Board

Alex Askew serves as the Director of Development at Wallin Education Partners. He began his nonprofit career through AmeriCorps service, gaining invaluable experience that sparked a commitment to community-centered development. With over a decade of fundraising expertise, Alex is a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE), dedicated to advancing ethical standards and best practices in the field.

In his free time, Alex enjoys exploring Twin Cities neighborhoods with his dog and spending time outdoors running, hiking, birding, and skiing. He also contributes to his family’s century farm in southwest Iowa.

Jason currently works as both a visual artist and a marketing analytics director, centering customer experience, data consent and privacy in his work. He has led workplace equity initiatives, including founding Pride ERGs for LGBTQ+ employees and allies at both Thrivent and American Equity. He is committed to building better networks, capacity and intelligence so that LGBTQ+ folks can thrive now and in future generations.

As a trans person who has been fortunate to access quality therapy, support and community, he knows it's critical to increase access for all queer and trans youth. Jason lives with roommates and cats in South Minneapolis. In his spare time, he enjoys planting things, hiking, and making art, food, mead and music.

CB Baga serves as Maslon's Public Interest/DEI Counsel, representing clients on pro bono legal matters, assisting with pro bono program administration, managing the UPLIFT: Legal Institute for Teens mock trial program, and supporting the firm's overall DEI efforts. CB founded the Pro Bono Volunteer Lawyers Network Queer/Trans Community Clinic in conjunction with community partners Family Tree Clinic and the Minnesota Trans Health Coalition. CB has continued for ten years as managing attorney of the clinic, which provides free counsel on to provide a gateway to legal resources to the community. CB specializes their legal work in trans community care, including brief services advice and identity document corrections. CB also volunteers to train courts and the legal community. In addition to RECLAIM, CB is a board member for Gender Justice. CB joined the RECLAIM Board of Directors as a way to serve and give back to the community that raised them.

Mercedes Plendl is the Senior Director of Programs at PFund Foundation, working to build equity in LGBTQ+ communities across the Upper Midwest through grants, scholarships and capacity building programs. Mercedes is also the founder of Plendl Consulting LLC, a consulting firm that supports nonprofits to deliver their missions and create lasting change. Plendl holds a Master in Public Policy degree at the Humphrey Institute at the University of Minnesota with a focus on nonprofit leadership and management. In her free time she works to empower organizations serving LGBTQ+ youth. She also enjoys the arts, running, trying new restaurants and seeing new places.

Richard is a native Californian, and a fairly recent transplant to the Twin Cities. Richard is a licensed Landscape Architect and owner of the firm Leyva & Wilde, Inc. in Southern California. Leyva & Wilde Inc. has specialized in large-scale estate development and renovation of historic properties. Richard has additionally had the opportunity to serve in leadership positions within a number of LGBTQ+ social service and political organizations in Orange County, California including: LGBTQ Center Orange County, Eleanor Roosevelt Democratic Club, AIDS Walk Orange County, Human Rights Campaign, and more. Richard has also volunteered on a number of campaigns for social justice in Minnesota, most notably the campaign for the freedom to marry. In this challenging time in which we are living, Richard believes it is vital to stand up for our queer and trans community, especially our youth, providing services that allow for vibrant lives of self-determination, opportunity, and dignity. Richard lives in the Uptown neighborhood of Minneapolis with his husband, Senator Scott Dibble.

Jenny DeBower, PhD, LGSW, is a researcher and social worker with over 20 years of experience advancing social justice for women and LGBTQ+ youth. She currently leads the evaluation of Minneapolis's 911-dispatched behavioral crisis response program at the Minnesota Justice Research Center.

Dr. DeBower holds a Ph.D. in Social Welfare from CUNY Graduate Center and an M.S.W. from Columbia University. Her dissertation Worldbuilding: A theory of resilience in transgender and gender-expansive young people inspired "Creating Our Worlds," a Minnesota State Arts Board-funded project distributing transformative art kits to trans and gender expansive youth across Minnesota.Throughout her career, she has been a leading advocate for LGBTQ+ youth, co-founding the LGBT Foster Care Project with NYC Administration for Children's Services, directing youth programs at the LGBT Community Center of New York, and leading nationally recognized initiatives at the Hetrick-Martin Institute and Harvey Milk High School, serving over 1,000 LGBTQ+ youth and families annually. Her work with women and girls includes designing the RisingStrong program for second generation immigrant girls and founding the Survivors Action Network to support survivors of intimate partner and gender-based violence.

Her research on youth organizing, mental health, and community resilience has been published in Youth & Society and other peer-reviewed journals. As a licensed graduate social worker in Minnesota, Dr. DeBower specializes in program evaluation, crisis intervention, and policy analysis for systems serving women and LGBTQ+ communities.

Carrie Jarvis is an educator, advocate, and visual artist. She has held the role of English teacher, Dean of Students, and Assistant Principal. She formally left education in 2022 and now works full time as an educational advocate and visual artist. Carrie has served on numerous non-profit boards throughout the Twin Cities and is excited to bring her experience to RECLAIM! She lives with her family, both human and animal, in Saint Paul.

Javen is Donor Engagement Director at ISAIAH and Faith in Minnesota, where he organizes money to build power for racial, economic, and climate justice. His work focuses on resourcing community organizing to create a caring economy where everyone can thrive, a multiracial democracy that honors every person’s dignity, and a just climate future.

He previously spent nearly a decade as a Lutheran pastor and also worked with OutFront Minnesota and the National LGBTQ Task Force, organizing faith leaders and communities to advance LGBTQ justice. Above all else, Javen is committed to liberation that allows people to live authentically and flourish in community, and he is inspired by RECLAIM’s mission to ensure queer and trans youth have access to the mental health care and supportive community they need to thrive. Javen lives in Saint Paul with his husband, Oby.

Laura Vitelli is a founding partner at Staiger|Vitelli and Associates and she brings warmth, clarity, and deep strategy to every engagement. Her approach is rooted in trust, relationships, and shared values—not transactions. With more than 30 years of nonprofit experience, Laura has led teams, grown campaigns, and coached dozens of nonprofit leaders to align their fundraising with who they are and what they stand for. She’s held senior roles at Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative, Children’s Theatre Company, and Hired and has supported dozens of mission-driven organizations as a consultant, including many mental health and queer- and trans-led and serving organizations. She has earned a reputation for strong communications, planful strategy, and effective resource development. Laura also holds an MBA in Nonprofit Management from the University of St. Thomas. When she's not helping non-profits live their values, she enjoys seeing her kids, their pets and creating beautiful crafts to share with her friends and family.