Presented by Dr. Jessi Hitchins and Michael Neman

Dr. Jessi Hitchins (she|her) has dedicated her professional career to serving interpersonal violence survivors, feminist advocacy, and queer and trans folx, particular youth and college-aged people. She received her doctorate from The University of Alabama in social and cultural studies of education. She holds graduate certificates in qualitative research and women’s studies. She is a certified victim advocate in three states including Nebraska. She has nearly two decades of practitioner experience in higher education and community outreach through various roles in women, gender, sexuality/LGBTQIA2S+, and victim/survivor advocacy centers, reproductive justice health work, multicultural offices, and housing. She also is an adjunct faculty in Women’s and Gender Studies and Sociology and Anthropology on campus.

Michael Neman is by trade an environmental chemist and been working in labs for nearly two decades. Using his analytical skills, he is working toward a Master’s degree in Data Science. He hopes to pair this with environmental commitments to humanize the climate crisis and the ways it directly impacts marginalized populations.

Together, Jessi and Michael they are foster parents for an out and proud 16-year-old queer and non-binary youth.

In their presentation, Jessi will provide foundational information about queer and trans-spectrum people and, together, Jessi and Michael will share their experiences supporting a queer and non-binary youth as foster parents.

This will be a learning space and they look forward to being in conversation with foster parents about being the best supports for their foster children.

If you are a KVC foster parent, please complete the “KVC AFFILIATE REGISTRATION” form below.