Beyond Borders 2025 will bring together a powerful group of cross-sector leaders (state legislators, advocates, and international leaders) to explore what the U.S. can learn from global allies who have resisted authoritarianism and advanced human rights under pressure.
Together, we will:
Goals for Beyond Borders
On this page, you'll find:
Hotel:
The Royal Sonesta Washington D.C.Capitol Hill
20 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC 20001
Convening Location:
The O’Neill Institute at Georgetown Law McDonough Hall
500 First St. NW, Washington, DC 20001
5:00 - 5:30 PM
Check-In
📍 West Atrium Gallery
5:30 - 7:30 PM
Welcome Reception
📍 West Atrium Gallery
9:00 AM
Breakfast and Check-In
📍 9th Floor
9:30 AM
Welcome & Keynote Address
📍 9th Floor Conference Room
Welcome:
Jennifer Driver (she/her/hers/ella)
State Innovation Exchange
Jennifer is an award-winning reproductive health, rights, and justice policy and advocacy leader with nearly 15 years in the field. Her work centers on addressing systems that add burdens or barriers to accessing full reproductive health information and services— paying particular attention to communities of color, immigrants, system involved youth, and LGBTQ communities. Previously, Jennifer served as VP of Policy and Strategic Partnerships with SIECUS (the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States), where she provided leadership to drive the organization’s federal and state policy and advocacy efforts. Prior to joining the team at SIECUS, Jennifer worked for Welcoming America where her work focused on the intersection of immigration, racism, education, health, and policy. Her previous experience also
includes working for Power to Decide and the Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Power and Potential. She is the Founder of Take Root Strategies LLC, a consulting firm providing strategic guidance on reproductive health care policy. Jennifer serves on the board of the Alexandria Campaign on Adolescent Pregnancy Leadership Council.
Ida V. Eskamani (she/her/hers/ella)
State Innovation Exchange
Ida V. Eskamani is the Senior Director of Shared Economic Prosperity for State Innovation Exchange (SiX), advancing racial, gender, and economic justice in state capitals across the country by building people-centered governing. Before joining SiX, Ida was Policy Director for Florida For All, the state's statewide alignment table and Legislative Aide to Representative Carlos Guillermo Smith, Florida's first LGBTQ+ Latino legislator. Ida has organized on countless intersectional fronts, from LGBTQ+ rights to housing justice and combating abusive preemption. Ida believes power can be built everywhere and that solidarity is our movement's superpower. Ida earned dual degrees in Political Science and Sociology from the University of Central Florida, as well as a Master's in Public Administration from the same University. She has served on several volunteer boards locally and statewide, and in her free time, Ida is a freelance music writer for the Orlando Weekly. Her twin sister is Dr. Representative Anna V. Eskamani, and they proudly call Orlando, Florida home.
Rebecca Reingold (she/her/hers/ella)
O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law
Rebecca Reingold is an associate director at the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law. Her work focuses primarily on reproductive health, rights, and justice in the U.S. and globally. Reingold previously worked as an associate director of the Health and Human Rights Initiative, where she conducted research on health and human rights, sexual and reproductive rights, and violence against women and girls in Latin America and the Caribbean. Prior to joining the O’Neill Institute, Reingold served as an advocacy coordinator at International Planned Parenthood Federation, Western Hemisphere Region. Additionally, she served on the board of directors of If/When/How (formerly Law Students for Reproductive Justice), and currently serves on the advisory board of Training in Early Abortion for Comprehensive Healthcare (TEACH).
Keynote Speaker:
Dr. Michele Goodwin (they/them/their/elle)
O’Neill Institute for National and
Global Health Law
Michele Bratcher Goodwin is the Linda D. & Timothy J. O’Neill Professor of Constitutional Law and Global Health Policy and Co-Faculty Director of the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law. Dr. Goodwin is one to the most cited health law scholars in the world and a highly regarded public intellectual with commentaries appearing in the NY Times, Washington Post, The Atlantic, The Nation, the L.A. Times, Newsweek, Ms. magazine and other publications. She has testified before state and federal legislators on matters of health and reproductive justice. Dr. Goodwin is the author of six books and over 100 articles and commentaries on matters of law, medicine, reproductive health, and biotechnologies. She is the 2022 recipient of the American Bar Association’s Margaret Brent Award and in 2023 she was honored by the California Women’s Law Center with their prestigious Pursuit of Justice Award. Dr. Goodwin is author of the award-winning book, Policing The Womb: Invisible Women and The Criminalization of Motherhood.
10:00 - 11:15 AM
Opening Plenary: Unstoppable: Intersectional Movements for Liberation
📍 9th Floor Conference Room
The fight for freedom is global — and it’s ours to win. Around the world, abortion rights leaders, LGBTQ activists, and economic justice organizers are rising up against oppressive systems and restrictive laws that threaten our bodies, our health, and our futures. This electrifying plenary convenes bold movement leaders who will share hard-won lessons from their countries, highlight research that strengthens our collective strategy, and offer concrete pathways to resist attacks in our own communities. Together, we’ll chart a path to liberation — building power across movements and borders to protect bodily autonomy, advance self-determination, and create lasting change.
Moderator:
Jennifer Driver (she/her/hers/ella)
State Innovation Exchange
Jennifer is an award-winning reproductive health, rights, and justice policy and advocacy leader with nearly 15 years in the field. Her work centers on addressing systems that add burdens or barriers to accessing full reproductive health information and services— paying particular attention to communities of color, immigrants, system involved youth, and LGBTQ communities. Previously, Jennifer served as VP of Policy and Strategic Partnerships with SIECUS (the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States), where she provided leadership to drive the organization’s federal and state policy and advocacy efforts. Prior to joining the team at SIECUS, Jennifer worked for Welcoming America where her work focused on the intersection of immigration, racism, education, health, and policy. Her previous experience also
includes working for Power to Decide and the Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Power and Potential. She is the Founder of Take Root Strategies LLC, a consulting firm providing strategic guidance on reproductive health care policy. Jennifer serves on the board of the Alexandria Campaign on Adolescent Pregnancy Leadership Council.
