Lisa Peyton-Caire is the Founding CEO & President of The Foundation for Black Women’s Wellness. Her work as a passionate advocate for women’s health was spurred by Mother’s untimely death at age 64 from heart disease in 2006, after which Lisa established Black Women’s Wellness Day, an annual summit now in its 12th year that empowers women and girls to sustain healthy, wellness-centered lives. The Foundation is an outgrowth and progression of this work which has mobilized a movement in the Greater Madison community and across Wisconsin to intentionally address and improve Black women’s health. Based on her work and impact, Lisa was appointed in 2018 to serve on then newly elected Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers’ Health Policy Advisory Council through which she was able to influence proposed policies addressing maternal and child health and health disparities in Wisconsin.

Lisa also previously served as Assistant Vice President of Life, Learning and Events at Summit Credit Union (2014-2018) where she and her team led the company’s efforts on Diversity & Inclusion, Employee Wellness, Financial Education, Community Giving, and Corporate Events.

 An experienced leader, manager, and educator, Lisa has led impactful work over the past 20+ years spanning the PreK – 16 education, non-profit, women’s health, and financial service sectors. She is actively engaged in a number of local efforts to promote thriving, sustainable communities, and has served on the boards of Unity Point-Meriter Health, the Center for Resilient Cities, Sustain Dane, and A Fund for Women, and presently on the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute Advisory Board.

Among Lisa’s lasting contributions to community is the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s highly successful DoIT Information Technology Academy (ITA), a pre-college technology training & college access program she designed and launched with colleagues in 1999 and now in its 21st year. 

Lisa has been widely recognized for her work in women’s health and community stewardship and was recently named a national Go Fund Me Hero in 2019 for her change-making leadership; and was among local health innovators named on the Madison Magazine’s 2017 M List. In 2016 she was recognized as one of 44 Most Influential African Americans in Wisconsin by Madison365 Magazine. Other honors include the Wisconsin Alliance for Women’s Health Woman of Character Award (2015) for her efforts to mobilize Black women and partners to eliminate health disparities. She is the 2014 recipient of the Public Health Madison & Dane County Leadership Award, 2014 Brava Magazine Woman to Watch, and was nominated an “Everyday Health Hero” by the Wisconsin Women’s Health Foundation in 2013. Additionally, she is a 2008 UW Alumni Association Forward Under Forty Award honoree for her service and impact on the world by living the Wisconsin Idea.

A Mother of five, Lisa holds a Masters of Science degree in Educational Leadership & Administration and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is also a proud former Hampton University student, home of the Pirates, where she completed her first three years of undergraduate studies.

Nyra Jordan has been with American Family Insurance for over 20 years serving in various leadership roles throughout the organization. Nyra is a social impact investment director at the American Family Institute for Corporate and Social Impact where she is advancing the creation of economic opportunities for historically overlooked communities including those impacted by incarceration. Nyra holds an undergraduate degree in mass communication from UW-Madison and has a master’s in criminal justice administration from Valdosta State University. She also has a master’s in social innovation and sustainability leadership from Edgewood College. Nyra’s goal is to utilize venture capital investment as a vehicle to drive social change while leveraging the thought leadership of innovative community partners.

Alex Shade is the Director of Corporate Social Responsibility for CUNA Mutual Group where she leads strategy and execution of corporate social responsibility programs and initiatives, including philanthropic giving, employee volunteering, environmental sustainability, and community relations. Alex also leads and manages the CUNA Mutual Group Foundation portfolio and investment strategy, building strategic partnerships throughout the communities served by CUNA. Prior to her time with CUNA Mutual Group, Alex served as executive director of the NWFCU Foundation at Northwest Federal Credit Union in Herndon, Virginia; National Director of Strategic Alliances for the Muscular Dystrophy Association; the Director of Development for the Mentor Foundation, and Chief Partnership Officer for the Foundation for Hospices in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Representative Sheila Stubbs who was elected in 2018 as the first African American state representative from Dane County, is a true public servant and champion for social and racial justice and Black Maternal & Child Health. Representing Dane County District 77, which covers the South and West parts of the City of Madison. Rep Stubbs is also the current Chair of the Legislative Black Caucus, leading on issues impacting the lives of all Wisconsinites. Representative Stubbs is also a member of the Dane County Board of Supervisors, leading on critical issues since 2006; and recently proposed a unanimously passed resolution establishing April 11 -17th as Black Maternal and Child Health Week in Dane County.

