innovator to redesign national child welfare practices. Her extensive experience includes program …
Julie Richards brings nearly 20 years of leadership, curriculum design, staff training/development, and program implementation through evaluation to conversations rooted in equitable family and youth development. Professional experiences across juvenile justice, children’s mental health, and public and private education, have given Julie the comprehensive lens necessary to help organizations create equitable and sustainable programming. She holds a bachelor’s degree from …
Briana Herman-Brand, MSW, has been working with youth and adults for 20 years to heal and transform the root causes and impacts of trauma and oppression. Through training, facilitation, and coaching she supports individuals and communities to build skills at the intersections of healing and justice. She is a Lead Teacher with Generative Somatics, conducting courses nationally on trauma healing …
Melody A. Hime, MAE, EdS, has worked with youth and families in the field of School Psychology for nearly 30 years. She completed her undergraduate degree, with a major in Psychology and a minor in German, at Mankato State University. Melody studied School Psychology, earning her Master of Arts in Education and Education Specialist Degrees from the University of Northern …
