Summit Speakers - 2024

Lang (he/him) is an award-winning journalist with over a decade of experience covering LGBTQ+ issues and in recent years their reporting has focused on trans kids and their fight for equality. Their work has appeared in major publications, including Rolling Stone, Esquire, The New York Times, Vox, The Wall Street Journal, Salon, Harper’s Bazaar, Time, The Washington Post, and the Los Angeles Times. Lang is the creator of Queer News Daily and previously served as the deputy editor for Out magazine, the news editor for Them, the LGBTQ+ correspondent for VICE, and the editor and cofounder of the literary journal In Our Words. Their industry-leading contributions to queer media have resulted in a GLAAD Media Award, 10 awards from the National Association of LGBTQ Journalists (NLGJA), and three awards from the Los Angeles Press Club, including the 2023 Online Journalist of the Year. Lang is also the first-ever recipient of the Visibility Award from the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund (TLDEF), an honor created to recognize their impactful contributions to reporting on the lives of LGBTQ+ people. Author of the best-selling book “How Trans Kids Are Surviving Hate and Finding Joy in a Turbulent Era,” Nico comes to the summit not only as our speaker and special guest, but as one stop on his 50-state book tour.

Bri Hall is a passionate advocate for housing justice, with experience working in cities such as Philadelphia, New York, and across New Jersey, as well as in North and South Dakota. She currently works at the University of North Dakota and previously oversaw the Education and Outreach grant at High Plains Fair Housing Center, where she led initiatives to expand access to safe and stable housing. In that role, she facilitated statewide panels, trainings, and task forces focused on bridging racial homeownership gaps, preventing evictions, and advancing fair housing policies. With a background in policy, community engagement, and fair housing enforcement, Bri is committed to addressing systemic barriers that prevent families, individuals, and communities from equally accessing safe and affordable homes. She believes we all benefit from building stronger, more connected communities where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

Cody Ingle (he/him)is the Senior Research & Evaluation Specialist at Lost&Found, a suicide prevention nonprofit. He serves as principal investigator of the Inclusive Care Collaborative, which works to improve health and mental health care for queer people in South Dakota and transform how systems interact with queer people. Cody is a Bloomberg Fellow and DrPH candidate at Johns Hopkins University, with a concentration in Health Equity and Social Justice and focus area of Violence Prevention. He’s has been an active advocate for 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, including organizing the state’s first Pride Parade. His work centers community voice, equity, and systems-level change.

Dr. Sturgill (he/him) is a clinical psychologist in Moorhead, MN. After receiving his Ph.D. from the University of North Dakota, he worked for a number of years in a rural clinic in Norton, Kansas. In 2011 he moved to the Fargo/Moorhead area to work in Sanford Health’s Adult Behavioral Clinic. Since 2014, after the retirement of two long-time gender specialists, he has shifted his focus to mental health services for transgender and gender diverse individuals. He works with adults, adolescents, children, and families.

Devon Dolney grew up in Kenmare and Tioga, ND, and earned a B.A. in Political Science from
MSUM in 2019 before completing law school at Mitchell Hamline in 2024. After passing the bar,
Devin joined Legal Services of North Dakota as a staff attorney in June 2025. A nonbinary parent
of a transgender child, Devin is deeply committed to LGBTQ+ advocacy, drawing on both
personal experience and professional expertise. “Queer advocacy means pushing for a future
where all people, especially queer youth, are safe, supported, and celebrated. It means
challenging harmful narratives, uplifting diverse voices, and making sure our stories are seen
and heard.”

Erin Power (she/her) is a deacon in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and is a part of
the community of St. John Lutheran Church in Fargo. With a background in outdoor ministry
and hospitality, Erin is a gatherer at her core. Her passion and joy in life and ministry is creating
spaces for transformational gatherings, authentic community, and challenging conversations,
while always tending to who is missing around the table. She loves the question “why” and her
desire to change the world is fueled by a deep call to justice and vegetarian cooking.

Hannalee(she/her) is a Planned Parenthood health educator with a passion for healthy youth development, consent education, and parent/child education. She has a background in communications, career advising, and high school education and generally loves to yap. Hannalee lives with her partner, her school aged child, 2 chickens, and a revolving door of cats/foster kittens.

Karen Pifher (she/her), Co-Owner and Consulting at Creating Community Consulting, has 15+ years of community development and facilitation experience. With lived experience as a teen parent and living in recovery, Karen is passionate about advancing health equity and creating opportunities for youth leadership in community development.

