STATE INNOVATION EXCHANGE - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Georgia State Director for SiX
Alaina Reaves serves as the inaugural Georgia State Director for SiX, bringing over a decade of political and southern organizing experience to supporting Georgia State Legislators. Alaina is a graduate of the Georgia State University Andrew Young School of Public Policy. She began her career in politics in Washington, D.C. working with the late Congressman John Lewis and at the White House with President and First Lady Obama. In addition to organizing across the state, Alaina has spent the last five legislative sessions under the Georgia Gold Dome with former House Minority Leader Carolyn Hugley.
An Atlanta native, Alaina lives just south of the Atlanta airport helping build her community with a coalition of local youth advocates. When not working giving back to her community, Alaina is reading the latest non-fiction or cycling through the trails in Clayton County.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Executive Director, State Voices
Job Titles:
- Director of Development
- SiX 's Development Director
Amy Johnson (she/her) is SiX's Development Director. In this work she leads SiX's fundraising and development priorities in partnership with senior leadership. She has been with SiX since 2017, serving in a myriad of roles that helped build SiX's internal infrastructure to support a strong and growing organization. As a development professional, she has ensured the organization has surpassed revenue targets annually and supported the organization to double its budget over three years.
Prior to joining SiX, Amy spent multiple sessions as a Legislative Aide in the Colorado House of Representatives as the only staff member for a caucus leader, serving the community of Pueblo, Colorado. In this work, she gained first-hand knowledge of the challenges and opportunities of state-level policy and governance. Amy has a degree in Women and Gender Studies and a certificate in Global Gender and Sexuality Studies from the University of Colorado. She and her rescue pup are based in Denver.
Job Titles:
- National Director of Research at SiX
Anthony Gad is the National Director of Research at SiX. In this role, Anthony manages program activities related to research and technical assistance for state legislators, creation of legislative and policy publications, analysis and curation of bill tracking data, and development of online legislative research tools. Prior to the launch of SiX, Anthony was the assistant director for research and legislative drafting services at the American Legislative and Issue Campaign Exchange (ALICE) and led efforts to develop an online library of model and exemplary laws. In this role, Anthony managed ALICE's legislative drafting program, working with national advocates, academics, and former drafting attorneys to develop cutting edge, progressive model legislation. Anthony has also worked as the policy director for the Center for State Innovation (CSI), which acted as a conduit of progressive policy ideas between policy experts and governors' offices around the country. At CSI, he organized policy academies for governors' policy directors, state agency officials, and other state executive offices. Anthony previously worked as a legislative analyst for the Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau (LRB). At the LRB, Anthony authored public policy briefs on a variety of issues and provided customized research to legislative offices. Prior to graduate school, Anthony served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Romania, working on NGO and community economic development projects. He received a BA from Boston University and MPP from Georgetown University.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Founder, Democracy Ascent Advisors
Job Titles:
- Senior Director, Communications
Job Titles:
- Senior Associate for the State Innovation Exchange 's Agriculture
- Senior Associate, Agriculture and Food Systems
Emma is the Senior Associate for the State Innovation Exchange's Agriculture and Food Systems program. Prior to joining SiX, Emma has worked as a community organizer on an industrial dairy moratorium in Oregon with Food & Water Watch and as an independent Impact Producer on the documentary film Right to Harm connecting with communities across the country fighting industrial agriculture. Emma also spent time working with the Socially Responsibility Agriculture Project, building capacity and refining communications with coalitions and groups working in the sustainable agriculture field. Emma is a graduate of Vermont Law School's Masters of Food and Agriculture Law and Policy program and holds an MS in Anthrozoology from Canisius College. She also is a mediator and has a certificate in equity informed mediation. Emma lives in Portland, with her partner and two cats. When not working for sustainable agriculture policy Emma can be found in the kitchen trying out a new meal or reading gothic thrillers.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Minnesota State Senator from Senate District 56 ( Apple Valley, Rosemount, Eagan ) and Former Minnesota State Representative
Job Titles:
- Director of Research, Reproductive Rights
