Meet the team at Foster Advocates

  • Z leads Foster Advocates' advocacy work during the legislative session, serving as the primary contact for advocacy efforts both within the organization and with external partners. They work closely with our Advocacy Team to advance policies that strengthen Minnesota’s foster care system and improve outcomes for young people.

    Z brings over nine years of lived experience in foster care and juvenile justice, along with a bachelor’s degree in Social Work and Criminal Justice. Their experience spans child welfare policy reform, youth engagement, legislative strategy, and community-centered advocacy including state and federal level reform.

    Grounded by lived and professional expertise, Z is deeply committed to ensuring that those most impacted by systems are the ones envisioning, defining and driving what a just, youth-serving system looks like. Her commitment to this work is rooted in a vision where Fosters are no longer set-up for survival, but to thrive.

    Email: advocacy@fosteradvocates.org

Ayan Ali (she/her)

Advocacy and Engagement Fellow

  • Ayan Ali (she/her) is a mission-driven professional and advocate dedicated to empowering youth and strengthening communities. After being brought to the U.S. for a better future, she entered foster care at age 12 and remained in care until aging out, an experience that continues to shape her commitment to equity and opportunity for young people. Born in Kenya and raised in the U.S., Ayan brings lived experience, resilience, and a global perspective to her work. Outside of work, Ayan is a devoted mother to one child and enjoys cooking, music, and spending quality time with her family.

    Email: ayan@fosteradvocates.org

Donté Wilkins (he/him)

Operations Manager

  • Donté supports our organization and Foster community through a focus on organizational systems, resources, evaluation, and events.

    Donté’s work experience spans a decade as a career and college coordinator and includes program management, non profit development, partnership engagement and advocacy.

    Born in Germany, Donté and his family relocated back to Chicago a year after his birth, subsequent to his dad finishing his stint in the Army. Growing up in Chicago, Donté enjoyed being a role model for his younger twin siblings. He attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and was the first in his family to graduate. In his free time, Donté loves to golf, play rec softball and soccer, watch his Chicago sports teams (go White Sox!) and appreciates spending quality time with friends and family.

    Email: operations@fosteradvocates.org

Ke'Nija Mugisha (she/they)

Program Coordinator

Education and Opportunity

  • Ke'Nija Mugisha is the Program Coordinator for the Education and Opportunity department at Foster Advocates. She is passionate about building meaningful partnerships and creating spaces where people feel connected and supported. Outside of work, Ke'Nija is the founder of Skin. Soul. Poetry., enjoys writing poetry, creating skincare, and bringing people together through meaningful conversation and community.

    Email: ke’nija@fosteradvocates.org

Lexi (she/her)

Research and Development Associate

  • In her role, Lexi centers Foster-led and guided research practices and learnings that lead to policy and community change. As someone who was and continues to be residually impacted by the foster care and juvenile justice systems, Lexi’s passions lie in creating a world and community in which no person, and in particular children, are forced to endure violence at the hands of the state.

    Previous to this role, Lexi was involved in child welfare policy advocacy, food justice, anti-poverty, and basic needs organizing, and worked in state and national representative offices. Lexi graduated with a B.A. in Social Justice from Hamline University and an MPP from University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs.

    Lexi currently sits on the Hamline Alumni Fundraising Board, Face to Face Governing Board, and the NACCLR. Lexi is also the current Graduate Assistant for Augsburg Family Scholars and a doctoral student at the University of Pennsylvania.

    Outside of Foster Advocates, you can find Lexi playing volleyball, going to a Solidcore class, or being in community with those she loves, most of whom are Fosters.

    Email: lexi@fosteradvocates.org

Sarah Blouin (she/her)

Senior Program Manager

Education and Opportunity

  • Sarah, a lifelong Minnesotan, leads Foster Advocates' Education and Opportunity work, focused on improving how systems support Fosters as they pursue their education and future goals. She earned her bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities and her master's degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of St. Thomas.

