Susan Lob, has 25 years of experience working with survivors of domestic violence in shelters, non-residential programs and child welfare agencies. She has extensive experience training staff of domestic violence and child welfare agencies and writing curriculums on how to work with battered women and teen victims of relationship abuse. She authored a report based on extensive study of the need for nonresidential services for battered women that served as the basis for the City's RFP for these services. She also has expertise in organizing and leadership development and training with women community leaders and the staff and volunteers of community and social service agencies. Ms. Lob has served as the chair of the Child Welfare Committee of the NYC Interagency Task Force Against Domestic Violence, and on the Boards of the NY Asian Women's Center and the Center for Anti-violence Education.
Naumi Feldman, (Chair) is a candidate for a Doctor of Public Health degree at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. Prior to her entering Columbia’s Dr.P.H. program she was the Director of Community Relations and Advocacy at the William F. Ryan Community Health Center, overseeing the health center's external relations with government agencies and community groups and its participation in local, state and federal policy and advocacy activities. Naumi brings strong government relations, policy writing, and grant application review experience to the Board. From 2000 - 2005, she served as Manhattan Borough President C. Virginia Fields' policy analyst for domestic violence, health and disability issues. As part of her duties, Naumi coordinated and chaired meetings of the Manhattan Borough President's Domestic Violence Task Force and related policy committees. She authored the 2002 report "We Must Do More: The Manhattan Borough President's Report on Domestic Violence" and organized the conference entitled "Mandatory Arrest: Original Intentions, Outcomes in Our Communities, and Future Directions". Naumi received her Master of Public Health Degree from Columbia University in 2002.
Regina Jacobs is a First Vice President and Senior Marketing Manager at Smith Barney who is responsible for developing and managing ongoing processes that create customizable marketing materials for a sales force of financial advisors. Over the span of her Smith Barney career, she developed a system for analyzing client complaints and reporting firm-wide resolutions to senior management; was editor of a weekly sales and marketing publication; and developed and managed a widely used financial advisor newsletter. In addition, she produced a comprehensive line of branded marketing materials for financial advisors, as well as created a premier internal magazine and later became its advisory editor. As a domestic violence survivor, Regina joined VOW’s board to help the organization carry out its mission to ensure that the voices of survivors are heard, as well as to shape policy solutions that are meant to protect and serve abused women.
Avani Kothary, (Treasurer) is Assistant Controller at Irving Place Capital, a middle-market private equity firm. She brings to VOW her finance and accounting skills, as well as her passion for community organizing around social justice issues. Prior to joining VOW, she volunteered with Sakhi for South Asian Women, an organization that addresses domestic violence in the South Asian community.
Vijay Kumar has over fifteen years of senior management and corporate operations experience working directly with chief executives of public and private companies. She has held senior positions in both the for-profit and non-profit sectors. Ms. Kumar co-founded and continues to serve as managing director of the Hudson New York Briefing Council for Hudson Institute, a non-partisan public policy think-tank, raising over $5 million since its inception. She is also an editor and manager of the Institute’s New York website. During this same period, Vijay has partnered with a private philanthropist managing her charitable giving on both a domestic and international level. This includes working directly with founders of organizations helping to shape their platforms, strengthen their programs and grow their donor base to increase their effectiveness.
Raquel Singh, (Executive Director) is a non-profit leader with more than 10 years of experience in program development, organizational management, strategic planning, and resource development. A key strategic and tactical contributor in efforts to impact systems, Raquel brings valuable management and development insight to VOW. Throughout her career Ms. Singh has raised monies to improve the lives of women and children and is consistently dedicated to helping them succeed. Raquel Singh has a BS in Public Administration and lives in New York with her husband and son.
Tanya McLeod, (Senior Campaign Organizer) is a domestic violence survivor and advocate. She currently works at VOW as the part time Organizer where she is overseeing and coordinating VOW’s campaign to stop malicious child abuse reports. In addition, Tanya coordinates VOW’s public speaking training and presentations. She has been a member of VOW since 2002 and has served on the VOW steering committee for three years. Most recently she participated in VOW’s organizing apprentice training program. Tanya is an accomplished speaker and has spoken at rallies, conferences, on the radio and on cable television. Her other experiences include: coordinating an annual candlelight march and vigil on domestic violence during October for New Settlement Apartments; recording VOW’s song, “Take a Walk in my Shoes”; being featured in the CONNECT and The Alliance for the Safety of Animals and People (ASAP) video project. It is her goal to turn her pain into power and to put an end to domestic violence.
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