Ellen Auwarter
Marketing and Business Development Manager, Duane Morris LLP Industry: Legal
Ellen Auwarter has worked at or with law firms for most of her career, which began with the practice of litigation and employment law for nearly a decade. As the Marketing and Business Development Manager at Duane Morris, Ellen oversees marketing and business development for the global corporate and real estate practices. Ellen is also a member of The University Club in New York, where she has served on the Council and its Executive Committee and she previously served on the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan New York Chapter of the Legal Marketing Association (NYLMA).
Ellen Auwarter
Connect on LinkedIn
Natalie Fleming Nolen
Partner, Morrison Foerster Industry: Legal
Natalie Fleming Nolen is a partner in the Litigation Department of Morrison & Foerster’s Washington D.C. office. Her practice focuses on complex civil litigation with an emphasis on antitrust litigation, commercial litigation, and financial services litigation. Ms. Fleming Nolen has strived to increase diversity in the legal profession, including by mentoring young lawyers, being actively involved in recruiting efforts, and being a member of firm committees and affinity groups. For her efforts, Ms. Fleming Nolen was named a NALP Diversity Champion in 2010. She was also awarded the 2012 New York State Bar President's Pro Bono Service Award in the young lawyer category for her work with her active pro-bono practice which she founded.
Natalie Fleming Nolen
Connect on LinkedIn
Ami Gadhia
Chief - Policy, and Advocacy/Chief - Policy, Research, and Programs, Child Care Aware of America Industry: Healthcare
During her time at WELP, Ami was Assistant Director in the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Department of Federal Affairs where she worked on federal policy issues related to child abuse and neglect; toxic stress; genetics; environmental health; injury, violence and poison prevention; Native American child health; and foster care, adoption and kinship care. Before joining the AAP, Ami spent 7 years in the Washington Office of Consumers Union, the policy and advocacy arm of Consumer Reports. Ami has testified before Congress and federal agencies numerous times, and has appeared in the national print and TV press on product, auto, and food safety policy issues.
Ami Gadhia
Connect on LinkedIn
Claritza Jiménez
Senior Producer, POLITICO Industry: Communications
Claritza Jiménez is passionate about how people consume information and media to make sense of their world. She was a recipient of an Investigative Journalism Fellowship at American University’s School of Communication where she earned a Master of Arts in journalism while working as a reporting fellow at the Center for Public Integrity, one of the leading investigative journalism groups in the world. During her time at WELP, Jiménez served as the digital video editor for The Washington Post’s Metro section and its blogs, which include education, religion, and transportation coverage.
Claritza Jiménez
Connect on LinkedIn
Cpt. Annie Morgan
Criminal Defense Attorney, US Department of Defense Industry: Military
Prior to her current position as a Criminal Defense Attorney at the US Department of Defense, Annie was a Captain in the United States Air Force. She received her commission as an Air Force Judge Advocate in July 2010 and served as an Appellate Defense Counsel assigned to Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility Washington, Maryland. In this role, Annie was responsible for representing Air Force members for the United States Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals, the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, and the United States Supreme Court.
Cpt. Annie Morgan
Connect on LinkedIn
Jennifer Collins
Fellow-in-Residence, Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation at Georgetown University Industry: Business
During her time at WELP, Jennifer Collins headed the asset management group at LaSalle Hotel Properties, a leading multi-operator real estate investment trust with a market capitalization of ~$3.2 billion. She also led the financial analyst program and founded the company’s in-house mindfulness program, which she created to enhance well-being, creativity and focus. Jen is the Founder of Awake Mindfulness, a company that teaches mindfulness in corporate settings and the co-founder of a community program in the Anacostia neighborhood of Washington DC.
Jennifer Collins
Connect on LinkedIn
Melvina Ford
Executive Director, Equal Rights Center
Industry: Nonprofit
Melvina Ford has almost 20 years of public service and nonprofit management experience. During her time at WELP, Melvina was the Executive Director of the Equal Rights Center (ERC), a national nonprofit with a successful history of using civil rights testing to identify unlawful and unfair discrimination in housing, employment, and access to public accommodations. Before joining the ERC, Melvina served as a political appointee in President Obama's administration at the U.S. Department of Labor, providing counsel on enforcement and regulatory issues for the Wage and Hour Division.
