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
Ana Pecova, Director of Advancement, Based in Mexico
Evaline Franks, Lead, Programs Strategy & Operations, Program Operations, Based in the US
Aditi Padiyar, Manager, Organizational Strengthening, Based in India
Winnie Watera, Senior Program Officer, Based in Uganda
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
Helena Villela de Carvalho Tavares, Corporate Engagement Manager, Based in Brazil
Sunanya Deka, Program Associate, Based in New Delhi
Program Steering 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.