Who We Are

Deshi Singh has been a champion of gender equality for nearly four decades, dedicating her career to financially activating and empowering women and girls globally. Through philanthropy, advocacy, and impact investing, she supports transformative initiatives in education, sustainability, and the advancement of women and children’s rights. A graduate of Wellesley College with a BA in Economics, Deshi began her career in investment banking at Morgan Stanley. She subsequently honed her expertise in finance and investment management at Och-Ziff Capital Management and prominent hedge funds Level Global and Hudson Bay Capital Management. This extensive experience laid the foundation for her current role, serving as President of the Singh Foundation and holding leadership positions within several impactful organizations. She sits on the boards of the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women, Chamber of Mothers, and Chefs for Impact, and serves as an Advisor for the Asia Foundation’s Lotus Circle. Her work reflects an unwavering commitment to building a more equitable and inclusive world, leveraging her expertise and resources to drive meaningful change in communities worldwide.

Judee Ann Williams is the Co-Head of CAA Social Impact at leading entertainment and sports agency Creative Artists Agency (CAA). Social Impact is a strategic consulting team that sits at the intersection of CAA’s deeply experienced Brand Consulting and highly connected Foundation groups. Williams previously worked in the CAA Foundation for 15 years, serving as the department’s Co-Executive Director. Founded in 1995, the CAA Foundation uses resources within the entertainment community to create positive social change and works on improving schools and education services to youth at the local, national, and international level. Williams consults with clients, executives, and corporations on their philanthropic and pro-social initiatives. She works with clients who understand that a brand or business’ value is inextricably linked to their core set of values, and more importantly, the manner in which they articulate and execute on those values. She has worked with corporate brands such as KPMG, Hickey Freeman, Hudson’s Bay Company, Delta Airlines, Cartier, and Everfi, among others.

Additionally, Williams is a prominent member of the philanthropic community, holding various appointments on boards and advisory councils, including the Board of the Carrie Underwood C.A.T.S. Foundation, Katy Perry’s Firework Foundation, First Book, and the USO Entertainment Council. A longtime supporter of the Armed Forces, Williams is actively involved with the USO, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, as well as the St. Bernard Project, and is a member of the Got Your 6 Leadership Team. Prior to joining CAA, Williams worked in the Financial Department of the TBWA\Chiat. Williams received her B.A. in Political Science with a minor in Business from Shepherd University.

Amy Parker is Co-Founder & CEO of THE WHAT, a thriving indie media company and community platform of 100,000 women from across the globe. She is an early internet pioneer, co-founding the cult brand, Splendora. Parker is best known for building intentional communities of influential women since 2000 and has aligned her career with her personal mission to create a global sisterhood of leaders who impact each other’s work at the highest levels to change the world through investment, policy, advocacy and community building. Amy holds a position on the Board of Chamber of Mothers and is also a passionate supporter and advocate for the ERA and Reproductive Rights

Allison Stern is the General Partner of Mother Ventures, the first venture capital fund to focus purely on the mother as consumer. Previously, Allison served as an Operating Partner at The Chernin Group, leading deal teams and working as an interim head of M&A at Food52. During the 2020 Presidential Campaign, she delivered cutting-edge digital partnerships for the presidential campaign teams, leveraging her expertise in internet audiences and viral content creation. As co-founder of Tubular Labs, a social video and influencer measurement firm (acquired by Chartbeat/Cuadrilla Capital), Allison led the company from 0 to $25M ARR and raised over $50M in venture funding. A graduate of Yale University and Stanford’s Graduate School of Business, Allison serves on the board of Chamber of Mothers. She lives in NYC with her husband and daughter.

Elliot Haspel is a nationally-recognized child and family policy expert and commentator, with specialties in early childhood and education issues, as well as the linkage between climate change and early childhood. He is a Senior Fellow at the think tank Capita. Elliot is the author of Crawling Behind: America’s Childcare Crisis and How to Fix It and a second forthcoming book on child care policy, in addition to several policy reports. He has appeared on television as an analyst, including on The PBS NewsHour with Judy Woodruff, and his writings have appeared in a wide variety of top publications, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Atlantic. Elliot is regularly sought out by journalists, and has been quoted in such mediums as NPR and TIME Magazine. He lives in Denver with his spouse and two children.