Melvina Ford
Connect on LinkedIn
Kelly Holly
Director/Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach, Leadership and Organizational Development - Office of the Secretary of Defense/Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Industry: Government
During her time at WELP, Kelly Bulliner Holly was the Chief of Staff to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy, Plans, and Capabilities. Prior to that position, Ms. Holly was a Global Force Planner focusing on ensuring the United States has the right balance of forces, footprint, and agreements in Europe. Ms. Holly previously served as the Country Director for Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands leading the Department's marquee initiative to rotationally deploy U.S. Marines and grow a rotational U.S. Air Force presence in northern Australia.
Kelly Holly
Connect on LinkedIn
Wendy Kang
Director of Higher Education Innovation, State Council of Higher Education, VA Industry: Education
Wendy currently leads statewide strategic planning efforts as the Director of Innovation at the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia to support the Commonwealth’s objective of becoming the best-educated state by 2030. She is also responsible for communications, preK-12 outreach, and workforce development. While Wendy’s roles and titles have varied over her 20-year career, her main goal in any job is to incorporate data, evaluation, strategic planning,communications and business practices to improve programs in the public and nonprofit sector.
Wendy Kang
Connect on LinkedIn
Jenn Poggi
Assistant Professor, Rochester Institute of Technology Industry: Academia
Jenn is an assistant professor teaching classes related to photojournalism and narrative development in the School of Photographic Arts and Sciences at Rochester Institute of Technology. Jenn joined RIT following four years at the White House, where she served as a picture editor and deputy director of the Photo Office under President Barack Obama. In 2008, Jenn was awarded a John S. and James L. Knight Fellowship at Ohio University's School of Visual Communication where she taught picture editing and completed her master’s course work in multimedia and newsroom graphics management.
Jenn Poggi
Connect on LinkedIn
Amy Dietz
EVP - General Manager, INgrooves Industry: Communications
Amy Dietz is a veteran player in the independent music and media space with a wealth of expertise in marketing, rights management, distribution and technology platform insights. Since 2012, she has overseen the day-to-day management of global operations at INgrooves, ensuring the company’s label and artist partners are provided with unparalleled customer service and best in class technology they need to successfully market, promote and monetize their music. Amy is also on the board of two prominent music associations, A2IM and Music Business Association and in 2016 she was also selected for Billboard’s Digital Power Players list.
Amy Dietz
Connect on LinkedIn
Sarah Franchak
CEO, AVYANCE
Industry: Business, Consulting
During her time at WELP, Sarah Franchak led Booz Allen Hamilton’s Human Capital & Learning practice for the aviation sector where she drove large-scale organizational transformation programs that focus on leadership development, learning, and technology. At Booz Allen, she also was a founder of the Women’s Leadership & Development Group for the Justice, Homeland Security, and Transportation group. In her work for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), she was a trusted advisor to key FAA executives and was instrumental in designing and implementing FAA’s foundational change management program aimed at cultural transformation.
Sarah Franchak
Connect on LinkedIn
Diana Jeffrey
Area Director of Performance Improvement, Marriott International Industry: Business
Diana Jeffrey holds a B.A. from Brown University and an M.B.A. from University of Virginia's Darden School of Business. During her time at WELP, Diana led the customer experience and quality program for Ritz-Carlton Hotels in the Caribbean and Latin America (expanding to include additional luxury brands among Marriott's 30-brand portfolio). As Area Director of Performance Improvement, Diana partnered with hotel and regional leaders to achieve operational excellence, inspire innovation, and translate customer trends into curated guest service experiences.
Diana Jeffrey
Connect on LinkedIn
Michelle Kang Kim, MD, PhD
Director, Center for Carcinoid and Neuroendocrine Tumors, Mount Sinai School of Medicine Industry: Healthcare, Academia
Along with her position of Director for Carcinoid and Neuroendocrine Tumors at The Mount Sinai Hospital, Dr. Michelle Kim is also the Associate Chief of Endoscopy and an Associate Professor of Medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Dr. Kim’s clinical and research interests are in gastrointestinal cancers, with specific expertise in carcinoid and neuroendocrine tumors. She is also known internationally for her work in translational and epidemiologic approaches in assessing outcomes in patients with these tumors.
