Our Leaders:
Donna Minter, PhD, Licensed Psychologist
Founder & Executive Director She/Her (Why we list pronouns) Raised in a historic peace and social justice faith tradition, Donna has always had a passion to find practical ways to build peace within her spheres of influence when terrible things have happened. After taking the Strategies for Trauma Awareness and Resilience (STAR) Training at the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding in Harrisonburg, VA in October 2008, she realized that STAR's principles perfectly integrate her professional background and personal commitment to teach how to transform psychological trauma into nonviolent power with positive, productive alternatives to revenge. She envisioned teaching STAR and other peacebuilding trainings via grassroots community-based trainings that are accessible to laypersons as well as professionals for continuing education in Minnesota and beyond. This vision is Making Minnesota the peacebuilding power state for all by preparing Minnesotans for truth, reconciliation, and reparations. She has degrees in social work, educational psychology, outdoor recreation, and earned her doctorate in clinical psychology in 1995. She completed her postdoctoral training in neuropsychology at the University of Minnesota Medical School in 1997. She sees the full spectrum of psychological trauma in her work as a neuropsychologist and when conducting court-ordered psychological evaluations in Minnesota and Wisconsin. She has taught university level individual and organizational assessment and evaluation and supervised law students and psychiatric residents and fellows. Donna is the founder and executive director of the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization the Minnesota Peacebuilding Leadership Institute (aka Peacebuilding). She is committed to its mission to instigate, train, and support racially, culturally, ethnically, religiously, and economically diverse individuals and organizations to become trauma-informed, resilience-oriented, and restorative justice-focused, empowering communities in Minnesota, the USA, and around the world. She is a Certified STAR Trainer with national and international experience, and a STAR-Lite, Resilience 101, and Restorative Justice 101 Trainer. She develops and facilitates custom trainings for corporation and organization staff development. She conducts organizational evaluations to assess their capacity to provide trauma-informed, resilience-oriented, and restorative justice-focused care to clients and staff. 
Crixell Shell, MS
Assistant Executive Director Peacebuilding Trainer Coming to the Table Racial Talking Circle Facilitator She/Her (Why we list pronouns) In 2020, Crixell assumed the position of Assistant Executive Director. Crixell is a legal, technology and higher educational professional who holds a Master of Software Systems degree from the University of St. Thomas, a Bachelor of Science degree in Paralegal Studies from Southern Illinois University, and is a Rule 114 Community Mediator. She graduated from the STAR Training in 2010 and has been passionate about sharing STAR with others since then. In 2013 she attended the STAR Level II Training at the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding and the Restorative Justice 101 Training in 2014. She is a charter member of Peacebuilding's Community Advisory Board. In June 2013 she become a Peacebuilding Associate Trainer. She facilitates the free monthly Minnesota Peacebuilding Film Series and Coming to the Table program. Staff & Trainers
Gemma Eissa
Communications Coordinator She/Her (Why we list pronouns) Gemma comes to Peacebuilding with a background in communications, development, and conducting trainings. Her previous work with nonprofits has focused on reproductive justice, housing justice, the intersections of the immigration and criminal justice systems, voter engagement, education and literacy, and more. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies from the University of Minnesota. 
Taylor Wicklund
Data Analysis and Marketing Coordinator She/Her (Why we list pronouns) Taylor joins Peacebuilding with a background in movement building, nonprofit development, and social research. Inspired by traditions of transformation and community co-creation, she came to trauma-informed justice work through her studies in critical race theory and human geography. Taylor’s past work has included growing the Dementia Friends initiative in Minnesota, and assessing the impacts of agricultural financialization on farmers and the land in Southern Minnesota. Taylor is an alumna of Quaker Voluntary Service where she focused on development within the intersections of transformational spirituality and activism. She earned her bachelor’s in Geography and Political Science with a concentration in Peace, Justice, and Conflict Studies from Gustavus Adolphus College. 
