Ini Augustine (she/her) is the CEO of SocialWise Media Group, a Minneapolis digital marketing firm. She is a previous Aspiring Businesswoman of the Year for NAWBO Iowa, The National Association of Women Business Owners. As the host of a weekly show/podcast, Street Genius radio, she examines the reality of entrepreneurship for Black, Latino, Asian, and Native business owners. You can follow her on Instagram @SocialWiseMedia.
Rashanda Bruce (she/her) is a co-founder of LOCUS, and an Associate at Robins Kaplan LLP. Rashanda graduated from Mitchell Hamline School of law where she served as a judicial extern for the Honorable Kate Menendez and the Honorable Sara Grewing. While in law school, Rashanda worked as a student attorney for the Child Protection Clinic and Innocence Clinic. She also served as co-president of the Mitchell Hamline Black Law Students Association, participated in the William E. McGee National Civil Rights Moot Court, and was the administrator and a student member of the Warren E. Burger Inn of Court.
Before attending law school, Rashanda worked as a paralegal at Robins Kaplan LLP. She has coached cheerleading for over a decade and currently serves as the Program Director and Head Cheerleading Coach for the Apple Valley Elementary and Middle School teams, where she instills and builds confidence and pride in young girls.
Rashanda is a member of the Minnesota Association of Black Lawyers and the Diverse Attorney Pipeline Program (DAPP) Associate Board.
Lindsay Pluger (she/her) is a nonprofit professional with a great deal of experience with youth leadership and community engagement. Currently, Lindsay is at Breakthrough Twin Cities assisting in programming and operations logistics for the nine-week summer program at the Mounds Park Academy site.
Prior to Breakthrough Twin Cities, Lindsay’s experience nonprofit leadership experience has been as a Program Manager at Students Today Leaders Forever (STLF). STLF provided Lindsay the space to create & implement, as well as train others on programming at partnering nonprofits, middle schools, high schools, and colleges nationwide.
In addition to the LOCUS Leadership Team, Lindsay also serves on the board for Leaders of Today and Tomorrow (LOTT).
Diane Tran (she/her) is the founder of Minnesota Rising and a co-founder of LOCUS, and the System Executive Director of Community Health Equity and Engagement at M Health Fairview.
Previously, she provided strategic consulting services at Grassroots Solutions, directed Minnesota field activities for the Pew Charitable Trusts’ program to advance federal clean energy policies, and coordinated a local public health advocacy campaign to advance the Freedom to Breathe Act of 2007, a statewide smoke-free workplace policy protecting Minnesotans from the harmful effects of secondhand smoke.
Diane serves on the boards of the Saint Paul and Minnesota Foundation and Propel Nonprofits.
Thank you to our former LOCUS Leadership Team members for leaving a powerful legacy and firm foundation for our current efforts!
- Kristell Caballero Saucedo
- Anna Hardemann
- Tenzin Kunsal
- Aamina Mohamed
- Mayumi Park
- TraNeicia Sylvester
- Thet-Htar Thet
And a shout-out to our web design partners for helping us develop and host our online presence and space!
- Lindsi Gish
- Bo-Sung Kim
- Jennie Kim
- Cori Lin