2025
GLASSBREAKER CELEBRATION
Museum of the City of New York
Thursday, October 23rd at 6pm
GLASSBREAKER HONOREE
AI-Jen Poo
Co-Founder & President of National Domestic Workers Alliance
Co-Founder and Executive Director of Caring Across Generations
Ai-jen Poo is a next-generation labor leader, award-winning organizer, best-selling author, and a nationally recognized expert on elder and family care, the future of work, gender equality, immigration, narrative change, and grassroots organizing. She is the co-founder and president of the National Domestic Workers Alliance and the co-founder and executive director of Caring Across Generations. The National Domestic Workers Alliance is a nonprofit working to bring dignity and fairness to the growing numbers of workers who care and clean in our homes. Since its founding in 2007, NDWA has grown to include nearly 70 affiliate organizations and chapters and now reaches over 400,000 domestic workers across the country. Under Poo’s leadership, NDWA has led successful campaigns to pass domestic worker bills of rights in 12 states, two cities, and the District of Columbia, extending rights and protections to domestic workers for the first time, including paid overtime, safe and healthy working conditions, and freedom from sexual harassment. In 2020, NDWA launched the Coronavirus Care Fund, raising $20 million in emergency assistance for domestic workers in just the first month. In 2011, Poo launched Caring Across Generations, a national organization working to address the nation’s crumbling care infrastructure and transform the way our culture and policy supports caregiving, from child care, to paid leave, to aging and disability care. Under her leadership as Executive Director, Caring Across has catalyzed groundbreaking policy change, including the nation’s first family caregiver benefit in Hawai’i and the first long-term care social insurance fund in Washington State. In 2015, she released her widely acclaimed book, The Age of Dignity: Preparing for the Elder Boom in a Changing America, making the case for access to care for all families. Poo is also a leading voice in the women's movement. She helped launch #MeTooVoter to hold politicians accountable and the Survivors’ Agenda, a survivor-led initiative to advance justice and shift the narrative around sexual violence in America. In 2019, with Cecile Richards and Alicia Garza, Poo co-founded SuperMajority, a home for women’s activism dedicated to training and mobilizing a multiracial, intergenerational community to fight for gender equity together. She also serves as president of Care in Action, a nonpartisan group dedicated to fighting for a civic voice for millions of women of color, particularly domestic workers in the United States. Recognized among Fortune’s 50 World’s Greatest Leaders and Time’s 100 Most Influential People in the World, Poo has also been the recipient of countless awards, including a 2014 MacArthur "Genius" Grant. She has been a featured speaker at TEDWomen, Aspen Ideas Festival, Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity, Skoll World Forum, and the Obama Foundation Inaugural Summit. Her writing has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, TIME, Maire Claire, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, CNN.com, and other publications.
Opening Remarks
Maya Wiley
President & CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil & Human Rights
President & CEO of The Leadership Conference Education Fund
Maya Wiley is the president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil & Human Rights and The Leadership Conference Education Fund. A nationally respected civil rights attorney, she has been a litigator and a program creator and policy advocate in philanthropy, non-profits, government, and higher education. Prior to taking the helm of the Leadership Conference, Ms. Wiley ran for Mayor in 2021, garnering the second highest number of first choice votes in a rank choice vote election. In 2014, she became the first Black woman to be Counsel to a New York City Mayor, Bill deBlasio where she worked to protect and expand civil rights, Minority and Women-Owned Business contracts and broadband access. Wiley became a Senior Vice President for Social Justice at the New School University, where she also founded the Digital Equity Laboratory. While there, she chaired the New York City Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB). As chair, she led the release of the “hold” on proceedings against Daniel Pantaleo whose illegal chokehold killed Eric Garner, and also Co-Chaired the Mayor’s School Diversity Advisory Group that authored two major reports on integrating New York City public schools. Wiley has been a litigator at the ACLU, NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Inc, and the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. She helped create a criminal justice program for a major foundation in South Africa. Wiley co-founded and led a national policy advocacy organization, the Center for Social Inclusion, now a part of Race Forward, a national policy strategy organization working to end structural racism. Wiley has received numerous awards, and has been a public voice for rights, justice and democracy, through written opinion editorials and as a former legal analyst for NBC News and MSNBC. Wiley is the author of the memoir, “Remember You Are A Wiley.”
