Board and Staff

Maria Miranda is a Senior Program Officer at the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation. Maria’s grantmaking focuses on national policy, reproductive justice and BIPOC-led organizations. Their interests are in organizational health, institutional networks, coalitions, and policy. Their most recent past role was as the Foundation’s Strategic State Advisor for Ohio and Pennsylvania where they worked on state-level movement building and policy development. This work included building state networks, centering abortion at progressive tables, introducing racial equity measures, and refining partnership practices. Prior to joining the Foundation, Maria worked as a development officer, program manager, volunteer coordinator, public health advocate, and community organizer. They also lecture on women & gender studies and nonprofit management.

Maria has a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Eastern Michigan University. They earned their Master in Public Administration and Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Villanova University, and completed an Advanced Certificate in Public Policy at Northwestern. They are the recipient of Planned Parenthood of Greater Cleveland’s (now Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio) Volunteer of the Year Award, New Voices for Reproductive Justice’s Ambassador Award, and Greater Cleveland Community Shares’ Distinguished Activist of the Year Award.

Jennie Agmi believes that transformational change is rooted in trusting, resourcing, and supporting the leadership and power of Black, Brown and Indigenous communities, including survivors, queer, trans, and gender non-conforming people of color. As a Latinx, Bronx-born, first-generation daughter of immigrants, Jennie has spent decades advocating for survivors of gender-based and sexualized violence in all forms. As a survivor herself, Jennie envisions a future when all communities can lead self-determined lives free of violence, patriarchy, systemic oppression, and economic insecurity. “As funders, we must move resources to organizations led by and for the communities most impacted by racial and gender-based structural oppression. These are the communities that have been historically under-resourced, neglected, and exploited. Our shared liberation can only be achieved if we reckon with that reality and begin the work of healing those harms,” says Jennie. As a senior program officer, Jennie leverages an intersectional analysis and commitment to building community power to deploy resources to folks fighting for gender and racial justice. In addition, she actively organizes within the funding community – working to bring values-aligned funders to the table with wisdom, practical resources, and political education.

Jennie holds a BA in Psychology from Brandeis University and an MPA from New York University Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. Her prior positions include director of programs at The New York Women’s Foundation, where she developed girl-led participatory grantmaking programs and oversaw several grantmaking initiatives, including the Fund for the #MeToo Movement and IGNITE! charged with increasing investment opportunities to organizations that center young women of color. She is an alumna of Justice Funders’ Harmony Initiative, currently serves on the steering committee for Funders for Justice (FFJ), and was the co-chair for FFJ’s “me too” in philanthropy strategy group.

Jennie can be found trying her hand at gardening, being a tía to her nieces and nephews, and pretending she’s a contestant on Food Network’s Chopped. 

Naa Amissah-Hammond is a Black, immigrant, queer, femme and the Chief Strategy Officer with Groundswell Fund, a public foundation that strengthens U.S. movements for reproductive justice and social justice. Naa directs Groundswell’s grantmaking strategy through five funds committed to resourcing gender justice organizers on the ground around the U.S. Prior to joining Groundswell, Naa worked for Funders for LGBTQ Issues, an organization that works side-by-side with funders and movement organizations to mobilize philanthropic resources that enhance the well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer communities. Over the last decade, Naa has worked in philanthropy, development, and grassroots fundraising with several U.S. organizations committed to gender, racial, and economic justice. Naa was born and raised in Zimbabwe, as the child of Ghanaian immigrants. She holds B.A.’s in ‘Social and Cultural Analysis’ and ‘Urban Design and Architecture Studies’ from New York University.

Elizabeth Arndorfer joined the Packard Foundation as a Program Officer in the Reproductive Health Program in January 2017 overseeing grantmaking in the program’s United States subprogram.

Prior to joining the Foundation, Elizabeth worked as a consultant to non-profits and foundations working on reproductive health and rights, sexual and domestic violence prevention, and eliminating exposure to toxic chemicals including the Reproductive Health Technologies Project, Futures Without Violence and Ibis Reproductive Health.

She earned a law degree from the University of California Berkeley School of Law and a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Santa Clara University.

Aimee Arrambide is a Program Officer in Gender Equity and Governance at the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. Aimee has outstanding experience advocating for reproductive health, rights, and justice in the United States. She leads a portfolio of grants to advance reproductive equity in the United States.