Fran's thirteen year career in reproductive rights and health spans the fields of public health, policy, and advocacy. As Associate Director of Research she works to connect reproductive health researchers and state legislators to improve knowledge and advocacy around evidence based policy. Prior to joining SiX, Fran was the Senior Manager of Research at the Center for Reproductive Rights for five and a half years, where she served a bridging role between the public health/social science/clinical research world and the state and national policy/legal work of the Center on dozens of campaigns and cases, including Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt at the US Supreme Court. Fran received her Master of Public Health from Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health in 2013 where she focused her studies on the impact of abortion and family planning restrictions in the states. She conducted state-wide qualitative research with the Texas Policy Evaluation Project and has worked on research projects for the NYC Department of Health and NYU. Before training in Public Health, Fran was the Associate Director of Public Affairs for the Silicon Valley and Coastal region of Planned Parenthood Mar Monte from 2007-2011 where she managed grassroots, legislative, and ballot initiative advocacy for a 14 health center region. Fran is currently serving her second year as a co-chair of the Abortion Taskforce at the American Public Health Association.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Job Titles:
- North Carolina State Director
Before joining the State Innovation Exchange, Hudson McCormick worked as a Legislative Assistant to Representative Julie von Haefen in the North Carolina General Assembly for three and a half years. During his time as a legislative staffer, he worked with lawmakers extensively on issues related to public education and reproductive rights.
Hudson has served as a community organizer and progressive campaign staffer for nearly a decade. As a student organizer, Hudson worked with a coalition of low-income college students to achieve significant increases in financial aid and provide healthcare to low-income students at no cost. After completing his degree, Hudson moved to North Carolina, where he helped unionize field staff while working on a coordinated legislative campaign.
Hudson obtained his B.A. in Women's Gender and Sexuality Studies from Yale University. As part of his undergraduate thesis, he returned to his hometown in rural Mississippi to document a wave of anti-trans legislation that swept through the Southern United States during the summer of 2016. Now, Hudson lives in Raleigh with his partner and their two pets. He enjoys cooking, hiking, and tending a plot in their local community garden.
Job Titles:
- Maryland State Director for SiX
Ian Pfeiffer serves as the Maryland State Director for SiX, bringing over two decades of political and policy experience to our efforts. Prior to SiX, Ian was the Principal at Pfeiffer Government Relations, a lobbying firm designed to offer small technology companies, municipalities and non-profit organizations cost-effective, hands-on advocacy services in Washington, DC. In addition, he was twice elected to the Annapolis City Council, where he worked to enact progressive policies in Maryland's Capital City. Before that, Ian served as a legislative advisor to U.S. Representatives Mark Udall and Bob Filner. He also served as a National Board Member of Democratic Municipal Officials, a constituency organization of the Democratic National Committee. Ian received a Master's in Public Administration and Policy from the Bloustein School at Rutgers University and his B.A. in Political Science from Sonoma State University. Ian resides in Annapolis with his wife and two children.
Job Titles:
- Senior Director, Legislative Affairs
Ida V. Eskamani is a first generation Iranian-American and the daughter of working people. Her parents met and found a home in Orlando, Florida working multiple hourly-wage jobs to make ends meet and build a better future for their family. From her parents comes Ida's commitment to service.
In the last decade, Ida has worked for trailblazing campaigns, lawmakers, and advocacy organizations, including Florida's LGBTQ+ civil rights organization Equality Florida, as well as Chief of Staff for Florida's first openly LGBTQ+ Latinx lawmaker, Representative Carlos Guillermo Smith. She served as Legislative Affairs Director for Florida For All, a statewide collective of racial and economic justice organizations. For four years she led legislative efforts within the collective as well as wider coalition building with an emphasis on expanding democracy, criminal legal system reform, and community wealth issues such as preemption, housing, revenue, and corporate accountability. Her work centers directly impacted people, specifically Black and Brown communities, and low-wealth Floridians; and connects those communities to the legislative process with a collaborative governance perspective. Through this work she also builds legislative champions to take on key fights and secure victories; taking on corporate interests as well as the far right in the state legislature. She also supports local policy making, with an emphasis on housing policy.
