Implicit Bias Conference 2025 Presentations
Building Strength
Through Community
Join us for a powerful day of learning, connection and change.
This year’s conference will spotlight often-overlooked victim populations and explore how implicit bias affects access to support, health and safety. Aligned with Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we’ll examine the role of implicit bias in victim services and elevate domestic violence as a social determinant of health.
Morning Keynote Speaker
The Strength to Heal: Restoring Community through Accountability, Compassion & Connection
9 a.m.
Gary will draw on his lived experiences, professional journey, and community-based healing work to illuminate how current systems often fail victims of domestic and sexual violence, particularly underrepresented individuals whose experiences are distorted or silenced by systemic biases. This session will critically examine how implicit bias exacerbates harm for marginalized groups, including men who are victims, within a framework that frequently prioritizes punishment over genuine well-being. Gary will guide participants through the complex terrain of harm, advocating for accountability rooted in understanding and change, fostering compassion for all involved, and building connection through trauma-informed and culturally responsive approaches that include economic, public health, and community-based solutions. Grounded in the Alma Center’s transformative model, this keynote sets the tone for a day of truth-telling, bridge-building and collective healing.
Gary Zajc
Statewide Program Director, Alma CenterThe Alma Center provides healing-focused programming for individuals who have caused harm in relationships and are seeking meaningful change. They encourage restorative justice practices and work to address root causes of violence and trauma with compassion, accountability and education.
Workshops 1
We Build Community, Not Just Programs
10:15 a.m.
At HER Alliance, one of our core values is fostering trust and connection through authentic relationships, shared goals and intentional collaboration. In alignment with this mission, we recently convened direct service providers in Green Bay to form a united team dedicated to addressing the needs of potential victims during the NFL Draft. This collaborative approach proved highly effective, resulting in enhanced coordination, improved access to resources and a more responsive support system for those we serve. We invite you to join us to learn more about this collaborative process, the services we offer at HER Alliance and the complex challenges survivors of sex trafficking face—including the impact of implicit bias. Together, we can strengthen our community's efforts toward healing, support and restoration.
Kasia Klaus
Founder, HER AllianceKasia Klaus has always had a heart for justice and elevating voices for underserved populations. She developed a passion for combating sex trafficking while interning with a nonprofit organization in Washington, D.C. that focused on human trafficking legislation. Then, in May of 2025, Kasia founded HER Alliance, locally-based organization.
Becky Wright
Program Director, HER AllianceHER Alliance empowers survivors of commercial sexual exploitation and sex trafficking, advances prevention and fosters healing. Becky Wright's favorite part is to walk alongside survivors while collaborating with other community partners to offer opportunities to aid in their journey towards complete restoration.
Agreeing to Disagree
10:15 a.m.
There's beauty in finding common ground. Participants in this session will share in a discussion of issues with frequently opposing sides, elevate strategies that reveal common ground and foster a willingness to cross aisles in support of issues individuals care deeply about. Sharing experiences from a long history of bipartisan allyship, Karen offers hope for a country divided on issues that amount to injustice for many.
Karen Bowling
President, Karen Bowling ConsultingKaren Bowling is a seasoned nonprofit leader, strategist and communicator who equips mission-driven organizations to lead with clarity, grow sustainably and stay true to their values.
After owning a successful business in Lincoln, Nebraska, for over two decades, Karen joined Nebraska Family Alliance in 2001 and served as Executive Director through 2024. Now in her “refiring season,” she launched Karen Bowling Consulting to help leaders build effective, values-based organizations through strategic planning, fundraising training and communication coaching. In 2024, Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen and the legislature formally honored her legacy of service.
Fearless Belonging: From Bias to Brave Collaboration
10:15 a.m.
Belonging is not accidental, it is intentionally built through awareness, trust, and courageous action. This is a dynamic, practice-based session that examines how implicit bias and psychological safety shape relationships, team culture and decision-making. Grounded in Amy Edmondson’s research on psychological safety, you will be invited to reflect on the hidden patterns that influence who speaks up, who gets heard and who feels safe to be fully themselves. Together, we will explore how unexamined bias can quietly erode connection and collaboration, and how cultivating psychological safety can turn discomfort into opportunity. Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of how to create environments where people feel safe to take risks, contribute authentically and thrive across differences. Through guided reflection, meaningful dialogue and practical tools, you will be equipped to move from bias awareness to brave, inclusive collaboration.