Panelists:
Morena Herrera (she/her/hers/ella)
La Agrupación
Morena Herrera is a feminist activist, human rights advocate, participant in different local, national, and regional organizations that defend human rights, women, youth, and LGBTQI people. Between 1975 to 1992 in social and insurgent movements. Founder of Las Dignas and member of the Feminist Collective for Local Development. President of the Citizen Group for the Decriminalization of Abortion. Co-litigant in Manuela and Beatriz cases in CorteIDH, Representative of the Feminist Collective in Red Mujer y Hábitat de LAC, member of the Driving Group of the Mesoamerican Initiative of Human Rights Defenders (IMD), of Sombrilla Centroamericana. Graduated from Doctoral Studies in Ibero American Philosophy at Universidad CA, José Simón Cañas UCA, Master in Gender Relations, University of Gerona, Spain, Master in Development. University teaching. Research on Femicide, Citizenship and political participation of women, Violence against women, Feminist strategies in the Women's movement, and Consequences of criminalizing abortion. Member of an academic group for the creation of the first Master's Degree in Gender Studies at the University of El Salvador, UES.
Luis Salazar (he/him/his/él)
Costa Rica Presidential Commissioner for LGBTI Affairs
Luis Salazar was appointed the first Presidential Commissioner on LGBTIQ+ affairs, working in the Costa Rican Office of the President between 2015 and 2020. In this position, he was responsible for leading the Government's efforts to elaborate public policies and executive regulations on equality and non-discrimination across different institutions, and for guaranteeing the implementation of the Advisory Opinion OC-24/17 and same-sex marriage. He managed alliances and networks with civil society, private companies, universities, multilateral organizations, and embassies, and represented the Government in international activities. Since then, he has worked with LGBTIQ+ organizations such as the Museum of Identity and Pride in Costa Rica to educate about human rights, diversity, and equality. He is currently pursuing a law degree at the University of Connecticut’s School of Law.
Paula Ávila-Guillén (she/her/hers/ella)
Women's Equality Center
Paula Avila-Guillen is a Green Wave movement leader, an international human rights lawyer, and the Executive Director of The Women's Equality Center (WEC). She has helped lead the fight to decriminalize abortion in her home country of Colombia and has supported the efforts that led to the decriminalization in Argentina and Mexico. Paula is part of the coalition of leaders holding El Salvador's government accountable for the systematic persecution and criminalization of women unjustly sentenced to imprisonment after having suffered obstetric emergencies, and has contributed to the freedom of over 66 Salvadoran women.
Rebecca Reingold (she/her/hers/ella)
O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law
Rebecca Reingold is an associate director at the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law. Her work focuses primarily on reproductive health, rights, and justice in the U.S. and globally. Reingold previously worked as an associate director of the Health and Human Rights Initiative, where she conducted research on health and human rights, sexual and reproductive rights, and violence against women and girls in Latin America and the Caribbean. Prior to joining the O’Neill Institute, Reingold served as an advocacy coordinator at International Planned Parenthood Federation, Western Hemisphere Region. Additionally, she served on the board of directors of If/When/How (formerly Law Students for Reproductive Justice), and currently serves on the advisory board of Training in Early Abortion for Comprehensive Healthcare (TEACH).
11:30 - 12:30 PM
Breakout Sessions
📍 Room 355
This session explores law and policy efforts from around the world aimed at removing criminal law from the regulation of abortion and countering the establishment of legal personhood for prenatal life. Join us for a rich discussion of the strategies and arguments that have proven successful in various legal systems and political contexts.
Moderator:
Rebecca Reingold (she/her/hers/ella)
O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law
Rebecca Reingold is an associate director at the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law. Her work focuses primarily on reproductive health, rights, and justice in the U.S. and globally. Reingold previously worked as an associate director of the Health and Human Rights Initiative, where she conducted research on health and human rights, sexual and reproductive rights, and violence against women and girls in Latin America and the Caribbean. Prior to joining the O’Neill Institute, Reingold served as an advocacy coordinator at International Planned Parenthood Federation, Western Hemisphere Region. Additionally, she served on the board of directors of If/When/How (formerly Law Students for Reproductive Justice), and currently serves on the advisory board of Training in Early Abortion for Comprehensive Healthcare (TEACH).
Presenters:
Rebecca Ramos (she/her/hers/ella)
Grupo de Información en Reproducción Elegida (GIRE – Information Group on Reproductive Choice)
Rebeca Ramos Duarte is a lawyer from the Free School of Law (Escuela Libre de Derecho), with a Master's in Laws from the Iberoamerican University. She began working at GIRE in January 2012 as coordinator of the Public Policy Advocacy area, and in March 2020, she assumed the role of Executive Director. Previously, she was a parliamentary advisor and a member of the working group on constitutional reform and human rights. Rebeca was also the General Coordinator of the Legal Center for Human Rights and has participated in various publications. In May 2024, she was recognized by TIME magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world for her work in favor of reproductive rights. When the patriarchy falls, she wants to open a bookstore and drink coffee.
Morena Herrera (she/her/hers/ella)
La Agrupación
Morena Herrera is a feminist activist, human rights advocate, participant in different local, national, and regional organizations that defend human rights, women, youth, and LGBTQI people. Between 1975 to 1992 in social and insurgent movements. Founder of Las Dignas and member of the Feminist Collective for Local Development. President of the Citizen Group for the Decriminalization of Abortion. Co-litigant in Manuela and Beatriz cases in CorteIDH, Representative of the Feminist Collective in Red Mujer y Hábitat de LAC, member of the Driving Group of the Mesoamerican Initiative of Human Rights Defenders (IMD), of Sombrilla Centroamericana. Graduated from Doctoral Studies in Ibero American Philosophy at Universidad CA, José Simón Cañas UCA, Master in Gender Relations, University of Gerona, Spain, Master in Development. University teaching. Research on Femicide, Citizenship and political participation of women, Violence against women, Feminist strategies in the Women's movement, and Consequences of criminalizing abortion. Member of an academic group for the creation of the first Master's Degree in Gender Studies at the University of El Salvador, UES.