Ida earned dual degrees in Political Science and Sociology from the University of Central Florida, as well as a Masters in Public Administration from the same University. She serves on several volunteer boards locally and statewide, and in her free time, Ida is a freelance music writer for the Orlando Weekly.
Job Titles:
- Senior Director of Reproductive Rights
Jennifer Driver is an award-winning reproductive health, rights, and justice policy and advocacy leader with nearly 15 years in the field. Her work centers on addressing systems that add burdens or barriers to accessing full reproductive health information and services- paying particular attention to communities of color, immigrants, system involved youth, and LGBTQ communities.
Prior to joining SiX, Jennifer served as the Vice President of Policy and Strategic Partnerships with SIECUS (the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States), where she provided leadership to drive the organization's federal and state policy and advocacy efforts. Prior to joining the team at SIECUS, Jennifer worked for Welcoming America where her work focused on the intersection of immigration, racism, education, health, and policy. Her previous experience also includes working for Power to Decide and the Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Power and Potential. She is the Founder of Take Root Strategies LLC, a consulting firm providing strategic guidance on reproductive health care policy. Jennifer serves on the board of the Alexandria Campaign on Adolescent Pregnancy Leadership Council.
A dynamic trainer, presenter, and spokesperson on reproductive health, rights, and justice, Jennifer has been featured and quoted in national media, including The Washington Post, Vogue, The New York Times, Rewire, The Hill, CNN, The Harvard Political Review, MSNBC, and Politico. She was also recognized in 2019 as one of 50 impactful creators, artists, and activists by B*TCH Media.
Job Titles:
- Senior Associate, Legislative Affairs
Jessica serves as Senior Associate, Legislative Affairs at SiX. She began her journey with SiX as an intern in 2019, providing research, writing, and administrative support. Prior to joining SiX, she worked for three progressive Colorado State House and Senate legislators. She also worked for the LGBTQ+ advocacy group One Colorado and the reproductive health care provider Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains. Jessica graduated summa cum laude from the University of Denver (DU) where she earned a BA with Honors in Political Science and English Textual Studies. She received the Outstanding Senior in Political Science award from DU and the 2018 Portz Scholar award from the National Collegiate Honors Council. She lives in Colorado with her dog and family."
Job Titles:
- Co - Executive Director
- SiX 's Co - Executive Director
Hon. Jessie Ulibarri is SiX's Co-Executive Director. As a queer person of color, as a parent, and as someone who grew up in a trailer park, Jessie viscerally understands the demands the progressive movement makes of our elected officials for radical, transformative change. As a former Colorado State Senator, he knows how challenging it is to deliver on those needs, with little institutional support for public leaders in a system that is designed for slow, incremental change. With this dual view, Jessie has dedicated his career to building progressive power from the states outward. Over the last two decades, Jessie has passed hundreds of economic, racial, and gender justice policies into state law, including enacting wage theft protections, establishing workplace protections for pregnant workers, curbing police misconduct, modernizing Colorado's election system, implementing driver's licenses for undocumented residents, outlawing solitary confinement in state prisons, combatting climate change through clean energy technologies, and making the largest investment in affordable housing in Colorado's history. Jessie previously served as the Interim Co-Executive Director of Wellstone Action, Public Policy Director at the ACLU of Colorado, Colorado State Director of Mi Familia Vota, Economic Justice Director at Colorado Progressive Coalition, and Policy Fellow in the Office of Congressman Luis Gutierrez (IL-4). Jessie holds a Masters of Public Management (concentration in organizational development) from Carnegie Mellon University and a B.A. in Ethnic Studies (concentration in intersectional feminism) and Spanish from the University of Colorado at Boulder. He serves on the National Governing Board of Common Cause. He currently resides in western Pennsylvania with his husband and daughter.