Charm Der
Vice President of Human Resources, Family Services of Northeast WisconsinWith over a decade of experience as a People, Culture, and Equity strategist, facilitator and speaker, Charm Der's career spans healthcare, manufacturing and higher education. She drives systemic change in HR, communication and organizational culture to build environments where all identities thrive.
Letesha Nelson
Family Services of Northeast WisconsinLetesha Nelson is a seasoned nonprofit leader with over 20 years of experience. Known for her authentic, community-centered leadership, she is deeply committed to empowering others.
Workshops 2
The Greatest Story Never Told: Supporting Male Victims of Domestic & Sexual Violence
11:30 a.m.
Male survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and sex trafficking are often overlooked, underreported, and underserved. This session sheds light on the hidden experiences of male victims by examining the data, the societal silence that surrounds their stories, and the barriers to recognition and support. Participants will explore how gendered assumptions shape responses to victimization and consider the broader community and cultural impacts of ignoring these narratives. Through open dialogue and reflection, this workshop with panelists invites attendees to challenge bias, build awareness, and create more inclusive, trauma-informed systems of care.
Renita Robinson, EdD
Senior Director of Client Services, We All Rise African American Resource Center, Founder and CEO of the Midwest Survivor Institute & Teach 'Em To Fish LLCDuring her professional career, Renita Robinson has developed effective programs and influenced policy related to services for youth and their families. She has been an advocate, educator and supporter for victims of sexual and domestic violence across the life, gender and race span. As a highly sought after presenter of tools to create culturally responsive work spaces, Renita’s vita lists hundreds of presentations, courses and keynotes. She was honored as Teacher of The Year by the Anti-Defamation League in 1997. Renita has formerly served as the Executive Director of the Committee Against Domestic Abuse, Inc. (the largest provider of domestic and sexual violence services in Southern Minnesota) and the Director of the Duluth Family Visitation Center, a program of the world re-known Domestic Abuse Intervention Programs (DAIP).
Stronger Together: Northeast Wisconsin Victim Services Partnership
11:30 a.m.
In a historic move, seven frontline victim service providers in Northeast Wisconsin have launched the Victim Services Partnership (VSP), a regional alliance responding to devastating federal budget cuts that threaten the safety and recovery of thousands of survivors. Federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funding to Wisconsin has plummeted from $44.5 million to roughly $13 million—a loss that translates to over $2.8 million annually in Northeast Wisconsin alone. Participants in this workshop will discuss the unraveling of safety nets for children, elders, survivors of domestic violence, trafficking and sexual assault and what the Victim Services Partnership plans to do about it... "...refuse to let victims go unseen or unsupported.”
Examining (Y)our Worldview: Challenging (Y)our Perspectives in Ending Gender-Based Violence
11:30 a.m.
In this workshop, we will examine our worldviews and challenge the perspectives we hold about ending gender-based violence. We will facilitate an interactive activity, engage participants in dialogue, and share some of the work happening locally and statewide. We hope this workshop will allow participants to explore the power dynamics and learn new strategies for successful prevention efforts.
Stephanie Ortiz
Founder, Facilitator, Advocate, Strategist & Community MidwifeStephanie Ortiz (she/her) has spent the last 15 years designing spaces that honor complexity, build trust and cultivate collective vision.
She is a Technology of Participation (ToP®) Facilitator with deep experience navigating the intersections of harm, healing and possibility. She has guided groups across the country through moments of conflict, clarity and courageous decision-making—always centering those most impacted. Her professional journey includes leadership at Wise Women Gathering Place, Black Lives United-Green Bay, Women’s March Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence (End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin) and We All Rise: African American Resource Center.
Lunch Keynote Speakers
2025 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Culture of Health Winners
12:30 p.m.
Participants in this session will experience information on the great collaborative work being done across four Northeast Wisconsin agencies which lead to the cohort of supportive service agencies winning the prestigious Robert Wood Johnson Foundation community award. This lunch keynote will include a video of their spoken word performance followed by a panel discussion elevating how/why they won the award and the daily barriers they overcame to offer health, healing and off-ramps to wellness in the greater Green Bay community.