Judy Pilz, MSW, LICSW
Certified STAR Trainer, Associate Peacebuilding Trainer She/Her (Why we list pronouns) Judy works in public health at Hennepin County and has expertise in social services and child welfare. She has a bachelor's degree in political science and German and Master of Social Work degree from the University of Minnesota. She graduated from STAR in June 2012 and found it to be a paradigm shift from traditional social services perspectives. She graduated from the STAR Level II Training at the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding in 2012 and the Restorative Justice 101 in 2014. She became an Associate Peacebuilding Trainer in 2014 and a certified STAR Trainer in 2017. 
Michele Braley, MSW, LICSW
Restorative Justice 101 Trainer She/Her (Why we list pronouns) Michele is the Program Director of the Seward Longfellow Restorative Justice Partnership in Minneapolis. She is a trained facilitator for restorative conferences with youth and victim offender dialogues in crimes of severe violence. She is an Adjunct Professor, School of Social Work, St. Catherine University and University of St. Thomas. Board of Directors
Emily Myers Hunt
Board Chair She/Her/They/Them (Why we list pronouns) Emily has extensive advocacy and engagement experience, helping address barriers in traumatized communities: civil rights, voting rights, education, LGBTQIA+, people with disabilities, and people experiencing homelessness. Emily holds an MA in English and is a graduate student in nonprofit leadership, with focuses on education, advocacy, and communications. Emily joined the Peacebuilding board in Jan. 2017, assuming the role of Board Chair in January 2020, and is a graduate of the STAR-Lite Training. 
Nathan Jeide-Detweiler
Board Secretary He/Him (Why we list pronouns) Nathan works as a paralegal at an immigration law firm. While helping clients navigate the intricacies of the immigration system he tries to humanize people's experiences in an oftentimes inhumane system. Nathan is deeply committed to the notion that building peace always starts with strengthening communities. Throughout his professional career with Lutheran Volunteer Corps in Washington, DC and the ELCA Advocacy office he has encouraged communities to deepen their relationships and then leverage them for collective change. He studied French, Political Science, and Philosophy while at St. Olaf College and grew up in West and Southern Africa. Nathan joined Peacebuilding's board in December 2019 and is thrilled to support the work of encouraging personal transformation and societal change. 
Bruce Brunner
Board Treasurer He/Him (Why we list pronouns) Bruce is devoted to creating affordable housing solutions in Minneapolis that are just and fair for all parties. He earned a bachelor’s in Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. For 30 years, he worked in US and international business, gaining financial expertise in marketing, production, and sales. He has held executive positions at Fortune 500 companies, privately owned companies, and his own companies in the USA and Hong Kong. He has expertise with fair labor, fair trade, international business practices, leadership, administration, tax and real estate issues, accounting, and financial reporting. He has been a board director and chair for numerous nonprofit organizations. From January 2011-December 2012, he served on the Peacebuilding’s Community Advisory Committee. Since January 2013 he has been on Peacebuilding’s board. Bruce graduated from the STAR Training in 2012 and finds STAR concepts and strategies helpful and applicable in his personal and professional life to promote justice for all. 
Amanda Allen
Board Director She/Her (Why we list pronouns) Amanda has over 20 years of experience working with social service organizations across the Midwest, developing successful programs and strong financial foundations for them in times of significant transition, development, and growth. Her most recent nonprofit work was managing a national program that helps children build resiliency in response to natural disasters and other collective traumas in their communities. Amanda holds a BA in Sociology from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota and a certificate in Financial Success for Nonprofits from Cornell University; she is also a CFA Exam Level I candidate. She graduated from the STAR Training in November 2017 and joined served as Peacebuilding's Board Secretary from 2018-2020. 
Earnest Belton
Board Director He/Him (Why we list pronouns) Earnest is a United States military veteran who is a professional mediator and team builder with the State of Minnesota. He mediates disputes between labor and management, conducts hearings, and works with multiple parties to repair damaged relationships. He is a STAR-Lite graduate who is committed to making sure all of Minnesota’s minority communities have access to Peacebuilding’s trainings. Ernie enthusiastically supports Peacebuilding's mission and joined the board in January 2017. 