Job Titles:
- Director of Special Projects
- Director of Special Projects at SiX
Julia Isaacs Tse is the Director of Special Projects at SiX. In her role, Julia leads the project management and execution of special initiatives for the Co-Executive Directors. Julia was previously the Senior Research Associate at SiX, supporting state legislators with sound public policy analysis by conducting legislative research, developing policy publications, and tracking legislation on progressive issues. Prior to joining SiX, Julia advocated for state-level policies to improve the lives of children and families in Nebraska, focusing on issues of economic justice and healthcare access. Originally from Honolulu, Julia earned her B.A. in anthropology and East Asian studies from Grinnell College and lives on the Central Coast of California.
Kayle serves as the Director of Operations. She joined SiX in May 2020 as the Senior Executive Assistant to the Co-Executive Directors and transitioned to the Operations Team, as the Senior Associate of Operations, in 2022. She has over a decade of experience in non-profit operations. Prior to joining SiX, Kayle served as the Operations Manager for the Women's Rights and Empowerment Network, a policy and advocacy organization in South Carolina, where she managed finance and human resources, developed internal systems and procedures, and provided executive support to the Chief Executive Officer. Kayle has a degree in English from the University of South Carolina. She is based in Columbia, SC.
Job Titles:
- Senior Director of Agriculture and Food Systems at SiX
- Senior Director, Agriculture and Food Systems
Kendra serves as the Senior Director of Agriculture and Food Systems at SiX. Kendra oversees SiX's rural, sustainable agriculture and food systems work. She works with national staff at SiX as well as in-state and national partners to promote progressive agriculture policies and legislation in key states across the country. In this position, Kendra brings nearly two decades of experience in agricultural policy and rural organizing to her role. She grew up on a Michigan dairy farm and before coming to SiX served as Chief Executive Officer at the Socially Responsible Agriculture Project. Kendra has experience working alongside citizen groups, environmental advocates, and sustainable agriculture organizations to shape ecologically-responsible farm and food policies at the state level. Kendra co-founded what is now Oregon's most influential small farm advocacy organization, Friends of Family Farmers, and served as the group's registered lobbyist for three legislative sessions. Kendra spent time working as a community organizer with the Sierra Club in Michigan, Iowa, Minnesota and Oregon. She also worked as a grassroots organizer for the Illinois Stewardship Alliance and served as the Program and Communications Director for the Oregon League of Conservation Voters. Kendra and her husband live and farm in Scio, Oregon where they raise beef cattle, hogs, goats, and poultry on pasture. When not working or farming, Kendra can usually be found in the garden, riding her horse or playing with her dogs.
Job Titles:
- Senior Program Assistant, Agriculture and Food Systems
Kenneth hails from Lawrence, Kansas and believes in the value and power of rural people and organizing. He joins SiX as Senior Program Assistant directly from the Emerson Fellowship with the Congressional Hunger Center. His work landed him at two organizations: Feeding South Dakota in Sioux Falls, SD and the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) in Washington, D.C. His background in agriculture includes a season as a field hand at Sacred Sun Farm in Perry, KS and various volunteer and paid opportunities at small farms and gardens. His ancestors were Exodusters to Kansas and farmed land there until the late 20th century, and that past and present reality informs his belief in rural and racial opportunity. Kenneth graduated with an A.B. in History and Literature from Harvard University.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Job Titles:
- Senior Associate for SiX 's Reproductive Rights
- Senior Associate, Reproductive Rights
Laura Hernandez is the Senior Associate for SiX's Reproductive Rights team. Before joining SiX, Laura was the Director of Policy for Planned Parenthood in Florida where she led the organization's legislative priorities in the state. During her time there, Laura was the lead lobbyist in defeating over 5 anti-abortion bills and co-led Florida's Reproductive Freedom coalition. Prior to doing policy work, Laura organized in her community during the 2016 Presidential elections and led canvassing events on Zika prevention education, Andrew Gillum for Governor, and Amendment 4 which restored the right to vote for 1.4 million returning citizens in Florida. Her passion for reproductive rights and justice is driven by her community organizing background and her lived experiences as a Latina, immigrant and first-generation college graduate. In 2017, Laura was recognized as a "Miami Girl" leader among 30 women who are shaping the future of Miami-Dade.
