About the Presenters
Beckett Adams (he/him) is a People and Equity Consultant by trade and a proud activist across many causes: LGBTQIA+ rights and advocacy, animal welfare, and human rights. In addition to his work with the Diversity Institute and Stanton Adams Consulting, Beckett serves Deloitte's Purpose and DEI Office with a background in Human Capital and DEI Consulting. He brings 3+ years of Human Resources experience in the Energy, Resource & Industrial industry in stride. Beckett also works as the Administrative Specialist for TIGERRS ( Transgender, Intersex, Gender-Expansive Revolutionary Resources & Services), a nonhierarchical collective dedicated to delivering programs and resources that build solidarity and safety among transgender, intersex, and gender-expansive Minnesotans, and sits on the Board of Directors for his partner's organization, Minnesota Greyhound Rescue.
Katy Armendariz, MSW, LICSW, is a local social worker from the Twin Cities who fiercely engages in community-based advocacy and provides culturally responsive care to the community from a harm-reduction lens, somatic, de-westernized lens. She is on the NASW-Minnesota Board of Directors, and is Founder and President at Roots Wellness Center. She is passionate about creating grassroots, innovative programs that address community gaps, and filling the need for culturally-humble, trauma-informed care.
Dustin Hilliard, JD, works as a Staff Attorney in the Housing Unit at Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid. He is licensed to practice law in the state of Minnesota and in federal courts. He's represented hundreds of Hennepin and Anoka county tenants in evictions, repair cases, disputes with subsidy providers, and protective orders. He spent his entire legal career providing free legal services to clients through civil legal aid organizations.
Miriam Itzkowitz, MSW, LICSW, is the Director of Trauma-Informed Care at the Institute to Transform Child Protection, where she develops and provides training on best practices at the intersection of legal services and trauma-responsive care. She also serves as the social work supervisor for graduate social work who complete their field work in the Institute’s interdisciplinary team. Miriam is also a therapist in private practice where she works with individuals and couples to sustain authentic identifies, cope with difficulties, and overcome trauma. Prior to joining the team at the Institute, Miriam was a faculty member at the University of St. Thomas School of Social Work where she remains an adjunct professor.
Jill Kehaulani (Kay-HOW-La-Knee) Esch is Native Hawaiian and was born and raised in Hawaii. She is a graduate of the University of Hawaii at Manoa. She and her husband moved from Hawaii to Minnesota in 2000 so that she could attend William Mitchell College of Law, now known as Mitchell Hamline School of Law. In 2013, she was appointed the Ombudsperson for AMERICAN INDIAN Families, and then reappointed in 2021 when the new agency was created by the Minnesota Legislature. Previously, she worked in a small Hawaii law firm for 24 years; after law school she was a judicial law clerk to Judge John Q. McShane and an associate attorney in Duluth for several years. She is an active member of the National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA); in 2017, she received its Member of the Year Award. She has been an active member of the Minnesota American Indian Bar Association since 2000 when she was in law school and later served on the Board once she became an attorney. Since 2017, she has served as Co-Chair of the Children and Families chapter for the United States Ombudsman Association and is an Ex-Officio Member of the Board.
Katie Olson, JD, is the Director of Training with the Institute to Transform Child Protection, where she develops and implements training focused on trauma prevention, mandatory reporting, strength-based advocacy, and collaboration in the legal system. Her work and research focus on prevention and intervention prior to child protection involvement. Katie serves as an adjunct faculty member, teaching law school courses related to trauma-responsive lawyering and the constitutional rights of children and parents. She is a qualified mediator and has completed training in Restorative Leadership. Katie represented children in the child welfare cases for over ten years and was also maltreatment investigator for the Minnesota Department of Education. Her work in child welfare has allowed her to view the child protection system and mandatory reporting from various professional perspectives, noting its complexities and nuances.
Beth Ringer (she/her), MSW, LGSW, is the Executive Director of the Minnesota Social Service Association. Beth has worked in nonprofits in Minnesota for over 10 years, and she has professional experience in outreach, nonprofit management, and community organizing. Prior to working with MSSA, Beth was the Director of Community Outreach and Engagement with NAMI Minnesota.
Michelle SanCartier (she/her), MSW, MPH, is the Director of Public Policy and Advocacy with the Minnesota Social Service Association. Michelle has worked in the health and human services field for over 10 years and has professional experience in policy analysis and development, legislative advocacy, grassroots engagement, project management, and research. Prior to working with MSSA, Michelle was a Health Policy Analyst at Be The Match, where she served as the state policy lead. Michelle holds a Master’s degree in Public Health and a Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Minnesota.
Sara Stamschror-Lott (she/her), MA, LMFT, co-founded Creative Kuponya in 2017 to provide therapy without the barriers of forced diagnosis. After losing their offices in the civil unrest following the murder of George Floyd, they developed their theory of Transformative Community Healing and began the BIPOC Therapy Fund to provide therapy without barriers. Sara’s work has been featured in The New York Times and USAToday.
Cecilica Stanton Adams, MA, currently serves as the CEO for the Diversity Institute, founded in 2010 by her and her wife, Malissa Adams, in response to the need for research, coaching, and training. Cecilia is a visionary leader who is revolutioning the field of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). With 20 years of experience as a strategic DEI expert, she is a renowned trainer and award-winning researcher in unconscious bias. Her unique approach to leadership development and DEI efforts have been instrumental in fostering paradigm shifts and empowering individuals, teams, and communities. With first-hand experience in navigating the challenges of the changing workplace, she is a powerful voice for change and resilience. Her passion for transformational leadership is contagious, and her ability to inspire and empower others is unmatched.
Janet Yeats, MA LMFT is the Metro/Southeast Regional Behavioral Health Coordinator at the MN Department of Health. She is a licensed marriage and family therapist from Minneapolis, MN. Janet earned a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy at Bethel University, and a second master’s degree in family social science from the University of Minnesota. Janet is a trauma, grief and loss specialist, and provides consultation on PTSD, ambiguous loss, and self-care. She is a member of the MN Medical Reserve and has served as a disaster responder for over 15 years. Janet has published multiple peer-reviewed articles on grief, ambiguous loss, and hoarding disorder.