Denise Tomasini-Joshi (she/her/hers/ella)
If/When/How: Lawyering for Reproductive Justice
Denise Tomasini-Joshi, Co-Executive Director of If/When/How: Lawyering for Reproductive Justice, is an advocate whose work has touched upon issues of mental health, health and drug policy, criminal legal reform, women’s rights, and groups marginalized by inhumane government policies. A fluent Spanish speaker, she helped set up the first pre-trial release program in Latin America and has written about issues of involuntary commitment. Denise holds a J.D. from Columbia Law School, and a Master’s in International Affairs from Columbia University. She’s Co-Chair of the Board of the first and only women-focused philanthropic foundation in Puerto Rico where she works on feminist approaches to climate resilience, and preventing gender-based violence, among other issues.
Wendy Heipt (she/her/hers/ella)
Legal Voice
Wendy Heipt is currently the Senior Reproductive Justice Counsel at Legal Voice, a non-profit organization that works for gender justice. In this role, she works on legislation and advocacy across the Pacific Northwest to advance gender justice and counter opposition. She also publishes on numerous gender justice topics in both legal and popular publications and works with allies nationwide. Wendy has litigated whistleblower, First Amendment, and discrimination lawsuits and has worked on gender responsive and culturally appropriate programs for juvenile justice-involved girls. A native New Yorker, she is now based in Seattle.
Dana Sussman (she/her/hers/ella)
Pregnancy Justice
Dana Sussman (she/her/hers) joined Pregnancy Justice in 2021 as Deputy Executive Director and served as Acting Executive Director in the transition period prior to Lourdes A. Rivera joining as the new President. Dana previously served as a Deputy Commissioner at the NYC Commission on Human Rights and has 15 years of experience as a workers’ rights, civil rights, and gender justice attorney. After graduating from Northeastern University School of Law, Dana served as a Legal Fellow at the Center for Reproductive Rights and clerked for federal Magistrate Judge James Orenstein in the Eastern District of New York. Dana holds a B.A. and an M.P.H. from Tufts University.
📍 Room 500
In September, the U.S. federal government officially withdrew its participation in the UN Universal Periodic Review- a crucial human rights accountability mechanism. Hundreds of state legislators across the country have stepped up to fill this gap in the UPR process, submitting official reports documenting the retrogression of human rights in the United States and calling for ongoing review of human rights violations from abortion access to maternal mortality to illegal detention and deportation and water injustice and many more. This session will demystify the UN UPR process and identify key upcoming opportunities for state legislators to showcase their efforts championing human rights in their states and beyond.
Moderator:
Fran Linkin (she/her/hers/ella)
State Innovation Exchange
As Director of Research, Fran works to connect reproductive health researchers and state legislators to improve knowledge and advocacy around evidence based policy. Previously, Fran was the Senior Manager of Research at the Center for Reproductive Rights, where she served a bridging role between the public health/clinical research world and the state and national policy/legal work of the Center on many campaigns and cases, including Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt at the US Supreme Court. Fran received her Master of Public Health from Columbia University, where she focused on the impact of abortion and family planning restrictions in the US. She conducted state-wide qualitative research with the Texas Policy Evaluation Project and has worked on research projects for the NYC Department of Health and NYU. Before training in Public Health, Fran was the Associate Director of Public Affairs for Planned Parenthood Mar Monte where she managed grassroots, legislative, and ballot initiative advocacy for a 14 health center region. Fran is currently serving as a co-chair of the Abortion Taskforce at the American Public Health Association.
Presenters:
Cynthia Soohoo (she/her/hers/ella)
CUNY School of Law
Cynthia Soohoo (she/her) is a Professor of Law and co-directs the Human Rights and Gender Justice Clinic at City University of New York (CUNY) School of Law. She has worked on sexual and reproductive health issues and U.S. human rights compliance with international legal obligations before U.N. human rights bodies, the Inter-American Commission for Human Rights, and in federal and state courts. Prior to joining the CUNY faculty, she served as Director of the U.S. Legal Program at the Center for Reproductive Rights. From 2001-2007, Professor Soohoo ran the U.S. Human Rights Program at Columbia Law School’s Human Rights Institute and was a supervising attorney for Columbia’s Human Rights Clinic. Before that, she practiced law at Covington & Burling (formerly Howard, Darby & Levin) for 6 years and clerked for the Hon. Gerard L. Goettel, U.S.D.J., SDNY. Professor Soohoo is a graduate of Williams College (BA) and the University of Pennsylvania (JD). She has published numerous articles and reports on access to abortion, forced sterilization, and criminalization of reproductive choices, and is co-editor of the book, Bringing Human Rights Home. She is licensed to practice in New York.
Lisa Borden (she/her/hers/ella)
Southern Poverty Law Center
Lisa Borden is the Deputy Federal Policy Director for the Southern Poverty Law Center. A civil and human rights attorney with 35 years of experience, Lisa has litigated civil rights cases on issues ranging from homelessness to prison conditions and the death penalty. She works in international human rights advocacy at the United Nations and other international organizations to advocate for domestic US implementation of human rights treaties and standards. Lisa is a Salzburg Global Fellow and a graduate of Emory University School of Law and the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights.
