M.J. joined Decoding Dyslexia Minnesota this past year in the leadership role of Executive Director.  As the parent of a neurodiverse student, she knows firsthand how challenging dyslexia can be and the life-changing impact of early screening and intervention.

M.J. has held leadership positions with several local for-profit companies including Thomson Reuters, Jostens, Dayton Hudson, and Business Incentives. Most recently she was the Executive Director at the non-profit, Conflict Resolution Center.

In her personal life, she works on social justice issues and co-chairs a faith-based ministry that works to keep families from eviction. In her free time, you’ll find her at her cabin in the Brainerd Lakes area spending time with family.

Kea has been working as a private dyslexia tutor since 2016. She has been managing the Partners for Parents Program created by Decoding Dyslexia Minnesota since 2018. She is the mother of two adult daughters, one is dyslexic. She leverages her personal experience and passion to help parents educate themselves and their families so that they may better understand their child’s learning disability and how to navigate the world and make their child as successful as they can be.

Laurie has a professional background in public relations, marketing, and sales. She has two children with dyslexia, each who struggled to learn to read in the classroom. After securing proper reading instruction for them, Laurie recognized the unfair discrepancy between families who could afford solid, evidence-based, reading instruction, and those who could not. She began advocating for better reading instruction for all students in her local school district. She attended DDMN conferences, events, and Capitol rallies to learn and do more. In 2023, Laurie joined the board of DDMN with a desire to make a more meaningful and measurable state-wide impact for children struggling to learn to read and their families.

Jasman Myers is a devoted special education teacher with a Master of Arts in Emotional and Behavioral Disorders and over a decade of experience serving students with disabilities. She is deeply committed to creating equitable learning environments where exceptional students can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.

Throughout her career, Jasman has witnessed the unique challenges dyslexia presents, especially within BIPOC communities. She understands how systemic inequities in education, healthcare, and social support can amplify the impact of this common learning disability, limiting opportunities for students who already face disproportionate barriers.

Jasman’s journey with Decoding Dyslexia Minnesota began in 2024 when she participated in a powerful dyslexia simulation that deepened her empathy and understanding of the lived experiences of struggling readers. As a proud board member, Jasman is passionate about advocating for legislation that equips educators with the training and resources they need to unlock every child’s potential and empower them to become confident, capable readers.

Heather started her career in Social Work with children with disabilities. She later became a parent of a child with dyslexia and ADHD. After years of struggling to navigate the school system with her child who could not read, she became involved with Decoding Dyslexia Minnesota when it formed a chapter in 2013. She wanted to help parents navigate the schools and create legislative change for students with dyslexia. She wanted to join the movement to help other families avoid what she went through. In her free time, she likes to read, garden, explore the outdoors, and attend her children’s sporting events.

Kimberly Dumitrica, a mechanical engineer with a passion for social advocacy, merged her expertise to empower dyslexic individuals and their families. Encountering challenges in accessing dyslexia resources for her own family, she resolved to catalyze change. Joining the board of DDMN, she has helped champion legislative reforms and support systems to support DDMN’s efforts to ensure every child’s right to read. Ms. Dumitrica’s journey with DDMN has shown her the transformative power of advocacy, which she hopes will inspire others to challenge the status quo for a more equitable future.

Amy Robinson is a professional in the fields of school psychology, mental health, and behavior analysis. She has a passion for understanding and supporting neurodiversity, including her children who are both neurodiverse. In her free time, she enjoys moments spent reading a mystery, indulging in cooking shows, and exploring the outdoors with her family. With a commitment to advocating for inclusiveness and holistic well-being, she is excited to support Decoding Dyslexia Minnesota’s mission as a board member.