Creating Community Consulting (CCC) was founded in May 2022 and has grown to a staff of 12 serving in over 20 counties across greater MN and ND. CCC supports people serving agencies, nonprofits, and community collaborations to build capacity to create stronger communities.

Kyle Teller (she/her), PhD, is the Manager of Public Training for The Trevor Project. Kyle manages the design and facilitation of public training to promote shared understanding of life-saving LGBTQ+ knowledge and skills. Her goal is to build joyous LGBTQ+ futures through education and community connection. In previous roles, Kyle managed and facilitated educational programs for universities and nonprofit organizations. She grew up in North Dakota and received her Bachelor’s from Concordia College, Moorhead, MN. Kyle earned a PhD in English with emphasis in adult education, writing, and cultural studies from the University of Kansas.

Linda Hamann (she/her) is a cis-gender lesbian. She holds degrees in nutrition and food science,
Christian ministry, and clinical counseling/psychology. Linda is particularly interested in
contemplative practice as a form of healing and wholeness for both individuals and community.
Linda is a member of St. Mark's Lutheran Church in Fargo.

Megan Jenson (she/her), Co-Owner and Consulting at Creating Community Consulting, has 10+ years of community development and facilitation experience. As a queer community member living in Moorhead, Megan is passionate about inclusive community building for all.

Creating Community Consulting (CCC) was founded in May 2022 and has grown to a staff of 12 serving in over 20 counties across greater MN and ND. CCC supports people serving agencies, nonprofits, and community collaborations to build capacity to create stronger communities.

Michelle Walka (she/her) is an artist, spiritual director and founder of Beloved Art and Practice.
She is also a rostered minister of Word and Service (deacon) within the ELCA (Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America). As the Director of Beloved Art and Practice, Michelle leads
experiences centered in creative and contemplative practices; providing space to dwell deeply
and gently with our own beloved stories while paying attention to Loving Spirit in the midst.
Michelle finds great joy in creative practices in/with community; finding that these spaces
beautifully acknowledge our collective humanity and are a subversive and powerful act of
narrative sharing, healing, and restoration

Monica Meyer (she/they) has been leading organizing, activism, fundraising, and policy advocacy on issues of equity and justice since 1992. Her experience as Executive Director at OutFront Minnesota gave her extensive knowledge of LGBTQ issues and policies, which she now brings to her role at Gender Justice.

Shay Todd (she/her) grew up in Rugby and Minot, North Dakota, where she began her advocacy by organizing her high school’s first Day of Silence. She earned a degree in criminal justice from Minot State University and spent nine years working with at-risk youth, with a special focus on supporting LGBTQ+ youth. Inspired by her passion and mentors, Shay pursued social work at the University of North Dakota, graduating in 2025. Now with the NDHRC, she continues to champion equity and inclusion for the LGBTQ2S+ community.

Tobi Ochocki (it/its) is the winner of the 2025 Youth Leadership Award, the Secretary for the Fargo-Moorhead Gay Men's Chorus and helped raise $100,000 dollars for Southern Equalities Trans Emergency Fund.

Amanda Booher is a seasoned communications professional with over 15 years of
experience across nonprofits, higher ed, and the arts. As Communications Manager for
Audubon Great Plains, she blends strategic storytelling with a passion for conservation
and oversees outreach in North Dakota. Amanda is MBSR-certified and has led mindful
birding experiences for the past two years, helping others connect with nature and birds
through presence, curiosity, and observation. She lives in Fargo, ND, where she enjoys
biking, hiking, and birdwatching along the Red River.

Chandler Esslinger is a dedicated advocate for systemic change, specializing in anti-poverty
initiatives and community-wide strategies to improve health and well-being. As a leader in the
fight to end homelessness in the FM area, she works to align and strengthen local systems and government through evidence-based best practices, trauma-informed care, and a commitment to health equity. Chandler lives in downtown Fargo with her spouse, Claire, and their two beloved chihuahuas, Minnow and Sage.

Cody Schuler (he/him) is the ACLU of ND Advocacy Manager. As advocacy manager, Cody builds the ACLU’s public education and advocacy programs through coalition-building, leadership development, communication, and lobbying. He ensures that supporters of the ACLU of North Dakota have the tools, information, and opportunities to be effective advocates on issues like abortion rights, voting rights, criminal justice reform, and LGBTQ+ and Two Spirit rights. Prior to joining the ACLU of North Dakota, Cody served as executive director of the FM Coalition to End Homelessness, an advocacy, education, and collaboration nonprofit with a mission to prevent and end homelessness in the Fargo metro area. 