Brad Parker (he/him/his/él)
Center on Constitutional Rights
Brad Parker is Associate Director of Policy at the Center for Constitutional Rights. He leads the organization’s policy advocacy at the federal, state, and international levels, developing and implementing movement-based legislative and policy advocacy strategies to challenge white supremacy, economic oppression, gender oppression, and abusive state practices. Brad has expertise supporting movement partners on lobbying and advocacy, including congressional and government relations, legislative counseling, policy research and analysis, and coalition management. Prior to joining the Center for Constitutional Rights, he was Senior Adviser for Policy and Advocacy at Defense for Children International - Palestine, Legal Advocacy Coordinator and Staff Attorney at MADRE, and a Human Rights Fellow in the International Women’s Human Rights Clinic at the City University of New York School of Law. He has worked on a range of international human rights issues, specializing in juvenile justice, grave violations against children during armed conflict, and violations of international humanitarian law and international criminal law in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian Territory, and human rights advocacy addressing sexual violence in Haiti.
📍 Room 800
This session explores law and policy efforts from around the world aimed at limiting parental involvement in young people’s abortion decision-making. Whether grounded in the "evolving capacities" or "progressive autonomy" principles, various national-level approaches have successfully advanced young people's autonomy in decision-making involving abortion care.
Moderator:
Laura Hernández (she/her/hers/ella)
State Innovation Exchange
Laura Hernandez is the Senior Associate for SiX’s Reproductive Rights team. Previously, Laura was the Director of Policy for Planned Parenthood in Florida, where she led the organization’s legislative priorities in the state. During her time there, Laura was the lead lobbyist in defeating over five anti-abortion bills and co-led Florida’s Reproductive Freedom coalition. Prior to doing policy work, Laura organized in her community during the 2016 Presidential elections and led canvassing events on Zika prevention education, Andrew Gillum for Governor, and Amendment 4, which restored the right to vote for 1.4 million returning citizens in Florida. Her passion for reproductive rights and justice is driven by her community organizing background and her lived experiences as a Latina, immigrant, and first-generation college graduate. Laura obtained her two bachelor's in Political Science and Women and Gender Studies, along with certificates in Public Policy and Latin American and Caribbean Studies from Florida International University.
Presenters:
Dana Repka (she/her/hers/ella)
University of Toronto
Dana Repka is an Argentinian lawyer and researcher specializing in sexual and reproductive health law. She is a Research Associate at the International Reproductive and Sexual Health Law Program at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law. Her work, grounded in feminist theory, focuses on comparative and empirical research on abortion access and healthcare providers’ conscientious objection. Dana co-founded the Youth Network for the Right to Abortion in Latin America and the Caribbean, a platform dedicated to amplifying young voices in reproductive rights advocacy across the region. She has coordinated strategic amicus curiae briefs for landmark cases in Latin America, trained healthcare professionals in legal education, and co-authored articles aimed at improving the quality and accessibility of abortion care. Her current research explores the impact of informed consent regulations on adolescents’ access to sexual and reproductive health services.
Fernanda Herrera Tovar (she/her/hers/ella)
Profamilia Colombia
Fernanda Herrera is a lawyer specialized in Procedural Law with an emphasis on Human Rights, Sexual and Reproductive Rights, Public Law, and International Law. With over seven years of experience, she serves as the Manager of Social Projects on Abortion Advocacy at Profamilia Colombia. She has been instrumental in creating the International Abortion Consortium, promoting self-care abortion under a human-centered design approach. She manages three key projects focused on academic advocacy for abortion education, strengthening networks of accompaniment and healthcare providers, and expanding access to quality abortion medications like mifepristone. She leads multidisciplinary teams and collaborates with global organizations such as IPPF, Ipas, and Ríos/Rivers to advance sustainable, equitable, and accessible abortion ecosystems across Colombia and Latin America.
Rosann Mariappuram (she/her/hers/ella)
State Innovation Exchange
Rosann Mariappuram is a lawyer and advocate who has been part of reproductive health, rights, and justice movements for over a decade. She is the former executive director of Jane’s Due Process, a nonprofit that fights for young people’s bodily autonomy and helps anyone under 18 in Texas confidentially access abortion and birth control. Prior to Jane’s Due Process, Rosann worked at Legal Voice, Surge Reproductive Justice, and the Reproductive Health Access Project. She has served on the boards of Equality Texas, NARAL Pro-Choice Texas, and the Lilith Fund for Reproductive Equity. Rosann earned her J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law, her M.A. in international relations from the City College of New York, and her B.A. from New York University. Rosann is originally from Ohio and is the proud daughter of immigrant parents.
📍 McCourt Room 612
The tax fight is everyone's fight. Tax policy is deeply intertwined with racial justice and worker power, and linked to movements across the world tackling wealth inequality. As the Trump Administration initiates the largest transfer of wealth from working families to the billionaire class, and super-charges the criminalization of immigrant communities, there is an urgent opportunity for state legislators to lead. State legislators can do what the Trump Administration will not — pass common sense tax policy to fund programs working families depend on. Join us for a strategic conversation with state, national, and international leaders on how state legislators and organizers can work together, in state and across borders, to fund the futures our communities deserve and demand.
Moderator:
Ida V. Eskamani (she/her/hers/ella)
State Innovation Exchange
Ida V. Eskamani is the Senior Director of Shared Economic Prosperity for State Innovation Exchange (SiX), advancing racial, gender, and economic justice in state capitals across the country by building people-centered governing. Before joining SiX, Ida was Policy Director for Florida For All, the state's statewide alignment table and Legislative Aide to Representative Carlos Guillermo Smith, Florida's first LGBTQ+ Latino legislator. Ida has organized on countless intersectional fronts, from LGBTQ+ rights to housing justice and combating abusive preemption. Ida believes power can be built everywhere and that solidarity is our movement's superpower. Ida earned dual degrees in Political Science and Sociology from the University of Central Florida, as well as a Master's in Public Administration from the same University. She has served on several volunteer boards locally and statewide, and in her free time, Ida is a freelance music writer for the Orlando Weekly. Her twin sister is Dr. Representative Anna V. Eskamani, and they proudly call Orlando, Florida home.