Laura obtained her two bachelors in Political Science and Women and Gender Studies along with certificates in Public Policy and Latin American and Caribbean Studies from Florida International University.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Deputy Director of Strategic Partnerships, Mothering Justice
Maggie Gómez has dedicated nearly two decades to grassroots community organizing with women and communities of color to build deep power for collective action and policy wins. Prior to SiX, Maggie has led grassroots organizing and policy efforts for paid sick leave, paid family medical leave insurance, and led statewide policy tables and coalitions focused on achieving health justice and racial equity for immigrants and people of color in Colorado. She earned a Master's in Social Work from the University of Denver and is passionate about movement building for women's, workers', immigrant, economic, and racial justice through a collective liberation framework. She is a deeply connected movement leader who looks at the Colorado landscape like an ecosystem, and is eager to support the leadership of BIPOC folx to be leaders across the state.
Job Titles:
- Senior Associate of Research and Education, Reproductive Rights
Melissa Madera, MST, MA, PhD is a multifaceted figure in the movements for reproductive rights, health, and justice. Dr. Madera is a bilingual interdisciplinary researcher, historian, educator, and advocate. Her own abortion experience as a teenager inspired her to create The Abortion Diary (in 2013), the only audio archive of abortion stories. An expert on abortion story-sharing and listening, she works to center the voices of people who have had abortions and end abortion (an all SHRH related) stigma in all facets of her life.
Prior to joining SiX, Melissa worked as a researcher on Project SANA (Self-managed Abortion Needs Assessment), an interdisciplinary research group at The University of Texas at Austin that researches self-managed abortion in the United States, and as a special projects consultant at Plan C Pills, a public health campaign that normalizes the self-directed option of abortion pills by mail. She is also the former Director of Research and Partnerships at Choix, a telehealth clinic that was founded by experienced family planning clinicians with a vision of using technology to expand access to abortion care. Melissa is also a Society of Family Planning 2019 Changemakers in Family Planning Awardee and the former board chair (2020-2024) of inroads (the International Network for the Reduction of Abortion Discrimination and Stigma).
Originally from Washington Heights, New York, Melissa is a queer, first generation Afro-Dominican American who holds a B.A. in History from Baruch College (CUNY), a Master of Science in Social Studies Education from Pace University, and a Master of Arts and a Ph.D. in Latin American and Caribbean History from The State University of New York at Binghamton. Her research on gender, public health and reproductive practices in the Dominican Republic led her to become involved in the contemporary global movements for reproductive justice. Melissa has been featured on the front page of The Washington Post, on NPR's Weekend Edition, Hip Latina, Making Contact, Abortion Access Front Podcast: Feminist Buzzkills Live!, P.S. Blossom (Rhia Ventures), Remezcla, Cosmopolitan Magazine, Latina.com, ThePool.com, Rewire, Univision, MSNBC, and The Daily Dot.
In her free time, Melissa cares for her bees and bunnies, enjoys hiking, collects physical media, listens to her records and cds, watches horror and sci-fi movies and series, and reads science fiction.
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President of Operations
- Senior Vice President of Operations at SiX
Molly Noble is the Senior Vice President of Operations at SiX. In this role, Molly oversees SiX's accounting, HR, compliance and IT functions. She received her BA in Metropolitan Studies at New York University and her MA in Sociology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a focus in economic and organizational sociology. As a graduate student she represented the interest of graduate student workers as an active member and treasurer of the Teaching Assistants' Association, and as an executive board member of AFT-Wisconsin. Prior to moving to Madison she worked at the New York City Department of Small Business Services in the Neighborhood Development Division and One City/One Community, a non-profit aimed to increase communication among NYC social service agencies.
