COMMUNITY CATALYST - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Director of the Restuccia Health Justice Fellowship Program
- Director, Restuccia Health Justice Fellowship
Alexis B. Major is the Director of the Restuccia Health Justice Fellowship program at Community Catalyst. Alexis' expertise lies in planning and administering programs, designing and implementing curriculum, cultivating positive public relations, and delivering strategic program leadership within non-profit sector.
In her current role, Alexis designs and implements strategic solutions for a national health justice fellowship. Her work includes curriculum development, fundraising, logistics, budget management, and program evaluation. By supervising all facets of revenue-generating and fundraising activities, Alexis contributes to growing program portfolio of services that help individuals and organizational teams to accomplish their goals.
Alexis received a bachelor's degree in applied psychology in human and health services and an associate degree in business administration. She is a Truth, Racial Healing, & Transformation practitioner, a Culture of Health Leader, and bilingual in English and Spanish.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Chief Executive Officer of 937 Strategy Group
Anton is the Chief Executive Officer of 937 Strategy Group, LLC, a minority-owned management consulting and professional services firm based in the United States. Prior to 937 Strategy Group, Anton…
Job Titles:
- Senior Director
- Senior Director of Health Innovation, Public Health
- Senior Director, Health Innovation, Public Health and Equity
Dr. Wilson oversees Community Catalyst's health system innovation and community-first public health work. In his role, Dr. Wilson leads Community Catalyst's Center for Community Engagement in Health Innovation, which conducts community-based research to better understand how inequities in the US health system drive poor health outcomes for historically-excluded communities, and drives practice and policy strategies based on its findings. Dr. Wilson also drives Community Catalyst's strategic vision for a public health system rooted in community leadership and perspective, which includes Community Catalyst's Vaccine Equity and Public Health Program.
Previously, Dr. Wilson served as a senior public health advisor with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Office of Minority Health (OMH). Dr. Wilson led OMH's efforts on sexual orientation and gender inclusion data collection, policy efforts in post-acute care settings, and social determinants of health. Dr. Wilson also led two models at CMS (the Accountable Health Communities Model and the Health Care Innovation Awards) and spearheaded its health equity working group, which laid the foundation the Centers' embedding of health equity into its strategic plan.
At the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Dr. Wilson led recruitment and retention efforts for increasing minority screening and enrollment in preventative and therapeutic vaccine clinical trials and participation in National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)'s community advisory board. Dr. Wilson also directed projects regarding the culture of patient safety quality improvement for the NIH's Clinical Center Office of the Director.
Dr. Wilson has received numerous awards for exceptional public service, including recognition from NIH's Director Dr. Francis Collins, NIAID Director Dr. Anthony Fauci, CMS Administrator Chaquita Brooks-LaSure, CMS Administrator Seema Verma, and CMS Administrator Patrick Conway.
Dr. Wilson received a master's degree in health systems management at George Mason University, and a Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) at Morgan State University. He holds faculty appointments at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill's Gillings School of Global Public Health and Purdue University's School of Health Sciences. His research interests include: using patient-centered and indigenous models of care; health economics outcomes research; policy analysis; and community-based participatory and action research to eliminate health disparities and advance health equity in underserved and disinvested communities.
Brandon G. Wilson, DrPH, MHA is the Senior Director of Health Innovation, Public Health and Equity. Dr. Wilson oversees Community Catalyst's health system innovation and community-first public health work. In…
Catherine-Mercedes Judge, MPA, is the Chief of Staff at Community Catalyst. In this role, Catherine advises the Executive Director on organizational issues, spearheading change management projects, facilitating organizational collaboration and…
Job Titles:
- Strategic Manager
- Strategic Manager, VEAP
Daisha Bonhomme, MS is the Senior Strategic Manager for the Vaccine Equity and Access Program (VEAP) at Community Catalyst. In this role, Daisha works closely with community-based organizations (CBOs) to provide and facilitate technical assistance, and ensure that CBOs have access to VEAP's tailored tools and resources to boost confidence and vaccination opportunities in communities experiencing disparities. She also serves as a project manager and technical assistance provider on "The Impact of Long-COVID on Black and Hispanic/Latinx Communities" - a project focused on long-COVID.