Outside of the ACLU, Cody is a commissioner for the Fargo Housing and Redevelopment Authority and serves on the boards of directors for the Fargo Downtown Neighborhood Association and The Human Family, a nonprofit with a mission to change communities through art, including the North Dakota Human Rights Art and Film Festivals and the Fargo-Moorhead LGBT Film Festival. Cody grew up in Bismarck and holds degrees from Dakota Wesleyan University and Duke University. A self-identified NPR nerd and coffee addict, Cody is usually game for a round of bar trivia and loves to get out hiking. He also enjoys cooking, kayaking, amateur mixology, and live music events.

Dani (she/her) is a graduate fellow at Prairie Action ND Institute where she focuses on reproductive and sexual health education and advocacy. PANDI hosts a monthly webinar called “Self-Managed Abortion, Safe and Supported” (SASS) which she facilitates virtually for folks all over the United States. SASS provides information on the World Health Organization’s protocols for self-managing an abortion up to 12 weeks in gestation with mifepristone + misoprostol or misoprostol alone. Through her graduate studies at the University of Florida, she is leading an evaluation project to analyze the learning outcomes and impact of SASS.

Dominic Meyers (Any/All) is an instructor of Communication Studies and the Assistant Director of Speech and Debate at Concordia College in Moorhead, MN. In the classroom, Dominic teaches identity communication. This area primarily includes gender communication and queer theory. Through this work, they ensure students have a clear understanding of who they are fundamentally, how they can affirm that identity, and how they can use that identity to make social change happen.

In their role as a rhetorical researcher, Dominic studies how identity interacts with a variety of communication mediums. This includes extensive work in video game identity formation, player-character relationships, and more. They have also researched online mediums like dating apps and the differences in expectation formation for straight and queer relationships. Their research also includes queer narrative critiques. These manuscripts primarily study the narratives and ideologies the queer community creates, perpetuates, and neglects.

Beyond the classroom, Dominic also promotes student advocacy through Speech and Debate. Dominic has coached multiple nationally awarded students and teams. Students topics range from the need for paid internship opportunities to performativity in the prison industrial complex to workplace hair policies for POC individuals. Dominic has the joy of watching students' ability to participate in the political process grow and see these very students make real changes in the world.

Dominic comes from a rural background in South Dakota and holds this part of their identity very deeply. The queer community’s political narrative has always been situated in urban centers. Yet much of the social movement for queer affirmation has been done in rural spaces. Dominic hopes to continue conducting research, teaching students, and supporting their advocacy surrounding identity and how we mobilize for resiliency, existence, and change.

Erin Pringle is a founder of the ND LGBTQ+ Summit and former board member of Dakota Outright.

Jason Grueneich is the Founder and Executive Director of Shine Bright & Live, North Dakota’s
first HIV-focused nonprofit dedicated to advancing health justice, compassion, and
empowerment. Living with HIV himself, Jason uses his voice and leadership to break down
stigma, expand education, and strengthen community engagement. He also serves as Facilitator
of the North Dakota HIV Advisory Board, guiding the state’s integrated HIV prevention and care
planning. From launching the “Shine Out Loud” HIV Speakers Bureau to championing HIV law
modernization, Jason is committed to building a healthier, more connected future for all North
Dakotans.

Katie Christensen Mineer , she/her, began her professional career teaching middle school and high school Spanish. She later pursued a master’s degree in human development and family science from NDSU. In 2012, Katie joined Planned Parenthood North Central States as an educator and later stepped into her current role as North Dakota State Director. Her professional career revolves around positive youth development, parent-child connectedness and reducing disparities for vulnerable populations. In 2022, Katie was elected to the Fargo Board of Education and currently serves as president.

Kylie Overson is an attorney/partner at Schneider Law in Grand Forks and Fargo, ND. She has served as Chairwoman of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL where she has planned and conducted meetings of the statewide policy and executive committees. She has worked to recruit, train, and support candidates to run for state and local offices. Kylie served as the District 42 State Representative in the North Dakota House of Representatives from 2012-2016.

