EPIC Office: 2433 Bloomington Avenue Minneapolis, MN 55404
Phone: 612-276-2655
Email: info@eastphillips.org
Board of Directors
Nikolas Winter-Simat, Board President: I have lived in East Phillips since 1999. My wife and I have two kids and we use our yard to host community workshops and events. My vision for East Phillips is that it becomes a safe place for all to thrive. For me this includes the amazingly diverse people in East Phillips as well as the plants, animals, land and water. I believe this can happen to the degree that we as residents get to know, trust and work together. For this reason I value events, projects and systems that are collaborative and build heathy connections. As a board member of EPIC I hope to help establish a whole-systems approach that acknowledges the interconnectedness and complexity of our community and works to build on the existing relationships and projects. I consider myself an educator, designer and community organiser. I hold a BA in Linguistics, a Masters in Philosophy and am an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. In 2012 I developed an arts-focused alternative high school in Brisbane Australia and have since taught university courses in design, philosophy, ethics and sustainability. I am currently the Dean of Students at a Montessori high school and US coordinator for Many Nations, a First Nations cultural and professional exchange program.
Virginia Sanchez, Board Vice President: Results-driven Community Operations Specialist with a passion for delivering exceptional customer support and optimizing user experiences. With a solid background in customer advocacy, community management, and technical troubleshooting, I have successfully resolved complex escalations for global community members. I excel in identifying root causes, providing process recommendations, and implementing effective solutions. My expertise in program design, partnership development, and volunteer engagement has consistently driven growth and user engagement.
Kelly Morgan, Board Treasurer: Dr. Kelly Morgan is from the Standing Rock Indian reservation in North and South Dakota. Kelly attended the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks. At UND she graduated with a B.A. in Indian Studies (1989) and a M.A. in English (1990). She then accepted a Centennial Research Assistantship in the fall of 1990 to attend the University of Oklahoma, Norman. She completed an Interdisciplinary PhD. in American Indian Studies at the University of Oklahoma, Norman (1997). She has completed a Master of Legal Studies in Indigenous Peoples Law (2018) and a Master of Legal Studies in Oil, Gas, and Energy Law (2019) at the University of Oklahoma, Norman. She has taught for the University of Oklahoma, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Bowling Green State University, and the University of Toledo. More recently she taught at Augsburg College, Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College and Sitting BullCollege. She co-authored Contemporary Native American Authors: A Biographical Dictionary (1997) with Kay Juricek. She is the former Tribal Archaeologist for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. Kelly has lived in the East Phillips neighborhood off and on since 2002. She has lived at Little Earth of United Tribes and at her current residence entrenched in the issues of the community and participating in volunteer and employment opportunities which focused on the native issues in the American Indian community in East Phillips and Minneapolis area at large. The platform Kelly stands for is for food sovereignty and water rights as a tribal and human rights issues. Kelly is an avid gardener and has a human trauma based approach to gardening for the benefits of health and wellness. The issues confronting the community are paramount to addressing issues within EPIC to grow and prosper from a non-profit perspective for the betterment of the neighborhood at large. Safety, law enforcement, and community organizing are the methods Kelly has employed historically to try and make a difference in people’s lives. Kelly sees the East Phillips neighborhood as one of the most culturally and racially diverse neighborhoods in the world. The beauty of the neighborhood is everywhere and EPIC has a continued opportunity to build on coalition work with the community to make a difference in the lives of people living and working within the organizations and families represented.
Karen Townsend, Board Member: Karen Townsend lives in East Phillips with her husband and 2 children. She has been working in the holistic health field as a massage therapist since 2001 and currently specializes in trauma informed bodywork to promote whole body health with an emphasis on pregnancy and fertility health. She is also a musician and performer. She has been serving on the EPIC board since 2021. She is committed to exploring and implementing structures and practices in East Phillips that address trauma and facilitate healing, therefore creating a more joyous, loving, safe, and beautiful neighborhood.
Nataly Sanchez, Board Member: I am a Licensed Realtor with RE/MAX Results, one of the top brokerages in the nation. I specialize in 1st Time Home Buyers and Move-Up Clients. I have a B.A. in Communication and Journalism from the University of St. Thomas and Certifications in Homeownership Counseling, Consumer Credit Counseling, and Financial Capability Coaching. Within my previous role as a Home Purchase Advisor & Certified Financial Coach, I’ve gained extensive knowledge of the home buying process and first-time home buyer programs/benefits. I put all of my skills together to assist my clients in achieving their real estate goals.
Mair Allen, Board Member: Mair Allen is a writer and environmental advocate who has lived in East Phillips for 15 years. They’re running for the EPIC board because they want to use their skills to support the health, joy, and empowerment of their neighbors. In addition to their advocacy work, they studied for two years in the Cultural Wellness Center’s “Moving from Race to Culture” cohort, organized resource distribution to unsheltered neighbors, and were a member of the Community Cultural Investment Council that raised over $50,000 for the Dreamland on 38th development. Through the EPIC board, they hope to contribute to a community where everyone is valued, our interdependence is recognized, and we have the resources needed for our collective well-being.