--Mentorship nonprofit announces new and continuing strategic leaders.--
LOS ANGELES (February 6, 2023) – National mentorship nonprofit Step Up announced the newest members of its board of directors, along with its new regional board members and chairs.
Board of Directors
Andrya Smith (partner, PwC), Tara Farnsworth (chief financial officer, Bayshore Global Management) and Suzanne Norr (chief operating officer, AvatarLabs, Inc.) will continue as officers, serving as chair, treasurer and secretary of the board of directors, respectively. Beth Radichel, partner at Neal Gerber Eisenberg, now serves as the governance committee chair.
Joining Smith, Farnsworth, Norr and Radichel will be new additions Minda Harts (founder and CEO, The Memo LLC), Tonya Garrett (director, LinkedIn marketing solutions and agency development, LinkedIn), Charity Johns (CEO, Illinois Cafe & Service Company), Jenny Dinh Safransky(founder, head of partnerships and talent management, JDS Projects), Maria Salcedo (senior vice president, merchandising, Ulta Beauty), Tara Simon (global brand president, Too Faced Cosmetics), and Maggie Stockdale (senior marketing, media, and technology executive).
Midwestern Region Board
Johnsnow chairs the Midwestern region board. She assumes the chair position from Salcedo, who helmed the board for the past two years. Baaba Holland, founder and CEO of Baaba Holland Agency, now serves as vice chair on the Midwestern region board.
Joining Johns and Holland will be new additions Jennifer Kobus (vice president, transportation + logistics, Ulta Beauty) and Aneysha Pearce (chief marketing officer, Prudential Private Capital).
Eastern Region Board
Garrett now chairs the Eastern region board. She assumes the chair position from Stockdale, who helmed the board for the past two years. Usheen Davar, vice president digital sales & strategic partnerships, now serves as vice chair on the Eastern region board.
Joining Garrett and Davar on the Eastern Region board will be new addition Nichole Thompson (CEO, Altum Solutions).
Western Region Board
Dinh Safransky now chairs the Western Region board. She assumes the chair position from Rachel Begun, founder and CEO of Rachel Begun Coaching and Culture, who helmed the board for the past two years. Camille Rustia, business affairs executive for Apple TV+, now serves as vice chair on the Western region board.
Joining Safransky and Rustia on the Western Region board will be new addition Kendra Tyler (senior manager, talent development partner, West region, Tory Burch).
Southern Region Board
April Carr (sr. director of sales technology innovation platforms, PepsiCo) and Celina Blanks (vice president, Lockton) will continue as leaders, serving as chair and vice chair of the Southern Region board, respectively.
Joining Carr and Blanks on the Southern Region board will be new additions Kimberly S. Clay (CEO & founder, Play Like a Girl!), Lisa Crawford (managing director, Accenture)and Lawrencina Mason Oramalu (director of center for student leadership, Texas Woman's University, Jane Nelson Institute for Women’s Leadership).
These leaders will guide the nonprofit as it celebrates 25 years of service this year. Step Up offers free mentorship programs in person, online, and on demand that concentrate on supporting girls, and those who identify with girlhood, on their path to success. With structured programs, focused support, and inspiring connections, Step Up has established a multi-generational community that shares the resources and relationships needed for individual and collective success.
“This is a critical moment for mentorship in our communities,” Step Up CEO Delores Druilhet Morton said. “I’m grateful to these leaders for guiding Step Up as we mark our 25th year of service and look to grow our movement of mentorship within our current regions and beyond.”
Many of the board members serve as mentors for the Step Up girls and help the organization access resources on both national and local levels. In addition to the board, the organization relies on nearly 1,000 members who share their time, talents and resources in support of the next generation of leaders. To inquire about board service or involvement, please email morgan@suwn.org. Below is Step Up’s full roster of 2023 national board of directors and regional board members.
Board of Directors
Andrya Smith, partner, PwC, CHAIR
Tara Farnsworth, CFO, Bayshore Global Management , TREASURER
Suzanne Norr, COO, AvatarLabs, Inc., SECRETARY
Vanessa Salinas Beckstrom, investigation & forensics partner, PwC
T'Wana Brown, VP - DMM, men's/young men's, Bealls, Inc.
April Carr, sr. director of sales technology innovation platforms, PepsiCo
Tamika L. Chambers, vice president of international and national accounts, NWEA - Northwest Evaluation Association
Cat Chen, founder and CEO, Skylar
Bernadette Fitzpatrick, full stack marketer
Heather J. Foster, senior director, head of government affairs, Lyft Inc.