Daisha has more than 7 years of experience as a public health and wellness program manager. She is passionate about the promotion of healthy living and disease prevention, and is dedicated to driving positive outcomes while enhancing community engagement and participation. She has had the pleasure of working as a program manager within Louisiana's Office of Public health. In this role, Daisha was instrumental in cultivating community-clinical linkages to implement policy, systems, and environmental changes in order to reduce the burden of chronic disease in the state and ensure a healthier future for Louisiana's communities.
Daisha is a native of Louisiana and received a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences, a Master of Science in Kinesiology, and a Wellcoaches School of Coaching "Certified Health and Well-being Coach" certification.
Job Titles:
- Senior Director
- Senior Director of Operations
- Senior Director, Operations and Management
Dana Clarke, MBA, is the Senior Director of Operations and Management and a member of the senior management team at Community Catalyst.
In this role, Dana has leadership responsibility for Compliance; Contracting; Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging; Development; Facilities Management; Human Resources; Information Technology and Information Systems; Organizational Effectiveness; and Union Relations. Dana serves as an advisor and coach to staff at all levels and a thought partner to the Executive Director, the Board of Directors, and members of the senior management team.
Dana has more than eight years of HR and operations experience, working within a variety of health care settings including: managed care organizations, health centers, and hospital systems.
Dana received a bachelor's degree in political science from American International College and an MBA from Curry College.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Director of Power Building
- Director, Power Building and Organizing
Devin Barrington-Ward is the Director of Power Building and Organizing at Community Catalyst.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Member of the Board
Dr. Orellana is experienced in community organizing and advocacy, community development, voter engagement and campaigns, governance and social policy, cross-organizational partnerships, education justice, and the development of startup initiatives.
Currently, Dr. Orellana serves as the director of the office of community partnerships at the University of Massachusetts Boston (UMB), which fosters community partnerships to advance the university's mission as Boston's public research university. Prior to UMB, Dr. Orellana served two terms of Governor Deval L. Patrick's administration, first as director of the Commonwealth Corps in the Office of the Governor and, later, as the assistant commissioner for access and success strategies at the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education, where she led strategic policy projects and initiatives to increase college readiness and college-going rates of the Commonwealth's first-generation.
Dr. Orellana's commitment to community-based initiatives that center and elevate the experiences of systemically excluded communities is demonstrated by her service on boards and national and local advisory groups that align with these values. She was recognized by the Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus with a Latino Excellence Award in 2023; the Commonwealth Seminar's Civic Engagement Amplifier Award in 2021; Campus Compact's Nadinne Cruz Community Engagement Professional Award in 2020; Get Konnected's 25 Influential Millennial Leaders of Color and Amplify Latinx's list of 30 Amplifiers for the Latino community in Massachusetts in 2018; and is among the 100 most influential people in Massachusetts to the Latino community in El Planeta Newspaper's 2017 Powermeter list.
Dr. Orellana is a native and current resident of Cambridge, Massachusetts. She is the first generation of her family born in the United States, the daughter of Salvadoran immigrants, and first in her family to attend college. She holds a Ph.D. in higher education leadership from University of Massachusetts Boston, a master's degree in urban and environmental policy and planning from Tufts University, and a bachelor's degree in political science from Northeastern University.
Dr. Cynthia K. Orellana's career reflects her passion and commitment to inclusive and collaborative practices that bridge the opportunity divide and drive systems change.
In this role, Emily oversees the overall direction of Community Catalyst's work to empower community voices in health and health care decision-making. She is responsible for the strategic, programmatic, financial, and operational leadership of the organization, as well as for its 501(c)4 affiliate, the Community Catalyst Action Fund.
Emily brings more than two decades of health care advocacy, campaign, and organizing experience to the role.
Most recently, Emily served as vice president of public policy for Planned Parenthood Federation of America and Planned Parenthood Action Fund. At Planned Parenthood, Emily led strategic initiatives and campaigns to protect and expand access to sexual and reproductive health care, including the "I Stand with Planned Parenthood" campaign to defeat efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and "defund" Planned Parenthood. Emily also oversaw Planned Parenthood's ACA implementation advocacy, including the successful effort to guarantee no co-pay coverage for birth control for 60 million women in America.
Prior to her work at Planned Parenthood, Emily managed health policy and advocacy initiatives for a range of progressive organizations focused on advancing people's health and rights. She lives in Boston with her husband.
