Our Team
Our Staff
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Founder and Executive Director
Susan sets the vision and strategic direction for WomenStrong, including its grantmaking, the Learning Lab model, knowledge and learning, and communications.
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Program and Equity Manager
Hannah supports the management and organization of the Learning Lab community, and works to ensure diversity, inclusion, and equity are reflected in WomenStrong and Learning Lab activities.
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Senior Advisor for Programs
Patricia supports WomenStrong’s Partner Capacity Strengthening and Learning Lab programs with focus on the integration of gender-transformative approaches.
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Senior Advisor of External Communications
Elizabeth leads strategic external communications to support the awareness and engagement of WomenStrong and its partners.
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Director of Measurement, Learning, and Evaluation
Amy leads WomenStrong’s Knowledge and Learning efforts, including assessing WomenStrong’s model and providing technical guidance to partners on measurement, learning, and evaluation.
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Director of Learning and Partnerships
Chisina oversees the Learning Lab, including technical areas focused on girls’ education, women’s health, violence prevention, and economic opportunity.
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Senior Advisor of Program Communications
Michelle leads WomenStrong’s program communications, amplifying the work of WomenStrong and its partners.
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Senior Manager, Grants and Programs
Denise leads the development and implementation of WomenStrong’s grant systems and policies, and coordinates capacity strengthening activities.
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Senior Measurement, Learning, and Evaluation Specialist
Mara evaluates WomenStrong’s support for its grantee partners and works with them to strengthen their measurement, learning, and evaluation efforts.
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Director of Strategy and Organizational Strengthening
Naomi supports WomenStrong in charting it’s overall strategic direction and accompanies the grantee partners as they strive to reach their organizational strengthening goals.
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Chief Operating Officer
Bianca oversees WomenStrong’s operations, finances, administration, IT systems, and team resources and strategy.
Our Board of Directors
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Steve Kass serves as Senior Environmental Counsel at Carter Ledyard and Milburn LLP, and Adjunct Professor at Brooklyn Law School and at NYU’s Center on Global Affairs.
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Catherine Lee is Founder and Manager of Lee International Business Development. Her practice focuses on climate change policy, projects and programs domestically and internationally.
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Dr. Joyce Malombe is the Founder of the Collective Rising Leadership Institute and has more than 25 years of experience from academic settings, global development, and philanthropy.
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Dr. Howard C. Mandel, FACOG, is a practicing obstetrician gynecologist in Los Angeles with extensive leadership in political advocacy.
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Prof. Geeta Mehta is an adjunct professor of architecture and urban design at Columbia University in New York, where she teaches seminars and design studios that have worked in India, China, Austria, France, Ukraine, Colombia, Brazil, Jamaica, Ghana and Kenya.
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Heather Goldberg Mendelow is an attorney and teacher. Most recently, Heather practiced law at Pfizer as a Senior Corporate Counsel for a variety of drug portfolios. Prior to practicing law, Heather taught elementary school in Compton, California for three years as a Teach For America corps member.
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Pam Schutz, a seasoned financial services executive, is the retired CEO of Retirement and Protection for Genworth, a spin-off of GE.
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Peggy Shepard is a community activist, environmental health researcher and advocate, and Co-Founder and Executive Director of WE ACT For Environmental Justice (WE ACT).
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Robin Smalley, an Emmy Award-winning television director/producer/writer, is co-founder of mothers2mothers, a Cape Town based NGO providing education, empowerment and support to pregnant women and new mothers living with HIV/AIDS in Africa.