Tonya Garrett, Director, LinkedIn marketing solutions | agency development, LinkedIn
Minda Harts, founder and CEO, The Memo LLC
Charity Johns, CEO, Illinois Cafe & Service Company
Marnie Kain, partner, Grey Group
Dawn Kohler, founder and master level executive coach, Kohler & Company
Kaye Popofsky Kramer, founder, Step Up
Delores Druilhet Morton, CEO, Step Up
Mark O. Page, executive, AT&T (retired)
Beth Radichel, partner, Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg LLP
Barri Rafferty, Interim CEO, C200
Jenny Dinh Safransky, founder, head of partnerships and talent management, JDS Projects
Maria Salcedo, senior vice president, merchandising, Ulta Beauty
Tara Simon, global brand president, Too Faced Cosmetics
Hilary Smith, executive vice president, corporate social responsibility, Comcast NBCUniversal
Maggie Stockdale, senior marketing, media, and technology executive
Judie Verb, executive vice president, west region small business and banking, U.S. Bank
Eastern Region Board
Tonya Garrett, director, LinkedIn marketing solutions | agency development, LinkedIn CHAIR
Usheen Davar, Vice President Digital Sales & Strategic Partnerships, VICE CHAIR
Elizabeth Cohen, associate general counsel, Crunchyroll
Quincy Evans, principal-investment analyst, Davidson Kempner Capital Management
Garnesha Crawford Ezediaro, portfolio lead, Bloomberg Philanthropies
Jessica Federer, venture partner, Boston Millennia Partners
Michele Fenice, vice president, EPLI claim leader, financial lines claims Chubb
JoAnna Foyle, business development leader
Taylor Foxman, founder & CEO, The Industry Collective
Maureen Lippe, founder & CEO, Lippe Taylor
Alicia Richardson, vice president, sales, Essence Communications Inc.
Nichole Thompson, CEO, Altum Solutions
Midwestern Region Board
Charity Johns, CEO, Illinois Cafe & Service Company, CHAIR
Baaba Holland, founder and CEO, Baaba Holland Agency, VICE CHAIR
Rose Ann Abraham, partner, Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP
Christy DeMott, associate general counsel and vice president, BMO Financial Group
Jennifer Kobus, VP transportation & logistics, Ulta Beauty
Lisa Hamer, senior vice president, Marsh & McLennan Companies
Ellie McCabe, MBA Candidate, Harvard Business School
Nicole Durham, chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer, Baker Hughes
Aneysha Pearce, CMO, Prudential Private Capital
Beth Perry, leadership coach & consultant, Perry Consulting
Ashley Taylor, senior scientist in multicultural haircare, Procter & Gamble
Southern Region Board
April Carr, sr. director of sales technology innovation platforms, PepsiCo Foods North America, CHAIR
Celina Blanks, vice president, Lockton, VICE CHAIR
Tamara Beverly, senior strategy & transformation associate, Daimler Truck Financial Services
Bridget Biagas, vice president, partner relations and business diversity, Hudson Group
LaKeysha Brooks, general manager, global sales, Delta Airlines
Kimberly S. Clay, CEO & founder, Play Like a Girl!
Kimberly Cockrell, chief human resources officer, Toyota Financial Services
Lisa Crawford, managing director, Accenture
Meredith Hampton, vice president compliance officer, associate general counsel, assistant secretary, At Home Group
Steve Idoux, president & partner, Lockton Dunning Benefits
Lawrencina Mason Oramalu, director of center for student leadership, Texas Woman's University, Jane Nelson Institute for Women’s Leadership
Ashley Miller, diversity programs manager, Goldman Sachs
Briana Torres, director for healthcare providers, Microsoft
Claire Walters, senior vice president human resources, Private Health Management
Tamera Woodard, vice president/associate general counsel, AT&T
Western Region Board
Jenny Dinh Safransky, founder, head of partnerships and talent management, JDS Projects, CHAIR
Camille Rustia, business affairs executive, Apple TV+, VICE CHAIR
Jana Augsberger, SVP, content & innovation, Filmaka
Meghan Birmingham Leader, executive vice president, head of transaction banking, corporate and commercial banking bank of the west, BNP Paribas
Tara Crimin, regional client manager, entertainment/media industry, Clarative
Jeanne Elfant Festa, co-president, White Horse Pictures
Jessica Goodman, entertainment executive
Brittany A. Hveem, head of business affairs, Originals, Hulu
Carlotta Mast, senior vice president and market leader, New Hope Network, a division of informa markets
Christine Mcguan, vice president business development asset based finance, US Bank
Paul Nelson, manager, Mosaic Media Group
Liz O'Connor, founder and managing director, Element Growth Management
Amanda Silverman, entrepreneur & philanthropist
Stephanie Streeter, vice president music, AXS (part of AEG)
Helen Textor, director, program management; diversity, equity & inclusion, Google
Deborah Thomas, senior vice president, entertainment publicity, NBCU
Kendra Tyler, sr. manager, talent development partner, west region, Tory Burch
Alissa Vradenburg, managing partner, Untitled Entertainment
About Step Up
Through structured mentorship programs, focused support, and inspiring connections, Step Up helps girls, and those who identify with girlhood, define and achieve their unique visions of success. Connect at suwn.org.
Media Contact: Alissa Zito Cruz, Step Up
alissa@suwn.org | 310.880.9049
