Meet the Host Committee
Meet our team
Melanie Randels
Local Host Coordinator, Facing Race
Melanie Marie Randels was born and raised in St. Louis, MO. She graduated from Fontbonne University with her bachelor’s degree as “Corporate Communications Student of the Year” in 2015.
She’s been on the frontline of various social justice initiatives, such as Ferguson Economic Development Chair and Racial Equity board member for St. Louis County. While making history as a trailblazing entrepreneur and community champion, helping to clear over 50,000 cannabis convictions.
In addition to operating her own consulting company, Melanie Marie LLC, she is the Executive Director of The Michael Brown Sr. Chosen for Change Organization. Actively serving in her community in Ferguson for the past decade, she exemplifies power and humanitarianism.
Our Power, Our Solutions Means…
“Our Power, Our Solutions for me is in the work we do every day we strap our boots up in these social justice streets. We don’t need more empowering, we are already the most powerful. We need the resources and interconnectedness to active our power, and that’s what Facing Race is all about.”
Poli Rijos, MSW, LCSW
Director, Youth Development Partnerships
Poli Rijos is a community engagement practitioner and bilingual licensed clinical social worker serving as the Director of Youth Development Partnerships at the Saint Louis Mental Health Board (MHB), a local public funder. Poli brings over 19 years of experience developing and overseeing partnerships and coalitions with non-profit agencies, educational, health, and civic institutions in the St. Louis region. Her professional experience includes serving as a Behavioral Health Consultant, Pediatric Medical Social Worker, Adult Medical Social Worker and Linkage to Care Coordinator for the St. Louis City Department of Health. Additionally, Poli served as Center Manager at the Center for Community Health Partnership and Research at Washington University’s Institute for Public Health. While serving as the Initiative Lead for the Gun Violence Initiative at the Institute for Public Health at Washington University, Poli coordinated the launch of the St. Louis Area Hospital-based Violence Intervention Program (Life Outside of Violence) and the St. Louis Area Violence Prevention Commission (VPC). Poli was born and raised in Puerto Rico and currently lives in St. Louis City.
Our Power, Our Solutions Means…
“Communities do not need to be empowered. Our communities already have the power and the solutions to thrive. Our communities do need the fuel and the opportunities, both physical and financial, to use their power.”
Sandra M. Thornhill, MPA, Doula
Policy Griot & Social Justice Doula
Sandra is a Being of love, light, and energy on life’s journey to authentically connect with other Beings. As founder of Sacred Organized Spaces, she is present in liberation work to reclaim identity by facilitating the creation of sacred spaces of “Beingness” where authenticity, transparency, and community thrive. Sandra serves as an organizer, mobilizing people across systems of oppression to reclaim their peace. As a creative with a passion for equity, and a veneration for policy, she commits her path to elevating the experiences of Black life by centering Black ancestral values, healing and innovation while leading anti-racist work that promotes a sovereign mind, body, and spirit.
Sandra serves to transform the Black experience through several avenues of political and community led actions, which includes;
- Reproductive Justice Activist
- Social Justice Doula*
- Policy Griot (policy director) with Reale Justice Network
- Execute Event Producer for national screening events of the Sister Doula film
- Congressional Mamavist Fellow and Mamavist Mentor with Mothering Justice
- Host Committee Member for Race Forward’s Facing Race STL Conference
- Board Member with Rustic Roots Sanctuary (Black Woman Owned community farm)
- Co-founding member of the Missouri Kansas BIPOC Reproductive Justice Coalition, and
- Co-founding board member of Uzazi Village’s Community Expert Review Board
These diverse experiences and others helped shape Sandra’s perspective on the need for equitable and actionable agendas to eradicate racism. They also equipped her with the experiences and network to be a collaborative force fighting for justice.
*Social Justice Doula is a term coined by Justice Gatson
Our Power, Our Solutions Means…
“Power is a an energy force that every individual carries and when collectively willed, with specific determination to dismantle racism and conjure joy, it can be used as a tool to build for liberation.”
LJ Punch
Executive and Medical Director, Power4STL
Dr. LJ Punch is a trauma surgeon committed to community health and healing. He is the founder of Power4STL, a community of health working to reduce the impact of trauma the St. Louis region. This includes the work of The Bullet Related Injury Clinic (BRIC) and The T, a holistic harm reduction program with a focus on overdose risk, both centering the experience of Black masculine bodied people because #BlackPainMatters.
Our Power, Our Solutions Means…
“Power, in community, is healing.”