Presenters:
Whitney Jemison (she/her/hers/ella)
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
Whitney Jemison is the Director of State Fiscal Policy Research at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, where she leads an expert team advancing more inclusive and equitable tax and budget policies in the states. She coordinates the Center’s efforts to shape state policy debates through rigorous research and technical support to state-level advocates. Before joining the Center, Whitney spent nearly a decade advancing anti-poverty policy in state-based child advocacy organizations. As Policy Director at NC Child in North Carolina, she led the organization’s legislative strategy and policy research with a focus on family economic security. Earlier, at Children’s Trust of South Carolina, she served as Policy and Research Associate, directing a statewide coalition to advance early childhood education and economic policy reforms. Her background includes work on a wide range of issues aimed at expanding opportunity and equity — from child care affordability and Medicaid access to state earned income tax credits and fair representation in the U.S. decennial census. Whitney holds a B.A. in Public Policy from Vanderbilt University and an M.P.H. in Health Services Policy from the University of South Carolina.
Jonathan Huskey (he/him/his/él)
State Revenue Alliance
Jonathan Huskey is Communications Director at the State Revenue Alliance. Jonathan's perspective on communications and message strategy reflects over 20 years of experience working with member organizations, political campaigns, and justice causes. Most recently, Jonathan was Deputy Director of State Campaigns at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, where he gained a reputation as a skilled tactician and trusted advisor to state-based policy organizations and tax advocacy efforts. Prior to the Center, Jonathan advocated for public services and the people who provide them while at the Service Employees International Union. His professional experience also extends to electoral, revenue ballot, union, and worker organizing campaigns, opinion research, advertising, and digital strategy. He lives in Alexandria, Virginia, with his family.
Noel Frame (she/her/hers/ella)
Washington State Senator
Noel is an award-winning legislator, having been honored more than 15 times for her work advocating for youth involved in the foster care and juvenile criminal legal systems, for individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities and behavioral health challenges, and for her work on economic development and reforming the state’s tax code. She is the Vice Chair of Finance for the Senate Ways & Means Committee and Vice Chair of the Senate Human Services Committee. She previously served as the Senate Majority Deputy Floor Leader and Chair of the House Finance Committee. In addition to her role in the state legislature, Noel is the Managing Partner and an owner of Uncommon Bridges, an organizational development, engagement, and policy consulting firm and small business in Seattle. She is a facilitator, organizer, strategist, and engagement specialist with 25 years' experience in the non-profit, private, public, and political sectors. Noel earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from George Washington University in Washington, DC. She and her husband, Jim, live in Seattle with their kindergartner, Holden.
Jason Ward (he/him/his/él)
Centre for International Corporate Tax Accountability and Research
Jason Ward founded the Centre for International Corporate Tax Accountability & Research (CICTAR) and is based in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney. For the last three years, Jason has been included in the International Tax Review’s list of the 50 most influential people on tax policy. He was born in England, spent his early life living in Africa and the Middle East, and immigrated to Australia from the US in 2012. Jason has an MPhil from the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) at the University of Sussex and has decades of experience conducting strategic corporate research for global unions. When not unpicking the corporate structures and tax avoidance practices of multinationals, Jason enjoys long hikes in the surrounding wilderness.
12:30 - 1:30 PM
Lunch
📍 9th Floor
1:45 - 2:45 PM
Breakout Sessions
📍 Room 355
Around the world, countries are proving that abortion is essential health care — a matter of dignity, equity, and human rights. This session calls on state leaders to challenge the U.S.’s legacy of abortion exceptionalism and envision a future where care is accessible, stigma-free, and fully integrated into our health systems. Together, we’ll explore global models and bold state strategies to tear down the regulatory, financial, and social barriers that stand between people and the care they deserve.
Moderator:
Jennifer Driver (she/her/hers/ella)
State Innovation Exchange
Jennifer is an award-winning reproductive health, rights, and justice policy and advocacy leader with nearly 15 years in the field. Her work centers on addressing systems that add burdens or barriers to accessing full reproductive health information and services— paying particular attention to communities of color, immigrants, system involved youth, and LGBTQ communities. Previously, Jennifer served as VP of Policy and Strategic Partnerships with SIECUS (the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States), where she provided leadership to drive the organization’s federal and state policy and advocacy efforts. Prior to joining the team at SIECUS, Jennifer worked for Welcoming America where her work focused on the intersection of immigration, racism, education, health, and policy. Her previous experience also
includes working for Power to Decide and the Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Power and Potential. She is the Founder of Take Root Strategies LLC, a consulting firm providing strategic guidance on reproductive health care policy. Jennifer serves on the board of the Alexandria Campaign on Adolescent Pregnancy Leadership Council.
Presenters:
Joanna Erdman (she/her/hers/ella)
Dalhousie University
Joanna Erdman is a Professor and the MacBain Chair in Health Law and Policy at the Schulich School of Law, Dalhousie University in Halifax, Canada. Joanna’s research focuses on sexual and reproductive health and rights in a transnational context with a specialization in abortion law and policy. Her recent publications include Abortion Law Illiberalism and Feminist Politics in Comparative Perspective (2024). Joanna has served as an intervener on abortion rights litigation before constitutional courts and international human rights bodies, and as a technical advisor with the World Health Organization's Department of Reproductive Health and Research. She formerly chaired the Global Health Advisory Committee of the Public Health Program and served on the advisory board of the Women’s Rights Program at the Open Society Foundations. Joanna holds a JD from the University of Toronto and an LLM from Harvard Law School.
