Jasper L. Hendricks III - Board Chair

Farmville, VA native Jasper L. Hendricks III has served as an aide to local, state, and federal elected officials as well as agencies and organizations all over the country. With extensive experience in bringing people to the table in order to work toward solutions, Jasper has been successful in building coalitions across diverse communities in order to build political and community strength through his working relationships with local, state and national groups, elected officials, and other community leaders as well as corporations.

Jasper currently resides in Nashville, TN where he is the President/CEO of public affairs firm Social Strategies.

William G. Hudson, MSMOB, MPH - Treasurer

William Hudson has over 15 years of healthcare management- public health leadership experience and serves as the Vice President for Public Health with the Qualtrics organization. Prior to joining Qualtrics, William served as the COO and CFO for Harris County Public Health (HCPH), the local health agency for Harris County, Texas, the 3rd most populous county in the United States.

William received his Master's in both Public Health and Management and Organizational Behavior from Benedictine University and a dual Bachelor of Science in Biology and Chemistry from Texas Southern University. In addition to his formal education, William has completed executive education programs centered on value-based care delivery and innovation from Harvard Business School, MIT Sloan School of Management, Thunderbird Global School of Management, and Cornell University. He is a Fellow of the Academy for Healthcare Management, a Certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, a Board Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality, and an official member of the Forbes Business Council. William holds certifications and professional memberships with the Academy for Healthcare Management, the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA), the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), and the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS).

William holds multiple board advisory roles with notable institutions such as the Texas Medical Center Innovation Institute, ChangeLab Solutions the University of Texas School of Public Health, Texas Southern University College of Science, Engineering, and Technology, and the Prairie View A&M School of Public and Allied Health. When not engaged in the rigors of business, William enjoys spending time with his wife and two daughters.

Jeanette Contreras, MPP

Jeanette Contreras is the project director for health equity campaigns at UnidosUS, formerly known as the National Council of La Raza. In her role, Jeanette provides the vision and strategic goals for UnidosUS’ health equity portfolio, leading the development of policies that improve health equity and access for Latinos.

Prior to joining UnidosUS, Jeanette served as the director of health policy at the National Consumers League, where she was the key spokesperson and consumer advocate on drug affordability, health care access and the promotion of vaccines across lifespan. Jeanette also previously served as the manager for national grassroots advocacy at the American Academy of Family Physicians.

Jeanette began her health policy career in the legislative office of the National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health and spent over a decade in public service at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). During her tenure at HHS, she served as a public health advisor in the HHS Office of Minority Health and led stakeholder engagement for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, where she played a key role in implementing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) and increasing health coverage in medically underserved communities.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the California State University, Los Angeles, and a master’s degree in Public Policy from American University in Washington, D.C.

Sabrina (Semerdjian) Lopez

Sabrina serves as the VP of Cultural Engagement & DEI at McUlsky Health Force, a highly specialized firm that partners with stakeholder advocacy groups and healthcare innovators to elevate patient, provider and consumer voices that advance groundbreaking dialogue and policy solutions.

Sabrina is a skilled business development, award-winning sales and marketing executive with vast expertise in targeting and engaging multicultural audiences across several industries, platforms and languages. Her career in the entertainment and media industry spans over 20 years, notably at NBC Universal – TV Stations Group, where she held multiple leadership roles.

A passionate advocate for DEI, Sabrina created, produced and executed ground-breaking health programs and hyper-local campaigns to bring education and resources to underserved communities and minority groups across all sectors and age groups.

As an immigrant who has experienced the American dream, Sabrina devotes much of her time to serving and giving back to the community. She is inspired by changemakers, believers and doers. She received her Bachelor of Science from Saint Joseph’s College, where she graduated with honors in Biology-Chemistry / Pre-Medicine. She lives in San Diego, CA, with her husband, Robert, their daughter, Mia, and their rescue dog, Callie. She is honored to serve on the Mom Congress Advisory Board.

Christine Michel Carter

Featured in The New York Times and The Washington Post, Christine Michel Carter is a best-selling author, advocate, and the #1 global voice for all moms⁣. She helps women navigate the significant impact of motherhood on their professional careers. She elevates the honest truths of working motherhood as a Senior ForbesWomen Contributor, the author of the children’s book Can Mommy Go To Work?, and the author of the adult novel MOM AF. She is also a working parents and women’s ERG subject matter expert; employees have ranked her signature mental health talk the best corporate programming event of the year.

She's also worked on the maternal initiatives of Vice President Kamala Harris and received a Congressional Citation from the U.S. Senate for going “above and beyond in ensuring that Black Moms and Moms of Color have access to important health information for their children and families.”

Kacie Brady

Kacie Brady is a creative individual with a passion for storytelling and sharing information.  She has spent 12 years working as a news producer in Florida and the Washington, D.C. area with a focus on writing, promotion, and production.  In 2018 she oversaw coverage of the March For Our Lives protest.  This coverage was later nominated for an Emmy award by The National Capital Chesapeake Bay Chapter of The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

Kacie currently serves as The Hill’s senior event manager/producer, where she oversees the production of live editorial events.  Kacie also serves as the lead producer on The Switch Up with Cheyanne M. Daniels, a podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of race and politics.

Kacie lives in Arlington, Virginia with her husband and 3-year-old son.  In her free time, she volunteers for PUSH For Empowered Pregnancy and participates in as much theater as possible.

