EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS
Julie Matonich is a trial attorney at Matonich Law. For over a decade, she represented clients accused of criminal offenses, including indigent first-time offenders facing incarceration and separation from their young children. In Minnesota, she has done pro bono work for Advocates for Human Rights, representing clients in asylum cases, and she has served as board member for the Page Education Foundation, the Minnesota Association for Criminal Defense Lawyers, and the University of Minnesota’s Weisman Art Museum.
Peter Thompson is a Minnesota attorney with vast experience in criminal justice and human rights law. He is a former Assistant United States Attorney and Federal Public Defender. Mr. Thompson’s private practice, Thompson, Lundquist, and Sicoli, Ltd., included high profile criminal defense and pro bono work. Mr. Thompson was also active with Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights regarding war crimes and human rights investigations. He has received numerous accolades for his work, including the following: 2019 Mitchell Hamline adjunct Professor of the year, 2009 Minnesota Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers lifetime award, and 2008 ACLU of Minnesota Earl R. Larson lifetime award for civil liberties. He currently teaches law school courses, including legal ethics.
Michael Holland is an attorney with the Office of the Hennepin County Public Defender, where he has worked for over 20 years. During that time, he has represented children accused of criminal offenses as well as children and parents whose children were in need of protective services (ChiPS). Many of these parents spent time in correctional facilities or were incarcerated and unable to care for them. He has seen firsthand generations of families affected by incarceration. Throughout his career, he has also represented adults accused of criminal offenses. Many of these clients faced being separated from their children and families. He has served on the board of the Larry Brown Youth Education Corporation and on the board of The Cabrini Partnership.
Emma Naughton is a human rights expert and founder of Lucid Collaborative. She is an international development and human rights specialist with more than 20 years of experience in conflict-affected environments in the Middle East and Africa. Prior to consulting, she also worked at the International Development Research Center, Human Rights First, and Oxfam. She has a Master’s degree in Sociology from New York University, and a Master’s in Arab Studies from Georgetown University.
Mary Britts has been an active, passionate and impactful YMCA leader for 39 years. Holding several positions throughout her career, Mary currently serves as the Vice President of Operations for the YMCA of the North, where she oversees several YMCA locations in the Metro Area. She is also responsible the youth development programs for the association. Mary holds a Bachelor’s of Science Degree from the University of Wisconsin Stout in Child Development and Family Life with a Concentration in Human Resource Management. She is a single mother of one beautiful young lady, who has a MFA in Acting from the University of Essex, East 15 Acting School in London. Mary has made the YMCA a lifelong career and has a strong believe in the 3 pillars of Youth Development, Healthy Living and Social Responsibility.
ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS
Barbara A. Frey is Senior Lecturer in the Institute for Global Studies and directs the Human Rights Program at the University of Minnesota. Frey’s research interests include gun violence and human rights, disappearances and impunity in Mexico, immigration, and human rights advocacy, and she lectures and writes widely on these topics. From 2000-03, Frey served as an alternate member of the U.N. Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights. She was appointed Special Rapporteur of the Sub-Commission from 2003-06 to conduct a study on the topic of preventing human rights abuses committed with small arms and light weapons. Frey was Executive Director of Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights from 1985-97.
Paul Dosh is an associate professor of political science at Macalester College. He earned his PhD at UC Berkeley and has also taught at Carleton College and San Quentin Prison. A Fulbright-Hays scholar, he is an expert on Latin American politics, and the cofounder of Building Dignity. Paul has been involved in prisoner advocacy in California and Minnesota through political activism, giving legal testimony, and producing artistic and educational events focused on prisoner rights and mass incarceration.
Norah Shapiro After a decade-long career as a Hennepin County public defender, producer/director Norah Shapiro left practicing law to pursue documentary filmmaking. Her films have gained much recognition. Her production company, Flying Pieces Productions also produces freelance documentary-style videos to help nonprofits, artists, and businesses. She also serves on the Board of Directors of Pillsbury United Communities, is the Chair of the Pillsbury House Theatre Advisory Board and volunteers with Reading Partners.
Dulce Foster is a shareholder of the Fredrikson & Byron law firm in Minneapolis, where she chairs the firm’s White Collar & Regulatory Defense group and serves as a member of the Fredrikson Foundation Board of Directors. Her work often involves defending individuals who are facing the potential consequences of incarceration. Ms. Foster became interested in the helping children with incarcerated mothers while working on a bar association project that organized transportation to children of incarcerated women from Minnesota to the federal prison in Pekin, Illinois. She is a member of the Criminal Justice Act (CJA) panel of attorneys in Minnesota and regularly volunteers her time pro bono for indigent clients.
Kamyala Howard, MSW, LICSW, is the Founder and CEO of “WE’RE DIVINE” and has over 22 years of leadership experience working with organizations creating innovative models that assist with organizational cultural change, dismantling barriers, leadership development and building intercultural relations. Ms. Howard received her graduate degree from the University of Minnesota with special emphasis on cultural studies, family systems and direct clinical practice. Ms. Howard is a licensed mental health practitioner certified in a range of professional training modules that aid in her inspirational delivery methods and enhance her professional experience in supporting young children, families and communities facing multiple challenges.
Ethan Scrivner is an assistant city attorney in Duluth. Prior to that he worked as a public defender, representing clients in the criminal justice system. His background during law school was heavily focused on human rights issues and he interned in Minnesota at the Advocates for Human Rights and the Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and internationally at the United Nations Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia. He was part of the group of CIC’s first interns and that work has informed his legal practice both as a prosecutor and a defense attorney.
Kania Johnson is a recent Family Social Science graduate from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. She will begin her master’s program studying public policy this fall at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs. She is passionate about children and families and this passion drives the work she hopes to do during her time at CIC. Kania’s research interests are exploring programs that support children with incarcerated caregivers and how mentorship can serve as an effective intervention for youth with incarcerated caregivers. She also will be supporting CIC’s future program initiatives and organizing college students to raise awareness and advocate for children of incarcerated caregivers. Kania hopes to create and advocate for policies that are inclusive to the unique experiences of families and children in the field of education.