The Women’s Funding Network (WFN), the world’s largest network of foundations investing in gender justice, announces the appointments of three new members to its board of directors: Kerry Gardner, Lori Robinson, and Verónica Colón Rosario. The newly appointed members hail from diverse personal and professional backgrounds and are all proven leaders in philanthropy, gender equity, and justice advocacy.
WFN has also elected its 2024-2026 officers: Rashmi Yadav Marya, Board Chair; Ada Williams Prince, Board Vice Chair; Michelle Zych, Board Treasurer; and Adriana Loson-Ceballos, PhD, Board Secretary.
These latest powerhouse appointments help position WFN for a year of growth on their mission to advance the liberty of all people, all across the world. “As an organization dedicated to advancing the liberation of marginalized genders, people who are facing galling attacks right now, we know that we must accelerate our fight in 2024,” says WFN President & CEO, Elizabeth Barajas-Román, who was recently named one of Inside Philanthropy’s 50 most powerful women in U.S. philanthropy. “We’re thrilled to grow our leadership coalition with three more exceptional leaders and our new officers. Our global alliance will be made even stronger with their ideas, voices, and leadership.”
Read on to learn more about WFN’s impressive new board members and officers. We can make them available for interviews regarding this recent appointment and their work to advance gender justice. Headshots are available here.
New to joining the Board:
Kerry Gardner, AM
Kerry Gardner is a documentary filmmaker with a deep background in the arts, philanthropy, and nonprofit leadership. She’s based in Melbourne, Australia, where she’s been named a member of The Order of Australia for outstanding services to the cultural sector. Kerry is currently the co-chair of the International Women’s Development Agency (IWDA) in Australia. She is the past Chair of the Australian Institute of Art History at the University of Melbourne. She has also served as a Director of The MCA Sydney, The Australian Chamber Orchestra, and The Great Barrier Reef Foundation. She serves on the board of Global Fund for Women, and serves as a member of Women Moving Millions and the Grantmaking Committee of Culture and the Humanities of the Sidney Myer Fund. She was appointed Chair of the Venice Biennale Council for Australia and published the book Australia at the Venice Biennale: A Century of Contemporary Art. “I first joined a feminist org when I was 29, inspired by a wonderful woman 30 years my senior. Now I am that older woman!” Gardner says. “I’m hoping to inspire and work with emerging leaders as we learn together, connecting gender equality funders across the globe.”
Lori Robinson
Lori is the Founder and Executive Director of VidaAfrolatina, a participatory international women’s fund that mobilizes resources and connects them with Black and Afro-descendant women-led organizations in Latin America that address sexual violence. As a journalist for 25 years, she covered Black communities in Latin America and the U.S. She also covered sexual violence extensively and is the author of I Will Survive: The African-American Guide to Healing from Sexual Assault and Abuse. Lori is an Echoing Green Fellow. “In the midst of ferocious attacks on the progress made by feminist movements, women’s funds are more critical than ever to provide resources for organizations fighting for equity and systemic change,” says Robinson. “The Women’s Funding Network ensures that women’s funds collectively strengthen and strategize to meet this moment, and to build a just and healthy future for all genders. It’s a privilege for me to join the vanguard Board of Directors and advance this critical work.”
Verónica Colón Rosario
Verónica is Executive Director of the Fundación de Mujeres in Puerto Rico. “The Women’s Funding Network has been instrumental in supporting Fundación de Mujeres en Puerto Rico since its establishment in 2020. As a board member, I’m excited to promote the voices of feminist activists from our archipelago and participate in discussions on how to fund underfunded regions and initiatives,” says Colón Rosario. She is also a board member for True Self, a nonprofit in Puerto Rico that helps provide the trans community with education and economic opportunities. She is a member of the Advisory Committee of the Haitian Women’s Collective and Mentes Puertorriqueñas en Acción, as well as a SOAR Fellow at the Aspen Institute and a Líderes fellow with Hispanics in Philanthropy. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Puerto Rico and a Master’s degree in Latin American Studies and Democracy from Georgetown University.