As Chief Merchandising Officer, Stephanie drives growth and long-term strategy of the Shopbop business, managing Shopbop and Shopbop Men’s buying and planning teams across categories. Additionally, Stephanie helms the Fashion Office, responsible for setting Shopbop’s fashion trend point of view as well as site content. Prior to joining Shopbop, Stephanie held positions at Neiman Marcus, Holt Renfrew, and Bergdorf Goodman, bringing over 15 years of experience to the team at Shopbop. A Michigan native, Stephanie graduated from Northwood University with a degree in Fashion Marketing and Management. She’s a wife and mother of two little boys. Today, she loves serving as a mentor both in and outside of Shopbop. This includes board member positions with Chamber of Mothers and RAISEfashion.

Dr. Rachel Blake, MD is a Harvard-trained Obstetrician-Gynecologist who has dedicated her career to eliminating health disparities and promoting health equity. She received her BA in Molecular Biology at Princeton University, where she wrote an award-winning thesis on pediatric rotavirus vaccine policy. She attended the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and has served on the Brown Medical Alumni Association Board of Directors since 2020.  

She completed OB/GYN residency training at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, affiliated with Harvard Medical School. She was subsequently an Attending OB/GYN physician at Beth Israel and clinical instructor of OB/GYN at Harvard Medical School. In 2023 she transitioned to community healthcare and works at NeighborHealth, a federally qualified community health center affiliated with Boston Medical Center. In this role she treats patients from some of Boston’s most underserved communities.

Dr. Blake is also a medical advisor for Jayla Health, a women’s health company focused on perimenopause and menopause, specifically centering the unique experiences of women of color.

Dr. Pooja Lakshmin MD is a bestselling author, board-certified psychiatrist, keynote speaker, and a contributor to The New York Times. Her debut book, REAL SELF-CARE: Crystals, Cleanses, and Bubble-Baths Not Included was named an NPR Best Book of 2023. Dr. Lakshmin’s New York Times essays, “How Society Has Turned its Backs on Mothers” and “Saying No Is Self-Care for Parents’” went viral, and she was recently in conversation with Tressie McMillan Cottom on The Ezra Klein Show, discussing her philosophy for pursuing real self-care in a society where commodified wellness fails us personally and collectively. Local to Austin, Dr. Lakshmin maintains a private telepsychiatry practice through which she takes care of patients dealing with burnout and perfectionism, as well as clinical conditions like depression and anxiety. She holds a summa cum laude BA in women’s studies and the biological basis of behavior from the University of Pennsylvania, and an MD from Jefferson Medical College. Dr. Lakshmin completed her internship and first year of psychiatry residency training at Stanford and went on to finish her adult psychiatry residency at George Washington University, where she focused on global mental health and perinatal psychiatry. She has been on the faculty in the Department of Psychiatry at George Washington University School of Medicine since 2016. Dr. Lakshmin is regularly invited to give her signature keynote: “Real Self-Care is An Inside Job.” In it, she covers her Four Principles of Real Self-Care using evidence-based tools, compelling story-telling, and a dose of humor. She also sometimes works as a consultant for companies to design mental health programming. When she’s not speaking, writing or taking care of patients, Pooja likes to enjoy her partner Justin’s sour cream enchiladas, watch Daniel Tiger with her toddler, and take commands from her two cats.

Mary Beth Storjohann is Co-CEO of Abacus Wealth Partners. She is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, author, and speaker with 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. She joined Abacus in 2019 as Chief Marketing Officer after successfully launching and growing her own RIA firm and in 2022 was appointed as Co-CEO.

A believer that “actions speak louder than words,” Storjohann is known for sparking conversations and modeling change in the financial services industry by leaning into uncomfortable dialogue and decisions in order to leave the world and the industry in a better place. She is a fierce advocate for women, diversity, equity & inclusion, and making financial advice accessible to underserved populations and has been invited to speak at various industry and consumer-focused conferences about the work Abacus is doing in these areas.

