Staff
Introducing Teri Bordenave
Our new Interim Executive Director
Teri Bordenave
Interim Executive Director
Teri Bordenave is a co-founder of the Thalia Group LLC and the newly appointed Interim Executive Director at the National Women’s Health Network. She is a member of the Interim Executive Network and is a Board Source Certified Nonprofit Consultant with extensive experience advising health-focused organizations, including Family Planning Advocates for New York State, the Mohawk Valley Physicians Health Plan, and the North Country Home Health and Hospice Agency.
Prior to her successful career as a consulting interim executive, Teri served as the President and CEO for Girls Incorporated of the Greater Capital Region from 1988 to 2009. Teri holds a Masters of Human Services Administration from Antioch University New England, where she honed her skills in organizational development, consulting, and training. Learn more about her role at the Network here.
Denys Symonette Mitchell
Director of Policy & Partnerships
Denys Symonette Mitchell
Director of Policy & Partnerships
Denys Symonette Mitchell is the newly appointed Director of Policy & Partnerships at the National Women’s Health Network. In this role, she will lead the Network by advancing its mission on Capitol Hill and across Federal agencies while strategically positioning the organization as a trusted voice for all women. She will identify and cultivate new alliances, and will lead the Network in developing effective, intersectional, and equitable policy campaigns.
A preeminent thought-leader and strategist, Denys has a successful record translating asks into action for national nonprofits. Most recently, she served as the Senior Policy Analyst for the National Birth Equity Collaborative. Prior to that role, Denys led a health policy consultancy where she developed innovative strategies utilizing an anti-racist approach. As a former Congressional staffer and registered lobbyist at the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, she brings over a decade of combined experience in government and nonprofit operations, in addition to a strong working knowledge of Washington and deeply cultivated relationships with key players in the Beltway. Most recently, Denys was spotlighted as an Emerging Leader by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation for her transformative work as a member of The Black Maternal Health Federal Policy Collective – a group of Black women policy leaders working to develop strategy and policy solutions to address America’s Black maternal health crisis.
Denys completed her undergraduate and graduate studies at Howard University. She resides in Prince George’s County, Maryland with her husband and their infant and toddler sons.
Adele Costa
Director of Communications
Adele Costa
Director of Communications
Adele Costa graduated from the State University of New York at Geneseo in 2011 with degrees in English and History, and when she realized that wasn't going to feed her in the middle of a recession, she joined the U.S. Peace Corps. There she spent 2 years as a youth development coordinator in a small mountain village in Morocco, where she worked with young women on life skills and self-expression. She came back to the US in 2015, got her Masters in Public Administration, and spent five years working in NYS government in various policy and program positions in the human services sector. In 2020, she decided to stop dating writing and to marry it, which she did by starting her own copywriting business. She started consulting for the National Women's Health Network in September of 2020, and accepted the offer of Director of Communications in October 2021. Adele believes passionately in providing real value to the Network's growing audience via data-driven copy and content on topics that are top-of-mind. She leads a team of six staff, interns, and consultants, and strives to be the sort of supervisor that backs caring words up with thoughtful action.
Michelle M. Lockwood
Director of Development
Michelle M. Lockwood
Director of Development
As the Director of Development, Michelle is responsible for taking care of and expanding our membership, while exploring new avenues for our supporters to further the NWHN’s mission. A graduate of Shepherd University with a BA in Communications, her college experience led her to become vocal on many issues women face. Beginning her career as an event planner and alumni communications coordinator at Shenandoah University, Michelle got her official start in fundraising as the Direct Marketing Coordinator at the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). She joined the NWHN after spending three years as the Development Manager for the Society of Interventional Radiology Foundation. After supporting the advancement of an educational institution, a women’s organization, and a health care foundation, she’s excited to contribute to the cause of empowering women to take control of their health care choices.
