Dr. Stephanie Burrage, Chief Equity Officer of Minnesota, she is responsible for connecting external stakeholders with state government partners for the purpose of achieving equity and opportunity for everyone in the state of Minnesota. Prior to her appointment as Chief Equity Officer, she served as Minnesota’s Education Deputy Commissioner, Dr. Stephanie Burrage helped lead an agency with more than 450 employees serving over 890,000 students in 554 school districts. Dr. Burrage worked to promote educational policies and initiatives focused on closing the achievement gap with the mission of improving educational achievement for children from pre-K through grade 12, adult education and library services. Dr. Burrage believes in providing all students with equitable access to high-quality programming immersed in academic rigor, supporting the social emotional development of the whole child, and providing students with multiple pathways to success. Her most rewarding work remains her connections with communities and families through meaningful conversations, amplifying their voices and advocating for a bold future for all.
Dr. Leslie Hitchens, principal of Maxfield Elementary in St. Paul, brings a wealth of experience in helping all students feel represented and being accepted as their authentic selves. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in special education and elementary education from Xavier University of Louisiana, a Master of Arts degree in curriculum and instruction from University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, and a Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership from Hamline University. Dr. Hitchens is a leader in racial equity work and continues engaging in the unconscious bias of structures that hinder and harm the achievement of our Black and Brown students.
Former Justice Helen Meyer, Minnesota Supreme Court; Helen Meyer earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Minnesota and her J.D. from William Mitchell College of Law. She then practiced civil litigation for 20 years, being recognized by her peers as a leading mediator and trial lawyer. Helen then had the privilege of being appointed to the Minnesota Supreme Court, serving as an Associate Justice from 2002 - 2012. After stepping down from the high court, Meyer played a major role in establishing the Child Protection Institute at Mitchell Hamline School of Law. The program promotes legal-system reform on behalf of children and families, and engages in education and training, research and the development of best practices in child protection. She then joined the law firm of Briggs & Morgan, P.A. where she served as a mediator and assisted lawyers in writing and arguing appeals to appellate courts across the country. She currently serves on the Wallin Education Partners Board and the State Board of Public Defense. She is a recipient of the Rosalie E. Wahl “Justice for Children” award, Minnesota Lawyer’s “Outstanding Service to the Profession” award, and the 2018 Minnesota Icon Award by Finance & Commerce. In her free time, she enjoys the arts, golf, cooking and travel. She is the proud mother of three sons and lives in Minneapolis.
Georgia Ross enjoys making new friends, creating music and art, and being involved in her community. She is a student at Saint Paul Academy and Summit School where she loves studying biology, writing analytical papers in English, and writing and designing for her school newspaper, The Rubicon. Georgia serves on the Class Leadership Council. As a girls varsity tennis co-captain, Georgia organizes pre-season practices and rallies her teammates to win during their matches. Outside of GOTR, you can find Georgia listening to Taylor Swift’s Lover album on repeat, walking around the neighborhood with her mom for their nightly strolls, thrifting with her sister, or draining the slushie machines dry at the local Super America with her friends.