Sheila Nezhad (she/her) is the Legislative and Engagement Director with the Council. She brings fifteen years of experience working in the movements for racial justice and LGBTQIA2S+ liberation. Her career has focused on the intersections of policy, evaluation, and social justice, with a special passion for connecting community members with the skills to get involved in the policy decisions that impact their lives. Her past work includes roles with groups like Voices for Racial Justice, Interrupting Criminalization, the Williams Institute at UCLA, Rainbow Health Initiative and line cook at one of the busiest restaurants in Minneapolis. Through her work with Reclaim the Block, Sheila helped create the Minneapolis' first behavioral health crisis response team and $8M in investments in alternatives to policing.

 

Sheila holds a Masters of Development Practice Degree from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs and a B.A. in Economics and Management from the University of Minnesota, Morris.