LOS ANGELES (February 10, 2020) – National nonprofit Step Up announced the newest members of its national board of directors, along with additions to its Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, and New York chapter boards during National Mentoring Month in January. Maria Walker, chief executive officer of Recuerdo Therapeutics, Inc, now chairs the national board. She assumes the Step Up national chair position from Barri Rafferty, chief executive officer and president of Ketchum, who helmed the board for the past two years.
Of the nearly 100 total leaders of the mentorship nonprofit, 16 represent Fortune 100 companies, and 10 hold the rank of CEO, president, or founder at their respective organizations.
"I thank these leaders for guiding Step Up during this time of strategic planning," Step Up CEO Delores Morton said. "Our board members' individual expertise and collective synergy will help us realize our vision of propelling girls toward fulfilling their greatest potential."
The organization also announced its 2020 theme, "Womxn With Vision," celebrating the potential of a world where all womxn confidently pursue their dreams.
Step Up provides after-school and weekend mentoring programs for nearly 1,500 high school girls in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Dallas, with the mission of empowering girls living or going to school in under-resourced communities to be confident, college-bound, career-focused and ready to join the next generation of womxn leaders.
Many of the board members serve as mentors and role models for the students and help the organization access resources on a local and national level. In addition to the board, the organization relies on nearly 1,500 womxn members who share their time, talents and resources to mentor the teens in the program. To inquire about board service or involvement, please email national@suwn.org. Below are Step Up's full regional and national boards for 2020.
National Board of DirectorsChair Maria Walker, chief executive officer, Recuerdo Therapeutics, Inc Tara Farnsworth, CFO, Bayshore Global Management Vanessa Salinas Beckstrom, forensics partner, PwCTamika Chambers, director of national accounts, Northwest Evaluation AssociationBernadette Fitzpatrick, senior vice president, US marketing, Benefit CosmeticsHeather Foster, head of policy engagement and strategic partnerships, Lyft Inc.Keli Lee, entertainment industry executiveMolly Luetkemeyer, principal, M. Design InteriorsSara Link, director of societal impact, VerizonMarta Martinez, director, agency platforms, GoogleSuzanne Norr, COO, AvatarLabs, Inc.Marnie Kain, partner, Grey GroupKaye Popofsky Kramer, founder, Step UpAndrya Smith, assurance partner, PwCHilary Smith, EVP, NBCUniversal Corporate Communications and Social ResponsibilityBarri Rafferty, CEO and president, Ketchum Sonya Rosenberg, partner, Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg LLP Chicago Chapter BoardChair Andrya Smith, assurance partner, PwC Rose Ann Abraham, partner, Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLPOlga Corbett, director, finance, IntertekChristy DeMott, associate general counsel and vice president, BMO Financial GroupNicole Durham, vice president, diversity & inclusion, ExelonTaylor Goodridge, vice president, institutional marketing and investor relations, Ariel InvestmentsDana Hall, partner, EYLisa Hamer, senior vice president, Marsh & McLennan CompaniesBaaba Holland, founder, senior vice president, Baaba Holland AgencyCharity Johns, CEO, Illinois Café Services Company-Laredo HospitalityAnya Krenicki, account supervisor, KetchumJessica McLaughlin, mutual fund investment specialist, vice president, Northern TrustAndrea Moore, marketing manager, practice development, VeddarPriceKelli Murphy, associate manager, Gatorade finance, PepsicoBeth Perry, director of learning & Development, Northshore University Health SystemKiran Pinto, managing partner, Lettuce Entertain You EnterprisesMaria Salcedo, vice president, corporate strategy and program management, Ulta BeautyNicole Townsend, founder, Townsend BeautySymone Shinton, attorney, Goldman Ismail Tomaselli Brennan & Baum LLPBetsy