Ginnefine Jalloh
Multimedia Communications Lead
Ginnefine Jalloh
Multimedia Communications Lead
As the Multimedia Communications Lead, Ginnefine brings over 10 years of creative expertise. Ginnefine is a multifaceted graphic artist in Northern Virginia. From a young age, she has found inspiration in fine art ant technology. Ginnefine is a graduate of Marymount University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Graphic Design; minor in Studio Art and The George Washington University with a Master of Professional Studies in Publishing; concentrating in Technology & Design. Although she has a diverse skillset, she specializes in digital multimedia and traditional design.
Ginnefine is on a lifelong mission to inspire her viewers through the significance of visual storytelling. She's the recipient of the GD USA's American Graphic Design Awards consecutively since 2011 in several categories including: brand & identity, book cover design, logo design, and video design. Her work has also been awarded in Communication Concepts Award for Publication Excellence (APEX) for in-house publications.
Erin Evans
Director of Operations
Erin Evans
Director of Operations
Erin is the Director of Operations, responsible for managing the office’s daily functions and ensuring that everything runs smoothly. She is the main point of contact for vendors and also reaches out to them if anything goes wrong. She joins the NWHN after spending the last 10 years working in residential property management and commercial real estate, where she managed research teams and coordinated large projects. Erin attending the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where she focused on History and Art History.
Carli De La Cruz
Communications Intern
Carli De La Cruz
Communications Intern
Carli is a copywriter and social media maven in Denver, CO. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology and Legal Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) in 2011. She is passionate about women’s health and social justice issues. Through her work for the Network, she leverages various social media platforms to educate women of all ages on important health issues so they feel empowered to advocate for their health in medical settings.
Chloe Mondesir
Associate Director of Policy & Advocacy
Chloe Mondesir
Associate Director of Policy & Advocacy
Chloe A. Mondesir, MSOL, is a Spelman College, B.A., and Mercer University, M.S. recipient. Chloe leads senior-level program development and management, consulting, education and training, strategic partnership, and capacity building innovation across philanthropic spaces through non-profits and entrepreneurship (Make It Mondesir, LLC). With strengths in research, relationships, communications, multi-platform writing and speaking- Mondesir successfully creates and sustains progress for diverse populations, (race/health) equitable missions, and systemic advancement, with subject matter expertise. Chloe holds certifications in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Psychological First Aid, and De-escalation. Relevant recognition includes being a keynote speaker of Redscout and the Georgia Public Health Association, completion of the Rockwood Leadership Institute's Kresge Fuel 2.0 Art of Leadership, earning a Forbes fellowship, and features from ShoutoutAtlanta.com and VoyageATL.com. Mondesir is author to the Listening Tree's best-selling children’s book, Take Opportunity.
Board of Directors
Abigail Arons
Board Chair
Abigail Arons
Abigail Arons, MPH, is a project director at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Since 2001, she has led research and evaluation projects at UCSF focusing on reproductive and sexual health, including long-acting contraception, sexual health education, adolescent pregnancy prevention, cancer prevention and HIV. Currently, she leads an NIH-funded randomized controlled trial on the impact of guaranteed income for low-income Black youth.
In addition to her professional expertise in reproductive health, Abigail took a crash course in breast cancer when she was diagnosed at age 31. After completing active treatment, she joined the Board of Breast Cancer Action, a national watchdog organization for the breast cancer movement, to advocate for more effective, less toxic treatments, and for a greater focus on the root causes of cancer, including environmental factors. Abigail is thrilled to serve as the Chair of the Board of the National Women’s Health Network.
Kimberly Robinson
Vice Chair
Kimberly Robinson
Kimberly Robinson is an independent consultant on reproductive justice issues, including the health of Black women. Kimberly has worked in direct services at a variety of settings, including for many years as the Director of Health Services at Women’s Health Specialists, an independent feminist health center. While at Women’s Health Specialists, she oversaw the operations for multiple clinics and satellite services and was responsible for the training and recruitment of all clinical staff including residents and medical students, helping to train the next generation of abortion providers. As a women’s health activist, Kimberly works with colleagues, communities and allies to build constituencies that demand reproductive justice for all women. She is the northern California liaison for Black Women for Wellness.