Job Titles:
- Operations Assistant
- Operations Assistant at SiX
Morgan is the Operations Assistant at SiX. She received her Bachelor's degree in International Security and Conflict Resolution from San Diego State University. Prior to joining SiX, she gained experience in administration, progressive politics, and reproductive justice from her previous work at EMILY's List and People's Action. Currently pursuing a dual Master's in Public Health and Latin American Studies, Morgan aims to focus on reproductive health care policy in the border region, seeking to create stronger public health systems both domestically and internationally.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- International Development and Social Impact Leader
Job Titles:
- Co - Executive Director
- SiX 's Co - Executive Director
Neha Patel is SiX's Co-Executive Director. Growing up in the Midwest (Indiana/Michigan) as the child of immigrants, she believes fiercely in the American Dream-where opportunity exists only if we fight for it on behalf of all of us. This foundational belief led Neha to a lifelong career in domestic and international human rights advocacy. After the 2016 election, Neha recommitted her energy to state-based power building for progressive change.
Over the last 20 years, Neha has worked at the intersection of advocacy and direct service. With a focus on reproductive rights, health and justice among underrepresented and marginalized communities, she has helped those closest to the pain fight for the solutions they know will work best. Her work has included: combatting the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Chicago and NYC, fighting for LGBTQ protections in India, expanding access to sexual and reproductive health and rights in South and Southeast Asia, and supporting local organizations in over 70 countries to build stronger government and civil society institutions. These experiences led her from managing programs in the public health space to building large-scale, people-centered organizations. Neha is a proven organizational development expert specializing in strategic planning, program and operational design, management, business development, partnership cultivation, and communications. Over her career, she has helped organizations raise over $1 billion in revenue for high-impact projects.
Neha holds a Master's degree in Public Policy (with a concentration in Maternal and Child Health) from Johns Hopkins University and a B.A. in Economics (minor in Psychology) from the University of Michigan (Go Blue!). She currently resides in New Jersey with her husband and two children.
Job Titles:
- Senior Associate, Communications
- Senior Communications Associate
Piero is the Senior Communications Associate at SiX, bringing over ten years of experience working in multiple languages and continents. Originally from Lima, Peru, Piero discovered the nonprofit world advocating for the global youth with Save the Children, where he covered natural disasters and fundraising, raising the voices of boys and girls for international audiences. He later empowered persecuted environmental defenders in South America, Asia, and the United States with EarthRights International as their Communications Coordinator and moved on to support the work of elected officials in the City of Orlando as their Communications Manager.
As an LGBTQIA+ first-generation immigrant and first-generation university graduate who supports his family, Piero is immensely motivated to affect positive change in the world. He now elevates and amplifies SiX's narrative and organizational goals to create an equitable and fair America for all.
Piero earned his Bachelor's in Communications and Advertising from the Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas. In his free time, he volunteers for Impulse Orlando, an LGBT organization, and offers free marketing support to underserved nonprofits and community leaders.
Job Titles:
- Senior Policy Counsel, Reproductive Rights
Rosann Mariappuram, J.D. M.A. (she/her) is a lawyer and advocate who has been part of the movements for reproductive health, rights and justice for over a decade. She is the former executive director of Jane's Due Process, a nonprofit that fights for young people's bodily autonomy and helps anyone under 18 in Texas confidentially access abortion and birth control. Prior to Jane's Due Process, Rosann worked at Legal Voice, Surge Reproductive Justice, and the Reproductive Health Access Project. She has served on the boards of Equality Texas, NARAL Pro-Choice Texas, and the Lilith Fund for Reproductive Equity. Rosann earned her J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law, her M.A. in international relations from the City College of New York and her B.A. from New York University. Rosann is originally from Ohio and is the proud daughter of immigrant parents.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Deputy National Director of State Power, Working Families Party
Job Titles:
- Director of Research, Agriculture and Food Systems
Siena has over 15 years experience in agriculture and food systems policy, advocacy, and writing. Prior to joining SiX, she worked as a consultant for clients including Farm Aid, Real Food Challenge, and Illinois Stewardship Alliance. Siena is the author of National Family Farm Coalition's proposed federal Milk from Family Dairies Act, as well as major reports on corporate consolidation for ActionAid USA and industrial livestock production for FoodPrint. Her writing has appeared in Civil Eats, Business Insider, Modern Farmer, and numerous regional newspapers. After graduating from Mount Holyoke College, Siena worked as Legislative Assistant to Massachusetts State Representative David Linsky, before beginning her food systems career at WhyHunger in New York City. She grew up in rural Massachusetts and has lived in Brooklyn, New York, for 20 years, where a community garden, relationships with farmers, and regular travel out of the city keep her connected to the land and rural life. She is currently working on a book about the 1980s farm crisis and the history of rural progressive activism.