Emily Stewart is the Executive Director at Community Catalyst. In this role, Emily oversees the overall direction of Community Catalyst's work to empower community voices in health and health care…
Job Titles:
- Senior Director
- Member of the Senior Management Team
- Senior Director of Communications
Gena Madow is the Senior Director of Communications and a member of the senior management team at Community Catalyst.
In this role, Gena oversees the organization's strategic communications.
Gena (pronounced like "Jenna") brings more than a decade of experience in impact communications-sitting at the intersection of public policy, coalition building, and multimedia storytelling. Previously, Gena has managed teams and programs both in-house and as a senior agency counselor, where she has built and executed community and brand reputation programs, managed integrated internal and external communications initiatives, led clients through equity and justice dialogues, and provided counsel and executive training across a broad range of social and political issues. Gena's career includes time at Fleishman Hillard, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, and Fenton Communications.
Gena received a bachelor's degree in marketing from Emerson College in Boston.
Job Titles:
- Deputy Director
- Deputy Director of Communications
Jack Cardinal is the Deputy Director of Communications at Community Catalyst. In this role, Jack supports the organization's overarching communications strategy to advance health equity, develop a shared, long-term vision for the US health system, and create opportunities for power building among community advocates.
Before becoming deputy director, Jack supported a variety of Community Catalyst projects, including the Center for Community Engagement in Health Innovation, the Dental Access Project, and Together for Medicaid. Earlier in his career, Jack served as communications director for a Massachusetts state Senate office for several years. Before that, Jack was head writer for the Michigan House Democratic Caucus and a policy director for a Michigan state Senate office, where he focused on tax policy.
Jack received a bachelor's degree from Kalamazoo College.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Founder of Studiotobe
Joaquín Alvarado is the founder of Studiotobe, a media production and consulting firm dedicated to journalism, storytelling, and community-based impact.
Prior to Studiotobe, Joaquin served as CEO of The Center for Investigative Reporting (CIR) until September 2017. Before joining CIR, he was senior vice president for digital innovation at American Public Media and founding senior vice president for diversity and innovation at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. He also has been a strategic consultant for many leading media companies and non-profits, including Microsoft, Univision, NBC News, the Ford Foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the James B. McClatchy Foundation. His recent work with Microsoft and its local journalism initiative is available on the Microsoft Journalism Hub.
In 2007, Joaquín launched CoCo Studios, an early VR media collaboration platform for fiber and mobile networks. Joaquín was the founding director of the Institute for Next Generation Internet, which launched in 2005 from San Francisco State University.
A veteran of many non-profit boards, Joaquin currently serves on the boards of Consumer Reports, the James B. McClatchy Foundation, Rebuild Local News Coalition, Aurora Sentinel Community Media and 826 National. He is the co-author of the two-volume "Contemporary Chicana and Chicano Art" (Bilingual Press, 2002). Joaquín holds a bachelor's degree in Chicano Studies from UC Berkeley and an MFA from the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Governance Committee
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Founder and President of the National Birth Equity Collaborative
Joia is the founder and president of the National Birth Equity Collaborative and a thought leader around racism as a root cause of health inequities, speaker, trainer, advocate, policy expert, and fighter for justice.
Previously, she served as the executive director of the Birthing Project, Director of Women's and Children's Services at Jefferson Community Healthcare Center and as the director of Clinical Services for the City of New Orleans Health Department where she was responsible for four facilities that provided health care for the homeless, pediatric, WIC, and gynecologic services within the New Orleans clinical service area.
A proud recipient of the Congressional Black Caucus Healthcare Hero's award and the Maternal Health Task Force at Harvard University Global Visionary Award for Commitment to Advancing Women's Health, Joia is most known for her work to remove Race as a risk factor for illness like premature birth and replacing it with Racism. She currently serves on the Advisory Committee of the Black Mamas Matter Alliance, Principal at Health Equity Cypher and on the Board of Trustees for the National Medical Association and the New Orleans African American Museum.
A graduate of Princeton University, Joia completed her medical degree at Louisiana State University and her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Tulane University's School of Medicine. She is married to Andre Perry, MD, and has three children: Jade, Carlos, and Robeson.
Job Titles:
- Staff Accountant
- Staff Accountant With
Josh Arbogast is a Staff Accountant with Community Catalyst. In this role, Josh processes Accounts Payable invoices, maintains vendor records, processes journal entries, and performs necessary duties assigned on the monthly checklist.
