When she first joined the Society of Family Planning, Amanda immediately recognized the Society as her academic and professional home; a place where she could engage with and learn from other members, whether she was building connections with mentors or mentees, serving as a grant reviewer, presenting at the annual meeting, or securing research or career development grants. As a girl from a small town in Georgia who started out at community college, she relished every opportunity the Society offered to develop scholarship and leadership. It was the Society that supported her dissertation on the unmet health needs of women with epilepsy, a project which helped launch her independent research career and ultimately led to the creation of Girls with Nerve, a sexual and reproductive health website designed to inform and support teens living with the disorder. Amanda’s passion for research
that makes a difference was honed during her nine years as an Associate at Ibis Reproductive Health, where her research focused on understanding
how abortion and contraception policies impact low-income people. Her work has been published in the Society’s official journal Contraception, and in the American Journal of Public Health, Health Services Research Journal, Journal of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care, Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, Seizure, and Women’s Health Issues, among other journals. She has also served on the board of the Abortion Care Network, and the Advisory Board of Collective Power. Amanda first became involved with Collective Power as a student at Hampshire College, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts. She also holds a Doctor of Public Health from Boston University, and a Master’s in Bioethics from the University of Pennsylvania. “My job at the Society is to see how all the different parts connect and make them hum,” says Amanda. “I weave together vision, operations, members, and partners, and it is fantastic.” Contact Amanda at ADennis@SocietyFP.org, 866.584.6758, ext. 305.

“The challenges to accessing contraception and abortion services— especially in regions with limited healthcare resources— weigh heavily on me,” Anthea shares. It is a concern she has the opportunity to address in her work as the Society’s Evaluation Manager, supporting learning initiatives to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and the production of research primed to impact underserved communities. Anthea joined the Society after serving as a Public Health Research Associate at Texas Christian University’s Institute of Behavioral Research, where her portfolio focused on access to substance use and infectious disease treatment for adults and teenagers within the criminal justice system. She earned her MPH with a concentration in epidemiology from the University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth, and a BS in Biology-Chemistry (Pre-Med) with a minor in Psychology at Indiana’s Manchester University. Explains Anthea: “My role is to help to strengthen the Society’s ability to address the complex issues surrounding abortion and contraception in a way that is sensitive to the needs of all individuals.” Contact Anthea at AAyebaze@SocietyFP.org, 866.584.6758, ext. 430.

Maggie works closely with the Executive Director and Board of Directors to maintain the Society’s financial infrastructure and leads and develops the Society’s financial and administrative procedures. “Our strength lies in our ability to attract and retain staff from all over the US,” she says. “The work I do enables the Society to be a national remote employer.” Maggie spent 14 years as the Director of Finance and Administration at Provide, a national nonprofit that trains health and social service providers to meet the needs of patients with unintended pregnancies, including abortion care. “Access to abortion should always be part of healthcare conversations,” says Maggie. “I am excited to support research and science that helps make that possible.” She has a Bachelor of Arts in English from Trinity College and Certificates of Nonprofit Finance and Human Resources Essentials through Cornell University. Contact Maggie at MBaker@SocietyFP.org, 866.584.6758, ext. 414.

Rhea is committed to ensuring that abortion, contraception, and family planning are not left on the sidelines of the national healthcare conversation — a reflection of her lifelong passion for social justice. Before joining the Society of Family Planning in 2018, Rhea oversaw the daily programming operations at Take The Lead, a national nonprofit dedicated to getting more women into top leadership positions. Rhea has also worked as a campaign coordinator and fundraising consultant for New York City Council races. A member of the board of New York Abortion Access Fund, she is particularly interested in research about how decreased access to reproductive health care affects communities. “A large part of what I do centers around building a robust membership community where people can share the best and latest developments happening in the family planning world, ” she says. Rhea holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Arts from Marymount Manhattan College. Contact Rhea at RBeddoe@SocietyFP.org, 866.584.6758, ext. 405.

