In this role, she leads capacity building initiatives to strengthen community-based adolescent sexual health programs. Farris is a certified trainer on dozens of evidence-based interventions to prevent teen pregnancy and HIV/STIs, and is a nationally recognized expert on sex ed, reproductive health, trends in adolescent health, and the social and cultural factors affecting young people's sexual behavior. She leads the creation and dissemination of the annual Adolescent Sexual Health Report, as well as county health reports and data visualization fact sheets. Farris is deeply committed to addressing health disparities through a lens of equity, inclusion, and trauma-informed practice. In her free time, Jill is a Girl Scout troop leader, Our Whole Lives facilitator at First Universalist Church of Minneapolis, and an avid fan of figure skating and gymnastics. She's passionate about travel, coffee, triathlons, and progressive politics.

University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. She is a state-certified sexual assault crisis counselor and worked closely with students in undergrad at both the university's sexual violence center and in the department of housing and residential life. She now does development work at a community college foundation while also working part-time at a local gift shop. In her free time she enjoys reading and writing, trying out new bars and restaurants, and playing with her cat.

the 2026 SHAPE America Central District Teacher of the Year. He has worked toward developing a skills-based health education model for his community. He has studied data around teen pregnancy rates in rural and outstate MN with a focus on improving these stats. Chapin has convened multiple community groups to review and support sexuality education curriculums that best fit his community. He has worked with local ministerial, healthcare, public health, law enforcement, and others to create a community-wide approach to supporting positive teen decision-making with a focus on abstinence, early sexual experimentation, comprehensive sexuality education, and overall teen health. In his free time, he is an MSHSL official and loves to travel with his wife Michele and two kids - Danielle and Tyler.

Raised in Caguas, Puerto Rico, Sonja’s work is deeply rooted in social justice, human rights, and liberation-centered approaches to conflict, harm, and healing. Sonja holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Puerto Rico and a Juris Doctor from the University of Puerto Rico School of Law. During law school, they became actively engaged in community-based work centering reproductive and sexual rights, anti–human trafficking efforts, and restorative and transformative justice practices—commitments that continue to shape their professional path. Since relocating to Minnesota in 2017, Sonja has worked across legal, advocacy, and community-based settings, including roles as a legal researcher, sexual violence victims’ advocate, site facilitator for the Hennepin County Sexual Assault Multidisciplinary Action Response Team (SMART), and restorative justice facilitator, mediator, and educator. Sonja is the founder and owner of Punto Medio Restorative Services, a restorative practices business offering facilitation, mediation, counseling, training, and community-based processes grounded in accountability, healing, and collective care. Through Punto Medio, Sonja works with individuals, families, organizations, and communities to design non-punitive, culturally responsive responses to harm and conflict. They are also the host of El RestBreak, a Spanglish podcast exploring restorative justice, healing practices, and lived experiences at the intersections of culture, identity, and justice. Outside of their professional work, Sonja finds joy in music, good coffee, time with chosen and biological family, and life alongside their dog, Benito.

She is currently pursuing a Master of Public Health at the University of Minnesota, focusing on maternal and child health. Kara continues to play a key role in advancing menstrual equity legislation in Minnesota and has also spent significant time doing peer sex education in multiple capacities. She is committed to making comprehensive sex education accessible and inclusive. She brings her expertise in advocacy and youth leadership to the board, aiming to address systemic health inequities and empower communities through education. In her free time, Kara enjoys spending time drinking coffee, hanging out with family and friends, swimming, running, and most recently has been learning to crochet.

his own, he was the Director of Membership at Minnesota Public Raio, and the Director of Membership and Marketing for the Science Museum of Minnesota. In his spare time, he is completing a Masters of Professional Studies in Human Sexuality from the Eli Coleman Institute for Sexual and Gender Health at the U of MN. He hopes to combine this with his day job by helping to raise support for organizations that promote healthy sexuality, and develop sexuality education programs that reach older adults. Beyond that, Bob enjoys Brewery 5Ks, Roller Derby, Women’s Sports and Board Games. He lives with his partner in Saint Paul with their cat, Uhoh. 

Focusing on inclusive pedagogy, they have also served as an adjunct professor for Adler Graduate School, as an occasional educator for the University of MN, and as a community educator through their segment Logan Talks About Sex at various DIY queer venues in Minneapolis. They are particularly focused on creating supportive spaces for gender diverse individuals, inside and outside the classroom. Sand holds a BA in neuroscience and psychology from Macalester College and an M. Ed in human sexuality from Widener University. They are an AASECT certified sex educator who has been published in the American Journal of Sexuality Education and has presented at the National Sex Ed Conference. In their free time you might find them thinking about watching a new show, but ultimately watching 90’s era Star Trek episodes instead or winning bar trivia with their team.