Newly elected to leadership roles on the Board:
Rashmi Yadav Marya, Board Chair
Rashmi Yadav Marya is a board leader and diversity, equity, and inclusion advisor working with local and national organizations that focus on gender equity and education. She has extensive experience working across the private, public, and political sectors and began her career in neuroscience research working for the multinational pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly & Co. in their South African affiliate before shifting to mission-driven work. Most recently, she served as board chair of Emerge, a national political organization focused on empowering women to serve in elected and appointed political office. Rashmi has also served as a trustee of a Bay Area independent school, and on the board of the San Francisco FBI Citizens Academy. She is a Fulbright Scholar and holds a Master of Philosophy degree from the University of Cambridge, King’s College.
Ada Williams Prince, Board Vice Chair
Ada Williams Prince is a creative leader at the cutting edge of global and domestic philanthropy. She has worked for two decades to advance the power and influence of women and girls of color around the world. She has conceived groundbreaking disruptions to philanthropic norms and scalable models to transform the field along the way. By championing the formation of the first “Women and Girls of Color Design Council” within a premium philanthropic and venture organization, she has envisioned a future in philanthropy and investment built around silo-busting investment strategies and fundamental trust in women and girls at the intersection of gender, race/ethnicity, and economics. Ada is leading a growing community of funders committed to transforming capital and decision-making.
Michelle Zych, Board Treasurer
Michelle Zych joined The Sherwood Foundation in January 2021 as the Director of Community Initiatives. In this role, she supports the foundation’s mission to promote equity through social justice initiatives enhancing the quality of life in Nebraska. Prior to joining The Sherwood Foundation, Michelle served as executive director of the Women’s Fund of Omaha. During her time with the organization, she led a dynamic team that established the Women’s Fund as a statewide leader in advocacy, domestic violence, sex trafficking, and access to sexual and reproductive health care and education. In addition to serving on the board of the Women’s Funding Network, Michelle currently serves as the president of the board of directors for SHARE Omaha. She is a recipient of the Midlands Business Journal’s 40 Under 40, the University of Nebraska-Omaha College of Public Affairs and Community Service’s Alumni Award for Excellence in Public Service, and the University of Nebraska-Omaha Alumni Association’s Young Alumni Achievement Award. Michelle is a graduate of Leadership Omaha Class 31 and the Nonprofit Association of the Midlands’ Nonprofit Executive Institute Class 7.
Adriana Loson-Ceballos, PhD, Board Secretary
Dr. Adriana Loson-Ceballos is a seasoned evaluation, research, and fundraising consultant. She is also a co-founder of Colmena-Consulting, a radical consulting cooperative for change-makers with systematically marginalized identities and social justice values, seeking to create change through new models of work. She is committed to empowering organizations to make evidence-based strategic decisions, drawing upon her extensive experience in fundraising and evaluation, as well as her passion for collective action and community empowerment. Adriana provides support to social justice philanthropy projects and collection action efforts. With a background spanning over a decade in fundraising and a transnational perspective shaped by her upbringing along the U.S.-Mexico border, Adriana brings a unique lens to her work, centered on diversity, equity, and inclusion. Her doctoral research on Latino giving circles exemplifies her dedication to understanding and amplifying marginalized voices in philanthropy, reflecting her broader commitment to reshaping philanthropic practices for greater social impact. Additionally, Adriana volunteers her time on global philanthropy boards, Women’s Funding Network and Social Venture Partners International, furthering her mission to promote social justice and empowerment on a global scale.
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About WFN: With more than 100 women’s funds and foundations spanning six continents, the Women’s Funding Network is the largest global philanthropic alliance dedicated to providing strategies, research, and resources that support the critical agency and influence of women’s foundations and gender justice funders in the movement for equality, justice, and power for all. Visit the Women’s Funding Network website for more information, or connect on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.