Sarah King
Board Director She/Her (Why we list pronouns) Sarah oversees the Restorative Justice Program at the Minnesota Department of Corrections. Sarah’s work focuses on restorative and transformative systems change, repairing harm, addressing trauma, and violence prevention. Sarah is a 2013 graduate of STAR; her experience with STAR inspired her to obtain her Master’s in Conflict Transformation with an emphasis in Restorative Justice from Eastern Mennonite University’s Center for Justice and Peacebuilding. Sarah joined Peacebuilding’s board in January 2018 and is excited to be part of an organization that thoughtfully creates positive, intersectional transformation at the personal, community, and systems levels. 
Kay Pranis
Board Director She/Her (Why we list pronouns) Kay Pranis teaches and writes about the dialogue process known as 'peacemaking circles.' Kay learned about peacemaking circles in her work in restorative justice in the mid-90s. From 1994 – 2003 Kay held the position of Restorative Justice Planner at the MN Department of Corrections, the first government position in the US related directly to the framework of restorative justice. Kay works primarily as a trainer in the peacemaking circle process. Kay has a particular interest in the use of circles to support social justice efforts addressing racial, economic, class and gender inequities. That interest includes the use of peacemaking circles to understand and respond to historical harms to groups of people. The peacemaking circle process has been a source of energy, inspiration and continuous learning for Kay for the past 20 years. 
Shelley Strohmaier
Board Director She/Her (Why we list pronouns) Shelley recently retired from an 11-year career as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. After receiving her Master’s degree in Psychology from Adler Graduate School, she began work as a therapist at the Domestic Abuse Project in Minneapolis. She later started a private practice providing therapy services to clients served by Sojourner Project. Throughout her therapy career, she worked primarily with victims of domestic abuse, employing a range of trauma informed techniques to help them heal. Prior to her career as a therapist, Shelley earned a Master’s Degree in Applied Consumer Economics from the University of Minnesota. Her 25-year career in that field included work in Marketing Research leadership positions at General Mills and Pillsbury, as well as operating her own Marking and Marketing Research consulting firm. She has taken the STAR-Lite training. Shelley looks forward to applying her work experience to supporting Peacebuilding’s mission. 
Chitra Vairavan
Board Director She/Her (Why we list pronouns) Chitra Vairavan is a contemporary dancer/choreographer and performance artist of Tamil/South Indian-American descent. She was born in Milwaukee, WI, and community-grown as an artist and cultural activist in Minneapolis, MN on occupied Dakota land. Vairavan immerses herself in both Tamil culture and progressive brown politics in the U.S. Her embodied practice and experimental process is rooted in deep listening, spatial observation, freedoms, poetry, vulnerability and ancestral memory. Her dance and artistic work have been featured throughout the Twin Cities since 2004. Vairavan’s focus is now on a BIPOC-centered creative liberation practice, in the form of her collective The Vibrants aka Womxn of Color Reimagining Ecosystems, and through her workshops and offerings. 
Becca Welna
Board Director She/Her (Why we list pronouns) Becca Welna’s work there is focused on domestic and sexual violence prevention and connecting the community to the cause via strategic communications. Prior to joining Sojourner, Becca worked as a crisis counselor at Huckleberry House, a youth shelter in San Francisco, where she received training in trauma-informed care, restorative justice and youth development. This work highlighted the need to strengthen resilience practices in young people and dismantle structures which create and uphold inequality, racism and violence. She recently went back to school for a graduate certificate in content strategy and storytelling and loves working creatively to share the “on the ground” impact stories with the larger community. Becca is also a certified yoga instructor and enjoys teaching both gentle, trauma-informed yoga to adults and playful kids/family yoga. She joined MN Peacebuilding’s board in 2020. Community Peacebuilding Ambassadors
Martha Anderson, MA
Community Peacebuilding Ambassador Martha is the Health & Wellness Coordinator for Normandale Center for Healing & Wholeness, serving older adults in Edina and surrounding communities. Her professional background includes advising positions in international education and exchanges, student affairs and program planning at higher educational institutions. She served on the Strategic Planning Committee, the Community Education Advisory Council, and the Peace Site Committee of the Minnetonka School District. She holds a Masters in International Development Education from the University of Minnesota and a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from the University of St. Thomas. She is the mother of three adolescent boys. Martha is a 2013 STAR graduate, 2014 RJ 101 graduate, and has served on the Community Advisory Board and Scholarship Committee since 2011. She is a charter member of Peacebuilding's Board and became a Community Peacebuilding Ambassador in 2015. 
