Our Leadership
At Women First, our team is highly dedicated to the organization’s mission of advancing the rights of women and girls. We are a diverse group of individuals from various backgrounds, located globally - contributing our skills, expertise and passion to the work we do.
Click on team members to learn more.
Emily Forhman, Executive Director, Based in the US
Madonna Kendona, Director of Programs, Based in Ghana
Ana Pecova, Director of Advancement, Based in Mexico
Evaline Franks, Senior Manager, Program Operations, Based in the US
Mabel Kirabo, Capacity Building Officer, Based in Uganda
Olive Nazziwa, Program Associate, Based in Uganda
Aditi Padiyar, Program Officer, Based in India
Winnie Watera, Program Officer, Based in Uganda
Bria Holmes-Lewis, Marketing and Communications Manager, Based in the US
Sneha Tatapudy, Senior Manager Partnerships and Strategic Communications, Based in the US
Rosanne Licata, Executive Assistant and Liaison to the Board of Directors, Based in the US
Regional Program Advisory Council
At Women First, we are committed to centering the expertise of people who understand the lived realities and challenges of the communities we partner with. Women First’s regional advisors, comprising non-profit leaders, rights-based activists and academics, bring this expertise to our grantmaking decisions through close collaboration with our Programs staff.
Board
Women First is governed by an international Board of Directors who bring perspectives from across the world. Our work is guided by their decades of experience in the field of women's empowerment, international development, business and nonprofit governance - and their conviction that the empowerment of women and girls is critical for creating lasting and meaningful impact.