Michelle Kang Kim, MD, PhD
Connect on LinkedIn
Laura Sigman
Associate Director of Patient Safety/Physician/Director of Legal and Policy Coordination for Emergency Medicine, Children’s National Health System Industry: Healthcare
In her role at Children’s National Health System, Laura Sigman reviews safety events, advises the hospital on risk-reduction and quality improvement strategies, and leads a committee to improve the effectiveness of safety event reporting. She is also an Assistant Professor at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. Prior positions include serving as an Honors Program Attorney at the U.S. Department of Justice, where she litigated health care fraud cases; teaching 10th grade high school science, and conducting research for the National Academies of Science.
Laura Sigman
Connect on LinkedIn
Cardinale B. Smith, MD, PhD Professor, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai; Chief Medical Officer at the Tisch Cancer Hospital; Vice President and Chief Quality Officer for Cancer Clinical Services and Associate Director for Community, Outreach and Engagement for the Tisch Cancer Center, Mount Sinai Health System Industry: Healthcare
Cardinale B. Smith, MD, PhD is a Professor with tenure in the Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology and the Brookdale Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Chief Medical Officer at the Tisch Cancer Hospital, Vice President and Chief Quality Officer for Cancer Clinical Services and Associate Director for Community, Outreach and Engagement for the Tisch Cancer Center, Mount Sinai Health System. She is a medical oncologist and palliative care physician whose clinical practice is focused on lung cancer and palliative care. Her research and performance improvement work to date has focused on improving the quality of care for patients with cancer with a focus on health equity, development of novel models of equitable cancer care delivery and doctor-patient communication. She is currently the PI on two grants from the National Cancer Institute and one from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities. Finally, Dr. Smith has had numerous publications in peer-reviewed journals, and in 2015 was named one of the Top 40 Inspirational Leaders under 40 by the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. During her time at WELP, Cardinale was an Associate Professor and the Director of Quality for Cancer Services for the Mount Sinai Health System.
Cardinale B. Smith, MD, PhD
Connect on LinkedIn
Suman Sureshbabu
Director, The Rockefeller Foundation Industry: Nonprofit
Suman Sureshbabu joined The Rockefeller Foundation in 2008. As a Director, she identifies and works with Foundation grantees and partners, and leads strategic development and execution of current and emerging Foundation initiatives. Her work at the Foundation focuses on urbanization, resilience, agriculture, and rural energy access and she has completed assignments both with the Africa and Asia regional offices. Prior to working at the Foundation, she worked in the Upper East Region of Ghana as a Fulbright scholar and micro-finance project manager.
Suman Sureshbabu
Connect on LinkedIn
Nancy Spencer
Associate Head, Westminster School Industry: Education
Nancy is the Associate Head of School at Westminster School, a coeducational boarding and day school located in Simsbury, Connecticut. In her role as Associate Head, Nancy oversees all daily operations, manages faculty recruitment and hiring, and assists the Board of Trustees with strategic planning. Her focus has been working with students, faculty members and administrators on issues surrounding diversity, balance, community and character. Nancy also teaches a senior history elective called “Outsiders in America” and helps coach the cross-country team.
Nancy Spencer
Connect on LinkedIn
Leseliey Welch
Co-Founder, Birth Detroit Industry: Healthcare
In 2018, Leseliey Welch co-founded Birth Detroit, a nonprofit whose mission is to improve well-being and birth outcomes by making community-based midwifery care accessible to all birthing people - regardless of ability to pay. She is also a Lecturer in the Women’s Studies Department at the University of Michigan, where she teaches a course on women’s leadership, and she teaches an urban public health leadership course at Wayne State University. During her time at WELP, Leseliey was Deputy Director of the City of Detroit Health Department where she oversaw Population Health Divisions for the $30 million dollar, multi-site, 200 team member, Detroit Health Department.
Leseliey Welch
Connect on LinkedIn
Jennifer Stimson
Program Director, US Department of Defense Industry: Military, Government
During her time at WELP, Jennifer Stimson was an Instructor at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. A 21 year Navy veteran, Jennifer's prior experience includes a Global War on Terrorism Support Assignment at Bagram Air Force Base in Afghanistan. As well as shipboard assignment throughout the world including assignment as Chief Engineer of a Guided Missile Destroyer, and Executive Officer of a Mine Countermeasures Ship. Shore assignments included a tour as the Operations and Training Officer for Commander Mine Countermeasures Squadron 2.
Jennifer Stimson
Connect on LinkedIn