Wormet, vice president of solutions marketing, NThrive Dallas Chapter Board Chair Vanessa Salinas Beckstrom, forensics partner, PwCTamara Beverly, project management professional, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Celina Blanks, vice president, Lockton Kim Burgan, vice president of sales and marketing, Dallas Symphony Orchestra April Carr, transformation & strategy UX & design senior manager, Frito Lay North AmericaAndrea Carter, principal, EY Wendelin C. Donahue, Ed.D, associate director for employer relations, Southern Methodist UniversityMeredith Hampton, corporate counsel, At Home GroupSteve Idoux, senior vice president, Lockton Dunning BenefitsTorrey Littlejohn, executive vice president, Jones Lang LaSalleAllison Marr, audit manager, vice president, technology and change, CitiMark Page, vice president, CDO operations and program office, AT&TCassondra Redmond, HR Manager, AmazonClaire Rich, creative director, FossilKelley Schadt, senior director of marketing, The Container StoreKim Schwartz, managing director, AccentureBriana Torres, client executive, IBMSheri Crosby Wheeler, vice president, corporate social responsibility, Mr. CooperTamera Woodard, vice president/associate general counsel, AT&T Los Angeles Chapter Board Chair Molly Luetkemeyer, principal, M. Design InteriorsJana Augsberger, VP, Eden Rock MediaRachel Begun, MS, RDN, founder and CEO, Food and Nutrition Solutions, LLCTara Crimin, senior consultant, entertainment industry, Compumark | Clarative AnalyticsChanning Dungey, VP, original content, NetflixJeanne Elfant Festa, partner, head of documentaries & director of features, White Horse PicturesPhoenix Gonzalez, president of sales, co-founder, dotstudioPROJessica Goodman, entertainment executiveAnne Hill, senior vice president and chief human resources officer, Avery DennisonBrittany A. Hveem, head of business affairs, originals, HuluDawn Kohler, founder and master level executive coach, Kohler & CompanyChristine Mcguan, vice president business development asset based finance, US BankMargie Moreno, international executive, YouTube OriginalsPaul Nelson, manager, Mosaic Media GroupElizabeth O'Connor, principal, Daggerwing GroupAmanda Silverman, entrepreneur & philanthropistKarina Sterman, partner, Greenberg Glusker Fields Claman & Machtinger LLPAlissa Vradenburg, partner and talent manager, Untitled EntertainmentJeffrey S. Horton Thomas, partner, Labor and Employment Practice Group Akerman LLPDr. Paula Rodgers, head and neck surgeon, Kaiser PermanenteCamille Rustia, business affairs executive, Apple TV+Deborah Thomas, SVP, entertainment publicity, NBCUniversal New York Chapter BoardChair Hilary Smith, EVP, NBCUniversal Corporate Communications and Social Responsibility Michelle Aragon, SVP of Business Solutions, Magna GlobalDanielle Barrett, private client advisor, Brown AdvisoryKatrina Craigwell, head of global employer brand, JPMorgan ChaseUsheen Davar, senior digital sales director, Meredith DigitalMarni Edleman, partner, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLPGarnesha Crawford Ezediaro, director of leadership & learning, Verizon MediaJessica Federer, venture partner, Boston Millennia PartnersMichele Fenice, VP, EPLI claim leader, financial lines claims ChubbJoAnna Foyle, chief operating officer, OpenSlateTaylor Foxman, vice president of brand communications, ParallelTonya Garrett, head of independent agencies, NA, LinkedInLauren Ezrol Klein, EVP and general counsel, Lincoln Center for the Performing ArtsMaureen Lippe, founder & CEO, Lippe TaylorElizabeth McCune, chief growth officer, GroupMMaggie Stockdale, VP enterprise accounts, Media MathAlicia Richardson, senior director agency & advertiser development, OpenSlateJoanne Sternlieb, SVP; senior estate planner & senior trust counsel, Neuberger Berman Trust Company N.A.
ABOUT STEP UP
Step Up believes when all girls have the opportunity to fulfill their potential, our communities will be more just and will flourish. Offering mentorship programs for high school girls, the nonprofit works with the next generation of womxn leaders on becoming confident, college-bound and career-focused. Connect at suwn.org.
