Summit Speakers - 2024

Erin Reed (she/her) - Independent Transgender Journalist reporting on LGBTQ+ legislation, news, and life every day, Erin’s content has been viewed hundreds of millions of times on social media and her popular daily Substack newsletter: Erin in the Morning. Tracking anti-LGBTQ+ legislation around the world, Erin helps people become better advocates for their queer family, friends, colleagues, and community. Her goal is to achieve gender justice for queer and marginalized people through education and understanding. https://www.erinreedwrites.com/

Brittany Stewart she/her is a Senior Staff Attorney at Gender Justice. She earned her JD at UC Law San Francisco, before returning home to Oklahoma City to begin her legal career. In 2010, she was the first out transgender Oklahoman to run for political office. While she did not win that race, she helped normalize the participation of trans and non-binary people in Oklahoma politics and was named to Oklahoma magazine’s 40 Under 40 list. Brittany helped advance equality for LGBT+ Oklahomans in legal cases ranging from free speech to employment discrimination. She was a key member of the legal team in Tudor v. Southeastern Oklahoma State University, the first sex discrimination case with a transgender plaintiff to be tried to a jury in federal court. Her work helped secure a unanimous jury verdict in favor of her client, with the jury awarding over $1 million for the discrimination. The verdict was later upheld by the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. Outside of law and politics, Brittany is a car and road trip enthusiast. She lives in Minnesota with her husband and their cat. In the last 10 years, she has been on road trips through all 48 contiguous states in the U.S. She is also a big sports fan, mostly of basketball, football, and IndyCar racing. Her favorite teams are the Oklahoma City Thunder, as well as the Vikings, Wolves, Lynx, and Wild.

Christina Sambor (she/her) is the North Dakota State Director at Gender Justice, where she is working to develop a strategic presence in North Dakota to promote gender equity and protect the rights of North Dakotans. Christina is a licensed attorney. Prior to joining Gender Justice, she owned and operated her own law firm, focusing on family law, employment law, civil rights, and legislative advocacy. Christina has lobbied at the North Dakota State Legislature since 2015, advocating for vulnerable youth, victims of trafficking and domestic violence, unhoused individuals and the LGBTQ+ community. Through her lobbying and work with non-profits, Christina led efforts to strengthen laws that protect vulnerable North Dakotans, secured millions of dollars in funding to support direct service programs, and most recently led the fight against the wave of anti-trans legislation introduced in the 2023 ND legislative session. Christina has her Juris Doctorate from Pepperdine University in Malibu, CA, where she graduated cum laude and was a member of the Dispute Resolution Journal. She has obtained certificates in executive education from Harvard Kennedy School and the Georgetown School for Continuing Studies. She obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from the University of North Dakota, graduating Phi Beta Kappa. Christina served as a law clerk at the United States District Court in Bismarck, and was a 2014 Bush Foundation Fellow.

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.

Faye's workshop is meant to teach participants how to keep queer youth safe. Whether a person is a professional, a family member, or a youth themself, this presentation asks people to immerse themselves in what is possible in their community. There will be an activity to acquaint participants with both state and K-12 resources.

Katie Gallant, MSW, is a Senior Research Associate in the Public Health department at NORC at the University of Chicago. With nearly seven years of experience in public health and suicide prevention, Ms. Gallant provides subject matter expertise on various suicide prevention projects focused on implementation, technical assistance, evaluation, community engagement, and resource development. She is a seasoned trainer in Zero Suicide; Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment - Suicide Care (SBIRT-SC); and Question, Persuade, and Refer (QPR).  Ms. Gallant currently leads the provision of technical assistance and evaluation support for health and behavioral health settings implementing SBIRT-SC, with a focus on reaching disproportionately affected populations in North Dakota.

Morgan Whyte (she/her) is a University of Minnesota Medical School MD Candidate, class of '25.

