The Amplify Her® Leadership Network brings together accomplished women who are invested in the advancement of gender equity locally. Leadership Network members serve on either the Grant Committee, which guides the Foundation's grantmaking strategy, or the Mentorship Committee, which supports Amplify Her® Incubator Fellows.
leadership network Co-CHAIRS
Aamina Awan-Khan
As Co-Chair of Amplify Her Foundation’s Leadership Network, Aamina brings over 15 years of mission-driven expertise driving innovation, complex change, and cross-sector collaboration at scale. She has a proven track record of building and leading high-impact teams, launching transformational initiatives, and managing operations and budgets exceeding $100M - all with a deep commitment to equity, security, and collective progress. Working across government, philanthropy, and finance, Aamina has led critical programs at the intersection of technology, productivity, and public good. Prior to serving in the U.S. Department of State as a national security expert, Aamina held leadership roles at the Clinton Foundation, the United Nations and Credit Suisse AG. Aamina is a member of the Truman National Security Project, Aspen Institute's NextGen Network, 92NY’s Women inPower, and the Presidential Leadership Scholars program. She also serves as an advisor for 92NY's Belfer Center for Innovation and Social Impact and the David Prize. Aamina is a trustee of Notre Dame Academy in Worcester, MA and a former U.S. Fulbright to Bahrain. LinkedIn profile
Nikita Desai
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. LinkedIn profile
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. LinkedIn profile
GRANTMAKING COMMITTEE
DR. KOMAL BAJAJ
Dr. Komal Bajaj is an OB/GYN-geneticist and physician-leader internationally recognized for advancing quality and safety in healthcare through human-centered, technology-driven innovation. Her work has transformed care efficiency, improved outcomes, and reduced costs across diverse practice settings. A National Academies of Medicine Diagnostic Excellence Scholar and former advisor to the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, she is also a Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. A board-certified OB/GYN and reproductive geneticist, Dr. Bajaj trained at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine and Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Dr. Bajaj's work has been featured in the New York Times, NPR, Crain's, NEJM Catalyst, and JAMA Health Forum. She authored the pioneering book “Simulation as an Improvement Technique”. Her research informed the design and implementation of a novel prenatal molecular assay for the detection of genetic conditions. She is a Fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine and a Becker's Healthcare Review 2024 and 2025 "Patient Safety Expert to Know.” LinkedIn profile
Asha Castleberry-Hernandez
Asha Castleberry-Hernandez is a distinguished National Security & Foreign Policy expert, a public speaker, a television media commentator, and a United States Army Veteran. Asha served for two presidential administrations at the Department of State. Asha is an academic professor who has taught at several universities. Asha founded one of the top National Security organizations, Diversity in National Security Network. She is a 2020 fellow at Schmidt Futures, a defense associate at the Truman National Security Project, a security fellow at the American Security Project, a 2018 Robert Meyers Fellow at the Carnegie Council for Ethics and International Affairs, and a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations. She has been featured on many national and international outlets, including CNN, MSNBC, NBC News, CBS News, Fox News Channel, BBC News, I24 News, Al-Jazeera, Voices of America, and Sky News. She is a proud graduate of Hampton University, Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs, and studied abroad programs in Shanghai, China, and the University of Oxford. LinkedIn profile
Chantal Bonitto
Chantal Bonitto is the Director of Philanthropy at Women’s Funding Network (WFN), the largest philanthropic alliance, connecting over 120 women's funds, foundations, and gender equity funders globally to advance women's rights and gender equality. Chantal is also a Senior Consultant at The Inclusion Firm, a consulting firm that helps organizations achieve their DEI and advancement goals through modernized philanthropic strategies and enhanced community, volunteer, and donor engagement. Chantal serves on the board of Community Resource Exchange (CRE). She is a member of the Advisory Committee for WOC: Women of Color in Fundraising and Philanthropy, a co-creator of the Women Writing Philanthropy: Writing Clinic Program with the Feminist Press, and an inaugural member of the Leadership Network of the Amplify Her Foundation, where she advises and supports the foundation’s grantmaking strategy. Chantal engages in leadership and service through Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. -- Kappa Epsilon Zeta Chapter, in the Bronx. Professionally, Chantal has worked with leading organizations such as Women Moving Millions, The Thomson Reuters Foundation, Ms. Foundation for Women, CARE USA, UNICEF USA, Asia Society, and The Society of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. She is a graduate of Oberlin College and completed the Fundraising Strategy Certificate Program at The George Heyman, Jr. Center for Philanthropy and Fundraising, New York University. She is also a 21/64 Certified Philanthropic Advisor. LinkedIn profile