Mariah Ralston (she/her) is the co-chair of Right to Read ND, which is a nonpartisan group of North Dakotans who work to empower citizens across the state by engaging in advocacy and education to protect the freedom to read. Mariah has also served as the ALA Chapter Councilor for the North Dakota Library Association, and as the co-chair for the NDLA LGBTQ2S+ committee. She is currently a bookmobile librarian for Burleigh County Library in Bismarck.

Megan Lass (she/her) is an Adult Services Librarian at the Fargo Public Library, where she leads a diversity-focused book club and advocates for equitable access to information for all library users. She has worked in public and academic libraries across three states and has served on collection reconsideration committees in both settings. Megan is a member of the North Dakota Library Association's Intellectual Freedom Committee and a longtime member of the League of Women Voters, where she previously served on the board.

Rev. Michael Ozaki (LMSW) is an ordained pastor in the Presbyterian Church (USA), where he’s served for over 11 years, and a licensed social worker currently with the Community Violence Intervention Center in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Earning his M.Div. at Princeton Theological Seminary and MSW from Rutgers University. His work has taken him from building community programs for children and youth with HIV/AIDS in Cape Town (South Africa), to advocating for housing and support for new Americans in Newark, NJ, to being a founding member of the LGBTQ+ Youth Summit and Youth Support Groups in State College, PA.
Michael’s work lives at the intersection of faith, justice, and healing. He believes deeply that recovery from religious trauma doesn’t stop at naming and rejecting the harm — it also lies in our power to reclaim, reform, and share a faith we choose. One that is big and beautiful enough to hold every part of who we are.

Naomi Tabassum (she/her) is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) in the state of North Dakota. She obtained her Bachelor's in Psychology from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis campus and went on to complete her Master's in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at North Dakota State University. She has also obtained EMDRIA certification in the clinical use of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) as well as completed Level 1 Training for clinical use of Internal Family Systems (IFS). She is the owner, operator, and a practicing clinician at New Story Counseling Services in Fargo, ND. Naomi's clinical focus is on gender-affirming care and trauma-informed care.

Sydney (she/her) is the Digital Communications Organizer at Prairie Action North Dakota, where she’s leading the charge on North Dakota Megaphone, a new grassroots project helping everyday North Dakotans share powerful messages in their own voices. The effort is part of a national collaboration with ProgressNow and other state-based partners, and Sydney is working to train and grow a network of volunteers who are ready to speak out online, in their communities, and beyond.

Whitney Oxendahl (she/her) is a Voter Engagement Volunteer with the League of Women Voters of North Dakota; a nonpartisan grassroots political organization working to empower voters and defend democracy.

Dr. Baer Karrington (they/them) is a genderqueer/trans femme board certified general pediatrician who focuses on adolescent and young adult health. They graduated from NYU School of Medicine and did their residency at Seattle Children's Hospital as part of the inaugural Health Equity Track. They also have their MSPH in health promotion with marginalized populations. Their research focuses on supporting transgender and gender diverse young adults who are unstably housed (https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3818-9622).

Chris Green, MSW, LICSW is an Outpatient Mental Health Professional and the manager of
Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity at Alluma. He earned his Master of Social Work degree from the
University of North Dakota before joining Alluma in 2007. Chris is trained in Trauma-Focused
Cognitive Behavior Therapy (TF-CBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy
(EMDR), Ego State Therapy, Internal Family Systems and Prolonged Exposure (PE). In addition to
seeing clients in our Crookston clinic and via telemedicine, Chris also leads the agency’s Trauma-
Informed Care work and Alluma’s Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) committee.

Dalton Erickson (he/they) is the Executive Director of the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition. They are a grassroots political and community organizer who's worked on building connections between organizations, engaging youth in the democratic process, and training people to become effective advocates. They’ve organized events ranging from protests to lectures on government, political activism, economic injustice, housing rights, reproductive rights, and LGBTQIA2S+ rights.

Dalton comes from a household of military service committed to defending this country's freedoms – which are now under threat here at home. They graduated from Grand Forks Central High School and attended Mayville State and UND before deciding to lead a life of service and began working at Northlands Rescue Mission. There they helped the unhoused on the frontlines and worked with the North Dakota Coalition for Homeless People, advocating for housing rights while organizing agency collaboration.

Today, Dalton is working on building the human rights movement in North Dakota, with particular care to protecting LGBTQIA2S+ rights that in our state.