Josh has a background focused on accounts payable and finance, and is a graduate of UNC Charlotte. He and his wife, Katelyn, have two children with a third due in September 2023.
Kathleen Alonso is a State Advocacy Manager for Community Catalyst. In this role, Kathleen oversees the Children's Health, State, and Community Health Advocacy Program.
Kathleen's background includes grassroots organizing work for several groups and organizations. As a Hispanic outreach coordinator for Liberal Area Coalition for Families, Katherine focused on increasing civic engagement knowledge and power within immigrant communities.
Kathleen lives in Kansas, where she serves as vice chair of the Kansas Hispanic Caucus.
Kelly Bumgarner, PhD, MPH, is a Project Manager focused on children's health and private insurance at Community Catalyst. In this role, Kelly works to make coverage more affordable on state-based marketplaces. Kelly also analyzes and lends expertise to policies impacting Medicaid, CHIP, and children's health and education.
Previously, Kelly served as the director of health policy for a state-based children's advocacy group. Kelly holds a PhD and a Masters in Public Health (MPH) with an emphasis on social and behavioral health.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Executive Director of the California Pan - Ethnic Health Network
Kiran is the Executive Director of the California Pan-Ethnic Health Network (CPEHN). CPEHN is a statewide multicultural health advocacy organization, focused on eliminating persistent health inequities and addressing structural racism…
Job Titles:
- Project Manager
- Project Manager for the Dental Therapy Project
- Project Manager, Dental Therapy Program
Laura Hale Brannon is a Project Manager for the Dental Therapy Project, a part of the Dental Access Project at Community Catalyst. In this role, Laura oversees efforts to support the authorization and implementation of dental therapists across the country.
Previously, Laura worked for The Pew Charitable Trusts supporting state-based campaigns to authorize dental therapists. She also worked as a federal lobbyist for the American Society of Civil Engineers, covering transportation infrastructure policy.
Laura received a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Notre Dame.
Lina is a graduate of Leadership Detroit XXXV and is also a current serving member on the Comerica Community Development Advisory Council.
Known for her compassion, dedication to making a difference and commitment to operational excellence, Lina Hourani-Harajli joined ACCESS, the largest Arab American community nonprofit in the nation, in 2000. She…
Job Titles:
- Community Engagement Consultant
Lola Akintobi, MPH, is a Community Engagement Consultant for Community Catalyst's Center for Community Engagement in Health Innovation. In this role, Lola provides training and coaching services that help develop and implement effective systems of community engagement in health care.
Lola is passionate about health equity, racial equity, and working with systemically-excluded communities. Throughout her career, Lola has supported youth in reaching their education goals, delivered teen pregnancy prevention curricula, provided family counseling in school-based health centers, and provided training and technical assistance for community-based organizations and community health centers.
Lola received a Master in Public Health (MPH) in maternal and child health from Boston University's School of Public Health and bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Job Titles:
- Senior Director
- Senior Director of Finance and Member
Mahesh Bhatia, CPA, CA, is a Senior Director of Finance and member of the senior management team at Community Catalyst.
In this role, Mahesh oversees the organization's financial operations and works with program managers to provide timely and meaningful direction and reporting.
Mahesh has more than three decades of experience in finance with companies of various sizes and operating environments, including non-profits. He is an accomplished financial strategist and a trusted business advisor, partnering with senior management on matters related to business strategy, planning, and growth.
Previously, Mahesh worked as the CFO for the YMCA of Greater Nashua, where he implemented cost-containment initiatives and process improvements, and was part of the acquisition process for a new facility. Prior to his work at YMCA, Mahesh worked as the CFO of a publicly-traded general insurance brokerage firm in Canada.
Mahesh holds a B.Com degree from the University of Mumbai. He is Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and a Chartered Accountant (CA).
Job Titles:
- Secretary of the Board
- Professor of Health Policy
Mark Schlesinger is professor of Health Policy and a fellow of the Institution for Social and Policy Studies at Yale University and past editor of the Journal of Health Policy, Politics and Law.
Mark's research explores the determinants of public opinion about health and social policy, the influence of bounded rationality on medical consumers and the role of nonprofit organizations in American medicine. He has consulted with a half dozen federal agencies, several dozen state and local governments, and more than a score of non-profit organizations.