DIANA FRANCO
Diana Franco is Vice President of Women.NYC at the New York City Economic Development Corporation. Diana is a long-standing advocate for women's economic empowerment. A serial entrepreneur by nature, she started her career on the founding team of three successful startups: Latinred, CycleLogic, and Kactoos. Diana also is the founder of Grenout, an agency focused on helping foreign entrepreneurs launch their products and services in the U.S., and co-founder of CoreWoman, a foundation aiming to empower women professionally and economically. Diana served as the Executive Director of Women Entrepreneurs (WE NYC) at the NYC Department of Small Business Services. The City of New York has publicly recognized Ms. Franco's work with two awards, in 2019 for Excellence in Public Service and 2020 for Advancing Diversity and Inclusion. Like many New Yorkers, Diana is an immigrant, originally from Medellín, Colombia. LinkedIn profile
Latressa Fulton
Latressa Fulton currently serves as Budget Director for IT at the City University of New York (CUNY), utilizing her extensive public service background which includes roles as Deputy Director of IT Administration at NYCHA (overseeing a $100 million operating budget) and Senior Advisor to the First Deputy Commissioner at NYC’s Department of Information Technology and Telecommunication, as well as tenures with the Ford Foundation, International Rescue Committee, and Food Bank of NYC. She is also the founder of Move and Groove Yoga, a wellness initiative focused on building community through events focusing on music, movement and mindfulness. Latressa holds a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania and an MPH from Columbia University. Her deep commitment to Penn is evidenced by her membership in the Trustees’ Council of Penn Women, the Sphinx Honor Society, her leadership as a Member for The James Brister Alumni Society (including co-chairing its 30th Anniversary Conference and serving as Programming co-chair), and her role as an Advisory Board Member for the Makuu Black Cultural Center. Her broader philanthropic and leadership commitments include the Leadership Network of the AmplifyHer Foundation, Black Ambition, The New York Women’s Foundation, the Studio Museum in Harlem, and Girls Who Code. LinkedIn profile
Yolanda F. Johnson
Yolanda F. Johnson is the CEO of YFJ Consulting, LLC, and is the Founder of WOC, Women of Color in Fundraising and Philanthropy®. She has developed strategies to raise more than $1 billion for nonprofits while also advising philanthropists and grantmakers. With her faith as her guide, Yolanda is a champion of equity for women in the sectors of fundraising, philanthropy and specifically within the realm of Women's Philanthropy. She remains an active performing artist and uses her background as a performer to view fundraising and philanthropy through a creative lens. She is a member of the Women’s Philanthropy Institute National Council and a founding member of the Women's Philanthropy Alliance, in addition to being an active presenter and keynote speaker around the United States and abroad. LinkedIn profile
Pratika Katiyar
Pratika Katiyar is an activist and writer working at the intersection of politics and technology. She currently works in privacy at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) National headquarters, focusing on the civil liberties implications of technology. Katiyar has been widely recognized for her advocacy, including as one of Glamour Magazine’s Women of the Year, The Advocacy Association’s Top 20 Advocacy Professionals, and Her Campus and e.l.f. cosmetics’ 22 Under 22 list. Her activism began in her home state of Virginia, where she led a campaign to strengthen First Amendment protections for students and later became the youngest member of the Student Press Law Center’s board of directors. Across her writing, research, and policy work, Katiyar champions stronger safeguards for free expression, privacy, and the ethical governance of emerging technologies, with a particular focus on protecting women and marginalized communities. Katiyar attended Northeastern University, where she studied Business Administration (Finance concentration) and Communication Studies. She has been quoted and published in multiple major media outlets, including Teen Vogue, CNN, TechCrunch, and has been invited to speak at Columbia University, Georgetown Law School, and the United Nations, among others. LinkedIn profile
Tequila Lamar
As the Education Engagement Lead at Google.org, Tequila drives New York and national social impact initiatives focused on knowledge, skills, and learning. A passionate advocate for excellence in education, she is committed to accelerating equitable, technology-enabled improvements in student outcomes. This work is informed by strategic grantmaking and the cultivation of systems-level partnerships. An exceptional communicator and relationship-builder, Tequila is a respected mentor, coach, and a sought-after speaker and panelist on critical topics in education, technology, and leadership. She currently serves as Chair of the NYC Public Schools Technology Industry Commission and is an active member of the NYC Student Pathways Advisory Council. Underscoring her dedication to the city's future, she was selected as a David Rockefeller Fellow for the 2025 Cohort with the Partnership for New York City. Tequila earned her Master's in Education and Bachelor's in Psychology from Florida A&M University. LinkedIn profile
