WDN 2021
SUMMIT SPonsoRS
GOLD
BRONZE
Contributors to the
Sustainability of wdn
Our
Team
The Board Of Directors
We are a group of people who believe in the mission and work of WDN. We proudly take on the legal responsibility of the organization along with the strategic and fiscal governance.
Shanequa Levin
Founder & CEO
Board Officer / Interim Chair of the Board
Shanequa is an uplifting social justice leader who has won several awards for her work. She is also a registered ordained wedding officiant. Shanequa is the author of a memoir titled Poverty's Phoenix, the Founder, and CEO of the Women's Diversity Network, Co-Convenor for LI United to Transform Policing & Community Safety, Co-Chair for the Long Island Million Women Community, former director of Every Child Matters in NY, the creator of culturally relevant Facebook groups. She's a member and advisor of several coalitions and groups. Shanequa has been instrumental in advocating policy changes to Early Care and Learning, Raise The Age, Paid Family Leave Insurance, and more. As a survivor of childhood poverty, drug-addicted parents, an incarcerated father, and a teen mom, she uses her voice to help others break negative generational cycles.
Sandra Krebelj-Douglas
Board Member
Secretary of Board
Parliamentarian & Treasury Committee
Sandra is a Media Entertainment Executive with 30+ years of experience in Advertising Sales Administration, Operations, and Finance. She has led teams both at A+E Networks and TV One with an emphasis on collaboration and mentoring talent. In her professional capacity, she provides fiscal oversight and is a liaison with Finance, Legal, and HR business areas.
Debbie Mercer Miller
Board Officer
Treasurer of Board
Event's Committee
Debbie is the U.S. Securities Country Manager and Head of U.S. Custody Product Management where she manages over $6 trillion in stocks and bonds for clients domiciled in the US and approximately 30 other markets. She has been in the industry since 1993 and her experience spans across multiple disciplines in the capital market.
Kathryn Abbatiello
Board Officer
Events (Co-Chair) & Onboarding Committee
Kathryn has dedicated her life’s work to championing the needs of children with disabilities and their families and has received her B.S. in Elementary Education N-6 with a minor in Sociology and her M.S. in Early Childhood Special Education, Summa Cum Laude, from Adelphi University.
Christine Pellegrino
Board Member
Treasury, Grants, & Events Committee
Christine is a proud mother of 2 daughters, an educator, a community leader, and a former NYS Assemblywoman. Christine earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education and Master of Science Degree in Reading. She spent most of her 25-year teaching career as a reading specialist in the Baldwin school system, working with students who are at-risk for reading below grade level and advocating for their needs.
Rv. Dr. Natalie Fenimore
Board Member
Rev. Dr. Natalie Fenimore is Minister for Lifespan Religious Education at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Shelter Rock in Manhasset, NY. Before moving to New York, she was religious educator and parish minister in congregations in Maryland and Virginia. She is the former President of the Liberal Religious Educators Association, and member of the UUA Commission on Institutional Change. Currently, Rev. Dr. Fenimore is a member of the UUMA Board of Trustees and Vice President of Starr King School for the Ministry Board of Trustees.
Rev. Dr. Fenimore is the author of Unitarian Universalist Religious Education Curriculum and Religious Education Renaissance Modules, meditations and readings. She is a contributing author of “Centering: Navigating Race, Authenticity, and Power in Ministry”, and “Widening the Circle: Report of the UUA Commission on Institutional Change.” Her Doctor of Ministry area of study is Narrative Theology with an emphasis on Story and Faith Formation for African American Unitarian Universalists.
Rev. Dr. Fenimore is committed to expanding community connections and justice-making is part of her ministry.
Jasmine Johnson
Board Member
Communications & Treasury Committee
Jasmine has earned her bachelor's in tourism and hospitality and her executive masters in business management and marketing. She works full-time at an accounting firm and runs a digital business for Women called b.demp that aims to help women create a balanced, healthy, and happy lifestyle.
Pascale Jean-Noel
Board Member
Onboarding & Events Committee
Pascale holds a Clinical License in Social Work and has over twenty years’ experience in social-service settings. Her interests are to push through barriers by influencing cultural shifts within the organizations to hire and deliver services that are inclusive, equitable and reflect the diversity of the people that are being served!
Tyra M. Gravesande
Board Member
In the vast landscape of academia and professional pursuits, few individuals exhibit the exceptional range and depth of achievements embodied by Tyra M. Gravesande. From her rigorous academic journey to her diverse professional ventures and prolific research contributions, Gravesande's multifaceted career paints a portrait of unwavering dedication and exemplary aptitude across various domains. As a prominent figure navigating the realms of bioethics, health equity, and beyond, her influence is palpable. Ms. Gravesande's resoluteness is evident in her academic prowess, dynamic professional journey, impactful leadership endeavors, and substantial research contributions, offering insight into the remarkable trajectory of this pioneering trailblazer