Dr. Samantha Oliver (she/her) obtained her PhD in Clinical Psychology from Idaho State University, Pocatello. She completed her APA accredited doctoral psychology internship at the Fargo VA, her residency, and remained on as a staff psychologist after obtaining licensure. She is now a psychology manager overseeing six programs and the staff within those programs. Dr. Oliver is the Assistant Training Director of the Doctoral Psychology Internship program, providing supervision and training to practicum students, doctoral interns, and residents at the Fargo VA HCS. While a generalist, she focuses on posttraumatic stress and other trauma disorders, co-occurring trauma and substance use disorders, and LGBTQ+ therapy services. Dr. Oliver provides several evidence-based therapies (e.g., COPE, DBT, CBT, ACT) and is VA Certified in Prolonged Exposure (PE) and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT). She developed the Resilience Skills-Based group for Transgender and Gender Diverse Individuals when she was in her residency and continues this group today. Dr. Oliver provides assessments for psychodiagnostic, capacity determination, cognitive disorders (e.g., neurocognitive/dementia), developmental (e.g., ADHD), and evaluations for hormonal therapy and affirmative surgery. Dr. Oliver is a Qualified Administrator of the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) and has implemented the usage of this tool in training programs and with the executive leaders at her local VA to foster intentional reflection and intercultural development growth using the intercultural development plan.

Dr. Sturgill (he/him) is a clinical psychologist at Sanford Health 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.

Dr. Andréa Kaniuka (she/her) is a research scientist in the Public Health department at NORC at the University of Chicago. She is a behavioral health researcher, with expertise in LGBTQIA+ mental health and suicide prevention. She has over a decade of research experience in the fields of clinical psychology and public health, spanning university, state agency, and federal government partnerships. At NORC, she supports the suicide prevention research portfolio, including the CDC-funded project ND HOPES. Her role on ND HOPES includes facilitating the project’s LGBTQIA+ community workgroup and creating LGBTQIA+ resources for youth-serving professionals in the state.
She has published nearly 50 peer-reviewed research papers on topics related to suicide prevention, mental health, and LGBTQIA+ health. Her work has appeared in academic journals including LGBT Health, Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity, Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, and Crisis, among others.

Cailean Dakota MacColl (they/she/iskwew) is Cree/Métis 2-Spirit MS3 at the University of Minnesota Medical School. Dakota received a BS in Biology with a minor in Chemistry, and a BA in Comparative Literature with special focus on film analysis from the University of Oregon. Their past research has included film analysis and ethnobotany and current research areas include ethics, medical education, and addictions medicine. Dakota is a student co-constructor of the 2SLGBTQIA+ MPact curriculum at the University of Minnesota Medical School and is passionate about coalescing aspects of traditional healing and western medicine. Professional interests include adult education, sexual health and wellness, gender affirming care, harm reduction, healing informed care, and traditional plant medicine use. Personal interests include sewing, watching films, reading graphic novels, working on beadwork, and playing video games.

Dominic Meyer (he/him) Instructor, Communication Studies; Assistant Director of Speech at Concordia College, Moorhead, MN.

Gabby Doyle (she/her) is the Senior Manager of State Advocacy at The Trevor Project. Within her role, she works to advance state policy to ensure all LGBTQ+ young people can thrive, no matter where they live. She lives in Columbus, Ohio and deeply believes in the strength of queer communities across the Midwest.

The Trevor Project's workshop will explore broad trends concerning the mental health of LGBTQ+ young people in North Dakota, review key factors contributing to negative mental health outcomes and obstacles preventing care, and foster discussions to learn more about the current barriers youth participants are facing. Further, the workshop will explore how LGBTQ+ young people in North Dakota can nurture the mental health and wellbeing of themselves and their peers so they can thrive.

Lexx Francis (they/them) started working at Youthworks in April and has been helping with Summit Planning ever since. It’s been lovely to see the youth’s ideas and enthusiasm continue to come together!

Onyx Mathena (they/them) is part of the ND LGBTQIA2S+ Summit youth planning team. They worked to increase funding for youth programming at the ND LGBTQIA2S+ Summit. Onyx was also a receipt of Youthworks inaugural Youth Leadership Awards.