Nayancie Matthews
Nayancie Matthews is an Associate in Pfizer's Product Portfolio Management, Strategy & Innovation team within the Global Supply Chain, where she works across all emerging markets and countries. Her responsibilities extend to championing the introduction of new pharmaceutical products in the Emerging Markets region while devising strategic initiatives tailored to diverse countries to ensure patients have access to the medicines that they need. Nayancie graduated from Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College with a Bachelor of Business Administration with a major in International Business, with minors in Finance & Investments and Spanish. Nayancie has an unwavering commitment to equity and accessibility, principles she intends to fortify through her pursuit of a JD/MBA to further propel equitable healthcare solutions. LinkedIn profile
Dayna Sessa
Dayna Sessa is a Biomedical Engineer and the Founder and CEO of Datanomy. She was an inaugural WE NYC Mentor for the City of New York’s initiative to empower women to start and grow companies, and an Ambassador and Advisor to the Clinton Foundation, The Center for Advancing Innovation, and TechWomen. Dayna is also a Contributor to the Huffington Post. As an Adjunct Professor at Rutgers School of Engineering, Dayna teaches a course on Healthcare Data and Technology and regularly speaks about healthcare technology, data analytics, startups, data-driven business strategy, and using data for social impact. The US Department of State sent Dayna to Rome (2022) and Nairobi (2023) to discuss how to use data to build healthier communities and support women leaders. Dayna sat on the boards of Clinton Foundation 2030, Friends of Mount Sinai, and Porvenir, a STEM-ED non-profit she Co-Founded. She has received honors from the Tory Burch Foundation, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses, named a top 10 US finalist for the Cartier Women’s Initiative, and was part of the 2017 New York State Health Trade Delegation to Africa. LinkedIn profile
MenTORSHIP COMMITTEE
Darlene Blanco
Darlene Blanco is a dynamic executive leader with deep expertise in workforce development, talent strategy, and business consulting. In her current role as Director of Workforce Development & Innovation at The College of Staten Island, she advances civic prosperity and economic growth by designing programs and building strategic partnerships that connect businesses, schools, and community organizations to sustainable talent pipelines. Darlene is also the CEO of Voyage Consulting & Business Solutions, where she empowers individuals and organizations through leadership development, executive coaching, and strategic consulting. Previously, Darlene led workforce development initiatives at the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce, where she launched the Leading Ladies Collective, the first initiative of its kind on Staten Island dedicated to supporting women entrepreneurs through leadership development and training in financial, marketing, and digital literacy. Darlene is a U.S. Chamber of Commerce Business Leads Fellow and a Board Member of the Continuing Education Association of New York (CEANY). She is also a member of the Amplify Her Leadership Network and a mentor at WEnyc. Darlene, a doctoral candidate in Strategic Leadership, holds a master’s degree in Executive Leadership from Liberty University, a bachelor’s degree in Corporate Communications from Baruch College, and a Higher Education Teaching Certificate from Harvard. LinkedIn profile
Christina Bogie
Christina Bogie, MPD is the Director of Finance at Montefiore Medical Center, where she provides financial and operational leadership for Obstetrics & Gynecology and Women’s Health across the Bronx and Westchester, New York. She brings over 18 years of healthcare management experience, having worked at leading institutions including Weill Cornell Medical College, Columbia University Medical Center, Mount Sinai Morningside, and Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS). Christina earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Lehman College and later obtained her Master’s degree in Healthcare Administration from Mercy College, graduating magna cum laude with a 3.9 GPA while working full-time and raising two children. In 2022, she completed the HSS Leadership Program and received the Women–N–Motion Award, along with a Certification of Recognition and Proclamation from New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York State Senator Kevin S. Parker. Christina has been recognized with the Dr. Sandra Gould Women of Distinction Award (2024) and the Excellence of Pillar Award (2024) from the New York Regional N.A.H.S.E. She currently serves as President-Elect of the National Association of Health Services Executives and is an Executive Board Member of the Young, Gifted, & Black™ Entrepreneurial Awards. A dedicated mentor, she launched the NY Regional NAHSE Mentorship Program, growing participation from 14 to 34 members and awarding over 10 student scholarships in three years. LinkedIn profile
TeLisa Daughtry
