Say Hello to our New Board Members!
Gender Justice has a big vision for equity – and we can’t do it without the power of our incredible community behind us.
2022 is sure to bring its full might, as our legal team prepares to argue in court (Anderson v. Thrifty White, et al), our advocacy team gets ready for a critical legislative session at the Minnesota State Capitol, and we collectively brace ourselves for the decisions to come this spring out of the U.S. Supreme Court.
We need sharp, bold leadership to meet these challenges head-on. That’s why Gender Justice is thrilled to introduce to you our new board members, whose combined legal, legislative, and justice wisdom will help steer our organization as we fight for a world free of gender barriers.
Binta Kanteh (she/her)
Binta Kanteh is a proud daughter of immigrants from Gambia and is the eldest of three children. Binta was born and raised in Minnesota, primarily in Eastside Saint Paul. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Studies concentrating in Immigration and Refugee studies from DePaul University. Binta currently serves as the Policy Director to Commissioner Angela Conley of Hennepin County. Her experience in public policy began at the Minnesota House of Representatives where she was a Legislative Assistant to several representatives and the Majority Leader of the House. Binta values the opportunity to develop policy ideas and initiatives that allow our government to work better for the state’s residents. In her work, Binta contributes to vision and follows through on ideas that center the well-being and humanity of Minnesotans. She is an alumna of the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey Public Policy Fellowship Program, the Center for Policy Design’s Education Policy Fellowship, Minnesota International NGO Network Fellowship (MINN), and the New Leaders Council Fellowship. Binta also serves as the Alumni Engagement Chair for New Leaders Council, Twin Cities Chapter. She enjoys painting, listening to podcasts, and trying new foods and teas whenever she gets the chance.
EJ Dean (they/them)
EJ Dean is a senior level director of Community Mental Health at Avivo, a Therapist at Edges Wellness Center and a former member of the City of Minneapolis Transgender Equity Council. They are a queer non-binary parent and spouse who has spent two decades advocating for queer and trans equity in multiple capacities, from college activist, LGBTQIA2S+ ballot measures and legislative campaigns to trans inclusion organizational change work. EJ has extensive experience writing grants, managing budgets and implementing equitable workplace policy toward a trauma informed, human centered, anti-racist and trans justice based framework. They have lived and worked in Pittsburgh, Kalamazoo, New York City, Washington, DC and for the last 7 years here in the Twin Cities. EJ has formerly held leadership positions at Family Tree Clinic and Rainbow Health Initiative.
Mai Thor (she/her)
As a 2021 Bush Fellow, Mai Thor seeks to embed disability justice in the work of larger justice and equity movements. As a person living with a disability and as a leader who has helped design more accessible and inclusive systems for people with disabilities, Mai recognizes that social justice movements often leave disability out of their efforts. She hopes to transform these movements to be completely accessible and inclusive. Before becoming a fellow, Mai spent time working with both the Minnesota Department of Health and the Minnesota Department of Human Rights. Mai has a Master’s Degree in Nonprofit and Public Administration from Metropolitan State University and a BA in Communications from Augsburg University. She lives in Oak Park Heights, MN with her husband, two boys, and cat.
Thomas Fiebiger (he/him)
Thomas Fiebiger has grown a legal career that centers advocacy for those without a voice. Through litigation, holding public office, and leading grassroots campaigns, he has spent the past 25 years defending and promoting the civil rights of working people in North Dakota and Minnesota.
Currently, Thomas is collaborating with Gender Justice and the EEOC on a pregnancy discrimination case in federal court in western North Dakota. He has sued the University of North Dakota, its President and Provost, the United States, the state of North Dakota (multiple times), the Catholic Church, landlords, and many employers, large and small, on a variety of discrimination theories.
Thomas’ legislative and advocacy efforts includes his sponsoring a bill to amend the North Dakota Human Rights Act to include sexual orientation, a successful effort to block an attempt to amend the ND Constitution to make religion an excuse to discriminate. In this effort, Thomas helped convince the six major newspapers to all come out against the Measure.
Thomas has spent the past four years in private practice at Fiebiger Law, focusing on labor and employment/civil rights law with his son – and law partner – Rolf. He is an ACLU member, and the father of a gay man who is an artist/entrepreneur and living in New York. Thomas’ wife of 43 years, Siri, is an OB/GYN, active in reproductive rights work, a former Planned Parenthood board member, and active in lobbying issues with ACOG and the Minnesota Medical Association. He has two granddaughters who inspire him and keep him in the moment.
In addition to this all-star slate of new board members, we are pleased to also announce our new Board Officers who will lead our work at the executive board level:
Summra Shariff – Board Chair
Iman Hassan – Board Vice Chair
Amanda Furst – Board Treasurer
Melissa Harl – Board Secretary
Gender Justice has a big vision for equity – and we can’t do it without the power of our incredible community behind us.
Together in solidarity and justice this New Year,
Megan Peterson