Donna Arriaga
Community Peacebuilding Ambassador Donna is the Director, Nonprofit Digital Strategy at PMX Agency. She brings over ten years of experience developing and launching integrated, omni-channel marketing strategies involving social media, website, email, mobile, and SEO/SEM. Donna has developed and launched digital marketing strategies for national nonprofits, SMBs, and local organizations. She specializes in strategy, marketing technology and analytics. She served on Peacebuilding's board from 2015 - 2017. 
Kechi Bisong Duffy
Community Peacebuilding Ambassador Kechi has an extensive background in corporate retail. She has worked at Target Corporation, Supervalu, and Kellogg. She is a Category Manager for Moscoe Group that supports Target Corporation. She holds B.A. in Political Science from Tuskegee University. Kechi loves volunteering and was a volunteer track coach for a number of years for Pearl Park. Kechi has two children and in her free time likes to perform amateur comedy. She is passionate about building peace and leading by example for her kids and being part of an organization that embodies that very principle. She served on Peacebuilding's board from 2016 - 2019. 
Kirstin Burch
Community Peacebuilding Ambassador Kirstin Burch serves as the Director of the local nonprofit ZOOM House, bringing invaluable experience in business, community organizing, and culturally inclusive relationship building. Her deep passion for providing holistic support and community-driven programming has yielded developments in the areas of resident relationships and mental wellness. Kirstin holds an individualized studies B.A. from Metropolitan State University with a focus on Culturally Inclusive Approaches to Economic Advocacy and Leadership. She serves as a Community Board Member of the Blaisdell YMCA and the Governing Board of the MN Peacebuilding Leadership Institute. Additionally, she serves on the Anti-Bias Council and the Parent Advisory Council (PAC) at St. Paul’s Childhood Center in Saint Paul, MN, where she has contributed to fundraising efforts to maintain childcare for low-income families and creating an inclusive environment in the classroom. Kirstin is a native resident of St. Paul. In her free time, she enjoys sports activities, cooking, and traveling with her 3 kids. She is a 2018 STAR Training graduate and served on Peacebuilding's board from 2018-2019. 
Wokie Freeman, MBA
Community Peacebuilding Ambassador Wokie is the Assistant City Manager for the City of Brooklyn Park. She holds a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) degree and is a 2013 STAR graduate and 2014 RJ 101 graduate. Wokie is passionate about spreading STAR and other peacebuilding trainings within her Liberian community and North Minneapolis where she works. She served on Peacebuilding's board from 2014 - 2017. 
Therese Genis, MPH
Community Peacebuilding Ambassador Therese coordinates a diabetes and obesity prevention program for Latinos and Native American youth and their families at the YWCA Minneapolis. She is passionate about the YWCA’s mission to eliminate racism and empower women. Therese has her master’s degree in Environmental Public Health and a graduate certificate in Complementary and Alternative Healing Practices. Before working at the YWCA she worked at the Minnesota Department of Health in the Health Risk Assessment unit and for the University of Minnesota School of Nursing on Latino and adolescent health research. She loves to travel in her free time and as part of her studies or work. She is a certified racial justice facilitator, certified yoga teacher, and big advocate of holistic health both personally and professionally. Therese joined the Peacebuilding board in January 2017 and served as Peacebuilding's Board Chair from December 2017 to December 2019. She moved to the position of Community Ambassador in July 2020. 
Brian Hammer
Community Peacebuilding Ambassador Brian has worked for many years in international education and higher education in Vermont, Houston, Seattle, and China, with the goal of building understanding across political and metaphorical borders and challenging accepted categories of thought through experiential learning. He is also passionate about building more inclusive, equitable workplaces through active listening, allyship, and the promotion of flatter decision-making structures. Originally from Minnesota, Brian holds a Ph.D. in Geography from the University of Washington, Seattle, where his research focused on the politics of poverty, community building, and privilege. He participated in STAR-Lite training in 2020. 