Job Titles:
- Policy Analyst
- Policy Analyst for the Center for Community Engagement
Mike Brand, MSW, is a Policy Analyst for the Center for Community Engagement in Health Innovation at Community Catalyst. In this role, Mike works to advance equitable and community-centered policies across issue areas including dual eligibility, caregiving, home and community-based services, community benefit and economic stability.
Mike worked for over a decade supporting people, families, and communities from a variety of populations to get their behavioral health needs met. Mike also assisted medical students in developing person-centered care practices as a teaching associate for the Department of Medical Sciences at Brown University. Prior to his current role, Mike served as an MSW intern and a program associate at Community Catalyst.
Mike received a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a Master in Social Work (MSW) from Rhode Island College. He also earned a certificate of graduate studies in non-profit leadership and development from Rhode Island College. Mike lives in Pawtucket, Rhode Island with his partner and his dog, Shepley.
Job Titles:
- Senior Director of Policy and Strategy
Mona Shah, JD, MPH, is the Senior Director of Policy and Strategy and a member of the senior management team at Community Catalyst.
In this role, Mona oversees the organization's policy work at the national, state, and local levels. This includes setting long-term policy vision, work to directly influence congressional and administrative policy at the federal level, as well as supporting coalition partners in their efforts to develop and drive policy at the local and state level that advances health equity.
Mona is a seasoned policy and advocacy expert with an extensive background in health care and social issues at the federal, state, and community levels. Mona has served as the vice president of public policy and external affairs for the Gender Equity Policy Institute and as director for the Health Funders Partnership of Orange County.
Prior to moving to California, Mona was senior health policy advisor to US Senator Barbara Mikulski, as well as staff director for the US Senate Subcommittee on Children and Families, Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. During that time, Mona drafted several sections of the Affordable Care Act.
Mona serves on the Board of Directors for Essential Access Health as well as Pretend City Children's Museum. She received a Juris Doctorate (JD) with a Certificate of Concentration in Health Law from the University of Maryland School of Law. She received both her Master of Public Health (MPH) in health policy and management and bachelor's degree in human biology and anthropology from Emory University.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Development Committee
- Independent Consultant
Oliver is an independent consultant and an adjunct law professor for the University of Pittsburgh. He has nearly two decades of legislative and policy experience, including a decade of experience…
Job Titles:
- Digital Communications Manager
Paola Canting-Reyes is a Digital Communications Manager at Community Catalyst. In this role, Paola provides digital support to the organization.
Job Titles:
- Senior Director of Development
- Member of the Senior Management Team
Rebecca Thibault is the Senior Director of Development and a member of the senior management team at Community Catalyst.
In this role, Rebecca leads the development and implementation of a multi-year fundraising plan to support the organization's strategic priorities.
Previously, Rebecca served as the director of institutional giving at the Perkins School for the Blind and the New England Aquarium, and as director of foundations at Partners In Health and the Union of Concerned Scientists. She has deep experience building partnerships with donors to achieve social change.
Robert Phillips, Community Catalyst Board Chair, is President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of West Oakland Health, a federally qualified health center founded in 1967 to improve the health and socioeconomic status of the Bay Area's Black and low-income communities; and managing partner of Griffin McKenzie LLC, a strategic consultancy that provides strategy development, executive coaching, and interim CEO services to non-profit organizations, health conversion foundations, and health care agencies who are addressing racial, gender, and economic injustice.
In the years before West Oakland Health and Griffin McKenzie LLC, Robert held a few positions that have provided him with a wealth of relationships, experiences, perspectives, and working knowledge. Robert was President, CEO & Founding Board Member of Alluma, a non-profit technology social enterprise that connected women of color and their families to health and human services to improve racial/economic health equity. He was Executive Director, Community Benefits and Corporate Strategy for Kaiser Permanente, where he managed national external affairs and communications, implementing numerous strategies for Kaiser Permanente's national program office. He was the Managing Director of Health Programs for the Sierra Health Foundation, leading a philanthropic intermediary program providing programmatic and capacity-building support to the safety net health programs throughout Northern and Central California. He was a Managing Director and Senior Fellow, among other positions, for The California Endowment, where he managed its health and human services program, and boys and men of color initiatives. Robert spent the early part of his career in the labor movement as a political director and capital strategies rep for SEIU and a health policy analyst for the AFL-CIO.
