NEW LAWS SPEAKER BIOS
RANA S. ALEXANDER, ESQ. - EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, standpoint
Rana Alexander has worked in the domestic and sexual violence field since 1997. Ms. Alexander joined Standpoint, formerly known as Battered Women’s Legal Advocacy Project (BWLAP), in 2005. Ms. Alexander became the Executive Director in 2016. As an attorney for the statewide organization, she provides legal advice and consultation to domestic and sexual violence victims, advocates and attorneys on legal issues that affect domestic and sexual violence victims. Ms. Alexander also provides training and outreach to attorneys involving issues of domestic and sexual violence and the law. Ms. Alexander is a graduate of Northeastern University School of Law in Boston, Massachusetts, and received, with distinction, her Bachelors of Science degree in Psychology and a minor in Women’s Studies from Iowa State University.
RACHEL KOHLER, ESQ. - STAFF ATTORNEY, standpoint
Rachel Kohler went to law school at Hamline University and has been working primarily in immigration law since 2009. For many years, she volunteered as a GED tutor, a refugee resettlement coordinator, and organized activities at a juvenile detention center. Her experience working at the International Institute of Boston, a non-profit immigration clinic which provided immigration assistance to victims of various crimes, including domestic assault and trafficking, provided her with a desire to attend law school and become an attorney. As an attorney, Rachel worked at Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services, providing assistance to those going through the citizenship and naturalization process, and has clerked at the immigration court and at several private immigration firms. Rachel worked in Anoka County for two years and dealt directly with civil, family, and criminal cases. Rachel joined Standpoint as a staff attorney with an immigration focus. She received her Bachelor’s degree from Concordia College in Moorhead, MN in Spanish and Global Studies. She is bilingual in Spanish and is from Worthington, MN and Fargo, ND.
AMY ISENOR, ESQ. - STAFF ATTORNEY, standpoint
Amy Isenor joined the team at Standpoint on April 9, 2018. Amy comes to us with experience in Child Protection, Civil Commitments and Guardianships, Family Law (including Orders for Protection, Dissolution, and Custody), Harassment Restraining Orders, and representing victims of Domestic and Sexual violence. Having worked as a prosecuting attorney and in representing respondents in civil matters, Ms. Isenor’s nearly 20 years of legal experience, and more than that in the social justice field have prepared her to advise attorneys, advocates, and victims with their legal needs. She has received numerous awards for her service to victim/survivors.
THI SYNAVONE - DIRECTOR OF ORGANIZATIONAL AND STAFF DEVELOPMENT, standpoint
Thi Synavone has worked in the Domestic and Sexual Violence Field for over 20 years. Thi brings to Standpoint extensive knowledge and experience around providing advocacy to survivors, management of special programs, coordination of events to promote awareness about DV and SV, and facilitation of trainings on varying topics as it relates to DV and SV survivors, in particular topics focusing on victimization of immigrant and refugee populations. Thi graduated from the California Coalition Against Sexual Assault’s (CALCASA) Leadership Education and Advancement for Professionals (LEAP) in 2015 and has continued to train nationally about Leadership Development for Women of Color. Thi is a graduate from Augsburg College with a dual major in Political Science and Communications and also has a Master’s in Public and Nonprofit Administration from Metropolitan State University.
ANN M, ESQ. - HOUSING GRANT ATTORNEY, standpoint
Ann joined Standpoint in March 2020. She is a graduate of Mitchell Hamline School of Law and has focused her legal work on housing law (landlord/tenant law). Ann has experience in providing legal services to underrepresented individuals, providing advocacy to victims of sexual violence, and training and supporting volunteer attorneys doing housing work. As a housing attorney for Standpoint, Ann provides legal advice and consultation on legal issues affecting victims of domestic and sexual violence. Ann received her Juris Doctor from Mitchell Hamline School of Law in 2017 and her Bachelor of Arts degree from Metropolitan State University in 2011. She is a volunteer crisis counselor for Ramsey County Sexual Offense Services and volunteers at the CLUES legal clinic.
RAELENE CASWELL - HOUSING ADVOCATE, standpoint
Raelene (she/her) began her work as an advocate in 2009. Her work in domestic and sexual violence has focused on crisis intervention, case management, shelter work, hospital-based advocacy, program development, and the wellness and resiliency of advocates in the field. Raelene has provided housing assistance and systems navigation within the Coordinated Entry system, rental assistance, and building relationships with landlords. She is excited to build upon this work as Housing Advocate and provide education and training on housing rights, coordinating eviction expungement clinics, and developing resources of safe and stable housing options for families and youth experiencing homelessness due to domestic or sexual violence or trafficking. She graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College, majoring in Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies and History, and holds a Master's in Advocacy and Political Leadership from Metropolitan State University.
Steph Ritenour - Director of Programs, ThinkSelf
Steph is Director of Programs at ThinkSelf Deaf Adult Advocacy and Education. She works with a team of advocates, teachers, and community partners to improve equity in services for safety, justice and healing. Steph has over 15 years of Deaf services experience and holds an individualized Bachelor’s degree in Addiction Studies and Complementary Healing from the University of Minnesota. In her down time, she enjoys playing with her vizsla Lincoln and spending hours with her family on and around Minnesota’s 11,842 lakes.
Aaron Gutzke - Executive Director, ThinkSelf
As executive director, Aaron leads ThinkSelf in providing learner- and survivor-centered services. He believes that multidisciplinary collaboration is the key to removing barriers and generating innovative advocacy, education and arts opportunities. Throughout his career, Aaron has worked to ensure access for all. He holds a Master’s degree from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota and graduated from Gallaudet University with a Bachelor’s in English and Secondary Education. In his down time, Aaron enjoys spending his spare time with his husband and doting on their two Corgi mixes, Percival and Abigail.