Madison spends her days tackling leadership priorities and improving the operations of the Society. Madison finds working with leaders in the field inspiring and views each Board and Committee meeting as “an opportunity for brilliant minds to come together to address some of the most crucial and controversial topics of our time.” Before supporting the Society’s Executive Director and Board of Directors, Madison served as a Health Center Assistant with Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains. Madison, who started college at age 16 at Bard College at Simon’s Rock before transferring to Colorado State University to complete her Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology, is particularly taken by the history of abortion. “Abortion is older than some modern mainstream religions,” explains Madison. “Seeing how religious and cultural views can and have shifted over time is incredibly intriguing. This is probably the anthropologist in me.” Contact Madison at MBilthuis@SocietyFP.org, 866.584.6758, ext. 406.

Kindra ensures that the values central to the Society’s strategic plan are mirrored in the organization’s day-to-day operations. “Through comprehensive health programs, professional development opportunities, and an inclusive workplace culture, I support our team in achieving their full potential,” she says. Kindra joined the Society after serving as Director of Human Resources and Operations at Mindful Philanthropy, a nonprofit focusing on mental health and addiction with an emphasis on women and girls and communities of color. Kindra earned her Master of Jurisprudence at Texas A&M University Law School and Bachelor of Applied Arts & Sciences degrees from Texas A&M University and a Health Vocations Medical Assistant diploma from Eastern College. She is currently working toward completing her PhD in Organizational Leadership from National University. “Knowledge is the key to the positive changes we will see in abortion and contraception,” says Kindra. “The more research that is done, the more innovation will come from it.” Contact Kindra at KBrock@SocietyFP.org, 866.584.6758, ext. 432.

“Accessibility is my personal family planning soapbox,” says Rachel. “Year after year we’re fighting another TRAP law, barrier, or reduction in health care funding. Health care that includes the full spectrum of abortion and contraception is a basic human right and access to it shouldn’t be determined by your income.” This passion is something that has persisted throughout a career spent serving nonprofit organizations that advance the cause of reproductive health, rights, and justice; and advocate for people living with HIV/AIDS. Rachel studied psychology and human services at Millsaps College before completing her Master of Science in Psychology at the University of Memphis. In her role as Grants Manager, Rachel is driven to ensure that researchers of color and emerging researchers are able to secure support for their work. “I want to help them answer the question of how might we make abortion and contraception more just and informed by people’s lived experiences,” she says. Contact Rachel at RBrooks@SocietyFP.org, 866.584.6758, ext. 410.

By developing and fostering relationships with existing stakeholders, identifying future partners, and actively supporting and assisting sponsors and exhibitors, Jake plays a key role in ensuring the Society maintains the relationships it needs to deliver on its promise to serve as the source for abortion and contraception science. Jake, who served as the Director of the Annual Fund at Tampa Preparatory School before joining the Society, is passionate about finding ways in which data driven research can bridge the opinion gap that defines so much of the conversation around abortion and contraception policy. “True science is not clouded by personal bias,” says Jake, who studied business at Virginia Tech and got a Master of Education at the University of Florida. “In a world comprised of various backgrounds and lived experiences, data and science— not individual belief structures— must be relied upon to shape policy decisions for communities both large and small.” Contact Jake at JDeWeerd@SocietyFP.org, 866.584.6758, ext. 422.

“Research communities hold power when they decide what kind of questions are valuable, which problems are worth solving, and what solutions are acceptable. When researchers make the effort to share or transfer that power to the communities they seek to serve—that’s when science can begin to be in service of justice.”

Patty’s early career was spent “on the ground” providing community health education and outreach in Chicago: She worked with prenatal patients in the Humboldt Park neighborhood, and later provided chlamydia and gonorrhea testing to high school students in the city’s public schools. She has also worked in public health research, and in philanthropy. Having seen how research informs and shapes public health programming, and the impact that programming has on individuals, Patty is determined to support research that works towards a more just and equitable world.

