WAND Inc. Staff

Jessie Calkins
Communications Officer

Jessie supports WAND's communications, design, and media relations. Since studying Linguistics at Boston University, Jessie has supported communication, design, and web development from the hospitality industry to the cycling industry. More recently she’s managed social media and content marketing from manufacturers to start-ups. She has a passion for design and writing, you can also find her teaching taiko drums and cycling around the greater Boston area.

 

 

Emily Charlap
Public Policy Officer/WAND PAC Manager

Emily assists with the development and implementation of WAND’s policy and advocacy strategy. She comes from both an advocacy and political campaign background, and has been involved with various women’s nonprofit organizations. Emily has recently recieved a Graduate Certificate in Women, Politics, and Political Leadership at the Women and Politics Institute at American University. Most recently, she worked on Capitol Hill for a senior House Democrat. She has also worked at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the National Organization for Women, and Lipman Hearne - a public relations firm.

 

 

Erica Fein
Nuclear Weapons Policy Officer

Erica works with Congress, the executive branch, and the peace and security community to advance WAND’s work on arms control, disarmament, and nonproliferation. Previously, Erica served as a legislative assistant to Congressman John D. Dingell (MI-12) where she advised on national security, defense, foreign policy, small business, and veterans’ issues. She holds an M.A in International Security from the University of Denver’s Josef Korbel School of International Studies and a B.A. in International Studies from University of Wisconsin - Madison.

 

Sen. Nan Grogan Orrock
WiLL President

Sen. Nan Grogan Orrock is responsible for the overall coordination of WiLL: recruitment, communication with members, material development and production, issue identification, and coordination with WAND. A veteran of the civil rights and women’s movements, Nan served ten terms in the Georgia House of Representatives and is serving her fourth term in the Georgia Senate.

Click here for Sen. Orrock's full bio.

 

 

Tanya Henderson
Public Policy Director

Tanya is a human rights attorney, specializing in gender, children’s rights and poverty law, with significant experience in program development, nonprofit management, and peace advocacy. She received her JD from Suffolk University Law School and pursued her LL.M (Master’s of Law) in international law from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. She has also earned several certificates in mediation and conflict negotiation. Her LL.M thesis, “Does International Gender Law Exist?: A Comparative Study of International Practice and Human Rights Law,” sought to establish a legal basis for gender discrimination, beyond the impermissible distinction based merely on biological sex, within existing international human rights law. Prior to joining WAND, Tanya was the National Director for the U.S. Section of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF), a legal consultant for the Ministry of Social Affairs in Lebanon on issues of gender based violence and women’s political participation, and worked in Ethiopia as part of a research team in conjunction with the Harvard Medical School, researching and drafting policy related to gender inequality, poverty and mental health law. Tanya is the author of a number of scholarly articles, including "Making Strides in Women's Mental Health Care Delivery in Rural Ethiopia: Demographics of a Female Outpatient Psychiatric Cohort at Jimma University Specialized Hosptial (2006-2008)".

 

Erin Linley
WiLL President's Associate

Erin Linley has always had a passion for women’s rights and empowerment. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in International Economics and Modern Language with a concentration in French. She has interned and volunteered at the French-American Chamber of Commerce in Atlanta, Georgia. There, she helped organize fundraising events and maintain a member database. She has also worked as a Legislative Aide for Sen. Nan Orrock. Currently, Erin is a Master’s of Public Administration candidate with plans to graduate in 2015. In addition to this, she is working towards becoming a Certified Nonprofit Professional.

 

 

Kimberly Niono
WAND/WiLL Program Associate

Kimberly assists with WAND and WiLL programmatic endeavors. Prior to joining WAND, she served as the chief administrative assistant for the Vice President of Community Development at Fannie Mae for multiple years, during which she received numerous awards for her volunteerism and leadership. Kimberly also brings five years of Capitol Hill experience to WAND, having previously worked for a lobbying firm. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Information Technology, and certifications in Management Information Systems and Computer Information Systems, from Catholic University of America, where she was inducted into the Alpha Sigma Lambda National Honor Society for adult students in 2000.

 

 

Sen. Sandy Pappas
WiLL Vice President

Sen. Pappas' focus is engaging legislators in media work and active messaging in state & national media outlets. Sandy Pappas was first elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 1984. In 1990, she was elected to the Minnesota Senate. Throughout her career, Sen. Pappas has been a fervent advocate for human rights. Sandy is a lifelong progressive, a supporter of women, has held several leadership positions in the Minnesota Senate, and nationally recognized for her legislative accomplishments.

 

 

Kathy Crandall Robinson
Senior Public Policy Director

Kathy leads WAND’s policy and advocacy strategy development. She particularly focuses on congressional and budget processes, particularly when related to nuclear weapons and Pentagon spending. Kathy has a background working with policymakers and grassroots advocates on nuclear disarmament and budget issues for a variety of organizations including Physicians for Social Responsibility, the Alliance for Nuclear Accountability and others. She is proud to have started her career working for Women Strike for Peace and is especially pleased to now be at WAND educating, empowering and engaging women working for peace and security.

 

Franck Salomon
Controller

Franck has over fifteen years of strong accounting management and technical support experience. Prior to WAND, he served as assistant director for the Haitian Coalition of Somerville, MA and as an information technology supervisor at Olympus Specialty Hospital.

 

 

 

 

Susan Shaer
Executive Director

Susan is responsible for the strategic direction, administration and financing of WAND Education Fund and its programs. She joined the staff in 1993, bringing over two decades of experience in the nonprofit, political, and policy worlds, with a frequent focus on women in politics. Susan leads the Win Without War coalition, and formerly Project Abolition, the Disarmament Clearinghouse and the Nuclear Disarmament Partnership.

Click here for Susan's full bio.

 

 

Adzi Vokhiwa
Senior WAND/WiLL Program Associate

Adzi is responsible for assisting with the coordination and implementation of program and field work, including event planning, media publications, member recruitment, and outreach. Originally from Fort Collins, CO, Adzi formerly resided in Atlanta and graduated from Georgia State University, where she earned a B.S. in Public Policy with a Concentration in Planning & Economic Development.

 

 

 

Sara Whitford
Operations Specialist

A graduate of Brown University, Sara handles various responsibilities in the Arlington office. She has two teenaged daughters, two energetic dogs, and a fiddle-playing husband. Sara is co-chair of the Parish Committee at First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington.

 

 

 

 

Sharon Zimmerman
Deputy Director

Sharon ensures the efficient and effective operation of WAND’s programs, services, and business operations. Sharon has extensive experience as a senior executive in national nonprofit organizations. Prior to joining WAND, Sharon served as vice president of programs and services for Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries, as well as regional director for the northeast region for Experience Works, a national economic development organization. For more than 25 years, Sharon has focused her work on implementing systemic and organizational approaches to achieving progressive social change by helping organizations build teams, create systems and procedures, and expand capacity and viability. Sharon currently serves as vice president of Greater Boston PFLAG’s Board of Directors and teaches graduate courses in social welfare policy and organizational development at Boston University School of Social Work. She has a BSW from Anna Maria College and an MSW from Boston University.