– MENTORSHIP NONPROFIT ANNOUNCES NEW AND CONTINUING STRATEGIC LEADERS. –
LOS ANGELES (February 24, 2025) - Mentorship nonprofit Step Up today announced the newest members of its board of directors, along with its new regional board members and chairs.
Board of Directors
Andrya Smith (partner, PwC), Maria Salcedo (senior vice president of merchandising, Ulta Beauty), Tara Farnsworth (chief financial officer, Bayshore Global Management) and Suzanne Norr (chief operating officer, AvatarLabs, Inc.) will continue as officers, serving as chair, vice chair, treasurer and secretary of the board of directors, respectively.
Joining Smith, Farnsworth, Norr and Salcedo will be new additions Avani Patel (founding partner, The Ember Company) and Kelsey J. Patel (wellness expert).
Midwestern Region Board
Baaba Holland (founder and CEO, Baaba Holland Agency) is the new chair of the Midwestern region board. RoseAnn Abraham (principal, Baker Tilly) will serve as vice chair.
Joining Holland and Abraham will be new addition Michelle Gray (sales leader, LinkedIn).
Eastern Region Board
Cori Fernandez (enterprise sales, Google Cloud) will serve as chair of the Eastern Region Board.
Joining Fernandez on the Eastern Region board will be new additions Jasmina Lukolic (manager – subcontractor engagement, Skanska USA Building), Caitlyn MacAllister (director of strategy + operations, global sales and membership, The Leading Hotels of the World), Laura Rog (NYC Chief Service Officer, NYC Service | Office of the Mayor), Annie Scranton (CEO, Pace PR), and Ellen Vlagakos (senior agency development lead, LinkedIn).
Western Region Board
Brieanne Gershick (managing director, strategy and consulting, health industry, Accenture) and Stacey Mendoza (senior team lead, strategic brand partnerships, Hulu) will now serve as chair and vice chair of the Western Region Board.
Joining Gershick and Mendoza on the Western Region board will be new addition Meredith Wollman (CMO, Zeroz & Onez) and Mirtha Michelle (actress, writer, advocate).
Southern Region Board
Celina Blanks (VP, Lockton) will continue her tenure as chair of the Southern Region Board. Tamara Beverly (senior strategy and transformation associate, Daimler Truck Financial Services) will continue as vice chair.
Joining Blanks and Beverly on the Southern Region Board include Faith Butts (intellectual property lead – trademarks, copyrights and domains, DIRECTV), Erin Crawford (AVP customer service experience, BMI), Brittainy Hall (senior consultant, Kotter), and Miara Shaw (CEO + founder, Miara Shaw Enterprises).
Board of Directors and Regional Board Members
Step Up offers free mentorship programs that concentrate on supporting girls, and those who identify with girlhood, on their path to success. With structured programs, focused support and inspiring connections, Step Up has established a multi-generational community that shares the resources and relationships needed for individual and collective success. These board leaders will guide the nonprofit as it expands its practice of “flash mentoring” – providing young women with short-term opportunities to connect with mentors who share their experiences and skill-specific support.
“Our communities need Step Up now more than ever,” Step Up CEO Delores Druilhet Morton said. “These board leaders will provide critical leadership and support as the organization navigates the year ahead, ensuring we can continue to provide teen girls and young women with mentorship that meets the moment.”
Many of the board members also serve as mentors to Step Up girls and help the organization access resources on both national and local levels. In addition to the board, the organization relies on nearly 1,500 members who share their time, talents and resources in support of the next generation of leaders. To inquire about board service or involvement, please email morgan@suwn.org. A full roster of national and regional board members may be found below and on the organization’s website here.
About Step Up
Through structured mentorship programs, focused support, and inspiring connections, Step Up helps girls, and those who identify with girlhood, define and achieve their unique visions of success. Connect at suwn.org.