Presenters
Na’Ilah Amaru
Na’ilah Amaru is a nationally recognized advocacy and policy strategist with an established 20+ year record of driving social impact across government and nonprofit sectors. Her career spans the full spectrum of advocacy — from organizer to Capitol Hill staffer, nonprofit executive to lobbyist, consultant to coalition-builder — giving her unique fluency in moving between movements and institutional power. Whether shaping policy in the halls of Congress, managing New York City’s largest political caucus, or co-founding New York’s first BIPOC Democracy Table, she blends tactical discipline with vision to build inclusive governance and works with organizations and coalitions to build civic infrastructure and design strategies that translate advocacy into policy change. Her impact has been recognized with national awards, and in 2016, she was selected to deliver a historic presidential nomination speech for Hillary Clinton at the Democratic National Convention. A distinguished U.S. Army veteran and ammunition specialist, Na’ilah received the Army Commendation Medal for exemplary service during her tour in Iraq and broke barriers as the first woman and lowest-ranking soldier in her battalion to win a highly coveted military competition. Na’ilah holds three master’s degrees in public administration, public policy, and urban affairs, along with dual undergraduate degrees in political science and criminal justice. She is pursuing a PhD in political science at the CUNY Graduate Center, where her research focuses on political participation, governing coalitions, and agenda-setting.
Aamina Awan-Khan
Aamina Awan-Khan is a mission-driven strategy and project leader with 15+ years of experience delivering innovative programming, large-scale organizational change, and strategic partnerships across corporate, government, nonprofit, and academic sectors. She has led high-impact teams of 35+, managed global operations and $100M+ budgets, and built scalable initiatives at the nexus of technology, productivity, and national security/international development. Prior to serving in government as the Chief Partnerships Officer in the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Public Diplomacy, Aamina held management roles with the Clinton Foundation, the United Nations and Credit Suisse AG. Aamina is a member of Truman Security Fellows, Aspen NextGen Fellows, 92NY Women inPower Fellows, and the Presidential Leadership Scholars program. She also serves as an advisor for the Belfer Center for Innovation and Social Impact at 92NY, Amplify Her Foundation and the American Pakistan Foundation. Aamina is a trustee of Notre Dame Academy in Worcester, MA and a former U.S. Fulbright to Bahrain.
REBECCA BAILIN
Rebecca Bailin is he founder and Executive Director of New Yorkers United for Child Care (NYUC), with over a decade of experience leading transformative policy campaigns. She managed the Invest in Our New York campaign, securing billions for public programs through fair taxation, and spearheaded grassroots organizing at the Riders Alliance, achieving victories “Fair Fares” like NYC’s first discount MetroCard for low-income residents. Her government service includes roles at NYC Hall during the COVID-19 response and as Senior Advisor to State Senator Andrew Gounardes, where she helped secure billions for CUNY and advanced worker protections. Rebecca now has a 4 month old baby and is enlisting him to join the fight for free child care for all!
Nikita Desai
Nikita Desai is a Senior Philanthropic Strategist dedicated to building the first Women’s Collective at the Robin Hood Foundation. In this Nikita Desai is a Senior Philanthropy Advisor at the Robin Hood Foundation, where she is leading the creation of the organization’s first Women’s Collective. With a career dedicated to advancing gender equality, she engages and mobilizes women philanthropists to drive bold, transformative solutions to poverty and inequality in New York City. As Co-Chair of the Amplify Her Foundation’s Leadership Network, Nikita champions innovative grantmaking and advocacy that uplift women and girls. She previously served as Associate Director of East Coast Philanthropy at The Asia Foundation, where she shaped fundraising strategies to expand women’s empowerment initiatives, and spent six years as Director of Policy and Corporate Programs at the Korea Society. Nikita has also consulted for organizations including the World Bank, USAID, Femmes Africa Solidarité, Alliance for International Women’s Rights, and the Office of New York Mayor Bloomberg. A Fulbright Scholar, she holds an International MBA from IE Business School in Spain and a master’s in International Policy Studies from the Middlebury Institute, specializing in Gender and International Development. She is fluent in Gujarati, Hindi, Spanish, Mongolian, and English.
Chirlie Felix
Chirlie Felix is a Managing Director at FSG, a global nonprofit consulting firm that partners with foundations and corporations to create equitable systems of change. At FSG, Chirlie supports corporate and philanthropic clients on educational equity, corporate social responsibility, strategic planning, organizational development, and community engagement. Prior to joining FSG, Chirlie was a Senior Strategic Advisor at Teach For All, and an Education Pioneers Fellow as a consultant for the Newark Legacy Charter School. Chirlie has been an equity advocate since her youth, first as a student board member of the Aspira Association of New York and as a U.S. Fulbright scholar undertaking research on racial equity in education in Brazil. While there she worked for the Steve Biko Cultural Institute, a nonprofit organization with the goal of growing educational opportunities for Afro-Brazilian students. Chirlie received her BA in Sociology and International Relations from Hobart and William Smith Colleges and her MPA from New York University’s Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service.
