News Item
Members selected for new Supreme Court Council on Child Protection and Maltreatment Prevention
Posted: Wednesday, August 21, 2024
Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Natalie Hudson today signed an order establishing the Supreme Court Council on Child Protection and Maltreatment Prevention and appointing members to serve on it.
Minnesota Supreme Court Associate Justice Anne McKeig will serve as the as the designee of the chief justice and chair of the Council for a term effective immediately and ending on Jan. 15, 2026.
“Justice McKeig has a staunch commitment to child welfare, and her decades of experience in this field – both as a practitioner and a jurist – will be invaluable to everyone on the Council and to the people of Minnesota,” said Chief Justice Hudson.
Other members of the new Council include:
- Ann Ahlstrom—Chair, Minnesota Guardian Ad Litem Program Board
- Libby Bergman—Founder and Executive Director, Family Enhancement Center
- Ethel Chitseko—Lead Peer Recovery Specialist, Recovery is Happening, and parent with lived child protection system experience
- Misty Coonce—Ombudsman for Foster Youth, Office of the Foster Youth Ombudsperson
- Nikki Farago—Deputy Commissioner for Agency Culture and Relations, Minnesota Department of Human Services
- Leonard Fineday—Secretary/Treasurer, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe
- Neal Gaalswyk—Cass County Commissioner and President, Association of Minnesota Counties
- Vickie Goulette— Program Manager, Prevention Services Area, Hennepin County Children and Family Services
- Anne Gueinzius—Managing Attorney, Children’s Law Center of Minnesota
- Mark Hudson, M.D.—Child abuse pediatrics and Medical Director, Midwest Children's Resource Center, Children’s Minnesota
- Erin Johnson—Assistant County Attorney, Washington County Attorney’s Office
- Anthony Kotschevar—Investigator, Stearns County Sheriff’s Office
- Tracie LaLiberte— Director, Multidisciplinary Institute for Child Welfare, University of Minnesota
- Marcia Milliken—Executive Director, Minnesota Children's Alliance
- William C. Moyers—Vice President of Public Affairs and Community Relations, Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation
- Jennifer L. Nelson – Managing Attorney, State of Minnesota 9th Judicial District Public Defender
- Erika Randall— Guardian ad Litem Manager, 6th and 9th Districts, Guardian ad Litem Program
- Sondra Samuels— President and CEO of the Northside Achievement Zone
- Veronica Sanchez—STAY in The Community Life Coach, Division of Indian Work, and youth with lived child protection experience
- Mallory Stoll—Family and juvenile attorney and partner at Blahnik, Prchal & Stoll, PLLC
- Shan Wang—Assistant Chief Judge, 7th Judicial District, Stearns County
- Catherine Wright, Psy.D.—National Register Health Psychologist; Early Childhood, Youth and Family Mental Health Systems Coordinator, Behavioral Health Division, Minnesota Department of Human Services
- Timothy Zuel, Ph.D.—Adjunct professor of social work, University of Minnesota; Be@School Manager (retired), Hennepin County Attorney’s Office
Council advisors include:
The Minnesota Legislature established the Council on Child Protection and Maltreatment Prevention during the 2024 legislative session to:
- review policies, laws, practices, latest research, and data related to children in the child protection system;
- gather information from people about their lived experience with the child protection system;
- review research that evaluates the effects of child foster care placement and out-of-home placement on children;
- make recommendations for changes in policies and law that are designed to improve outcomes for children and families in the child protection system or at risk of maltreatment; and
- recognize the inherent sovereignty of Tribal Nations and the unique political status of their children and families.
The Council must submit a progress report to the governor, the chief justice of the supreme court, and the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over child protection by July 15, 2025. The Council’s final report, which will include a comprehensive blueprint for child protection and maltreatment prevention in Minnesota, must be submitted by Jan. 15, 2026.