In addition to his professional experience, Robert is ABD in Health Policy from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, possesses a Master of Public Health (MPH) in health policy and management from Harvard University, an MPA in Social Policy-Public/Nonprofit Management from Syracuse University, and a bachelor's degree in political science/economics from Morehouse College. Robert has a Certificate of Business Excellence in Executive Education from UC Berkeley and a Certificate of Investment Stewardship from the Commonfund Endowment Institute at Yale University.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Director of Partner Engagement
Tera Bianchi, MSW, is the Director of Partner Engagement at Community Catalyst. Tera has over 15 years of experience in advancing public policies related to oral health, workforce, housing and homelessness, and child welfare through advocacy, campaign development, and coalition building.
Previously, Tera worked to improve access to oral health care for Washington State as an oral health access project manager with the Children's Alliance in Seattle. Tera has also worked as an advocacy coordinator with the Washington State Coalition for the Homeless, campaign manager for the Seattle House Levy, and a policy analyst for the Children's Home Society of WA. Prior to her advocacy work, Tera was a direct service social worker.
Tera received a Master of Social Work (MSW) with a focus on public policy from the University of Washington.
Job Titles:
- Chairman
- Chairman of the Finance Committee and Treasurer
- Chief Administrative Officer for Voting Rights Lab
Tshombe is the Chief Administrative Officer for Voting Rights Lab, an organization dedicated to fighting voter suppression and transforming our country's voting systems. Tshombe has more than 20 years of…
Job Titles:
- Vice President of Government
Vanessa is the Vice President of Government and Political Affairs at GIFFORDS, an organization with a mission to end gun violence. Most recently, she served as Executive Vice President of…
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Chief Strategy Officer for Reproductive Freedom
Yvonne Gutierrez is the Chief Strategy Officer for Reproductive Freedom for All, formerly NARAL Pro-Choice America.
In this role, she oversees the development and execution of the organization-wide strategy to implement the Board and President's vision for current initiatives and the work forward. Yvonne is a seasoned movement leader, executive and strategist with nearly 20 years of community engagement, relationship and coalition building, program and campaign development, fundraising, and public affairs experience.
Throughout her award-winning career, Yvonne has proudly worked with many community, organizational and political leaders and led diverse teams on the issues of reproductive rights, gender equity, and political access for BIPOC women as well as voter engagement campaigns. Yvonne most recently held the role of Managing Director at Latino Victory Project, a national organization working to build Latino political power by increasing Latino representation at every level of government. She was formerly Head of Community Engagement at Supermajority where she oversaw outreach for all organizational partnerships expanding support for Supermajority's campaign initiatives and, prior to that, she worked for Planned Parenthood in Texas for over 14 years. She was the first Executive Director of Planned Parenthood Texas Votes (PPTV) serving in that role for five years.
Active in civic engagement with an emphasis on gender justice, reproductive rights and immigrant rights, Yvonne serves as treasurer of the board of directors for Rewire News and as a board member of Community Catalyst, Planned Parenthood Texas Votes and the Workers Defense Action Fund.
Yvonne previously chaired the board of directors for the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice and served on the Planned Parenthood Action Fund PAC committee. A native Texan, Yvonne moved from Austin, TX to Washington, D.C. in 2022.
Job Titles:
- Senior Director
- Senior Director of Talent
- Senior Director of Talent, Equity, Belonging
- Senior Director, Talent, Equity & Engagement
Zalika Winitzer is the Senior Director of Talent, Equity, Belonging at Community Catalyst, and a member of the senior management team.
In this role they oversee Human Resources (HR), Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB). Zalika brings over 15 years of experience in HR and DEIB improving and creating systems within organizations.
They consistently assess for DEIB opportunities across the employee lifecycle (recruitment, hiring, onboarding, engagement, performance, learning & development and retention). Zalika centers racial equity and DEIB when assessing, designing and implementing organizational solutions. She is a passionate, transparent and trusted leader with a focus on radical inclusion.
Prior to Community Catalyst, Zalika led the DEI strategy as a senior manager at Wayfair and was a senior consultant at IBIS Consulting Group. In these roles and at Partners Healthcare she operated as the Subject Matter Expert for leaders on HR and DEIB.
Zalika received a bachelor's degree in art in the humanities and arts therapy from from Lesley University, and a master's degree in organizational psychology from John F. Kennedy University.