Meet Our Board
Graciela Bloch is an associate attorney at Burns & Hansen, P.A., focusing on real estate litigation, harassment and domestic violence restraining orders, estate planning, probate disputes, and civil litigation. Graciela attended the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Women and Gender Studies and a minor in Social Justice Studies, with an emphasis on prejudice and discrimination. She earned her Juris Doctorate from Mitchell Hamline School of Law. Graciela leverages her diverse background and experience as a former homeless youth in the foster care system to zealously advocate for foster youth and exemplify their voices.
Mark C. Gordon is a Professor and the former President and Dean of Mitchell Hamline School of Law. Prior to his arrival in the Twin Cities in July, 2015, Gordon served as President of Defiance College and before that as Dean of University of Detroit Mercy School of Law in Detroit. Gordon is originally from New York, where he worked as an aide to New York’s Governor Mario Cuomo in the mid-1980’s and then, during the first Clinton Administration, as Chief of Staff to Andrew Cuomo at the US Department of Housing and Urban Development. He received his B.A. and his Masters in International Affairs from Columbia University, and his law degree from Harvard Law School.
Jeremiah Gross Fortgang is a lifelong educator and coach with over 20 years of experience in equity focused nonprofit organizational leadership, teaching and facilitation, and collaborative research. She specializes in holding space with loving accountability that allows individuals and groups to do their inner work as the foundation for transformational change. She is a continuous learner who earned her PhD in Higher Education with a concentration in Organizational Management and is a certified ICF Coach, IDI Qualified Administrator, yoga teacher, and mentor with Racial Justice from the Heart.
Jeremiah Hawkins is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) and currently serves as the Vice President of Programs at Bridge for Youth. For 25 years Jeremiah has worked with children and families across the country in both the non-profit and government sectors including foster care, adoption and residential services. Jeremiah has served as an adjunct faculty member at St. Cloud State University and the University of Chicago. Jeremiah earned his bachelor’s degree in Family Social Science from the University of Minnesota and his master’s degree in Social Work from Columbia University. In addition, Jeremiah serves as a member of the Delano, MN City Council.
Ed Morales MPP, MSW, LICSW, is a trainer and social worker based in Minneapolis, MN. In addition to being an adoptive and step-parent and a husband, Ed is a full-time staff trainer with the Minnesota Child Welfare Training Academy; a social worker with Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota; serves as Community Faculty with the University of Minnesota’s School of Social Work; sits on the Minnesota Children’s Subcommittee on Children’s Mental Health; and provides training, clinical supervision and professional development through his LLC, Socorro Consulting. Ed lives in North Minneapolis with his wife, youngest kids, and his cat, Mocha.
Additionally, the co-chairs of our Community Board serve on our Governing Board during their term of office.
Questions for the board? Interested in joining?
Send them an email at board@fosteradvocates.org. If you are trying to reach a board member directly please include their name in the email subject line.