Fernanda Herrera Tovar (she/her/hers/ella)
Profamilia Colombia
Fernanda Herrera is a lawyer specialized in Procedural Law with an emphasis on Human Rights, Sexual and Reproductive Rights, Public Law, and International Law. With over seven years of experience, she serves as the Manager of Social Projects on Abortion Advocacy at Profamilia Colombia. She has been instrumental in creating the International Abortion Consortium, promoting self-care abortion under a human-centered design approach. She manages three key projects focused on academic advocacy for abortion education, strengthening networks of accompaniment and healthcare providers, and expanding access to quality abortion medications like mifepristone. She leads multidisciplinary teams and collaborates with global organizations such as IPPF, Ipas, and Ríos/Rivers to advance sustainable, equitable, and accessible abortion ecosystems across Colombia and Latin America.
📍 Room 500
Religious refusals should never stand in the way of access to abortion care. This session explores global legal and policy approaches that balance conscience protections with the right to timely, safe reproductive health services. Join us to examine how countries around the world are limiting the scope of religious refusals to ensure they do not obstruct care, and learn strategies that U.S. states can adopt to protect access and uphold reproductive rights for all.
Moderator:
Rebecca Reingold (she/her/hers/ella)
O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law
Rebecca Reingold is an associate director at the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law. Her work focuses primarily on reproductive health, rights, and justice in the U.S. and globally. Reingold previously worked as an associate director of the Health and Human Rights Initiative, where she conducted research on health and human rights, sexual and reproductive rights, and violence against women and girls in Latin America and the Caribbean. Prior to joining the O’Neill Institute, Reingold served as an advocacy coordinator at International Planned Parenthood Federation, Western Hemisphere Region. Additionally, she served on the board of directors of If/When/How (formerly Law Students for Reproductive Justice), and currently serves on the advisory board of Training in Early Abortion for Comprehensive Healthcare (TEACH).
Presenters:
Dana Repka (she/her/hers/ella)
University of Toronto
Dana Repka is an Argentinian lawyer and researcher specializing in sexual and reproductive health law. She is a Research Associate at the International Reproductive and Sexual Health Law Program at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law. Her work, grounded in feminist theory, focuses on comparative and empirical research on abortion access and healthcare providers’ conscientious objection. Dana co-founded the Youth Network for the Right to Abortion in Latin America and the Caribbean, a platform dedicated to amplifying young voices in reproductive rights advocacy across the region. She has coordinated strategic amicus curiae briefs for landmark cases in Latin America, trained healthcare professionals in legal education, and co-authored articles aimed at improving the quality and accessibility of abortion care. Her current research explores the impact of informed consent regulations on adolescents’ access to sexual and reproductive health services.
Rebecca Ramos (she/her/hers/ella)
Grupo de Información en Reproducción Elegida (GIRE – Information Group on Reproductive Choice)
Rebeca Ramos Duarte is a lawyer from the Free School of Law (Escuela Libre de Derecho), with a Master's in Laws from the Iberoamerican University. She began working at GIRE in January 2012 as coordinator of the Public Policy Advocacy area, and in March 2020, she assumed the role of Executive Director. Previously, she was a parliamentary advisor and a member of the working group on constitutional reform and human rights. Rebeca was also the General Coordinator of the Legal Center for Human Rights and has participated in various publications. In May 2024, she was recognized by TIME magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world for her work in favor of reproductive rights. When the patriarchy falls, she wants to open a bookstore and drink coffee.
Oscar Cabrera (he/him/his/él)
O'Neill Center for Health in Human Rights
Oscar Cabrera is the director of the Health and Human Rights Initiative and the director of the Global Center for Legal Innovation on Food Environments at the O’Neill Institute, as well as a visiting professor of law at Georgetown University. He previously served as the executive director of the O’Neill Institute from 2010-2018. Cabrera has worked on public health projects with numerous national and international organizations, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization, and the Pan American Health Organization. He works extensively with civil society organizations, such as the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, and serves as President of the InterAmerican Heart Foundation Argentina. He has also acted as an advisor on public health matters for Latin American governments, including Uruguay. Cabrera’s scholarship has been published in leading academic journals, including the International Journal of Law in Context, the Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics, and Global Health.
📍 Room 800
This session will give an overview of the policy trends state legislatures will tackle in 2026 related to abortion care, contraception, maternal health, trans youth health care, and more. It will also include anticipated anti-sexual and reproductive health bills and how to deal with those attacks. Lastly, the session will include messaging guidance for how to discuss these issues in your community. Experts will share major themes from different issue areas. SiX will highlight model legislation from its new RFLC Policy Hub. ReproAction will discuss potential legislative threats from the anti-abortion movement. And Movement Advancement Project (MAP) will give an overview of the legislative landscape related to LGBTQ+ rights and its intersections with reproductive rights.
Moderator:
Sydney Jemmott (she/her/hers/ella)
State Innovation Exchange
N. Sydney Jemmott, MD, MPH (she/her), is a public health professional and internal medicine physician, excited to provide a medical perspective within the reproductive justice framework to shape and influence public policy, patient outcomes, and culture. She has had a diverse career dedicated to international public health and research. As the current Director of Policy for Reproductive Rights at State Innovation Exchange (SiX), she serves as a trusted resource, providing year-round guidance, hands-on assistance, tools, and skills-building to support state lawmakers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories, on the full spectrum of reproductive rights issues. Sydney completed residency in General Internal Medicine at Duke University Medical Center. She earned a Master of Public Health from Columbia University, specializing in Population and Family Health. Additionally, she participated in the Errin J. Vuley Fellowship, which is a reproductive justice leadership development program at the Feminist Center for Reproductive Liberation in Atlanta, GA. Sydney serves on Planned Parenthood Southeast, Inc.’s community advisory board in Atlanta. In her free time, she enjoys learning Spanish and hiking to the top of mountains to practice yoga under the sun.