Prior to joining the foundation, Aimee served as Executive Director of Avow Texas. Previous to that, she served as Program Manager and Reproductive Rights Policy Specialist at the Public Leadership Institute, where she helped to conceive and co-write the Playbook for Abortion Rights.

Aimee holds a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from the University of Texas and earned her law degree at New York Law School, where she co-founded the school’s chapter of Law Students for Reproductive Justice (now If/When/How). Aimee serves on the board of Equality Texas and the advisory council of ReproAction, and is a WeTestify Storyteller. Aimee was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, where she took many trips with her father to the clinic where he served as an abortion provider.

Kiyomi Fujikawa led Third Wave Fund, an activist fund for youth-led, intersectional gender justice movements, as co-Executive Director from 2018-2024. She has been involved with movements to end gender- and state-based violence since 2001. Her political home is with queer and trans communities of color and organizing to prevent and respond to intimate partner violence.

Kiyomi formerly served on the boards of Funders Concerned About AIDS, Groundswell Fund, Seattle Young People's Project, and API Chaya. She is an alum of Neighborhood Funder's Group Philanthropy Forward and Funders for LGBT Issues’ Grantmakers United for Trans Communities (GUTC) Fellowship. She formerly was a Senior Program Associate at the Fund for Trans Generations at Borealis Philanthropy, and the Queer Network Program Coordinator at API Chaya. She has lived in Duwamish and Coast Salish’s people’s land (Seattle, WA) since 2005 and is an avid WNBA fan (go Storm!).

Alicia Harris is the Reproductive Health, Rights and Justice Program Officer at The Grove Foundation. Previously, she implemented sexual violence prevention education at the University of California, Berkeley. In addition, she has worked with a number of Bay Area organizations focusing on LGBTQ health, reproductive justice and sexuality education. Recently, she served as Co-Chair of the Board of Directors for ACCESS Women’s Health Justice, a non-profit organization dedicated to ending institutional and practical barriers to reproductive health. Alicia earned a BA from Vassar College and an MPH from UC Berkeley.  Alicia is also Manager, Reproductive Justice Program at the Grove Action Fund.

Silvia Henriquez is Program Officer on the Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Justice team of Ford Foundation. Prior to Ford, Silvia was a co-founder and co-president of the All* Above All campaign, a multiyear effort dedicated to culture change, federal and state advocacy, and building cross-movement support for advancing access to abortion. Created in 2010 as the Hyde Working Group, the campaign has since evolved into a catalyst for abortion justice centering people of color working to make ends meet at the intersections of immigrant, economic, and racial justice.

Before All* Above All, Silvia was the Executive Director of the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice for eight years. Silvia has over 20 years of experience as an advocate, coalition-builder, and organizer in the fields of reproductive rights and justice. She has been the recipient of the Ms. Foundation Women of Vision award and the Lani Shaw award in Pursuit of Courage and Compassion for Reproductive Justice. She holds a bachelor’s degree in International Affairs and a master’s degree in Women Studies and Public Policy from George Washington University.

Latisha Latiker is the National Director of Grant Services for the NAACP. In her role, Latisha works to achieve equity, political rights and social inclusion by advancing policies and practices that expand human and civil rights, eliminate discrimination, and accelerate wellbeing, education, and economic security of Black people and all persons of color. Latisha leads a team tasked with the overall development and execution of the Association’s comprehensive strategy, including research and prospecting, proposal design and development, reporting and compliance/management, and database management.

Latisha has over 20 years of experience working in the field of philanthropy and non-profits. Prior to joining the NAACP, Latisha served as the Director of Grants Programming for the Women's Foundation of Mississippi. In this role she worked on grantmaking, advocacy, and engagement activities for the Foundation. Early in her career, Latisha served as Regional Program Officer for the Children's Defense Fund's Southern Regional Office where she worked on advocacy initiatives that addressed the needs of children and families, paying particular interest to economically vulnerable families.

A native of Tulsa, Oklahoma, she earned her B.A. and M.A. in Political Science with an emphasis in public policy and public administration from Oklahoma State University. Latisha is the proud parent of one son, as well as aunt to numerous nieces and nephews. She enjoys reading, traveling, and watching sports with her family.

