Members & Team Structure
Makenzie Nolan
Judge Michael E. Burns
Advisory Board Chair
Referee Christy Snow-Kaster
Advisory Board Chair
Project Director:
The team’s Project Director is responsible for overseeing the work of the Domestic Fatality Review Team and carries out the mission and objectives set by the Advisory Board. At the end of each review year, the Project Director produces an Annual Report on behalf of the Fourth Judicial District Domestic Fatality Review Team for review and consideration by all agencies, organizations, and communities across the Hennepin County area; the state of Minnesota, and the remaining 86 counties across the state.
In 2022, the Advisory Board appointed Makenzie Nolan to serve as the Domestic Fatality Review Team’s Project Director. Makenzie comes with a background in domestic violence and sexual assault legal advocacy through direct-service work with victim/survivors of violence across Hennepin County communities. Makenzie has served as a liaison between victim/survivors in the Fourth Judicial District Court and across police departments in Hennepin County; she has also led community violence prevention initiatives through the Department of Justice Community-Based Crime Reduction Program to reduce serious and violent crime in the city of Minneapolis.
Advisory Board:
As the governing body of the Fourth Judicial District Domestic Fatality Review Team, the Advisory Board is responsible for adhering to the Minnesota State Statute and Team Bylaws. The Advisory Board is tasked with upholding the Team’s Code of Ethics; ensuring that the Team operates in a respectful, professional, and confidential manner that adheres to data practices and Team Meeting Guidelines.
The Advisory Board represents a group of elected members who have served on the Team for a minimum of six months and are recommended by an existing Advisory Board member; with the approval of the Board Chair. Advisory Board members serve on a voluntary basis for a two-year term.
The Advisory Board is responsible for identifying, appointing, and overseeing the work of the Domestic Fatality Review Team’s Project Director, and also appoints members to serve on the Domestic Fatality Review Team. The Advisory Board generally meets bi-monthly.
Team Members:
The Domestic Fatality Review Team’s members includes professionals in select roles, often embedded within the system, who are most likely to overlap with perpetrators and victims of domestic abuse. Team members reflect leadership from civic organizations, criminal and civil attorneys and Judicial Officers, probation, law enforcement, mental health professionals, and advocates from across Hennepin County and its respective 45 cities. The Team also strives to have community representatives or members from community organizations with a wide array of backgrounds, who bring knowledge and perspective apart from the professional “systems” vantage point. Team members are appointed by the Advisory Board, with oversight from the Fourth Judicial District Chief Judge. Members serve on a voluntary basis for a two-year term. The Team is supported by the Project Director.
Kristen Boomer; Bloomington Police Department
Jackie Braun-Lewis; Hennepin County Law, Safety and Justice
Board Chair, The Honorable Michael Burns; Minnesota Fourth Judicial District Court**
Priscilla Caballero; Missions Inc. Home Free Shelter
Zak Chesson; Hennepin County Health & Human Services**
Dr. Maren Conway, PsyD, LP; Hennepin County Psychological Services
The Honorable Elizabeth Cutter; Minnesota Fourth Judicial District Court
Kate Damm; Maple Grove Police Department**
Heidi DeFord, Esq.; Hennepin County Attorney’s Office
Kenna Dick; Edina Police Department
Amy Goodwin; Plymouth Police Department
Breanna Heisterkamp, BSN, RN, PHN, SANE-A, SANE-P, GFN-C; Hennepin Healthcare Assault Response Team
Amber Griffin, PhD; Minnesota Fourth Judicial District Court Administration
Kelly Holland; Hennepin County Adult Representation Services
Bethany Hurd, Esq.; Hurd Law, PLLC*
Kerri Johnson, Esq.; Minneapolis City Attorney’s Office
Amirthini Keefe, MSW, LICSW; Domestic Abuse Project
Amanda Keuseman; Crystal Police Department**
Sonita King; Hennepin County Attorney’s Victim Witness Division
Diana Villella Larson, Esq.; Central Minnesota Legal Services
Erin Lutz, Esq.; Hennepin County Attorney’s Office
Heather Magnuson, Esq.; Bloomington City Attorney’s Office**
Stephanie Magnuson; Hennepin County Community Corrections & Rehabilitation**
Diane Nelson; Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office
Sergeant Matt O’Rourke; Eden Prairie Police Department
Gregory Renden, Esq.; Hennepin County Public Defender’s Office
Derek Rodman; Hennepin County Community Corrections & Rehabilitation
Farji Shaheer; Innovative Solutions
Raschon Simmons; Standpoint
Vice Chair, The Honorable Christy Snow-Kaster; Minnesota Fourth Judicial District Court**
Sarah Storm; Hennepin County Child Protection
[**] Member of the Advisory Board & Domestic Fatality Review Team
[*] Member of the Advisory Board Only