On the grants team, Patty works to ensure that Society-supported researchers are given the resources they need to move the field of family planning forward. Patty has a BA in Latin American and Caribbean Studies from the University of Chicago, and she anticipates completing her MPH in Community Health at the CUNY School of Public Health & Health Policy in December 2023. Contact Patty at PFernandez@SocietyFP.org, 866.584.6758, ext. 427.

Before joining the Society of Family Planning in 2016, Christine worked with middle school teachers as the Early Warning System Program Manager for the Philadelphia Education Fund, utilizing data in the classroom to flag early warning signs of dropout. She started her career as Curriculum and Research Manager for Medical Students for Choice and then as a Research Coordinator at the University of Pennsylvania. Christine is interested in research that explores “reducing reproductive health disparities,” driven by her “strong interest in social justice.” Christine received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Cabrini College and a Master’s degree in Counseling and Clinical Health Psychology from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. Contact Christine at CHence@SocietyFP.org, 866.584.6758, ext. 402.

As a member of the Society’s external communications team, Farah is continuing to build on a career committed to social justice. She has served as a trainer for phone and digital services advocates at the National Domestic Violence Hotline; supported HIV prevention programming for adolescent girls and young women with the DREAMS initiative of the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR); and conducted qualitative research for the Psychiatry Access Line for Moms at the University of Washington’s Maternal-Child Mental Health program. Most recently, Farah has supported the state-wide availability of a tech-enabled parent-to-parent service as the Project Coordinator of the Innovations Department at Committee for Children. “My passion for this work lies in advancing abortion access and reproductive justice through a commitment to addressing the social and structural determinants impacting sexual health,” says Farah, who holds a Master of Public Health from the University of Washington and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the State University of New York at Buffalo. Contact Farah at FKhan@SocietyFP.org, 866.584.6758, ext. 431.

Ruth drives all phases of the grantmaking lifecycle as well as leads ongoing learning related to grantmaking. She plays a key role in developing and implementing funding opportunities as well as leverage insights from formative and ongoing evaluation into improved grantmaking practice and enhanced research impact. “Learning from and improving upon our programs is critical to having the greatest impact on the field of family planning,” says Ruth. She was previously on staff at the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, developing tools to improve shared decision-making in reproductive health care. She also worked at Ibis Reproductive Health, managing a portfolio of research that assessed and sought to increase the quality and accessibility of contraception, abortion, and HIV care. In 2009, Ruth received a Fulbright to study Sri Lankan women’s kitchen culture and cooking practices. She holds a Master of Public Health degree from Emory University and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Grinnell College. Ruth joined the Society of Family Planning in 2017. Contact Ruth at RManski@SocietyFP.org, 866.584.6758, ext. 403.

Jen has been an executive leader in nearly every kind of abortion providing setting — from independent clinics to Planned Parenthood affiliates, and hospital-based centers. As a consultant, her work has been focused on ensuring the long-term sustainability and accessibility of family planning and abortion care, working with clinics, health systems, and organizations that support clinicians to navigate a complex legal landscape. 

Today, as the Society’s Director of Complex Family Planning and Fellowship, Jen is responsible for developing and implementing a national strategy for the subspecialty, and creating programming that engages and nourishes the Fellowship and subspecialty community. As the Administrative Director of PEACE at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Jen oversaw the Complex Family Planning Fellowship, its clinical operations, and the residency education program and brings this firsthand experience to her role at the Society.

Jen’s career has been centered on providers across the family planning ecosystem. Being part of an organization that pursues a vision of just and equitable abortion and contraception, informed by science, she seeks to ensure that balance between science and justice. “Decisions should be based on both science and our core values,” Jen says. “Science gives us tools and can answer some questions, but decision making requires a values framework, rooted in justice and humanity. Nothing related to a person’s reproductive life happens in a vacuum.”

Jen is a founding board director and member of the Abortion Care Network. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Temple University and her Master of Forensic Science degree from George Washington University. Contact Jen at JMooreConrow@SocietyFP.org, 866.584.6758, ext. 425. 