Ellen Liu is a second generation Taiwanese immigrant born in New York City who is passionate about building power to create a safer, more just world. Ellen brings over 15 years of experience in grantmaking, capacity building, policy advocacy, and organizational development in support of social justice organizations both in the US and internationally. As Vice President of Grantmaking and Capacity Building, Ellen leads Ms. Foundation’s grantmaking and capacity building programs to strengthen women and girls of color-led organizations and leaders, and to advocate for greater funding for women and girls of color-led movement building, organizing, and advocacy work.

Prior to joining Ms., Ellen was Program Officer at the Open Society Foundations’ Public Health Program where she worked with health and human rights organizations in Central and Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and East and Southern Africa to strengthen protections for people living with HIV and AIDS and TB, people with mental disabilities, ethnic minorities, and people in need of palliative care. She currently serves on the Women of Color Working Group of Funders for Reproductive Equity, the board of The Brush Foundation, and the steering committee member of the Asian Women Giving Circle. She is the proud mom of a young bi-racial son.

Carolina Salmeron is a program officer and leads the Reproductive Justice work at the Texas-based Jacob and Terese Hershey Foundation. As a philanthropic leader, she prioritizes grassroots efforts and community-led initiatives, ensuring those affected do not just have a seat at the table, but leadership roles and the tools to succeed. As an immigrant and queer Latina raised in Texas, Carolina has lived experience with many of the intersections of reproductive justice, is passionate about representation, and is committed to continue disrupting systems of oppression and inequity within and beyond philanthropy, amplifying the voices of marginalized and disenfranchised communities, and supporting those working boldly toward a future of liberation for all.

Carolina previously served as Senior Director of Programs for Healthy Futures of Texas, increasing access to inclusive sexual education for Texas adolescents. As a Program Officer at the Bill and Melinda Gates Institute for Population and Reproductive Health, she championed youth-led initiatives globally, elevating youth voices and leadership in reproductive justice. Carolina holds a bachelor’s degree in Biology from Texas A&M University, a master’s degree in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University, and an advanced certificate in nonprofit leadership from Rice University. She also serves as vice president of the board of MECA, a Houston nonprofit dedicated to the healthy development of underserved families.

When she isn’t getting her hands dirty in the vegetable garden, Carolina also enjoys traveling, spending time with family and friends, reading sci-fi and fantasy novels, and a great cup of coffee.

Elisa Slattery is part-time faculty with the Bard Globalization and International Affairs Program.  Most recently, she was a Senior Program Officer with the Open Society Foundations’ Women’s Rights Program, where she focuses on sexual and reproductive rights. Prior to joining Open Society, Elisa was a consulting researcher at Amnesty International, where she documented human rights violations stemming from Ireland’s highly restrictive abortion law. She previously worked with the health law program of the International Development Law Organization in Rome. Elisa also served as the regional director for the Africa program at the Center for Reproductive Rights, where her work focused on promoting reproductive rights through national, regional, and international accountability mechanisms and addressing the intersection of HIV and reproductive rights. Elisa has worked as a consultant on workers’ rights issues in Kenya, conducted comparative legal and human rights research on the rights of incarcerated parents at the Brennan Center for Justice, and researched the impact of welfare reform on families with disabilities at the University of North Carolina’s Frank Porter Graham Child Development Center. Elisa holds a JD from Columbia Law School and a MA in history from Duke University.

Bia Vieira is CEO of Women’s Foundation California, where she leads the Foundation’s work to advance gender, racial, and economic justice. The Foundation’s program strategy is focused on building community-based power through investing in nonprofit organizations, training community leaders in policy advocacy, connecting key partners, and mobilizing significant financial resources. Prior to being appointed CEO in 2023, Bia served the Foundation for five years as Chief Strategist ensuring that the work of the Foundation is integrated, aligned, and impactful. 

She has served the non-profit and philanthropic sectors for more than 20 years including senior-level positions at the Philadelphia Community Foundation and Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees. Originally from Brazil, she is a longtime activist in women’s, LGBTQI, Latine, immigrant, and arts and culture issues. Fluent in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, Bia holds a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and Anthropology and a master’s degree in Literature and Linguistics, both from Temple University. She is a recognized expert on culture change and gender, racial, and economic justice issues and is a frequent commentator on the power of women’s philanthropy. Bia resides with her partner in Oakland, CA.