Danielle A. Melton, M.Ed.

Danielle A. Melton stands out as a 2x founder, celebrated national speaker, foster care advocate, and an inspirational force for working mothers worldwide. Motivated by her personal struggle with burnout and maternal guilt, she founded both MOTHERboard®—a wellness solution tailored for mothers in the workplace—and the Motherboard Foundation, the nonprofit extension dedicated to uplifting working moms across the USA through community engagement, events, and pivotal research. What began as a humble Instagram page has grown into a powerful empire, steadfast in empowering the working mother community. Danielle has had the privilege of hosting over 500 women at in-person events in Oklahoma and fostering a vibrant digital community, uniting thousands of women nationwide.

Danielle's influence extends beyond her organization; she is recognized as a trusted voice for change and empowerment. Her contributions and insights have led to invitations to prestigious

events, including the 2019 BET Awards and the Emmys. Danielle has spoken on several stages, delivering keynotes and participating in panels alongside Emmy Award-winning writers, CNN correspondents, and New York Times best-selling authors.

Her impact and vision were acknowledged when Sass Magazine named her a "Person to Watch" in 2021. Danielle's thought leadership and work have been featured in esteemed publications such as Medium, Forbes, Yahoo! News, and the HuffPost. Since the start of this year, Danielle has proudly joined the ranks of the Forbes Coaches Council,, a prestigious, invitation-only group of elite business and career coaches, contributing her insights to Forbes.com.

Madison Scott, J.D.

Madison Scott is a passionate advocate for maternal and mental health, with a career in health policy and development consulting. A double Tar Heel, Madison earned her Bachelor's degree in Economics and her Juris Doctor from the University of North Carolina School of Law. Since graduating in 2021, Madison has dedicated her career to advancing equitable health policies that support mothers, families, and communities.

Madison’s professional journey began at Mental Health America of Georgia, and most recently, she joined the Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Georgia (HMHBGA), where she deepened her focus on maternal mental health.

In addition to her work with HMHBGA, Madison founded an independent consulting firm, providing policy analysis and strategic guidance to various clients, including the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health. Her expertise spans both state and federal policy, with a focus on creating sustainable, comprehensive, and equitable maternal and mental health initiatives. Madison is dedicated to using her legal expertise and policy knowledge to navigate the complex landscape of health policy, striving to create meaningful, lasting change. She brings a unique blend of passion, advocacy, and strategic thinking to the Mom Congress Board, where she is committed to advancing the mission of supporting and empowering mothers across the nation.

Shyrea Thompson

Shyrea is a “mompreneur” raising 14-year-old boy-girl twins with her husband outside Washington, DC, in Manassas, Virginia. For over twenty years, Shyrea has been a noted leader in patient advocacy, health equity, social justice, education, workforce development, and outreach.

In 2018, Shyrea founded the IRIS Collaborative to bridge people, purpose, and profit to advance social change, proudly growing collaborations that thrive which include Fund II Foundation’s Black Maternal Health Equity program, the World Health Organization’s Cervical Cancer Elimination Initiative, Tigerlily Foundation’s ANGEL Advocates & HEAL Policy Center of Excellence, Pfizer, Inc., Rethink New Orleans Schools and Henrietta Lacks' Family-led HELA100: Henrietta Lacks Initiative. Shyrea co-founded DC Pink Divas to educate, empower, and mobilize Black women where they live, work, play, and pray to combat breast cancer disparities.

She was honored to be named one of the National Minority Quality Forum (NMQF) 40 Under 40 Leaders in Minority Health, and today, she serves as an NMQF Advisory Board Member.

Shyrea earned her B.S. from The George Washington University and returned for her Nonprofit Management certification.

Jennell Lynch, MA

Jennell Lynch, a career executive, mother of four and wife, uses her dynamic insight and experience from working in male-dominated industries to create customized programs that dramatically increase retention rates for organizations. She is committed to honoring and preserving the valuable assets women bring to the workplace.

With a master’s degree in organizational management and marketing and 20 years experience in finance, politics, technology, and sports/entertainment, Jennell has learned the granular details that can create a healthier career environment for working women.

Jennell most recently served as Vice President for the National Association of Investment Companies (NAIC). The NAIC, the largest network of diverse-owned private equity firms and hedge funds in the United States, is comprised of more than 50 member firms representing over $90 billion in assets under management.

Throughout the years, she has led initiatives that help organizations and women gain internal support, knowledge, and resources for working women who are expecting or already mothers. Now, as a trained doula, founder of the Executive Doula Agency, and co-founder of the Right Lanes, Jennell helps women and businesses navigate the intersection between career, giving birth and personal life.

Joy Burkhard, MBA - Founder

Joy is the founder of Mom Congress. After facilitating several conferences and advocacy days on Capitol Hill with her team and other non-profits focused on maternal health and paid leave, Joy founded Mom Congress in 2018 as a project of the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health (then known as 2020 Mom). She is known for her deep expertise in health systems and policy and for driving change for mothers and families. She has been recognized for her leadership and vision with several awards, including receiving The American Public Health Association’s Maternal Child Health Leadership and Advocacy Award and the "Emerging Leader" award in Women’s Health from the federal Health and Human Services Agency, Office of Women’s Health.