TeLisa Daughtry is an award-winning 14x serial social entrepreneur, conscious technologist, author, educator, and UN Sustainable Development Goals advocate; recognized for her impactful contributions to the technology sector, startup ecosystem, workforce development, and STEM education. Through education, advisory, and advocacy she empowers businesses, leaders, women, youth, and underrepresented communities to responsibly create with emerging technologies; and actively participate in the evolving digital future. Her work has been recognized by UN Women Women’s Empowerment Principles Award, for Best SME, Gender Equality; the California Legislature Assembly for Advancing Women in S.T.E.A.M.; WE Empower: UN SDG Challenge as a North America, Finalist; Rotterdam School of Management as a Positive Change Ambassador for Driving Businesses Towards SDGs, and she has been named 50 Most Influential Women Entrepreneurs in NYC in 2019; additionally, she has been awarded by numerous institutions, community organizations, and media publications for her work and advocacy in technology, innovation, leadership, and gender equality. LinkedIn profile
Regina Gwynn
Regina Gwynn is the Co-Founder of Black Women Talk Tech, the organization that aims to identify, support, and encourage Black women to build the next billion-dollar business. It is the largest collective of Black women tech founders. As Co-Founder, Regina co-leads business strategy, strategic partnership development, and sponsor relations. Regina launched her first tech startup in 2014 with TresseNoire, a platform that empowers women of color to celebrate their textured hair. Regina has been named one of the 100 Most Powerful Women by Entrepreneur Magazine and Top Ten Women in Tech by Essence Magazine. She’s on the cabinet for Black Entrepreneurship in the City of New York, and is a Women.NYC advisor. Regina started her career at Federated Department Stores, now Macy’s Inc. After graduating from the Kellogg School of Management with her MBA, Regina was a management consultant with the Monitor Group, now Monitor/Deloitte Consulting. LinkedIn profile
Aila Hernández
Aila Hernández is a Vice President of Corporate Purpose and Sustainability at FINN Partners. She brings together her knowledge on sustainability and economic development to shape how clients communicate their environmental and social impact initiatives to strengthen their corporate reputation. At FINN, she leads the execution of CSR strategies across various industries – from tech, apparel, consumer goods and healthcare. Before joining FINN, Aila worked with high-growth companies to help them scale their operations into the European market and led communications and marketing for an environmental NGO. Aila has a MA in International Development and a MSc in Environmental Policy from University College Dublin and a Business Sustainability Management certification from the University of Cambridge. Originally from Puerto Rico, Aila has a lifelong passion for gender equity, conservation, and the environment. LinkedIn profile
Esmeralda Herrera
Esmeralda Herrera is the Director of Capacity at Echoing Green and a Bronx-born leader with over a decade of experience building partnerships, ecosystems, and accelerators that help social innovators and startups thrive. Her work centers leaders too often overlooked, expanding access to funding, networks, and visibility. Previously, she launched entrepreneurship accelerators in the Bronx and Harlem, supporting more than ten cohorts and hundreds of early-stage founders through curriculum design, capital access, and community-rooted startup spaces. With lived and professional experience across India, China, Haiti, and beyond, Esmeralda brings a local-to-global lens to capacity building. She believes transformative ideas emerge from overlooked places and works to ensure those ideas have the resources and solidarity to grow and endure. LinkedIn profile
Sania Khan
Sania is a civil rights attorney and public policy strategist with more than a decade of experience in government. She served as an Assistant Attorney General at the New York Attorney General’s Office for over a decade and then as a Senior Advisor and Chief of Staff in the Biden-Harris Administration. Sania is the founder of IN___SERVICE, a consultancy focused on civil rights strategy in the age of AI and tech. Through this work, she advises leaders of foundations, businesses, and non-profits on strategies related to AI in the public sector. Her expertise sits at the intersection of civil rights law, policy, government, tech, and culture. Beyond her professional work, Sania volunteers to connect recently arrived asylum-seekers with legal representation in New York City, and is a former President of the Muslim Bar Association of New York. Most recently she served on Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s Transition Team. She is a lifelong New Yorker, born and raised in Albany. LinkedIn profile
Pratima Narayan