Representative Shelia Stubbs is extremely active in the community, providing leadership, mentoring and volunteer services, and has received numerous community recognition, service award and honors including being named 2019 YWCA Woman of Distinction Award Recipient, 2020 BRAVA Woman to Watch Recipient. and Legislative Board Member of the Wisconsin Women in Government. She is the beautiful wife of Bishop Godfrey A. Stubbs and the mother of Aquila. Also, she is a Co-Founder of the End Time Ministries International Church in Madison, WI.

Angela Doyinsola Aina, MPH is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Black Mamas Matter Alliance, where she works to convene Black Maternal Health professionals and community-based organizations to develop trainings, programs, quality improvement initiatives, research projects, and black feminist advocacy strategies to advance holistic maternity service provision, policy, and systems change in global public health. She has over 14 years of public health experience, working in different capacities on projects focused on: incorporating health equity strategies into reproductive and maternal health initiatives; strengthening strategic planning and community-based workforce development; and data collection. Ms. Aina has served as a Public Health Analyst, Health Communications Specialist, and a Public Health Prevention Service Fellow at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for over 5 years, working on Zika and Pregnancy, scientific program management, and 2014 Ebola response staffing. She holds a Master of Public Health degree in International and Women’s Health from Morehouse School of Medicine where she conducted a sequential mixed-method analysis of the reproductive health attitudes and behaviors of Nigerian-born immigrant women in the U.S., and a Bachelor of Science degree from Georgia State University in Psychology and African-American Studies. Angela’s expertise and perspectives on Black Maternal Health has been featured in media outlets, such as the Huffington Post, The Atlantic, the Root, and HLN/CNN. In March of 2020, she was recognized as a 2020 WebMD Health Hero and highlighted as an advocate for Black Maternal Health in Time Magazine. She is passionate about and committed to work that seek to achieve: the self-determination of women of African descent; the elimination of violence against women; the promotion of Black and African women’s rights and  leadership; and womanist solutions to social and economic injustices. Angela enjoys all things diasporic Black cultural expressions in dance, music, art, fashion, theatre and film.

Dr. Jasmine Zapata, pediatrian, published author, speaker and health equity advocate is a dynamic leader who wears many hats! Recently named Chief Medical Officer and state epidemiologist for community health at the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Dr. Zapata is also an assistant professor, researcher and educator in the University of Wisconsin Department of Pediatrics with an affiliation with the UW Institute for Clinical and Translational Research. One of her many passions both inside and outside the clinic walls is to empower and inspire young girls to make healthy choices, embrace their inner beauty, overcome despite adversity, and never give up on their dreams! This passion led her to launch the Beyond Beautiful International Girls Empowerment Movement of which she is the founder and CEO. She helped develop a financial literacy program for school-age students, and wrote “Beyond Beautiful,” a socioeconomic empowerment book for girls of all backgrounds. Dr. Zapata is also the faculty director for The Ladder, a partnership between the Univeristy of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health and the Boys and Girls Club of Dane County that offers long-term mentorship for scholars from diverse backgrounds. Dr. Zapata is passionate about developing innovative strategies to combat racial inequities in maternal and child health in Madison and beyond and is a member of the Black Maternal and Child Health Alliance of Dane County.

Angela Mallett, LMT is the founder & CEO of Honey Bee Sage Wellness, an Herbal Apothecary & Metaphysical Shop serving Milwaukee’s North side with an online shopping presence that spans the entire globe. A Licensed Massage Therapist by trade, Angela is also a Full Circle Doula, Reiki Master, Yoni Steam Practitioner and an herbalist by passion. Her interest in becoming her own healer has led her to become enthusiastic in sharing all that she has learned along her journey, in hopes to inspire and cultivate healers all around the world. This summer Angela will open the 2nd location of Honey Bee Sage Wellness in an expanded space, and has successfully merged business and wellness to bring healing power and products to the world!