Natalie Bomstad
Executive Director, Wello
Natalie Bomstad leads the execution of Wello's strategic plan by developing partnerships that result in equitable, innovative and sustainable approaches to foster a proactive culture of health and well-being for all in Greater Green Bay.
Amanda Garcia
Executive Director, Casa ALBA Melanie
With over 15 years of dedicated experience serving the Latino community, Amanda Garcia has been instrumental in advancing culturally responsive services, linking critical resources to Latino families and dismantling systemic barriers that limit access to information and opportunities for underrepresented groups.
Said Hassan
Executive Director, COMSA
With lived experience of forced displacement and formal resettlement, Said Hassan brings unmatched empathy, strategic insight and cultural fluency to advancing equity, integration and self-sufficiency for diverse communities. He is committed to elevating refugee voices in global policy dialogue and championing pathways that restore dignity and hope for marginalized populations.
Robin Nicole Scott
Executive Director, We All Rise
Robin Nicole Scott leads with radical vision, clinical expertise and deep community roots. She oversees all agency operations while cultivating strategy, sustainability and organizational healing. Robin serves as the public face of the organization, working across sectors to build relationships that advance justice and restore dignity for Black families.
Stephanie Ortiz
Associate Director, We All Rise
Stephanie Ortiz is the engine behind the daily operations and internal rhythm of We All Rise. She leads staff supervision, strategic planning and administrative management across the agency. Her work ensures that programs thrive, teams grow and the mission is grounded in both structure and soul.
Workshops 3
Community–It's Not that Complicated: Bridging Supportive Services to Strengthen Collective Impact!
1:45 p.m.
In today’s complex social landscape, collaboration isn’t just helpful—it’s essential. This interactive workshop brings together professionals from housing, education, resource centers and other supportive services to explore the power of coordinated care. Through real-world examples, shared experiences and open dialogue, we’ll examine how cross-sector partnerships create stronger outcomes for individuals and families, particularly those navigating systemic barriers. Participants will discuss the often-unseen relationships that form between service providers, the trust required to share responsibility, and the ripple effect these collaborations have on personal well-being, community resilience, and social equity. Together, we’ll challenge the idea that building community is complicated—and instead highlight how intentional connection, communication, and shared purpose can lead to transformative results. Whether you're a frontline worker, program leader, or policy advocate, this session will leave you with fresh insights and practical tools for strengthening your network, aligning missions, and working better—together.
Panel Discussion Featuring:
Resetting & Soaring: Building Strength & Connecting Community Through Self-Advocacy
1:45 p.m.
Dangelo Lee elevates the importance maintaining connections at a distance. Whether it is due to isolation, separation, divorce, or incarceration, Lee shows how to use various life locations as springboards to connection. His click came from marrying fitness and faith. After Pastoring for 15 years and watching people die from preventable diseases, he learned to reframe trials as exercise for a better life. This session provides you with tangible tools to accept responsibility for the things within our control and elevating implicit bias to a conscious level—When you think better you do better. Participants will be provided tools to address implicit bias, physically, socially and spiritually.
Dangelo Lee
Author, Life Coach, Motivational SpeakerWith a passion for helping others navigate the complexities of parenting, Dangelo Lee penned the influential book "Parenting from a Distance; 7 Principles, Techniques and Exercises on How to Do it Effectively."
Beyond his literary contributions, he is a dedicated advocate for prison reform and increasing awareness of preventable diseases, such as obesity. His book "Theology of Fitness" is a timely and impactful book that encourages faith-based communities to understand the connection between faith and fitness through a series of workout videos. The book is also a personal look into a faith leader’s journey to develop a theology of faith and fitness with a wholistic blueprint for faith-based wellness.
Power of Image Shift: Implicit Bias to Equity, Part I
1:45 p.m.
Power of Image Shift is a Technologies of Participation (ToP) Facilitation Methods interactive consensus-based activity. Power of Image Shift is a way to explore behaviors, images, values and messages that hold current behaviors in place, then to explore what is the image, values and messages to grow to support new intended behaviors. This is a way to experience facilitated consensus and build some awareness on how to support a shift from implicit bias to equity. Part II takes place at 3 p.m.