Dr. Tiffany Russell is a licensed clinical psychologist in Texas and North Dakota. Her clinical specialties include empirically-supported individual psychotherapy for serious mental illness, assessment and treatment of LGBTQIA+ adolescents and adults, and forensic assessment. Dr. Russell joined the faculty of Sam Houston State in August 2020 and moved to the University of North Dakota in August 2023.

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.

Bri Hall (she/her) is Director of Education and Outreach, High Plains Fair Housing Center. She is an East Coast transplant and passionate nature enthusiast with a strong commitment to LGBTQIA+ advocacy and social justice. Her career has been defined by her dedication to promoting equality and supporting marginalized communities. Bri’s journey includes working with unhoused individuals in cities like New York and Philadelphia, which fueled her drive for equity. As a Sustainability and Urban Agriculture Coordinator, she led innovative projects such as New Brunswick’s first urban apiary and apple orchard, emphasizing community and food justice. Her commitment to LGBTQIA+ issues is evident from her work with survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, and her advocacy for diverse voices at Amazon. Now, as the Director of Education and Outreach at High Plains Fair Housing Center in North Dakota, Bri continues to champion fair housing rights and works to create inclusive spaces for all.

Chad Pitts is a Program Manager for ND HOPES, a suicide prevention project spanning a 21-county jurisdiction in Western ND. ND HOPES focuses on Suicide prevention initiatives within the LGBTQIA2S+, Veteran, and rural resident communities. Prior to joining the ND HOPES team, he was a Sergeant in the U.S. Army stationed at Fort Liberty, NC. He has also worked in various Higher Education positions focusing on Diversity and Equity initiatives across ND.
With a passion for advocacy, Chad has 10 years of experience in Diversity and Equity Initiatives. He has a deep understanding and personal connection to many of the struggles that the LGBTQIA2S+ and Veteran community faces which he utilizes to advocate for change and creative innovative solutions to complex issues within marginalized communities.

Erin Maye Quade serves as a Minnesota State Senator and as a Special Projects Advisor at Gender Justice. When elected in November 2022, she became one of the first three Black women to be elected to the Minnesota Senate. She is also the first out lesbian in the Minnesota Senate and the first Black mom in the State Senate. She was also the first LGBTQ person—and among the youngest—to be endorsed as the DFL candidate for Lt. Governor when she joined Erin Murphy’s ticket in 2018. Erin previously served as Advocacy Director for Gender Justice, working to advance gender equity through public education, legislative outreach, strategic partnerships and coalition-building. Through her work with Gender Justice and UnRestrict Minnesota, she led the largest reproductive health, rights, and justice coalition in the state of Minnesota from 2019 to 2022. In this role, she laid the groundwork for a statewide movement that successfully expanded access to abortion care in Minnesota in the year after Roe was overturned.

Hannalee Shaw (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.

Morgan Stokke (she/her) began her career as an elementary teacher where she learned that she loved the “dreaded puberty talk.” Due to her passion for comprehensive, inclusive, and age-appropriate sex education, Morgan transitioned to her current role as a health educator for Planned Parenthood North Central States. She lives in Moorhead with her husband, 2 young children, and cat Franklin.

Royce Schultze - Executive Director, Dakota Center for Independent Living

Details to come

Vivian Topping is a Director of Advocacy and Civic Engagement, with Equality Federation. Vivian works with state-based LGBTQ+ organizations to craft smart, effective legislative and electoral campaigns that build political power and allow supporters to take action in their communities. Most recently Vivian was the Field Director for the historic, winning Yes on 3 campaign in Massachusetts, Vivian previously led electoral and legislative advocacy programs in Michigan, Florida, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Texas, and Illinois.

Their work in Massachusetts was a groundbreaking success, building the leadership of transgender people, having more than 100,000 conversations with voters, and ultimately winning the first statewide referendum on transgender rights in the nation.