Staff

Sumair Sheikh became executive director of LISC Duluth in June 2022. Prior to LISC, Sumair played key board leadership roles at two important LISC partners—Ecolibrium3, where he focused on revitalization in the Lincoln Park community, and the Northland Foundation, which fueled efforts related to housing, economic development, childcare and jobs.

He spent the first part of his career as a teacher and community organizer in Duluth, Ann Arbor, Chicago, and Boston. Over time, he also contributed to community development through consulting, working with municipal leaders in Minnesota on a range of critical plans. His experience in program development and coordination includes collaborating with the City of Duluth to implement an equitable hiring action guide for its workforce development board; helping school districts in the Twin Ports and Twin Cities design and implement racial equity and cultural competency systems; and working with the private-sector Innovare Social Innovation Partners on organizational assessment and leadership evaluation.

In addition to his professional work, Sumair has long volunteered his time in a number of capacities, including serving on the Duluth Police Department’s policy revision team for immigration enforcement, as a Think Kids Community Conversations facilitator for Duluth Public Schools, and serving on the board of the Duluth Folk School.

He has a master’s degree in advocacy and political leadership from the University of Minnesota, Duluth; a bachelor’s degree in biology from Michigan State University; and a post-baccalaureate secondary teacher certification from Eastern Michigan University.

Since 2018, Tina has been working as a vital resource to LISC Duluth. She oversees day to day operations and contractual obligations. She has over two decades of background in nonprofit operations management, fundraising and volunteer coordination.

Tina has a B.A. in Psychology and Sociology from Aurora University in Aurora, Illinois and is a Certified Professional Coach through the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching. Throughout her career Tina has been committed to supporting the people doing on the ground work in the fields of child welfare and domestic violence. Before joining LISC, Tina lived in Colorado and worked at Safehouse Progressive Alliance for Nonviolence.