Since joining the Society of Family Planning in 2018, Jenny spends her days tackling the puzzle of how to align financial and organizational resources with rigorous and thoughtful science in a way that assures the most impactful results. “There are a million small but critical choices that go into moving research from an interesting question to an actionable plan to meaningful results. As a grantmaking organization, the trick is to figure how we support scholars making these choices, with the end goal of just and equitable abortion and contraception in mind” she says. Jenny earned a Bachelor of Arts from Wellesley College, where she later served as a Lecturer in the Department of Women’s and Gender Studies (2018 to 2024). She also holds a Doctorate of Science in Social and Behavioral Sciences and a Master of Science in Society, Human Development and Health, both from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Her dissertation focused on qualitatively and quantitatively exploring the intersection of place and individual attributes on access to reproductive health services in rural communities in Central Appalachia. Her research has been published in Social Science and Medicine, Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, Reproductive Health Matters, Women’s Health Issues, and the Journal of Maternal and Child Health. Jenny spent over ten years as the Deputy Director at Provide, a national nonprofit focused on training health and social service providers to meet the needs of patients with unintended pregnancies, including abortion care. Jenny has also served as a Fellow in the 2012-2013 National Council for Research on Women-Amex Fellowship, a program dedicated to developing women leaders in the nonprofit sector. Contact Jenny at JOdonnell@SocietyFP.org, 866.584.6758, ext. 407.

As the Society’s Senior Education Manager, Jamie creates programming for clinicians to interpret and utilize abortion and contraception science, turning evidence-based guidance into tools that inform clinical practice. “I am especially interested in research regarding care for patients with bigger bodies,” says Jamie. “I believe it contributes to more compassionate and equitable care not just for those patients, but for all patients with body differences.” Jamie earned a BA in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from American University. After graduation, she trained the university’s student sexual health and violence prevention educators. Jamie recently completed her Sexuality Educator certification from the Institute of Sexuality Education and Enlightenment, which she put into action as the Learning and Events Associate for the National Abortion Federation, her most recent position before joining the Society of Family Planning. Contact Jamie at JPolglaze@SocietyFP.org, 866.584.6758, ext. 433.

Eunice serves as a backbone to the grants team throughout all phases of the grantmaking lifecycle; he coordinates the administration of awards, supports open funding opportunities, oversees the grants management platform, and helps to plan grant and research-related events. “I enjoy knowing that my work contributes to the bigger goal of keeping abortion and contraception science moving forward,” says Eunice. Before joining the grants team full time, Eunice served as an administrative consultant to both the Society and for Resources for Abortion Delivery (RAD). He has a Bachelor of Arts in Gender Studies with a concentration in Feminist Science, Health, and Technology from Wellesley College. Eunice is interested in abortion and contraception research about and for trans people. “I know firsthand how difficult it can be to access to healthcare that is both equitable and gender-affirming,” he says. “There are a lot of people with uteruses— when it comes to abortion and contraception research and care, it’s important to have nuance specific to an individual’s gender experience.” Contact Eunice at ERuiz@SocietyFP.org, 866-584-6758, ext. 428.

Recruiting and retaining the Society’s diverse membership of professionals comes naturally for Olivia. “I have always been curious about most everything in the field of family planning,” she says. Olivia joined the Society after serving as the founding membership and training coordinator for the Iowa Coalition for Collective Change, a statewide advocacy and technical assistance organization serving survivors of violent crime, particularly those from marginalized communities. “Using an anti-racist lens to learn more about reproductive health disparities and the global experiences of abortion and contraception is deeply important to me.” After graduating Simpson College with a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations, Olivia became a certified doula (CD), postpartum doula (PPD), and lactation counselor (CLC), eventually starting her own business providing doula services to Black and Queer families. “Science seeks to explain our world,” she says. “Through it, we can discover challenges, solutions, and even more questions to fuel our understanding.” Contact Olivia at OSamples@SocietyFP.org, 866.584.6758, ext. 409.