Media Contact: Alissa Zito Cruz, Step Up
alissa@suwn.org | 310.880.9049
NATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS
- Andrya Smith partner, PwC, Chair
- Maria Salcedo, senior vice president, merchandising, Ulta Beauty, Vice Chair
- Tara Farnsworth, CFO, Bayshore Global Management, Treasurer
- Suzanne Norr, COO, AvatarLabs, Inc., Secretary
- Vanessa Salinas Beckstrom, investigation + forensics partner, PwC
- Melanie Barr Levey, founder, She Built It
- Celina Blanks, vice president, Lockton, Southern Chair
- April Carr, Senior Director Innovation Platforms, PepsiCo
- Tiffany Chow, SVP, Strategy & Business Development, NBCU News Group at NBCUniversal Media, LLC
- Garnesha Crawford Ezediaro, portfolio lead, Bloomberg Philanthropies
- Bernadette Fitzpatrick, full stack marketer
- Cori Fernandez, Enterprise Sales, Google Cloud, Eastern Chair
- Tonya Garrett, director, agency development North America, LinkedIn
- Brieanne Gershick, managing director, strategy and consulting, health industry, Accenture, Western Chair
- Minda Harts, founder and CEO, The Memo LLC
- Baaba Holland, founder and CEO, Baaba Holland Agency, Midwest Chair
- Charity Johns, CEO, Illinois Cafe & Service Company
- Marnie Kain, VP brand marketing, Grub Hub, emeritus
- Katie Mayne, executive consultant
- Avani Patel, founding partner, The Ember Company
- Kelsey J. Patel, Wellness Expert
- Kaye Poposfky Kramer, founder, Step Up, emeritus
- Delores Druilhet Morton, CEO, Step Up
- Mark O. Page, executive, AT&T (retired)
- Beth Radichel, partner, Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg LLP
- Barri Rafferty, interim CEO, C200, emeritus
- Monique Saunders Patrick, chief operating officer, CDC Foundation
- Tara Simon, global brand president, Too Faced Cosmetics
- Maggie Stockdale, global enterprise sales director, Double Verify
EASTERN REGION BOARD
- Cori Fernandez, Enterprise Sales, Google Cloud, Chair
- Mandy Aragones, COO, Victory Patch Foundation + Director of Operations, Slick Rick Music Corporation
- Sarah Barr Battle, VP, Head of Marketing, L'Oréal
- Usheen Davar, Senior Director, Digital Ad Sales, Healthline
- Quincy Evans, Principal-Investment Analyst, Davidson Kempner Capital Management
- Stacey Jenkins, marketing and business development executive
- Jasmina Lukolic, Manager – Subcontractor Engagement, Skanska USA Building
- Caitlyn MacAllister, Director of Strategy & Operations, Global Sales and Membership, The Leading Hotels of the World
- Laura Rog, NYC Chief Service Officer, NYC Service | Office of the Mayor
- Annie Scranton, CEO, Pace PR
- Ellen Vlagakos, Senior Agency Development Lead, LinkedIn
MIDWESTERN REGION BOARD
- Baaba Holland, Founder and CEO, Baaba Holland Agency, Chair
- RoseAnn Abraham, Principal, Baker Tilly, Vice Chair
- Tonya Gauff, Finance Partner, DLA Piper LLP (US)
- Michelle Gray, Sales Leader, LinkedIn
- Kelly Hougom, Director of Specialty Products, BMO Harris Bank
- Jennifer Kobus, VP Transportation & Logistics, Ulta Beauty
- Ashley Kwateng, Senior Sales Strategy Manager, Kellanova-Mars
- Leila Shin, Principal, Advisory, KPMG
SOUTHERN REGION BOARD
- Celina Blanks, Vice President, Lockton, Chair
- Tamara Beverly, Senior Strategy & Transformation Associate, Daimler Truck Financial Services, Vice Chair
- Bridget Biagas, Vice President, PartnerRelations and Business Diversity, Hudson Group
- Faith Butts, Intellectual Property Lead – Trademarks, Copyrights and Domains, DIRECT TV
- Kimberly S. Clay, CEO + Founder, Play Like a Girl!
- Kimberly Cockrell, Chief Human Resources Officer, Toyota Financial Services
- Erin Crawford, AVP Customer Service Experience, BMI
- Lisa Crawford, Managing Director, Accenture
- Brittainy Hall, Senior Consultant, Kotter
- Miara Shaw, CEO + Founder, Miara Shaw Enterprises
- Claire Walters, Senior Vice President Human Resources, Private Health Management
- Tamera Woodard, Vice President/Associate General Counsel, AT&T
WESTERN REGION BOARD
- Brieanne Gershick, Managing Director, Strategy and Consulting, Health Industry, Accenture, Chair
- Stacey Mendoza, Senior Team Lead, Strategic Brand Partnerships, Hulu, Vice Chair
- Meghan Birmingham Leader, Strategic Business Executive
- Monica Cooper, Treasury Management Officer, CTP, JPMorgan Chase & Co.
- Jenny Dinh Safransky, Founder, Head of Partnerships and Talent Management, JDS Projects
- Beth Helmstetter, Creative Director, Beth Helmstetter Events | Founder, The Good Beginning
- Gina McIntosh, Senior Vice President, Financial Planning & Analysis, Universal Pictures
- Mirtha Michelle, actress, writer, advocate
- Hali Resnick, Business and Legal Affairs Executive, Roku
- Kim Richardson, VP, Chief Privacy Officer, Tandem Diabetes Care
- Nyanza Shaw, Managing Attorney/Owner, Shaw Esquire
- Helen Textor, Director, Program Management; Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Google
- Deborah Thomas, Senior Vice President, Entertainment Publicity, NBCU
- Meredith Wollman, CMO, Zeroz & Onez