Iris Brawley (she/they) has a nimble approach to organizing professional systems and a creative knack for problem-solving. She brings extensive administrative experience, having supported executives, staff teams, and boards in both U.S. and international contexts. Before joining the FRE team, Iris honed her skills across a diverse range of organizations in the non-profit and private sectors, including an international membership-serving health research society. Most recently, she worked at UltraViolet, virtually managing internal and external meetings, logistics, and planning for a team of nonprofit executives. Her professional background is complemented by a BA in Art History from the University of Texas at Dallas.

Iris has a people-first approach that proves invaluable when balancing complex virtual and onsite administrative support. She lives in Dallas, Texas, and in her free time enjoys trying local coffee shops, adding to her plant collection, reading, and learning creative processes. Although Iris doesn’t currently have any pets of her own, she enjoys fostering animals from her local shelter from time to time.

Jackie Nolley-Echegaray (she/her/ella) brings a lifelong passion for human rights and social justice—and 15 years of experience as a human rights grantmaker and advocate—to bear in conceptualizing, developing and implementing FRE programming. Her responsibilities include coordinating the International Funders and Youth Leadership and Engagement Working Groups; sharing the direction of FRE’s two annual conferences and fundraising. Prior to joining FRE, Jackie advocated for women’s rights and access to health services in Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America at Catholics for Choice, where she also delighted in challenging the Catholic hierarchy and antichoice policymakers on television, radio, blogs and in print. Earlier in her career, Jackie contributed to women's rights movement building in Mesoamerica at Just Associates (JASS); provided financial support to human rights organizations in Guatemala, Mexico, Peru and the United States as a grantmaker at the Moriah Fund and supported a cross-national team of international human rights attorneys at the Center for Justice and International Law (CEJIL). A proud Peruvian-Texan, Jackie makes her home in Washington, DC.

Lindsay Rodriguez (she/her) is a leading movement messenger. She brings a keen eye for building infrastructure and community support, developed through her background serving in leadership of Texas abortion funds through ongoing abortion crises, as the first San Antonio board member and board President of the Lilith Fund, and as Vice President of Fund Texas Choice. Prior to joining FRE, Lindsay served as the first full-time Communications staff, and most recently, Communications Director for the National Network of Abortion Funds (NNAF), building a strategic team that supports NNAF and members in developing and implementing a values-forward voice at the intersection of racial, economic, and reproductive justice. She led the growth of NNAF's Fund-a-Thon into the largest annual grassroots abortion funding event, developing network fundraising infrastructure, communications resources, engaging outreach, and leadership coaching. Lindsay served as Narrative and Culture Change co-chair for Liberate Abortion, developing coalition strategies, creating abortion-forward communications for members, and representing the coalition at the 2022 Narrative Power Summit. Lindsay's been featured in local, regional, and national publications, including NPR, The Atlantic, the New Yorker, and the Hollywood Reporter, and is a member of Rockwood's 2019 Fellowship for Leaders in Reproductive Health, Rights, and Justice. Though Lindsay still thinks of herself as a Texan, she lives in Denver with her husband, their dog, and their two cats. She loves to sit on patios and read, dabble in crafts, and talk at length about pop culture.

Nancy Sanchez (she/her) has over 19 years of experience in nonprofit management, finance, operations, and human resources, with a focus on reproductive justice and social justice organizations, and women-identified and BIPOC leaders. She has worked with both start-up and long-standing organizations on developing and successfully implementing mission-driven and values-based policies, procedures, practices, and tools. As Founder and President of Mitote, Consulting for Nonprofits, Nancy provided critical guidance and support to increase the capacity, effectiveness, and sustainability of various organizations, which led to several tangible milestones and positive impacts on staff. Before that, she served as the first Associate Director at California Latinas for Reproductive Justice (CLRJ). In her role, Nancy provided critical oversight and management which contributed to the transformation of the organizational infrastructure, from start-up to a renowned and sustainable organization. While Nancy works “behind the scenes,” she is motivated by the tangible impacts on communities and people. Nancy is the daughter of Mexican immigrants, and Mami to curious twin toddlers. She was proudly born and raised in East Los Angeles, and currently lives in California’s Inland (Valley) Empire.