    With decades of experience working alongside youth and young adults, Sarah brings a background in education, mentoring, and career coaching to her work. She believes that when everyone has access to the education and opportunities they choose, we all have a more prosperous future. Sarah focuses on building meaningful connections and ensuring Fosters shape the decisions and systems that affect their lives.

    Outside of work, Sarah enjoys camping, gardening, and tackling home projects. She loves learning about everything from current events to brain development and cheering for the Minnesota Golden Gophers and Vikings during fall football season.

    Email: sarah@fosteradvocates.org

Max Davis (they/fae/she)

MSW Intern

  • Max is an MSW student at Augsburg University, pursuing a specialization in Anti-Oppressive Macro Practice (AOMP). They are overjoyed to be doing their internship at Foster Advocates as they believe that advocating for powerful policies is a critical and effective way to support human services organizations and community connectivity. They also believe that including the voices of people who have personal experiences at the table for decisions that will impact them directly is a crucial factor in making relevant and impactful change. Their primary focuses for their time at Foster Advocates will be engaging in education and opportunity efforts along with the organization's advocacy work. In their spare time, they enjoy reading and writing, anything art related, and spending time with their loved ones (including their cat when they get chances to visit back home, which is in Wisconsin).

    Email: max@fosteradvocates.org

Travis Matthews (he/him)

Program Coordinator

Advocacy and Engagement

  • Travis Matthews is passionate about creating a future where every Foster has the opportunity to thrive. Travis earned his bachelor's degree in Legal Studies from Hamline University and has dedicated his work to advancing equity through advocacy, public policy, and systems change. His experience spans across foster care, juvenile justice, and higher education, with a commitment to ensuring that those with lived experience are at the center of decisions that shape their lives.

    Through his passion for political systems and social movements, Travis believes lasting change happens through authentic relationships, collective action, and community leadership. He is proud to support efforts that expand opportunity, strengthen belonging, and help build a more equitable future for Fosters across Minnesota.

    Outside of work, Travis enjoys spending time exploring the hidden food gems across the Twin Cities, playing rugby with the Minneapolis Mayhem, or relaxing at the lake.

    Email: travis@fosteradvocates.org

Osahon Akpata-Tanious (she/her)

Executive Director

  • Osahon Akpata-Tanious is the Executive Director of Foster Advocates. She brings a background in finance, public budgeting, and public service to leading the organization. As a Foster who grew up in New York City, Osahon saw early how deep the gap between the haves and have-nots runs. She learned that these disparities are built into how systems are designed. That understanding shapes her leadership. Her passions center on participatory policymaking, economic liberation, mental wellness, the protection of cultural and spiritual practices, and disability advocacy. She is committed to connecting professional institutions with community knowledge to drive integrated growth and lasting change.

    Osahon’s career started in various corporate and nonprofit banking verticals; she later worked in the budget office of a local municipality. She holds a Master of Public Policy from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota, where she concentrated in Public and Nonprofit Leadership and Management and Public Finance, with a minor in Integrative Leadership. She was the first in her family to earn a master's degree. At the Humphrey School, she served as president of the Student Government and received the 2025 Student Leadership Award. She was also a 2025 MNLEND Fellow and earned a certification in Disability Policy and Services through the University of Minnesota's College of Education and Human Development. She holds a B.A. in Political Science from the Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership at The City College of New York.

    Osahon lives in Brooklyn Park with her partner, their dog Oscar, a few reptiles, and more plants than they can count. She enjoys time with her chosen community, Minnesota summers, and live music of all genres.

    Email: osahon@fosteradvocates.org

Whitney Behle (she/her)

Manager

Advocacy and Engagement

  • Whitney is committed to building a future where Fosters have the power, resources, and opportunities to shape their own lives and the systems that impact them. Her perspective is shaped by nine years in foster care, lived experience with housing instability and the juvenile justice system, and nearly 12 years of professional experience advocating with and for children, youth, and families. Her background spans child welfare and child protection, including five years as a Guardian ad Litem, mental and behavioral health, domestic violence advocacy, early childhood education, and crisis intervention. These experiences have deepened her understanding of how systems intersect and affect individuals and families, both during and beyond their involvement.