Zakiyyah Sorensen is the Outreach Manager for the University of Wisconsin-Madison Collaborative for Reproductive Equity (CORE). CORE engages in research and policy evaluation to address critical needs in abortion and contraception access in Wisconsin. Zakiyyah is a former public health nurse who specialized in sexual and reproductive health within the reproductive justice framework. Zakiyyah’s approach emphasizes reproductive and knowledge justice principles as guiding frameworks for collective liberation.

Keena is Owner of R’oujie Wellness, a multifaceted lifestyle company that merges her passion for mind-body-spirit health and fitness. A lover of fitness and active living, Keena is a certified RYT – 200 yoga instructor and a WERQ instructor who can be found teaching classes across the Greater Madison area. Keena is also a Co-President of the Brown Girl, Green Money Madison Meetup Chapter, owner of Knaturally, a beauty and haircare business, and Co-Founder of the Uplift Innovative Youth Alliance. A former executive leader for a fortune 500 retailer, Keena has channeled her business talent into driving her own entrepreneurial ventures. Outside of work and service, she is a Mother to her two sons. Keena is passionate about building financial wealth, education, and empowerment in people of all ages through budgeting, planning, thought, and action.

Adrian Jones is a public health leader and reproductive justice advocate with over 15 years of experience in community health improvement. In her present role with UW Health, she manages efforts to advance the improvement of health outcomes and to reduce disparities in Dane County through community collaborations and targeted programming.

She previously served as Community Health Educator for Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, and is a sexual and reproductive health educator specializing in working with women and young adults. Adrian has taught comprehensive sexuality education in schools and provided sexual health trainings to youth-serving professionals, and has trained community health educators locally and statewide. She also previously worked as a Program Coordinator for the Girls, Inc. Program at Goodman Community Center, and is a gifted developer of adolescent health programming.

Adrian is a graduate of the University of WI Madison where she received a dual Bachelor’s degree in African American Studies and Women Studies with a certificate in Sexuality education. In her spare time, Adrian enjoys spending quality time with her husband and two pre-school aged daughters.

Alia Stevenson serves as Chief Programs Officer with The Foundation for Black Women’s Wellness. An advocate for health, wellness, and equity, Alia brings a holistic approach to her work through assessing and improving environments to support the health needs of both individuals and organizations. She brings a track record of experience in shaping health equity efforts that disrupt disparities, and is an expert in team development, program planning, evaluation, and training facilitation. Alia was recognized as one of Brava Magazine’s 2015 Women to Watch, is a 2017 graduate of Nehemiah’s African American Leadership Capacity & Development Institute, and a 2017-2018 Human Impact Partner Health Equity Awakened Fellow. A former Foundation Board member and volunteer, Ms. Stevenson most recently worked for local government as the City of Madison’s Organizational Development Manager, and as Policy, Planning & Evaluation Manager and Health Equity Coordinator for Public Health Madison & Dane County. In these roles, she launched successful programming including the City of Madison’s Women’s Leadership Series and the Public Health Madison & Dane County’s health and racial equity team. Madison native, Alia is an active member of the Greater Madison community, presently serving as Co-Chair of the Board for Forward Community Investments and on the board of Edgewood College’s Social Innovation and Sustainability Leadership Program.

Jasmia Hamilton serves as Program Manager of the Well Black Woman Institute. A Chicago transplant to Madison, Jasmia has lived, learned, and worked in the community for nearly a decade. She earned a Master of Arts in Gender and Women’s Studies and a Bachelors in Gender and Women’s Studies with minors (certificates) in Global Health and LGBT+ Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She has completed additional graduate-level coursework in Organizational Leadership and Change at Edgewood College. Prior to joining the FFBWW, Jasmia worked with mission-driven teams in education (K12 and higher education) and with area non-profits. In these roles, Jasmia implemented culturally responsive and identify-conscious practices as a student services coordinator/advisor, collaborated as a member of a racial justice team, and co-managed equity-focused professional learning and programming. She is ecstatic to join the Foundation at this moment which provides her the novel opportunity to be an inaugural collaborator for the launch of the Well Black Woman Institute. She is thrilled to see the new possibilities and transformative impact that actualizes when Black women are well, uplifted, and thriving.