Mary Beth has been featured in major media outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, NBC, Glamour, NPR, The New York Times, Women’s Health, Cosmopolitan, CNBC, Forbes, and more.

Her accolades include the “Top 40 Under 40” by Investment News, being listed as a 2023 MO 100 Top Impact CEO by Big Path Capital, and she was named a Top Ten Most Influential Advisor by Investopedia – a list celebrating financial advisors making significant contributions to critical conversations about financial literacy and wealth management.

Mary Beth lives in San Diego with her husband, a 7 & 9-year-old who are constantly demanding snacks, and two rescue dogs.

Cassie Fowler is a visionary executive with over 20 years of experience driving impact in the nonprofit, technology, and media sectors. Currently the Chief Brand Officer at Pledge and also a board member of the Pledgeling Foundation, she has raised over $200 million in charitable donations from more than 100 countries and led initiatives such as a global movement with the UN to plant over 14 billion trees. Cassie has worked with influential leaders, including Nobel Peace Laureate Dr. Wangari Maathai of Kenya and the Nobel Women’s Initiative, to bring transformative visions to life.

Her achievements include launching the first series for Bloomberg TV Africa and spearheading campaigns that inspire social change. Recognized through numerous awards and global speaking engagements, Cassie is also a proud mother of three, including twins, and a mentor to first-generation college-bound women from underrepresented backgrounds. She brings an unwavering commitment to innovation and equity to every mission-driven endeavor she undertakes.

Maya Uppaluru Mechenbier is a product counsel and policy expert in health care, digital innovation, and social safety net programs. She is currently leading the Family Benefits Lab at Georgetown University’s Beeck Center for Social Impact & Innovation, which focuses on implementing human-centered design to support teen and college-aged mothers in continuing their education and pursuing meaningful career pathways. Prior to joining Georgetown, Maya was a Project Lead at the U.S. Digital Service (USDS) in the White House, where she launched the “Birth of a Child” Life Experience portfolio of projects, focusing on improving service delivery to low-income mothers and their families.

Maya also led the lived experience research that contributed to Pillar 5 of the National Strategy to Improve Maternal Mental Health in 2024, and contributed to the development of the White House Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis in 2022. Maya was previously a Counsel with Crowell & Moring’s Digital Health practice, where she provided legal and regulatory advice to a range of health care clients, including health plans, hospitals and health care providers, and medical device and health technology companies.

Jacqueline Blatt is an accomplished finance and strategy executive with over 12 years of experience across investment banking, growth equity investing, operational finance and corporate development. She founded JB Strategic Advisory, an independent consultancy that supports high-growth consumer brands, with a focus on business development, partnerships, strategic planning, fundraising, and investor relations. Her client roster includes notable names like Nanit and ResortPass. Jacqueline is also an Operating Fellow at Strada Partners, a European growth-oriented investment firm, where she helps evaluate new opportunities and provides guidance to Strada’s portfolio companies.

Previously, Jacqueline was the Vice President of Investor Relations and a Public Company Officer at Rent the Runway, the leading fashion rental platform that disrupted the retail industry. In this role, she was responsible for developing and executing the company’s investor relations strategy, leading the IPO process, and managing relationships with the investment and equity research community. She also spent nearly five years as Chief of Staff to Rent the Runway’s CEO, where she worked closely with RTR’s Executive Team to drive key strategic initiatives, facilitate business development, forge partnerships, and manage multi-faceted communications, internally and externally, including those at the Board level. Prior to her nearly eight-year tenure at RTR, Jacqueline was on the investment team at General Atlantic and worked in M&A at Blackstone.

A summa cum laude graduate from the Huntsman Program in International Studies and Business at the Wharton School and the University of Pennsylvania, Jacqueline now resides in New York City with her husband and two sons. 

Caitlyn Fox is a social sector leader who currently serves as Board member and advisor to a number of social impact nonprofits and startups, with a focus on climate, economic equity, and maternal rights. Caitlyn was a founding team member of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, where she was the organization’s first Chief of Staff and most recently Vice President and Head of Strategy. During her time at CZI, Cailtyn led programs in economic opportunity, affordable housing, and climate technology, and oversaw CZI’s Research Science, Measurement and Learning, and Capacity Building functions.

