Meet the OWA Action Fund
Change Makers!
Change Makers is an annual 9-month leadership development program for young Ohioans interested in advocating for Reproductive Justice in their communities, at the Ohio Statehouse, and beyond. Throughout the 9-months, Change Makers strengthen their skills in civic engagement, relational organizing, and more. Scroll to meet our 2023 Change Makers!
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Carol is a Regulatory Specialist/Quality Engineer in Central Ohio. What excites her most about joining OWA’s Change Makers cohort is the opportunity to be a part of an organization whose mission is to help advocate for those who are facing inequity and injustice. Through this cohort, she has learned that there are so many different forms of advocacy. She’s had the opportunity to meet with representatives at the State House and speak with community members while tabling in front of shops and during festivals. She also helped organized AFO’s Wrap Party to conclude their Fund-A-Thon this year which raised over $100K for abortion access. She is honored to help educate, advocate, and bring together folks from all walks of life to raise awareness for reproductive justice.
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Abby is a psychology student at The Ohio State University from Cleveland, Ohio. She is driven by her passion for Reproductive Justice advocacy. She is also pursuing a minor in Women, Gender, and Public Policy studies and the Capital Program. She found out about the Change Makers cohort through an event on campus and was immediately excited about the opportunity to be part of the new group. Her favorite moment from the program so far was connecting with the community and fellow Change Makers at the Cleveland stop of the Reproductive Justice Listening Tour. Abby hopes to extend her involvement with Ohio Women’s Alliance after the program and continue supporting the fight for Reproductive Justice in Ohio and beyond!
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Karina is a junior at the Ohio State University studying Political Science with a specialization in Cooperation, Conflict and Violence and minoring in Nonprofit Management. She is passionate about women’s rights and reproductive justice. She is from San Jose, Costa Rica and is a proud advocate for Latina women around the world. She has been involved in the Ohio Women’s Alliance Change Makers Program since February and participated in the Statehouse Day where she advocated for women with representatives and state Senators including Senator Nikki Antonio. She wishes to continue advocating for women in her community and looks forward to doing so on an international level in the future.
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In 2022, Taaj graduated from Bowling Green State University with her Masters of Art in College Student Personnel. She is currently working as a Graduation Success Coach at Cleveland State University where she supports low-income and First Generation students. Taaj is passionate about reproductive justice, in particular, abortion advocacy and period(menstrual) equity. She continues to educate herself on issues related to race, gender, and sexuality to share her knowledge within her community. Taaj has completed training with OWA to hopefully become a Members Assistance Program Warm-Line Volunteer in effort to break down barriers people may be facing to receive the abortion care they need. In addition to her activism, Taaj also loves traveling, attending concerts, and is an extreme foodie. She’s combining these interests and developing a business where she can plan day/weekend trips for young adults who also want to live their best lives on a budget!
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Rebekah Russell is a 2024 Doctor of Medicine Candidate at Case Western Reserve University. In addition, she obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Pschology and Master of Public Health from Case Western Reserve University in 2018 and 2020 respectively. She is passionate about social justice, reproductive justice, and health equity. Rebekah plans to pursure a career in Obstetrics and Gynecology and plans to use the knowledge gained from OWA Change Makers Program to benefit future patients and her larger community. In her free time, Rebekah enjoys being physically active, traveling, and exploring new places to eat.
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Nyshia is a graduate of the first Reproductive Justice Table, and she helped develop OWA’s Tik Tok account. She has done a lot of volunteer work with OWA doing canvassing work. She is a boy mom and BIPOC woman from Columbus, Ohio, and her most recent work with OWA has been Change Makers. As a strong advocate for Reproductive Justice, Nyshia is now in cosmetology school and will continue working with OWA on advocacy projects and fighting for Reproductive Justice. She is a people person, loves to try new things, and her favorite hobby is skating and being outdoors with her boys.
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Donya graduated from the University of Dayton with a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice. She currently works at the University of Dayton as an Annual Giving Volunteer Coordinator while pursuing her Master's in Public Administration. She has a passion for ensuring people in underserved communities know what is happening in the political system and use their vote to make a difference. She believes that constituents should have a voice in what’s happening in their community and see a direct impact. Donya has worked with other nonprofit organizations in the Ohio region, focusing on criminal justice reform and voting rights. She found out about the OWA Changemakers program from an old advisor. Donya is excited to take all the knowledge she has learned and will continue to learn from this program into her future endeavors as an advocate.
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Ellena is a third-year medical student at The Ohio State University who aims to apply her values for service and advocacy in her future career as a physician. She is grateful to OWA’s Change Makers cohort for connections with ambitious and insightful women across the state and for new knowledge and tools to support her mission for reproductive justice and health equity. When she’s not helping take care of patients, she can be found reading fantasy books with her dog at the park, attempting to revive her dying house plants, or cooking a meal with her friends.
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Laura Sullivan, LISW has a background in trauma therapy, child welfare, and as a host/foster family. Laura currently serves as the Chief Program Officer at JustChoice, overseeing family preservation, all options counseling, and adoption. Laura is passionate about Reproductive Justice, relational programming, and disrupting systems that cause harm to those they were created to serve. As an adoption professional, Laura believes that an ethical pregnant person-centered adoption plan cannot be created unless all pregnancy options are presented. This work is deeply personal for Laura; her mother was a teen mother who became pregnant as a result of rape and didn’t have access to support or options. Laura is grateful for the opportunity to change the landscape for unplanned pregnancy and continually works to ensure that all pregnant people have a voice and access to their reproductive choices.
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Kelly is a graduate of The Ohio State University and incoming J.D. Candidate at Vanderbilt Law School. As a future attorney, Kelly hopes to help shield patients and providers from criminalization, contribute to impact litigation on critical Reproductive Justice issues, and aid in the development of policy that advances Reproductive Justice. She has previously organized with Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio and canvassed for Ohio Supreme Court candidates with the Ohio Women’s Alliance Action Fund during the 2022 election. She recently became a certified abortion doula and primarily serves youth and low-income individuals seeking abortion care outside the traditional health care system.
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Emma is a sophomore at The Ohio State University studying Social Work. Emma is in the 4+1 BSSW and MSW program offered through Ohio State where she will earn her Masters in Social Work in five years. She is very passionate about finding ways to connect within her community and fight for justice in many different facets. Through the Change Makers Program she has learned new ways to make impacts in her community and ways to propel actual change. The Change Makers Program has provided her with a wonderful community of people that have a common interest of reproductive justice while being able to work together and share ideas on how best to create change.