    As Foster Advocates' Advocacy and Community Engagement Manager, Whitney centers meaningful relationships and authentic partnership in building and strengthening community, supporting Foster leadership and Foster-led initiatives, and creating opportunities for peer learning, professional development, and collective action. She connects Fosters with resources and helps elevate community-identified priorities while advancing a growing focus on local advocacy that addresses recurring systemic barriers rather than relying solely on short-term solutions.

    Grounded in transparency, accountability, and holistic well-being, Whitney believes those most impacted by systems deserve dignity, agency, and meaningful power in shaping decisions that affect their lives. Their lived expertise should guide priorities and drive change at every stage. She envisions a future where Fosters are no longer left to survive systems intended to support them, but have the stability, belonging, and opportunities to thrive.

    Whitney holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Child Welfare Certificate from the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire.

    Email: whitney@fosteradvocates.org

Z

Senior Program Manager

Advocacy and Engagement

Meet our Board of Directors

Jillian Gross Fortgang (she/her)

Board Chair

  • Jillian Gross Fortgang is a lifelong educator and coach with over 20 years of experience in equity focused nonprofit organizational leadership, teaching and facilitation, and collaborative research. She specializes in holding space with loving accountability that allows individuals and groups to do their inner work as the foundation for transformational change. She is a continuous learner who earned her PhD in Higher Education with a concentration in Organizational Management and is a certified ICF Coach, IDI Qualified Administrator, yoga teacher, and mentor with Racial Justice from the Heart.

Shadoe Darris (she/her)

Board Member

  • Shadoe Darris brings a lived experience–driven perspective and a strong commitment to community advocacy to Foster Advocates. Having spent her early childhood in foster care, she understands firsthand the complexities and gaps within the child welfare system and is passionate about advancing solutions that center healing, equity, and family preservation. Her interests lie at the intersection of youth advocacy, social justice, education equity, and artistic healing practices.

    Shadoe’s work focuses on creating meaningful change through both community engagement and systems-level advocacy. She has worked in nonprofit, criminal justice, and healthcare settings in support roles, in addition to her entrepreneurial endeavors, which have supported youth through advocacy efforts and by facilitating events that promote wellness through artistic expression. She has also contributed to policy efforts, including testifying in support of legislation that promotes family preservation.

    In addition to her advocacy work, Shadoe serves in a support role at Darris Consulting Group, where she contributes to strategic initiatives aimed at driving community impact. She has also served on the board of Wayside Recovery, supporting efforts that help individuals and families on their healing journeys. She is a former Education Equity Parent Fellow with Voices for Racial Justice.

    Shadoe’s commitment to this work is deeply personal. Following the loss of her younger sister to gun violence, she became an advocate for peace and mental health. She has spent years working alongside faith-based, nonprofit, and legal organizations to support healing and advance social change. She remains grounded in her belief in the power of community, connection, and equitable systems.

    Shadoe lives in Minneapolis, MN, with her husband and two children. She enjoys spending time with her family, engaging with her community, and creating spaces for healing and growth.

Mark Gordon (he/him)

Treasurer

  • Mark C. Gordon is a Professor and the former President and Dean of Mitchell Hamline School of Law. Prior to his arrival in the Twin Cities in July, 2015, Gordon served as President of Defiance College and before that as Dean of University of Detroit Mercy School of Law in Detroit. Gordon is originally from New York, where he worked as an aide to New York’s Governor Mario Cuomo in the mid-1980’s and then, during the first Clinton Administration, as Chief of Staff to Andrew Cuomo at the US Department of Housing and Urban Development. He received his B.A. and his Masters in International Affairs from Columbia University, and his law degree from Harvard Law School.