Caitlyn was previously a consultant for Redstone Strategy Group, a social sector consulting firm, and was on the strategy team at the Rockefeller Foundation. Caitlyn is on the Board of TechEquity, Chamber of Mothers, Doula For The People, and the Advisory Boards of Equatic and the Institute for Carbon Management at UCLA. Caitlyn has her MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and her BA from Brown University. Caitlyn is also a trained and practicing postpartum doula in the California Bay Area. Caitlyn lives in San Francisco with her husband and three young kids.

Lindsay Dahl is the Chief Impact Officer of Ritual, where she leads the brand’s traceability, sustainability, circularity, and advocacy programs. Lindsay has been instrumental in creating key awarded sustainability programs that lead the supplement industry, including: establishing Ritual as the first brand in the category to publicly share carbon footprints for all their products, launch a comprehensive tool that allows consumers to see the testing, sourcing and packaging details behind each Ritual product, and rolling out a policy roadmap that encourages Congress to push the industry towards safer and sustainable regulatory frameworks.

Prior to joining Ritual, Lindsay was most prominently known for her role as the SVP of Mission at Beautycounter, where she established the first of its kind corporate advocacy program that led to passing fifteen landmark pieces of clean beauty legislation. She also developed key programs that helped Beautycounter lead the clean category in safety, sustainability, responsible sourcing, resulting in widespread industry awards and recognition. Lindsay leveraged this work to lead to the second largest acquisition in the beauty industry’s history, where Beautycounter exited at a $1billion dollar valuation.

Lindsay has been working at the forefront of environmental health campaigns to eliminate toxic chemicals in consumer products through policy and market shifts for nearly 20 years and has been a lead strategist for the passage of over 30 state and federal health protective laws. She helped start, build and run, Safer Chemicals Healthy Families, the nation’s largest campaign working to remove toxic chemicals from consumer products, where they passed the first update of federal laws on toxic chemicals since the 1970s. She went on to be one of the lead lobbyists to help pass the Modernization of Cosmetics Reform Act (MoCRA) late in 2022.

Alisa Marie Beyer is the founder and CEO of Mindful Mama Childbirth, a global organization
dedicated to empowering first-time mothers with the knowledge, support, and confidence they
need for a safer, healthier, and less complicated hospital birth experience. Based in San Diego,
California, Alisa is a three-time mother, an experienced birth doula, certified childbirth
educator, and maternal care entrepreneur. With a personal mission to improve maternal
health—one birth at a time—she founded Mindful Mama Childbirth to provide
evidence-based education and compassionate support that empower women to have positive
and informed birth experiences.

With 20 years of experience at the intersection of business strategy and maternal health, Alisa
has led strategic initiatives for over 200 companies worldwide, ranging from innovative
start-ups to global industry leaders. Alisa’s leadership has been instrumental in launching,
scaling, and exiting several ventures—both her own and those of her clients. She played a key
role in the executive team of a $300 million division of a global consulting firm following the
acquisition of her business.Her extensive client roster includes companies such as Nestlé
Health Science, Biora Therapeutics, Prometheus, Bausch Health, Baxter, DuPont, L’Oréal,
Estée Lauder, Mary Kay, Avon, Bath & Body Works, and over 75 innovative startups.

Alisa is a sought-after expert in organizational growth, specializing in shaping and
communicating a company’s vision, aligning initiatives with strategic goals, and driving
sustained growth. Her expertise includes long-term planning, market analysis, cross-functional
collaboration, and stakeholder engagement to foster innovation while managing risks.

Additionally, Alisa is a prolific writer. She has penned over 200 articles on topics related to
women’s health, motherhood, and consumer needs. Her previous column for the Huffington
Post, The Raw and Real World of Working Motherhood, resonated with readers globally.

As a birthworker, Alisa is a DONA International Approved Birth Doula, a Certified Childbirth
Educator, and is approved by Tricare and Medicaid. She is HIPAA-compliant and holds
certifications in Adult and Child CPR. Alisa is also an active, practicing doula at UC San Diego
Health – Jacobs Medical Center in San Diego.