Dayna Del Val (she/her) is a coach, speaker, writer and retreat leader who empowers individuals
to unlock their creativity, confidence and communication for meaningful impact.
Through her Audaciously Visible coaching program, Brave Middle Ground podcast and
Uninterrupted Retreats, she helps people craft compelling messages, foster understanding
and reconnect with their passions. Her work centers on bold transformation, guiding others
to find clarity, embrace authenticity and share ideas that inspire change. Read more about Dana: https://daynadelval.com/about_dayna/

Elizabeth “Elle” Hilt (she/her) is a dedicated advocate for Restorative Justice and values-based conversations that address harm and strengthen community. For 19 years, she has worked to create safe spaces for difficult dialogue, often with justice-involved individuals. Holding a master’s degree from St. Cloud State University focused on restorative practices, Elle has led North Dakota’s statewide Restorative Justice program since 2018. She believes in the power of empathy, accountability, and dialogue to repair relationships, amplify voices of those harmed, and create safer, more connected communities. Elle is the Associate Director at Consensus Council in Fargo, ND.

Faye Seidler (she/her) is an award winning advocate that specializes in suicide prevention, LGBTQ+ populations, and state data. She was born and raised in North Dakota and has a decade of experience in community organizing, public speaking, and professional development training. She is known for connecting and uplifting others, bringing communities together, and always keeping hope in focus.

Karee has been a facilitator of Youthworks LGBTQ+ Youth group Evolve since 2022, volunteers with mutual aid groups like Community Culinary Corps Project, and they are the Secretary of Pride Collective Board.

Keygan Miller (they/them) is the Director of Public Training for The Trevor Project. Keygan oversees design and facilitation of public trainings to advance Trevor’s life-saving suicide prevention work and teach audiences to be strong allies for LGBTQ+ youth. Prior to this work, Keygan was an Advocacy Manager at The Trevor Project and they served as an Intervention Specialist for Cincinnati Public Schools. Keygan received a Master of Arts in Education in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Cincinnati as well as a Master of Education and Human Development in Education Policy from The George Washington University.

Larry Peterson (he/him) is a member of the Red River Rainbow Seniors and since 2017, has coordinated our oral history project, “Breaking Barriers: Harvesting LGBTQ Stories from the Northern Plains.” In 1992 he became the first faculty advisor of NDSU’s Ten Percent Society, the LGBTQ student group. From 1995 to 2005, he was the recorder for Equality North Dakota, the first statewide LGBTQ rights group. In 2008 he was chosen as the Grand Marshall for the Fargo-Moorhead Gay Pride Parade. He is a Professor Emeritus of History, Philosophy, and Religious Studies from North Dakota State University.

Matthew Benson-Tuff (they/them) has been working with Youthworks since 2018. They oversee Youthworks Homeless Programs in the Fargo Moorhead area. Matthew has been a board member for the ND Continuum of Care since 2022 and has been leading the planning team ND LGBTQIA2S+ Summit for youth programming since 2022.

Michelle is the founder and Executive Director of the High Plains Fair Housing Center, the only
organization in North Dakota and South Dakota whose mission is to fight housing discrimination
and ensure equal housing choice for all. She has over 25 years of prior experience in grassroots
community organizing and advocacy on issues that include neighborhood safety, housing, and
transportation. Michelle began her career as a community organizer in Chicago and later worked
with the National Democratic Institute on developing advocacy projects in Romania after the fall
of communism.

Ming Wong (he/him) is the Director of Community Justice and Access at NCLR, which provides legal advocacy for LGBTQ people nationally. He manages NCLR's immigration program, Hogar {Home}, as well as their Rural Pride program.

Ryan Braunberger is a North Dakota State Senator, representing District 10, elected to the Senate in 2022. Braunberger serves as the Minority Caucus Leader in the senate, and co-chairs the North Dakota chapter of Future Caucus.

Tammy Lanaghan has been involved with the Red River Rainbow Seniors oral history project as the principal transcriber since early 2018. She has listened to and typed nearly every word that has been spoken by the over 200 contributors. She has also worked hand-in-hand with Larry Peterson on all of the behind-the-scenes activities required to maintain the project. She is currently developing profiles of the various establishments that have been key meeting places for the Fargo-Moorhead LGBTQIA+ community. She has a PhD in the Comparative Study of Religion with a specialization in Gender and Theology in the Hindu tradition.