Annissa McCaskill
Executive Director, Forward Through Ferguson
Annissa G. McCaskill is the Executive Director of Forward Through Ferguson. At Forward Through Ferguson, she is responsible for supporting the staff in centering racial equity in systemic systems change, building organizational stability, and advancing strategic leadership of the organization. A native of Earlington, Kentucky, Annissa has called the Greater St. Louis Area home since 1996. Annissa is a graduate and Alumni Hall of Fame Member of HBCU Livingstone College (B.S. Political Science), and Indiana State University (M.P.A.) and has made significant contributions to municipalities such as Chesterfield, MO (Assistant Director of Planning); University City, MO (Planner); and Belleville, IL (Director of Economic Development, Planning, and Zoning), where she broke new ground as the first African American to hold her varied positions. Her journey in the non-profit sector includes Better Family Life, Inc., where she progressed from Division Manager to Vice-President of Workforce Development; and Dutchtown South Community Corporation, serving as Executive Director as they updated their MIssion and Vision to center racial and socio-economic equity in their advocacy for and creation of affordable housing. Inspired by her parents and her membership in Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®, Annissa views her work as a commitment to service that advances the common good. She is one of her church’s Social Media and Virtual Worship coordinators and takes the most pride in being a mother, sister, friend, and advocate.
Our Power, Our Solutions Means…
“‘Our Power, Our Solutions’ means that through our unity, there is not only strength, but capacity for substantive, holistic change.”
Faybra Jabulani
Lead Racial Equity Capacity Catalyst, Forward Through Ferguson
Faybra Jabulani (she/her) is an artist, activist, and educator from St. Louis Missouri. She serves as the Lead Racial Equity Capacity Catalyst of Forward Through Ferguson (FTF). She is an engaging facilitator and effective strategist holding over a decade of combined experiences in curriculum development, public engagement, nonprofit organizational startup, and management of anti-racist capacity-building programs and groundbreaking philanthropy initiatives. She is one of the founding project managers of the Racial Healing + Justice Fund pilot and the primary facilitator of the FTF Racial Equity Roundtables and the organizer of the St. Louis Racial Equity Summit. She is a member of the inaugural cohort of the Deaconess Foundation Institute for Black Liberation, an active member of Amplify Fund’s Co-Leadership Committee, and a Board member of 4theVille. Most importantly, Faybra is a mother, a dedicated partner, a dreamer and connector.
Our Power, Our Solutions Means…
“‘Our Power, Our Solutions’ means that the levers for justice and liberation must be held and lifted by those that live on the margins of society. Self-determination, radical collaboration, and thriving ecosystems of beloved communities will gather in courage, joy, and purpose today, and create a thriving future for OUR those of tomorrow who will not know the margins, but will rejoice in the center.”
Matt Oldani
Vice President, Administration, Deaconess Foundation
Matthew J. Oldani (he/him) oversees internal operations of Deaconess Foundation including the Deaconess Center. Matt oversees people and culture, information technology, facilities, accounting, and investments including managing the outsourced consultants in those areas. He also directs the Foundation’s mission-related and community development investments. During his ten years at Deaconess, Matt guided a year-long program that celebrated the 125th Anniversary of the Deaconess Mission, led the team that developed the award-winning Deaconess Center for Child Well-Being, and stewarded the Foundation’s investments so that 36% of the Foundation’s assets are now managed by women or members of the world’s global majority.
A native St. Louisan, Matt has worked in nonprofit management for more than 30 years, the last 17 of those years in philanthropy. He is a former Board Chair of Philanthropy Missouri, a regional association of grantmakers, and is the Treasurer of the David Dorfman Dance Company. He participated in FOCUS St. Louis’ Leadership St. Louis program from 2015-2016.
Matt holds a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University and a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Arts in American Studies from Saint Louis University. He also received a Graduate Certificate in Human Resources from Washington University in St. Louis and is an Advanced Certified Nonprofit Accounting Professional (CNAP). Matt, his wife, and his son reside in St. Louis County.
Our Power, Our Solutions Means…
“The solutions to the seemingly intractable issues of racism can only be achieved by giving power to the affected communities led by people of color. it is by giving them power and an opportunity to utilize their wisdom that all can benefit.”
Ebonee F. Shaw
Doctor, Ferguson-Florissant School District
Ebonee began her career in nonprofit development and event management 21 years ago in New Orleans, LA. Her wealth of experience encompasses fundraising for grassroots organizations to nationwide nonprofit organizations, planning of detailed large-scale events for thousands to meetings for a few. She received a B.S. in Finance from Xavier University of Louisiana, a Master’s in Business Administration, with a concentration in Marketing from the University of New Orleans, and a Doctorate in Business Administration with a specialization in Social Impact Management from Walden University. After completing an internship with Ford Motor Company organizing their participation as a major sponsor in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in the Northwest U.S. for over 200,000 participants & working with the NBA’s New Orleans Hornets on their inaugural seasons in New Orleans she realized that events with a human community interest were her passion!
Ebonee most recently served as the Director of Philanthropic and Business Events for Health Leads USA, the Director of Special Programs and Event Strategy for Kids Rock Cancer, the Walker Scottish Rite Clinic, and the Black Alumni Network at Maryville University and Development Director for the Tabernacle Community Development Corporation. She was previously with the Saint Louis Crisis Nursery for 9 years in Development–interacting with the community, planning events and developing relationships. Recently, Ebonee accepted an inaugural position as the Executive Director of the Ferguson-Florissant School District Foundation for Education. In her years in development she has raised over $21 Million for the St. Louis and New Orleans communities. A lifelong resident of Berkeley, MO, she has a passion for her community, its stability and growth. Ebonee is the daughter of Judy-Ferguson Shaw and the late Ellis Shaw, she has one sister Dr. Mahauganee Shaw Bonds, and one son, Timothy Martin Taylor, III, a helicopter pilot and sophomore at Delaware State University on a full ROTC scholarship.