Job Titles:
- Nevada State Director for SiX
Stacey Shinn serves as the Nevada State Director for SiX. Prior to SiX, Stacey spent eight years as a lobbyist in Carson City working to advance social, environmental, and economic justice policies. Stacey also worked as a counselor in the mental health arena and taught English abroad. She holds a Master in Social Work from the University of Nevada and proudly serves as a supervisor for future macro social workers. Stacey is the President of the Human Service Network and a Commissioner on the Access to Justice Commission. Stacey resides in Reno, NV with her cat named Cream Cheese.
Job Titles:
- Senior Program Assistant, Reproductive Rights
Suhan Rosario comes from the Florida House of Representatives, where she served as District Aide for a State Representative in Orlando. She attended UCF where she received her Bachelor's in Political Science and minor in Latin American Studies. There, she participated in the Legislative Scholars Program, interning for two State Representatives during the 2019 Legislative Session. She was previously the Orlando Regional Organizer at the Florida Student Power Network in 2020, where she held phone and text banks, managed interns, held/participated in statewide as well as regional events, and communicated frequently with community partners. She also served as the Environmental Justice & Policy Organizer at Mi Familia Vota where she helped encourage Latino civic engagement and knowledge in the area of environmental justice, and assisted with policy research and strategy around the 2023 legislative session's anti-immigrant laws.
Job Titles:
- Director of Policy, Reproductive Rights
N. Sydney Jemmott, MD, MPH, (she/her) is a public health professional and internal medicine physician excited to provide a medical perspective, within the reproductive justice framework, to shape and influence public policy, culture, and patient outcomes. She has had a successful career dedicated to international public health and research, and comes to SiX after consulting in medical public policy and advocacy in Georgia.
Sydney completed residency in General Internal Medicine at Duke University Medical Center. She earned an MPH from Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health in the Population and Family Health Department. She participated in the Errin J. Vuley Fellowship, a reproductive justice leadership development program at the Feminist Women's Health Center.
Sydney serves on the Community Advisory Board-EAV for Planned Parenthood Southeast, Inc. She is a devoted voting rights advocate and volunteers with the Democratic Party of Georgia. She also enjoys learning Spanish. In her free time you can find her hiking to the top of mountains and practicing yoga under the sun.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- President and CEO, Environmental Grantmakers Association
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Executive Director, ProGeorgia
Job Titles:
- Michigan State Director for SiX
Tom Lenard is the Michigan State Director for SiX and serves as the lead SiX staff for the Progressive Governance Academy. Before joining SiX, Tom served for years as Senior Advisor to Senate Democratic Leader Jim Ananich of Flint, Michigan. As such, he worked to help respond to the Flint Water Crisis and has led efforts to address the opioid epidemic, scrap metal theft, and push for paid sick leave. Tom previously held multiple roles in the State Legislature and Federal government, including serving as a Michigan Senate Caucus communications director and staff for Senator Chris Dodd of Connecticut and John Dingell of Michigan. A graduate of Western Michigan University, he lives in Holt, Michigan, with his wife, three teenage kids, and dog Jasper. He holds part-time elected office as Township Treasurer.
Job Titles:
- Florida State Director
- State Director