2026 Girlhood Summit: Community Starts With Us

Ann Bancroft is a celebrated polar explorer, educator, and philanthropist. As the first woman to cross both the North and South Poles, she has inspired countless individuals to pursue their dreams, no matter the obstacles.

Ann is the founder of the Ann Bancroft Foundation, where she continues to empower young women to reach their full potential. 

Learn more about Ann here.

Ethelind is passionate about many things and wears many hats with one purpose: to spark in others the same curiosity about advancing human equity, potential, and dignity that motivates her work and life.

As the Executive Director of the Ann Bancroft Foundation since 2021, Ethelind champions its vision—a world in which all who identify as a girl have a chance to live their dream and reach their full potential.

Ethelind is founder of The Stargirl Initiative, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering teen and tween girls, for which she was named a Changemaker by MN Women’s Press. She has also received recognition by Twin Cities Business as one of the “100 Top People of 2024,” and by Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal as one of “50 Black Leaders To Know.”

Ethelind offers her experience to several organizations, including The Jeremiah Program as a Board Member, and serves on the Board of Regents at Augsburg University.

Ann Ahmed is a nationally recognized chef, restaurateur, and storyteller known for shaping the Laotian-American culinary landscape in the Midwest. She is the chef and owner of four acclaimed Minnesota restaurants: Lemon Grass Thai Cuisine, Lat14 Asian Eatery, Khâluna, and Gai Noi, each reflecting a different facet of her creative and cultural journey—from casual comfort to fine dining elegance.

A self-taught cook and first-generation refugee, Ann arrived in the United States from Laos at the age of four. Her food is rooted in her family’s traditions and shaped by the realities of growing up in Minnesota. In 2005, at just 25 years old, she opened Lemon Grass without a business plan—living in her mother’s basement and walking to the restaurant each day. Her original team was just three people: herself, her cousin, and her mother.

Now, nearly 20 years later, Ann is the founder and operator of Kamma Hospitality, a growing restaurant group named in honor of her grandmother. Under this banner, she leads four distinct concepts and employs a team of nearly 300 people across Minnesota. Her work is grounded in compassion, precision, and a belief that hospitality can be both deeply personal and culturally expansive.

Ann Ahmed is a 2025 James Beard Award semifinalist for Outstanding Chef, a 2023 finalist for Best Chef: Midwest, and a multi-year semifinalist (2022–2024). Her work has also been recognized by The New York Times, which named her restaurant Gai Noi one of the 50 best restaurants in America in its 2024 “Restaurant List.”

She is also a published writer, having authored a personal essay for Artful Living Magazine on food, identity, and resilience. Her story has been shared across multiple platforms, and she has appeared on regional television and media outlets including The Jason Show (Fox 9) and KARE 11, and as a guest on the Niver Niver Land podcast, hosted by restaurateur Tim Niver.

Ann is an active culinary mentor and teacher. She recently led a Laotian jeow (hot sauce) cooking class with her daughter and continues to mentor students through events like the Jr. Iron Chef Competition. Unlike many cookbook authors, Ann is not a content creator-turned-chef—she is a working restaurateur with over 20 years of industry experience. She leads full-service kitchens, manages large teams, and continues to innovate through thoughtful, story-driven menus. Flavors of Home is her debut cookbook: a heartfelt collection of recipes and reflections on healing, heritage, and home.

Haley Carolyn Taylor Schlitz is an attorney, educator, writer, civic leader, and proud alumna of the DFW Mid-Cities Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Incorporated. She made history when she became the youngest African American person to graduate from law school in the history of the United States, earning her Juris Doctor from Southern Methodist University’s Dedman School of Law at the age of 19.

Prior to beginning her legal career, Haley spent an Impact Year teaching fifth-grade social studies in Fort Worth, Texas, an experience that strengthened her commitment to education, civic engagement, and youth leadership. She later served as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Minnesota under Attorney General Keith Ellison. Haley is currently an associate attorney with Kennedy & Graven, Chartered, where she primarily focuses on municipal law.

Haley is a contributing columnist for the Minnesota Star Tribune, Minnesota’s InsightNews, and Karen Hunter’s TheHub.news, where she writes on issues including democracy, justice, education, race, generational leadership, and the responsibilities facing young people in a rapidly changing world. She is also a member of the National Association of Black Journalists.

She is civically active in Minnesota and nationally. Haley chairs the City of Saint Paul’s CapitolRiver Council, serves on the Board of Directors of the Greater Twin Cities United Way, and is a delegate to the Minnesota State Democratic Party. She is also a member of the Saint Paul NAACP, the Minnesota Association of Black Lawyers, and Emerge’s Young Leaders Cabinet, a national group of young professionals helping expand the pipeline of women running for office and young people supporting them.