Kristin Helling
Community Peacebuilding Ambassador Kristin has worked in leadership development for the last 20 years and is the founder of Monarch Leadership Consulting. Kristin has experience consulting with individual contributors to executives in areas such as leadership development, coaching, facilitation and assessment. Kristin has a Master’s in Counseling Psychology and is passionate about holding space for people both professionally and personally to have honest, authentic dialogue. Kristin has 2 daughters who, along with mom, are active in promoting social justice and educational issues. In her spare time, you can find Kristin with her girls up north enjoying time by the lake. 
Christopher O. Mendez
Community Peacebuilding Ambassador Christopher O. Mendez is young professional in the field of conflict resolution and restorative practices. His academic and professional backgrounds are as diverse as they come. His professional experiences range from naval military security, retail management, higher educational editing, writing instruction and training, international manufacturing management, middle/high school instruction (private-school setting), higher education academic affairs, refugee case management for trauma-informed minors, and program development and implementation in mediation and restorative practices. He received his bachelor’s degree from Florida Atlantic University in Social Psychology. He completed his Master's and Doctoral degrees, in Conflict Analysis and Resolution, at the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Nova Southeastern University. Though trained in a variety of methods of conflict resolution at most levels, Dr. Mendez’s area of interest and expertise are three: (a) group based conflicts dealing with religion, culture, nationalism; (b) in treatment of vulnerable populations during and after conflict; and (c) the use of restorative practices to in schools, courts, and communities at large. Chris is 2018 STAR graduate and a passionate supporter of Peacebuilding. 
Claire Moran, MFA
Community Peacebuilding Ambassador With a background in creative writing and non-profit work, Claire comes to Peacebuilding with an excitement to tell its story. She earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in creative writing from Minnesota State University, Mankato, and a bachelor’s degree in English from McGill University. Her previous non-profit work focused on education, children and families, and HIV/AIDS prevention and support. She was Peacebuilding's Communications Coordinator from 2017 - 2019. Claire is honored to continue supporting the mission of Peacebuilding in Minnesota as a Community Ambassador. 
Susan Murray
Community Peacebuilding Ambassador Susan is Regional Director of Tickets for Kids Charities. She holds a BS in Psychology from the University of Minnesota/Duluth. Her professional experience includes working with adolescents in residential treatment centers, writing and implementing policy, budgeting, marketing, and strategic business planning. She enjoys helping individuals and organizations maximize their full potential. Susan is a STAR-Lite graduate. She joined the Peacebuilding Board of Directors in 2014, and served as the Board Chair from 2015 - 2017. 
Jaton White
Community Peacebuilding Ambassador Jaton is an engagement consultant with the Northside Achievement Zone (NAZ) focused on family wellness. She works hand-in-hand with partners, families and scholars to understand their needs related to conflict, social-emotional, safety, and other wellness concerns. Jaton began her work at NAZ in 2012 as a family achievement coach, working to increase parent engagement and boost scholar outcomes. Through active engagement with systems, families, and scholars, she adopted a belief that when a person or system seeks healing that it should be treated as an emergency — it requires deep, intimate, and personal work and an authentic supportive team. Armed as a trained facilitator in “personal empowerment,” she is able to provide supportive, evidence-based tools to aid in the spaces that have a direct impact on Northside scholars and families. Jaton is completing her associate degree in psychology at Minneapolis College with the long-term goal of pursuing her bachelor's degree in social work. 
Yolanda Wilks
Community Peacebuilding Ambassador Yolanda works for the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) as a patrol officer and brings over ten years of experience in law enforcement and criminal justice to the board. She has been recognized on several occasions for her service with MPD, winning the Life Saving and Merits award and earning features in the Star Tribune. Yolanda recently earned her bachelor’s degree in Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice in May 2019. In 2018, she started a nonprofit called Suicide Awareness Ministries which aims to increase suicide awareness and provide services to individuals in crisis. Outside of her work as a police officer, Yolanda is the assistant pastor at the Ark of Love and Faith Ministry in St. Paul, MN. She served on Peacebuilding’s board from spring 2019 through winter 2020. |
Community PartnersWe are grateful for community-wide support to extend Peacebuilding's mission.
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