Rachel Depa is a board member of Decoding Dyslexia Minnesota and school board director. Originally from Watertown, MN, she attended Ave Maria College in Michigan and received her Bachelor’s of Philosophy. She resides in the west metro with her husband and 6 children. In her extra time, she volunteers for various organizations and enjoys watching and coaching her children in their sporting activities. She got involved in the dyslexia community after her son was diagnosed in 2014 and joined Decoding Dyslexia Minnesota following the Rally Day at the Capitol event that year. She has two dyslexic children and one who struggles with reading due to other reasons. Her interest in the mission of Decoding Dyslexia is grounded in their efforts to support all children learning to read and partnering with teachers and administrators in finding success for all students through quality instruction.

Evelyn Haselmann started her career in Early Childhood Education. She has combined her love for teaching and training to create a strength-based dyslexia tutoring center. As a teacher and the parent of a child with dyslexia, she understood the challenges in navigating the school system and aimed to change it. Ms. Haselmann advocates for dyslexia by collaborating with teachers, legislators, empowering parents, and school administrators to bring positive dyslexia legislation to the state of Minnesota.

Rachel works in the area of human services public health department for a local county agency, specifically serving disabled clients of all ages needing in home care.

Rachel is passionate about helping draw awareness around neurodiversity. She has two children both with combined ADHD, anxiety and one with dyslexia. Rachel discovered as an adult she has combined ADHD and dyslexia, which she says explains so much of her own childhood struggles with reading and writing. After seeing her daughter struggle with school she pushed hard to get answers.

Rachel is involved with her school district’s Special Education Advisory Committee as well as a committee member for the teaching and curriculum committee. Rachel joined the Decoding Dyslexia Minnesota board of directors wanting to help support the mission of educating and empowering families so they are informed and don’t feel so alone after getting a diagnosis.

In her free time Rachel enjoys attending her children’s events as well as cooking/baking and traveling and hanging out with family and friends.

Connor grew up on a dairy farm in rural Wisconsin. Impacted by the inequities at the intersection of having dyslexia and a lack of access due to geography and class, Connor was not diagnosed until after becoming a first-generation college graduate. Like many young, undiagnosed dyslexic students who feared being held back from their peers, he masked and compensated for his reading struggles with determination and humor.

After securing a stable job in TV production, Connor took an introductory Orton-Gillingham course, where he learned, for the first time, what a phoneme is. Since then, Connor has volunteered behind the scenes, providing technology and video production support to Minnesota dyslexia organizations. He is elated to bring his time and talents to Decoding Dyslexia of Minnesota, whose legislative work ensures that future generations of dyslexics will receive early screening and proper intervention.

Kimberly Zitek is a parent advocate and entrepreneur who brings both personal and professional passion to her work with Decoding Dyslexia Minnesota. As someone who is dyslexic, Kimberly spent much of her childhood hiding her struggles and feeling ashamed because she did not receive the support she needed. When her daughter was later identified as dyslexic, Kimberly made the decision that the cycle would stop with her family. She became deeply involved in dyslexia advocacy and now works to raise awareness, empower families, and advocate for early screening and effective literacy instruction so that no child has to struggle in silence. Kimberly strongly believes that with the right support, dyslexic individuals can achieve anything they set their minds to.

Jennifer is a dedicated educator and dyslexia specialist committed to helping students
become confident, capable readers. Guided by a belief in lifelong learning, she
continually deepens her understanding of literacy development to better equip and
empower students for success. In 2026, she joined Decoding Dyslexia Minnesota,
where she partners with others to raise dyslexia awareness, promote growth, and
expand effective support for students with dyslexia.

Jennifer delivers targeted, research-based intervention grounded in the Orton-
Gillingham approach for learners in her private practice. She is a connector of people,
partnering closely with families—to equip parents with support to advocate for their
children. Jennifer holds a Master’s in Education, a Minnesota teaching license, a post-
master’s certificate in dyslexia, and is an IMSLEC-certified Orton-Gillingham teacher.

In her personal life, Jennifer enjoys time with her husband and their two young-adult
sons. She also loves walking her mini goldendoodle, spending time gardening, and
planning adventures.