As a liaison between the Society’s Executive Director and Board and Committee members, Natalie focuses on keeping the leadership team’s wheels turning. “I’m surrounded by incredibly brave, smart, and passionate people who are fighting for the care we all deserve,” says Natalie, who joins the Society team after three years at Planned Parenthood California Central Coast. “The work we do has real, tangible impacts on how that care is delivered.” A graduate of California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Psychology, Natalie is acutely interested in research studying the impact of legislation that restricts later-term abortion access. “Barriers to later-term abortions disproportionately harm those already facing access challenges,” she says. “Addressing these disparities should be a top priority in the fight for reproductive justice.” Contact Natalie at NSmith@SocietyFP.org, 866.584.6758, ext. 434.

In leading the development, production, and dissemination of clinical guidance for the Society and leveraging the robust expertise of Society members, Margaret takes a wholistic approach. “Clinical guidance is methodologically rigorous,” she says. “Implementing the process itself, however, is often more of an art.” Since earning a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology at the College of William & Mary, Margaret has spent her career working in healthcare membership organizations and nonprofits. She joins the Society after a decade-long tenure at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists where she most recently served as ACOG’s Director of Obstetrics. In this capacity, she directed a full range of services related to obstetric clinical guidance, including leading the development of different types of guidance from emerging responses to GRADE-based recommendations to consensus statements. “Coming from an obstetrics background, I’m particularly interested in research regarding the intersection of pregnant individuals with increased risk of mortality and morbidity and abortion care and contraceptive counseling,” explains Margaret. Contact Margaret at MVillalonga@SocietyFP.org, 866.584.6758, ext. 404.

For Robin, the opportunity to work with the Society’s members to produce and share person-centered, evidence-informed clinical guidance and medical research is a source of joy and inspiration. “Connecting with and learning from the dedicated healthcare providers across the country who provide just and equitable contraception and abortion care in their communities—that’s what excites me to go to work every day,” she says. Robin joined the Society after serving as Senior Director, Health Care at Power to Decide, where she supported health and social service providers in integrating the tenets of sexual and reproductive well-being into practice. She received her BA in Public Health and her BS in Nursing at Johns Hopkins University before completing her Nurse-Midwifery/Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner (NM/WHNP) MS at the Georgetown University School of Nursing. “I’m most interested in abortion and contraception research that is action-oriented and can meaningfully change the way providers practice,” says Robin. In addition to her work at the Society, she continues to provide sexual and reproductive healthcare in the DC and Maryland region. Contact Robin at RWatkins@SocietyFP.org, 866.584.6758, ext. 426.

Vanessa is driven by a simple passion: ensuring that both policy and public discourse regarding abortion and contraception is informed by evidence and focus on the people most impacted by racist and discriminatory systems. “It is a privilege to have a career that aligns with my passion for justice and equity,” says Vanessa, who completed her BA in Public Policy and American Institutions at Brown University. Vanessa comes to the Society with nearly a decade of experience leveraging public affairs on behalf of clinicians and people seeking reproductive healthcare. She managed a 50-state policy and grassroots portfolio as Senior Manager for State Government Affairs at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists; and as Vice President of Policy and Advocacy at Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri, led organizing and policy strategies in Missouri and Illinois, two states with starkly different political landscapes, at the start of the post-Roe era. Says Vanessa, “We cannot achieve just, equitable, expansive abortion and contraception access without centering those who are most marginalized and systematically harmed by compromises of the past.” Contact Vanessa at VWellbery@SocietyFP.org, 866.584.6758, ext. 435.

Claire leads data collection and database management for the #WeCount project. Before joining the Society, she worked at the National Office of the Ryan Residency Training Program and the Fellowship in Family Planning. Claire’s passion is for finding ways to apply scientific data to help foster empathy, reduce stigma, and improve access for all people in need of contraception or abortion services. “I am interested in how to best support people who are seeking this care,” says Claire, who holds a Master’s in Public Policy from the University of Chicago. “Guided by that question, scientific research allows us to build an evidence base to improve care and inform policy across the full spectrum of sexual and reproductive health.” Contact Claire at CYuan@SocietyFP.org, 866.584.6758, ext. 420.