Brenda John, MPS
Communication & Outreach, Wise Women Gathering PlaceBrenda John has facilitated ToP methods since 2006 and Strategic Planning since 2018. As an Oneida Nation citizen, she connects ToP’s profound respect and inclusive participation with Native American values to ensure all members of the community have a voice and are valued.
Beverly Scow
Executive Director, Wise Women Gathering Place, Certified ToP FacilitatorBeverly has provided ToP Facilitation Methods and ToP Strategic Planning since 2007. She has facilitated for local, tribal, state and national organizations, embracing the ToP foundational values of inclusive participation and profound respect.
Workshops 4
Mentoring for Equity & Inclusion
3 p.m.
In this thought-provoking session, participants will engage in a dynamic conversation led by Jon Shelton, Ph.D.—professor and chair of Democracy and Justice Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay—on the critical role of mentoring in sustaining equity and inclusion in American universities. As political, cultural and economic pressures threaten to narrow the mission of higher education, Dr. Shelton will challenge attendees to consider what’s at stake for democracy, civic life, and social mobility if colleges and universities retreat from their commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Drawing on his acclaimed works, including The Education Myth and Teacher Strike!, Shelton will illuminate how inclusive mentoring practices can serve as powerful interventions to support marginalized students, foster justice-oriented leadership, and reaffirm the public mission of higher education.
Participants will explore how mentorship can be intentionally structured to challenge implicit bias, disrupt structural inequities, and create pathways for authentic belonging in academic and professional spaces.
Jon Shelton
Professor, Chair of Democracy & Justice Studies, UW-Green BayJon Shelton is the author of "The Education Myth: How Human Capital Trumped Social Democracy" (Cornell University Press, 2023).
He also wrote "Teacher Strike! Public Education and the Making of a New American Political Order," which was the winner of the International Standing Conference of the History of Education’s First Book Award in 2018. Shelton has also published work in the Washington Post, Dissent, Jacobin, Democracy: A Journal of Ideas, and other publications. He served as the Vice-Chair of the city of Green Bay’s first-ever Equal Rights Commission and sits on the Board of Directors for the Labor and Working-Class History Association and the Wisconsin Labor History Society.
Grade the Response: Community Voices, Bias in Action & What Justice Should Look Like
3 p.m.
What does bias look like when it shows up in real time—and how do our systems respond? In this interactive, truth-telling session, participants will examine anonymized stories from clients in Brown County, Wisconsin, who have experienced implicit bias across sectors such as housing, healthcare, education, social services and the justice system. Each story will be shared with three key parts: what happened, how it made the client feel and how the situation was handled. Participants will work in small groups to analyze each scenario, discuss the outcomes and assign a letter grade based on how well the situation was handled through a trauma-informed, equitable and just lens. Then, they’ll be invited to reimagine an “A+” response—one that centers dignity, equity, and systemic accountability. Designed to move attendees beyond theoretical conversations, this workshop provides a raw and honest opportunity to engage with the real experiences of marginalized community members, understand the consequences of inaction or poor practice, and collectively generate new standards for what equitable responses should look like. Moderators: Conference Planning Committee.
Power of Image Shift: Implicit Bias to Equity, Part II
3 p.m.
Beverly Scow and Brenda John continue their consensus-based awareness-building activity, utilizing a Technonologies of Participation (ToP) Facilitation Method, as participants continue the work to shift from implicit bias to equity. See Part I above at 1:45 p.m.
Meet the Authors
4 p.m.
Close out your conference experience with an inspiring connection session featuring several of our workshop leaders who are also published authors. This informal gathering is your chance to explore their work, ask questions and gain deeper insight into the ideas and stories that shape their advocacy. Whether you’re looking for practical tools, personal inspiration or a signed copy, this is a unique opportunity to engage directly with thought leaders making a difference in the fields of equity, justice and victim support.
Need Assistance?
If you have questions about the conference or need any additional assistance, please contact Renita Robinson, EdD, (920) 837-3512 ext. 129 or renita@weallriseaarc.org.