Pratima is an attorney and executive with 15+ years of experience at the intersection of human rights, national security, and corporate social responsibility. She is highly skilled at translating geopolitical risk into clear guidance for senior leaders, backed by experience managing $70M+ budgets and leading teams of 46+ across corporate law firms, multilateral institutions, and nonprofit organizations. Most recently, Pratima served in the Biden–Harris Administration, advising the U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice on crisis prevention and response and representing U.S. interests in diplomatic engagements. Previously, as an Advocacy Director at the Open Society Foundations, she led U.S. foreign-policy engagement on Asia and the Pacific and founded the Open Futures Forum to strengthen collaboration among underinvested young women political leaders in the United States and the Global South. Pratima served as Chief of Investigations for the UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan and was selected as one of 18 investigators for a U.S. State Department inquiry into mass atrocities in Myanmar. She holds a J.D. from Boston University School of Law and a B.S. from Cornell University. Pratima has served on the boards of the International Career Advancement Program, Women of Color Advancing Peace, Security and Conflict Transformation, The Spence School Alumni Association, and UNA-USA. Her leadership has been recognized by Cornell University, Foreign Policy for America, CSIS, and 92Y Women InPower. Pratima is a member of the UN Women/Justice Rapid Response Expert Roster and CANADEM’s Civilian Response Corps. LinkedIn profile
Janet Peguero
Janet is a seasoned public servant and strategic leader whose career has centered on equitable access to resources, local economic development, and empowering underrepresented communities. She served as Deputy Borough President of the Bronx, making history as the first immigrant woman of Dominican descent to hold the role. There, she oversaw Land Use, Health and Human Services, Community Boards, and Policy, and played a central role in major revitalization efforts, including the reimagining of the Kingsbridge Armory, which secured $200 million in public funding. As a mayoral appointee, Janet served on several boards, including the NYCERS Board of Trustees, NYCEDC, and the NYC IDA/BUILD Board. Her government service also includes leading the City's first Commercial Lease Assistance Program at the NYC Department of Small Business Services. She holds a B.A. from Binghamton University and is a proud graduate of NYC public schools. Janet is a 2019 Council for Urban Professionals Fellow and member of the inaugural Take Office cohort. She currently serves as Chief Operating Officer at Constantinople & Vallone, a government relations firm, and serves on the boards of the Bronx Community College Foundation and the Bronx Children's Museum. LinkedIn profile
Molly Schaeffer
Molly Schaeffer is a public-sector executive with more than a decade of experience leading complex operations, emergency response, and cross-agency policy initiatives in New York City government. She currently serves as Director of the Office of Asylum Seeker Operations, where she built and leads the city’s largest humanitarian response in modern history. Under her leadership, New York City has supported more than 230,000 migrants, opened over 260 emergency shelter sites, filed more than 140,000 immigration applications, and managed a multibillion-dollar operational portfolio across more than 20 city agencies. Previously, Molly served as Deputy Chief of Staff and senior advisor to two New York City mayors, working at the center of city government on issues including COVID-19 response, workforce policy, climate resilience, public health, and mental health system expansion. Her work centers on supporting vulnerable populations through strong public systems, translating policy into action, and building teams that deliver under pressure. A lifelong New Yorker, Molly lives in Brooklyn with her husband, son, and small dog. She is especially focused on making New York a more equitable and better place to live, mentoring leaders navigating high-stakes environments, and supporting women as they step into leadership roles. LinkedIn profile
Talia Scott
Talia Scott is a Corporate Law Clerk at a Big Law firm and the Founder of the Legally BLK Fund, a nonprofit dedicated to increasing Black women's representation in law through nationwide scholarships, mentorship, and resources for law school applicants. Her leadership has earned her the 2023 David Prize and the 2024 Haverford College Young Alumni Award. A Harlem native and first-generation graduate, Talia holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Haverford College, where she was a QuestBridge Scholar. She recently earned a JD/MBA from NYU School of Law and Stern School of Business and serves on the Board of Directors of the Student Leadership Network. LinkedIn profile
LANNIA SMALL
Lannia Small is the Senior Director of Partnerships at Candid, a nonprofit that provides the most comprehensive data and insights about the social sector. At Candid, Lannia oversees strategic partnership initiatives that enhance efficiency, effectiveness, and equity in the social sector. Lannia has more than 15 years of experience in strategy design, public-private partnerships, and product and program development in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors. Before joining Candid, she was the Director of Global Strategy & Partnerships at Indeed, where she successfully launched and scaled the company's global social impact organization. Previously, she served as the Deputy Executive Director at the New York City Center for Youth Employment, overseeing all operations and spearheading partnerships with corporations and industry associations. Earlier in her career, Lannia spent many years as a management consultant specializing in corporate sustainability and organizational strategy. Lannia earned her bachelor’s degree from Wellesley College and holds master's degrees in public policy and business from Columbia University. LinkedIn profile