Shanequa Levin

Founder & CEO

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.

Erika Deans

Board Officer

Chair of the Board

Erika is an enhancement-focused Licensed Social Worker, earning her master’s degree from Fordham University. She is currently studying for her Doctorate in Education, in Interdisciplinary Educational Studies at LIU researching the effects of racial trauma on pedagogy. Erika currently works on Juvenile Justice Reform, specifically policy changes to the racial and ethnic disparities, gender responsiveness, and creating detention alternatives.

Kathryn Abbatiello

Board Officer

Secretary of Board

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.

Debbie Mercer Miller
Board Officer
Treasurer of Board

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.

Aisha Alexis

Board Member

Aisha has a Masters in social work and specializes in art therapy with a passion to teach and empower youth and families to move in the direction they truly desire. She is a driven leader with a focus on coaching, motivating, and mentoring youth towards a better future.

Donna Raphael

Board Member

Donna has a Masters in clinical psychology and 20+ years of managing high impact youth development and empowerment programs. She inspires positive social and community impact in the areas of private and public partnerships and relationships in support of youth and at-risk populations.

El Schneider

Board Member/ Appointed Leader Representative

El received their Masters of Social Work. They firmly embody the values of social justice, action, community, and service that guide both their profession and the WDN. Their breadth of experiences has prepared them to be an effective agent if change in their community.

Farrah Mozawalla

Board Member

Farrah has a proven track record of dedication to creating a more inclusive Nassau County. She is the Executive Director of The Office of Asian American Affairs of Nassau County, the first Muslim to be appointed as a department head in Nassau County.

Jazmyne Archer

Board Member

Jazmyne has a Bachelors in Communication & Behavior and a double minor in Consumer Psychology and Spanish. Jazmyne helps Black, LatinX, and Native American students secure internships with fortune companies, and corporate and banking partners.

Monique Powell

Board Member

Monique has a Master’s in Master’s in Business Administration and Master’s in Public Administration. She is a strong advocate for youth development in her community, economic equality, and quality education.

Pascale Jean-Noel

Board Member

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!