Presenters:
Rosann Mariappuram (she/her/hers/ella)
State Innovation Exchange
Rosann Mariappuram is a lawyer and advocate who has been part of reproductive health, rights, and justice movements for over a decade. She is the former executive director of Jane’s Due Process, a nonprofit that fights for young people’s bodily autonomy and helps anyone under 18 in Texas confidentially access abortion and birth control. Prior to Jane’s Due Process, Rosann worked at Legal Voice, Surge Reproductive Justice, and the Reproductive Health Access Project. She has served on the boards of Equality Texas, NARAL Pro-Choice Texas, and the Lilith Fund for Reproductive Equity. Rosann earned her J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law, her M.A. in international relations from the City College of New York, and her B.A. from New York University. Rosann is originally from Ohio and is the proud daughter of immigrant parents.
Erin Matson (she/her/hers/ella)
ReproAction
Erin Matson is co-founder and president and CEO of Reproaction, a national group using bold action to increase access to abortion and advance reproductive justice. A longtime feminist leader with expertise in creating and deploying unique, forceful national and state-level campaigns, Erin has appeared on MSNBC, Al-Jazeera English, BBC World News, and PBS’ To The Contrary. Erin served as action vice president of the National Organization for Women and, at age 23, was elected the youngest NOW state president in the country. She also served as an editor-at-large for Rewire News Group. Her writings have appeared in a variety of publications, including Rolling Stone and three books. Erin is chair of the board of directors of Catholics for Choice and serves on the steering committee of the American Society for Emergency Contraception. She is also a part-time MFA student at Mississippi University for Women and a graduate of Georgetown University. Her writing is available at www.erintothemax.com.
Tessa Juste (she/her/hers/ella)
Movement Advancement Project (MAP)
Tessa J. Juste, JD, is the LGBTQ Movement Building and Policy Researcher at the Movement Advancement Project, an independent, nonprofit think tank that provides rigorous research, insight, and communications that help speed equality and opportunity for all. Previously, she was the State and Local Policy Manager at GLSEN (the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network). She earned her JD from Fordham University School of Law and her LL.M. in Intercultural Human Rights from St. Thomas University College of Law. She currently lives in Washington, DC.
📍 McCourt Room 612
The care economy touches all of our lives and offers a unifying agenda for the future. A future where care workers are paid what they deserve, local communities have local physicians they know and trust, and all of us have access to things like healthcare, childcare, and paid sick and medical leave. A future where the economy is a tool to advance the public good rather than corporate profits, and governments measure success not just by gross domestic product, but by health outcomes of our communities. Learn how states can advance this vision by working in collaboration with care workers and global movements.
Moderator:
Ida V. Eskamani (she/her/hers/ella)
State Innovation Exchange
Ida V. Eskamani is the Senior Director of Shared Economic Prosperity for State Innovation Exchange (SiX), advancing racial, gender, and economic justice in state capitals across the country by building people-centered governing. Before joining SiX, Ida was Policy Director for Florida For All, the state's statewide alignment table and Legislative Aide to Representative Carlos Guillermo Smith, Florida's first LGBTQ+ Latino legislator. Ida has organized on countless intersectional fronts, from LGBTQ+ rights to housing justice and combating abusive preemption. Ida believes power can be built everywhere and that solidarity is our movement's superpower. Ida earned dual degrees in Political Science and Sociology from the University of Central Florida, as well as a Master's in Public Administration from the same University. She has served on several volunteer boards locally and statewide, and in her free time, Ida is a freelance music writer for the Orlando Weekly. Her twin sister is Dr. Representative Anna V. Eskamani, and they proudly call Orlando, Florida home.
Presenters:
Gayle Goldin (she/her/hers/ella)
The Century Foundation
Gayle Goldin is a senior fellow at The Century Foundation, previously having served as deputy director of the Women’s Bureau, U.S. Department of Labor, during the Biden–Harris administration, where she provided executive leadership to the only federal agency mandated by Congress to focus on the needs of working women. She represented the Women’s Bureau domestically and internationally while managing a portfolio of policy issues, including paid leave, sick time, child care, gender-based violence and harassment, and gender equity. Gayle is a policy analyst, strategist, and former Rhode Island state senator. Prior to joining the Women’s Bureau, Gayle served as campaign advisor to Family Values @ Work, where she helped grassroots coalitions around the country pass paid leave legislation while also advocating for a national paid family and medical leave program. Gayle has also served as the strategic initiatives officer at Women’s Fund of Rhode Island, where she developed a gender equity policy platform, ran the Women’s Policy Institute, and oversaw the grant-making process. Gayle holds an undergraduate degree from McGill University and earned her master’s degree from Tufts University.
Silvia Serrano-Guzmán (she/her/hers/ella)
O'Neill Center for Health in Human Rights
Silvia Serrano-Guzmán is the co-director of the Center for Health and Human Rights at the O’Neill Institute and an adjunct professor of law at Georgetown University. She has trained state officials in various countries in international human rights law and has carried out capacity-building training for human rights defenders and civil society organizations. She also teaches in master’s and specialization programs in various law schools and institutions in Latin America.
2:45 - 3:00 PM
Grab a Snack!
📍 9th Floor
3:00 - 4:00 PM
Closing Plenary: The Necessity of Solidarity: Lessons from the U.S. & Abroad in Fighting Authoritarianism
📍 9th Floor Conference Room
Authoritarians depend on pre-emptive compliance and divide-and-conquer strategies. Solidarity isn't just needed; it’s our superpower. Join us for a closing session focused on solidarity in action—featuring leaders from the U.S. South to global voices. Our speakers will share lessons learned and opportunities to foster cross-sector solidarity. By exploring both international and domestic social change examples, we aim to craft a compelling, worldwide vision for our future.
Moderator:
Ida V. Eskamani (she/her/hers/ella)
State Innovation Exchange
Ida V. Eskamani is the Senior Director of Shared Economic Prosperity for State Innovation Exchange (SiX), advancing racial, gender, and economic justice in state capitals across the country by building people-centered governing. Before joining SiX, Ida was Policy Director for Florida For All, the state's statewide alignment table and Legislative Aide to Representative Carlos Guillermo Smith, Florida's first LGBTQ+ Latino legislator. Ida has organized on countless intersectional fronts, from LGBTQ+ rights to housing justice and combating abusive preemption. Ida believes power can be built everywhere and that solidarity is our movement's superpower. Ida earned dual degrees in Political Science and Sociology from the University of Central Florida, as well as a Master's in Public Administration from the same University. She has served on several volunteer boards locally and statewide, and in her free time, Ida is a freelance music writer for the Orlando Weekly. Her twin sister is Dr. Representative Anna V. Eskamani, and they proudly call Orlando, Florida home.