A proud member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Incorporated, Haley continues a family legacy of service as a legacy member with her mother and sister. As a member of Generation Z, she brings a perspective shaped by Black excellence, public service, mentorship, and intergenerational leadership. Her work reflects her commitment to using law, education, writing, and service to strengthen communities and help prepare the next generation of leaders.

Marquita is an accomplished youth professional specializing in partnership management with over 15 years of experience across corporate, nonprofit, and educational sectors. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies from Augsburg University and a Master of Arts in Cultural Educational Policy Studies from Loyola University Chicago. Currently, she is pursuing a Doctorate in Business Administration, focusing on Organizational Leadership and Development.

Marquita is also a dedicated civic leader, having served two four-year terms as a City Council Member for Brooklyn Center, concluding her service in December 2024. Her commitment to community empowerment drives her to create opportunities for young people to thrive.

In her previous role as Operations Director for the Girls and Youth Department at YWCA Minneapolis, Marquita oversaw eight programs that served over 1,200 youth annually. Additionally, she served as the Executive Director for Girls Inc. National, representing YWCA Minneapolis as a dual affiliate, and ensuring that girls had access to empowering environments that promote being Strong, Smart, and Bold.

In her free time, Marquita enjoys spending quality time with her family, playing games and having movie nights. An avid traveler, she has visited six continents and is eager to explore Antarctica soon.

Morgan Kerfeld is a serial entrepreneur, strategist, and educator passionate about driving innovation and empowering the next generation of changemakers.

As Associate Director of the Holmes Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Minnesota, she designs experiential courses and co-curricular programs that inspire students to launch and grow their own ventures.

Outside the classroom, Morgan is actively building her third startup, TELO, which is transforming the landscape of mobility aids with the first major innovations in over 40 years.

In her work, Morgan aims to bridge cutting-edge entrepreneurship with tangible social impact to make meaningful change both in the classroom and the world.

Mainhia Yang is the director of College Place-Southern Minnesota for the ECMC Foundation. With more than five years of experience in higher education admissions and financial aid, she brings a breadth and depth of knowledge to the students and families that she serves. Mainhia is also a Certified Financial Education Instructor (CFEI®), reflecting her commitment to advancing financial literacy. Born and raised in St. Paul, MN, Mainhia has a passion for educating and empowering students and holds a BS and MBA from St. Catherine University.

Dr. Tragil Wade-Johnson is an award-winning philanthropist, author, speaker, and founder of America’s Big Sisters Foundation, a movement dedicated to empowering girls through education, mentorship, and life-changing opportunities. A recipient of the President Biden Lifetime Achievement Award, she is nationally recognized for her advocacy and leadership supporting motherless girls and underserved youth. 

Her work has been featured on CBS Evening News with Norah O’Donnell and in People Magazine during Women’s History Month (2024). She is also a proud member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. 

Dr. Wade-Johnson is the author of the children’s book Big Sister, Big Heart, the inspirational book Strong Too Soon, and a co-author of the collaborative book Redefined. Through her foundation, she created the Mother’s Care Mentoring Initiative, supporting motherless girls, and launched AMY (Affirming & Motivating Youth) in 2025 — a character and empowerment program designed to help young girls build identity and confidence before the world defines them. 

She is currently leading the All Girls Matter: Journey Around America, a national initiative traveling to all 50 states to create safe spaces, mentorship, and empowerment experiences for thousands of girls. 

Born and raised on Chicago’s South Side, Dr. Wade-Johnson has turned personal adversity into a powerful mission — ensuring that every girl knows her voice, her value, and her future matter.

Amina Nor is a young entrepreneur and innovator passionate about creating meaningful change through creativity, entrepreneurship, and community. As a participant in the Innovator’s Program with the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota, she is building a modest fashion brand that aims to help young women find modest clothing options that reflect their values and lifestyles. Through her work, Amina hopes to inspire other young people to trust their ideas, take initiative, and recognize that they don’t have to wait to make a difference.

Finding modest clothing that felt comfortable, stylish, and practical for everyday life was something Amina often struggled with. That experience inspired her to start building a modest fashion brand that makes finding modest clothing options easier for other women. In this talk, Amina will share what it has been like turning that idea into a real project through the Women's Foundation of Minnesota Innovators Program, and how learning to believe in herself has helped her take the leap from having an idea to actually pursuing it.

Speech: Creating the Change I Wanted to See