Mechatronics 13368
Mechatronics 13368 is the award-winning all-girls robotics team at The Young Women’s Leadership School of Astoria—one of just six all-girls public high schools in New York City. Competing in the internationally recognized NYC FIRST Robotics League, the team is breaking barriers in STEM and inspiring the next generation of engineers and innovators. Predominantly comprised of girls of color and first-generation students, Mechatronics not only designs competitive robots but also applies their technical skills to real-world challenges, from building prosthetics for amputees to mentoring younger students in STEM. With grit, creativity, and collaboration, these young women are proving what’s possible when opportunity meets determination.
Maia Molina-Schaefer
As Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives of Amplify Her Foundation, Maia uses her visionary leadership capabilities to advance Amplify Her Foundation's community building, thought leadership, communications, and long-term growth. Working directly with the Foundation's leadership team, she drives organizational expansion and impact. As a military veteran, she brings to this role over two decades of exceptional leadership and program management, and a lifelong commitment to gender equity. Her journey began in the boxing ring at the U.S. Naval Academy and led her through roles as an Intelligence Officer and Military Diplomat in the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Army. As a combat-proven leader, Maia led high-performing teams in the Middle East, Africa, and Europe, managed multi-million dollar defense spending portfolios, and served as an Assistant Professor at the United States Military Academy at West Point. Throughout her rich career, Maia championed women's advancement through groundbreaking initiatives, such as creating the first Women, Peace, and Security program with an African military partner, and leading West Point's Corbin Women's Leadership Forum, a transformative organization that empowers cadets to become exceptional military leaders while fostering a supportive community for women in service. Now, as a speaker, author, and community advocate, she channels her expertise and passion for gender equity into expanding Amplify Her Foundation’s impact. Outside of her professional pursuits, Maia cherishes time outdoors with her family and performs at local storyslams.
Laura Risimini
Laura Risimini serves as the Director of Grants of the Amplify Her Foundation, where she oversees the Foundation’s grantmaking strategy and cultivates strategic philanthropic partnerships in the New York City area. Prior to joining the Amplify Her Foundation, Laura served as the Managing Director of the Purpose Foundation, a start-up organization acting as a fiscal sponsor for social impact campaigns and organizations. Prior to that role, she was the Foundation Manager of the HLH Family Foundation, formerly The Sister Fund, where she guided the organization through its transition from a women’s fund to a family foundation. Throughout her career, Laura has had the unique opportunity to support organizations in all areas of their lifecycle from start-up to sunset. She specializes in building nonprofit operating and programmatic structures and designing and implementing grant cycles aligned with feminist and trust-based funding principles. In addition to her leadership roles, Laura is the co-author of The Uprising of Women in Philanthropy, a work that explores the transformative impact of the global women’s funding movement. She holds a BA in International Studies and an MA in Political Science from Fordham University and is passionate about working for organizations that support the leadership and advancement of women and girls.
MARTI SPERANZA WONG
Marti is deeply devoted to women’s empowerment. She is the Founder and Executive Director of Amplify Her Foundation and Amplify Her. Both organizations share the mission of supporting women from underserved communities to become transformative changemakers. Amplify Her Foundation partners with community-led organizations that build the economic and social power of women and girls through leadership programs, educational opportunities, career training and development. Amplify Her addresses women’s underrepresentation in elected offices by advising candidates, recruiting committed campaign volunteers and registering new voters. Prior to Amplify Her, Marti served as Director of Women Entrepreneurs (WE) NYC, a New York City initiative launching and managing innovative programs on access to capital and mentorship. Marti’s first role in NYC government was Director of Strategic Initiatives for New York City's Department of Consumer Affairs, the agency tasked with enforcement of consumer protection laws and empowerment of low-income New Yorkers. Marti was elected as Democratic State Committeewoman for the 74th Assembly District, was appointed to Manhattan's Community Board 5 and has served on the Board of Directors for Habitat for Humanity NYC and the RTW Foundation. In 2022, Marti was recognized by Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson with a Proclamation for her work in the Community and in 2023 Marti was honored by City & State as one of 'The Responsible 100: New Yorkers serving the common good.' Marti studied Economics and Political Science at the University of Pennsylvania and earned her Masters of Business Administration from Harvard University.