Panelists:
S. Mandisa Moore-O'Neal (she/her/hers/ella)
The Center for HIV Law and Policy
S. Mandisa Moore-O'Neal is the Executive Director of CHLP, an abolitionist legal and policy organization that operates within and around the criminal legal and public health systems at the state and federal levels to craft just policies that amplify the power of mobilizations for systemic change that are guided by racial, gender, and economic justice. Based in New Orleans, she is a Black feminist attorney, a trained facilitator, and a cultural and political strategist. Before joining CHLP, Mandisa founded The Moore-O'Neal Law Group, LLC, a Black Feminist law and policy practice. Her practice focused on HIV decriminalization litigation, education, and advocacy; family law litigation, education, and advocacy; employment and public accommodations discrimination litigation and education; and police accountability litigation and advocacy. She was also the Litigation and Policy Director at Frontline Legal Services from 2017 until 2022. Mandisa is a founding member of the Louisiana Coalition on Criminalization and Health, and in 2012, received her JD from Louisiana State University Law Center. Mandisa has researched, published, and presented on abolitionist lawyering, reproductive justice and the law, HIV decriminalization, punitive social policies, and state violence. At its core, her legal work is best defined as using a Black feminist and abolitionist framework to craft legal strategies that move us closer to liberation.
Sergia Galván Ortega (she/her/hers/ella)
Centro de Investigación para la Acción Femenina (CIPAF)
Sergia Galván Ortega is a Dominican educator specializing in Women’s Studies. She has served as Director of Public Policies for the Ministry of Women and as Executive Director of the Colectiva Mujer y Salud. With 45 years of activism in the feminist movement, she is also a dedicated human rights advocate. Sergia was the first expert from the Dominican Republic on the Follow-up Mechanism of the Belém do Pará Convention (MESECVI). She is the founder of the Network of Afro-Caribbean, Afro-Latin American, and Diaspora Women, where she currently serves on the Advisory Board. Additionally, she is on the Advisory Council of the Health Network of Women in Latin America and the Caribbean and is a member of the Board of Directors at IPAS.
Fanny Gomez-Lugo (she/her/hers/ella)
Women's Equality Center (WEC)
Fanny C. Gómez-Lugo (she/her) is a queer feminist, Venezuelan lawyer with over 16 years of experience in advocacy, litigation, movement-building, and teaching in international human rights law, reproductive rights, sexual rights, and LGBTQI+ rights. She is the Director of Research and Advocacy Programs at WEC, an Adjunct Professor of Law at Georgetown University Law Center (GULC), and an expert in U.S. asylum cases for LGBTQI+ people. Before joining WEC, she was the Senior Director of Policy and Advocacy at Synergía - Initiatives for Human Rights and the human rights specialist coordinating the Rapporteurship on the Rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Intersex Persons (LGBTI) at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), Organization of American States (OAS). She has worked at the IACHR since July 2007, initially with the Rapporteurship on the Rights of Women. Fanny has also worked with Human Rights Watch and the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network. She is a member of the international Advisory Board at Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice and the Network of LGBT Litigants of Latin America and the Caribbean, and a consultant on gender and sexuality with the United Nations. She has authored several publications on sexuality, gender, health, and human rights. She speaks Spanish, English, French, and Portuguese.
SiX Staff Contact/Support
Erin Cassel
erin@stateinnovation.org
615-498-7675
Thursday Meals & Refreshments
Breakfast, lunch, and snack will be served. Dietary restrictions have been taken into consideration. Please ask if you have questions regarding ingredients
Key Reminders Before the Convening
Photography & Recording
Please be advised that photography and recording may occur throughout the event for promotional and archival use. If you do not wish to be photographed or recorded:
Your privacy is a priority—reasonable efforts will be made to honor your preference.
Health & Safety Protocols at Georgetown University Law Center
The safety and well-being of all participants are our top priorities. Events held at 500 First Street, NW follow Georgetown University’s current health and safety guidelines, as well as all applicable local and federal regulations. To ensure a safe environment, please note the following:
Emergency Contact Information
We appreciate your cooperation in maintaining a safe, comfortable, and inclusive experience for all participants.
O’Neill Institute @ Georgetown Law Directions
Accessibility: Elevator
Arrival on Foot
Address: 500 First St. NW, Washington, DC 2001
Arrival by Car and Parking Options (Limited)
Garage Parking is available at 500 New Jersey Ave NW, Washington, DC 20001 (Colonial Parking). After you park, exit the garage onto New Jersey Ave NW and walk directly across First Street, NW.
Street Parking is available via ParkMobile on First Street NW. Please download the app from the App Store or Google Play.
Metro
Via Union Station (Red Line): Exit Union Station toward Massachusetts Avenue → walk to F St NW → cross New Jersey Avenue, cross left onto 1st St NW → building is at the end of the block on your right. Approx. 2 min walk.
Via Judiciary Square (Red Line): Exit toward F Street NW / National Building Museum exit → Walk northwest on 4th Street NW toward F Street NW. → Turn left onto E Street NW and continue for two blocks → Turn right onto 1st Street NW → 500 First Street NW will be on your right. Approx. 6 min walk.
Directions from Royal Sonesta Hotel
Head northwest on Massachusetts Ave → Turn left toward F Street → Turn right onto F Street → Turn left onto 1 Street → 500 First Street on your right
O’Neill Institute WiFi Access
Network: GuestNet
Password: no password needed