Our Power, Our Solutions Means…
“Those directly impacted by injustice are often the one’s best equipped to identify what is needed for true equity. Real true change comes from within the community. When we give marginalized voices the opportunity to craft their own solutions we empower a commitment to dismantling systemic barriers…together.”
Galen Gritts
Native American Community Member
Mr. Galen Gritts is a registered member of the Cherokee Nation. Mr. Gritts has a degree in history from University of Missouri-St. Louis, 1975.
Current positions/memberships:
- Member of STLr City Indigenous STL Working Group
- Disparities Elimination Advisory Committee (DEAC), Program for the Elimination of Cancer Disparities (PECaD), under the partnership of Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, and Barnes-Jewish Hospital, representing the local Native American community
- Board member of the Missouri Chapter of the National Trail of Tears Association
Our Power, Our Solutions Means…
“In our 14,000-year occupancy of this area, power and solutions were always local. There was no alternative. It’s how we lived and who we were.”
Jessica Payne
Community Impact Strategist, Key Strategic Group
Jessica’s passion is making sure that all voices have the chance to be heard. Blending her decade-long experience in communications, social media, and design with her Master’s Degree in Social Work, she works with organizations and communities to reach their goals through consensus building using a racial equity lens. Her broad experience ranges from preparing neighborhoods for the planning process to creating coalitions for policy action, to leading a small community development corporation in building new affordable housing.
Our Power, Our Solutions Means…
“Our power, our solutions recognizes the inherent strength, wisdom, and ingenuity in our communities.”
Amanda Tello
Co-Director, Sow Joy Peoples Fund
Amanda Tello (she/her), Esselen + Mixteca, is a community organizer, Indigenous doula, and peoples philanthropy advocate, unlearning for wholeness and liberation while creating new systems. Amanda serves as Co-Director of the Sow Joy Peoples Fund, nurturing transformative spaces that amplify grassroots initiatives and advocates for rematriation through initiatives like land back.
With over 15 years of experience fighting for social and environmental justice, Amanda’s journey includes her roles as Development Manager for Causa Justa :: Just Cause and Grants Manager for Native Americans in Philanthropy. As a community organizer for Missouri Immigrant and Refugee Advocates, she engaged deeply with communities at the intersections of collective struggle and freedom.
Amanda writes grants for her tribe, the Esselen Tribe of Monterey, California, and is the Treasurer for Mama Scraps Inc., where she develops rest and doula work through the Akoko Nacio initiative. As a dedicated member of the Inpower Institute Collective, she emphasizes the importance of nurturing and healing within the community. Amanda believes that community healing is essential—it serves as a form of resistance against white supremacy and capitalism, disrupting toxic systems and allowing us to return to our most authentic selves.
Our Power, Our Solutions Means…
“‘Our Power, Our Solutions’ embodies the belief that true change and healing come from within our communities. It emphasizes the importance of self-determination and reclaiming our relationship with the land, our culture, and our sovereignty.
“This phrase reminds us that we have everything we need to address our own challenges, drawing on traditional practices and collective wisdom. ‘Our Power,‘ acknowledges the strength of our people, ‘Our Solutions’ reflects our commitment to finding paths that are rooted in our values, respecting the earth, and uplifting our communities.
“Ultimately, it’s about liberation—not just for ourselves, but for our ancestors and future generations.”
Michael Brown Sr.
Co-Founder/President, Michael Brown Sr. Chosen for Change Organization
Michael Brown, Sr. is a husband, father, transformative public speaker, forgiveness coach, and co-founder of the Michael Brown Sr. Chosen for Change Organization. After the devastating murder of his son Mike Brown, Jr. in 2014, he embarked on a mission to proivde care and support to families processing unthinkable loss. Turning his pain in to power, Michael has dedicated his life to transforming inner-city communities through youth empowerment and strengthening mournful families through collective healing.
Michael is especially committed to offering radical aid to ailing fathers because their experiences of parental grief are often minimized and discounted by society. Toward this effort, he convenes the organization’s Chosen Fathers program to provide a compassionate gathering space for fathers who have lost children to violence.
Cal Brown
Co-Founder, Michael Brown Sr. Chosen for Change Organization
Cal D. Brown is a wife, mother, community healer, change agent, and co-founder of the Michael Brown Sr. Chosen for Change Organization. She is a passionate advocate for families across the world grieving the loss of a child to violence.
A firm believer that community care can help parents cope, heal, and reinvent themselves after a tragic loss, she co-leads grief support circles, resource drives, advocacy campaigns, and youth mentoring programs. These initiatives strengthen heartbroken families and build safer environments for marginalized youth to live freely.