Tiffany Reed
Treasurer
Tiffany Reed
Treasurer
Tiffany Reed is a Vice President at the direct marketing agency Mal Warwick Donordigital (MWD), where she leads the direct response fundraising programs for several progressive non-profit and Democratic organizations. She previously held a marketing position at EMILY’s List, fundraising for pro-choice Democratic women leaders. After President Obama’s election, she led the Democratic National Committee’s direct mail program. Her first job after college was serving as a social worker at the Emma Goldman Clinic for Women, where the experience of advocating for low-income women’s access to health care changed her life. She was the president of the DC Abortion Fund from 2005 to 2011.
Joy Eckert
Secretary
Joy Eckert
Secretary
Joy Eckert, MPH is a Senior Research Associate at the Reagan-Udall Foundation for the FDA. She researches the regulation of biomedical products and clinical trial policy. She focuses on policy that supports the efficient development of safe and effective drugs. She is passionate about protecting women’s health with rigorous, science-based regulation. Joy earned her Masters in Public Health in Epidemiology from George Washington University.
Yamini Oseguera-Bhatnagar
Yamini Oseguera-Bhatnagar
Action Vice Chair
Yamini is a convener, strategist, and facilitator who has been working in HIV for over a decade. Yamini’s background ranges from youth development to women’s health, reproductive justice advocacy, health equity, racial & gender justice. She is passionate about supporting the resiliency of communities locally and worldwide. She is a UC Berkeley alum with an undergraduate degree in Ethnic Studies and is currently pursuing a Masters in Public Health at San Francisco State University with an emphasis in Health Education. She’s a first-generation immigrant and is raising her children in San Francisco, California
Mae-Gilene Begay
Mae-Gilene Begay
For over 18 years, Mae-Gilene Begay has been directing the Navajo Nation Community Health Representative (CHR)/Outreach program. The Outreach program includes STD Prevention, TB Control and the Navajo Birth Cohort Study (NBCS) project with the NBCS being the newest program (2012). About 90 percent of the CHR program clienteles are elderlies over 55 years old.
She earned a Masters in Social Work from the University of Denver in 2007 and received the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Social Work Service Award in March 2015. Mae-Gilene is very active with the American Public Health Association (APHA) and serves as the APHA CHW Section past chair and now serves as APHA CHW Nomination Committee. She also serves on the New Mexico Department of Health CHW certification board, the first installed board.
Most recently, Mae-Gilene has been leading her team of CHWs in their work on the frontlines of the Navajo Nation's response to COVID-19.
Meredith Field
Meredith Field
Meredith P. Field, MSEd, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at Alfred University. Meredith’s research interests focus on bodies, reproduction, health, medicine, and development as they intersect with social movements, science, technology, and society. Her recent research projects explored topics related to reusable menstrual products and access to maternal health care in rural areas of Pennsylvania. She previously worked with the Ohio Policy Evaluation Network and studied how policy changes regarding access to contraceptives and abortion in rural parts of Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia affect people’s lives. Meredith has been an activist since she was a child, beginning with local environmental issues and expanding to issues of women’s health, prisoners’ civil rights, and other human rights and social justice topics. She has worked in higher education for more than fourteen years. She earned her dual title PhD in Rural Sociology and Women’s Studies from The Pennsylvania State University.
Lacey Alexander
Lacey Alexander
Lacey Alexander, PhD, RN, GERO-BC, is a clinical assistant professor in the School of Nursing at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her research is focused on how bias and discrimination impact the clinician-patient relationship. Most recently, she is exploring how negative interactions between patients and clinicians about weight can create barriers to quality and timely care delivery. She also completed an Advanced Fellowship in Women’s Health at the VA Hospital in Madison, Wisconsin. Lacey continues to moonlight at the VA in hospice, serves as her hospital’s LGBTQ+ Veteran Care Coordinator, and intermittently teaches a large undergraduate course about gender and health at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is excited to serve on the Board of Directors because she is passionate about creating resources to guide consumers in making safe decision about their health.