Christy Waltz (she/her)

Board Member

  • Christy Waltz (Barich) began her advocacy as a teenager in foster care, serving on youth advisory boards and committees, advocating for legislation such as the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act, and speaking locally and nationally about youth in the system. Christy spent the early part of her career working in youth-serving organizations before becoming a nurse. She now has 20 years of experience working across healthcare in primary care, managed care, county government, and a Federally Qualified Health Center. She works to influence structural change that enables all people to achieve their optimal health.

    Christy is a first-generation college graduate. She earned a Bachelor's degree in Anthropology and Women's Studies from Hamline University. She has a Master of Education degree in Youth Development Leadership and a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree in Health Innovation and Leadership from the University of Minnesota. Christy also serves on the Women's Health Leadership TRUST Associate Board and the Minnesota Organization of Registered Nurses board. She lives with her wife, three cats, and a dog in St. Louis Park. 

ed morales (he/him)

Board Member

  • ed morales MPP, MSW, LICSW, is a trainer and social worker based in Minneapolis, MN. In addition to being an adoptive and step-parent and a husband, Ed is a full-time staff trainer with the Minnesota Child Welfare Training Academy; a social worker with Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota; serves as Community Faculty with the University of Minnesota’s School of Social Work; sits on the Minnesota Children’s Subcommittee on Children’s Mental Health; and provides training, clinical supervision and professional development through his LLC, Socorro Consulting. Ed lives in North Minneapolis with his wife, youngest kids, and his cat, Mocha.

Lucina Kayee (she/they)

Board Member

  • Lucina Kayee is a Liberian born psychotherapist, special education school social worker, photographer, and documentary filmmaker whose work sits at the intersection of healing, research, and storytelling. She earned her Master of Social Work from St. Catherine University and is a Licensed Graduate Social Worker in Minnesota. 

    Lucina is the Founder and Executive Director of Atlas of Blackness, a grassroots multimedia and research driven organization dedicated to documenting, preserving, and celebrating the stories of Black communities across generations. Through participatory arts, documentary filmmaking, and youth led research, Atlas of Blackness equips Black youth, particularly those impacted by the foster care and juvenile justice systems, with the tools to document their experiences and imagine new possibilities for their futures. 

    Grounded in the belief that healing is not about fixing brokenness but remembering wholeness, Lucina brings a trauma informed, culturally rooted, and relational approach to both her clinical and creative work. As a psychotherapist and school based special education social worker, she supports youth and adults navigating grief, trauma, identity, and life transitions, often integrating mindfulness, storytelling, and body awareness into her practice.

Meet the founder of Foster Advocates

Hoang Murphy

As a former high school English teacher, Hoang saw the importance of amplifying student and family voices. As a Foster, he knew that children and families must have a seat at the policymaking table. As founder of Foster Advocates, Hoang worked to ensure that those most impacted by current inequities had a voice in making decisions and crafting solutions.

Hoang was the 2023 Child Welfare Change Maker award recipient, a 2022 Bush Fellow, the 2021 CCAI Angel in Adoption award recipient, and served as the 2016 Public Policy Fellow with the United States Department of Education. He is a proud first-generation college graduate with a B.A. from Syracuse University, where he majored in Policy Studies and obtained an M.S., Ed. from Johns Hopkins University. Under Hoang’s leadership, Foster Advocates passed five historic bills in its first five years. Hoang retired from the organization in 2023, and he continues to be a key supporter of our Foster Rights Movement.

Meet the Executive Director’s Advisory Council

Deddtrease Edwards (she/her)

Aleesha German (she/her)

Nashauna Johnson - Lenoir (she/her)

Shane Read (he/him)

Niizhogaabo Holmes (she/her/he/him)

Shawna Bullen-Fairbanks (they/she/her)

**More info on the Advisory Council coming soon!

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