Meet Our Team
Executive Director & Co-Founder | she/her
Director of Campaigns & Policy | she/her
Communications & Data Manager
Deputy Director | she/her
Member Assistance Program Manager | she/her
Senior Director of Finance & Operations | she/her
Myia Rucker, MSW, LSW
Director of Membership | she/her
Manager of Social Impact | she/her
Senior Director of Communications | she/her
Sunny Park, JD
Affirming the Humanity in Us All. That’s the mantra that Sunny Park lives by, and it’s the positive message she brings to all her work– which is why her nickname is “Sunny”! She brings passion, light, humility, and an uplifting message to all her talks, that touch the soul and brings out the humanity in us all. She is a law school graduate who focused on civil liberties and social justice issues. She is a diversity/inclusion trainer working with business, nonprofits, and social groups. She helps them have hard conversations. As a mom of two, she wanted to bring to life a book parents could use to have hard conversation with kids of all ages.
Sunny is from Greensboro, NC. Currently, she lives with her husband in Cuyahoga Falls, and she has 2 children to keep her busy.
Rhiannon Carnes, Vice President
Rhiannon Carnes, is the Founder and Executive Director of Ohio Women’s Alliance (OWA) & Ohio Women’s Action Fund, a statewide Reproductive Justice organization building power across Ohio. Rhiannon built OWA to share her hopes for an Ohio that prioritizes the well-being, prosperity, and liberation of women of color, gender-expansive folks, and young people. She envisioned a year-round organizing group that centers grassroots leaders in Ohio. To get started, she set out on a state-wide listening tour to identify the issues that impact Ohio constituents the most, the challenges we face, and the hopes and priorities we have for the future of our communities. The tour led to our Pillars of Prosperity—the values platform that laid the foundation for the official launch of Ohio Women’s Alliance in late 2019 and OWA Action Fund in 2020.
Since then, Rhiannon’s accomplishments have been celebrated in Elle, The Nation, Harper’s BAZAAR, and Cosmopolitan; she was recently named a Woman of Achievement by YWCA Columbus; in 2024 she was named a Ms. Foundation Woman of Vision by the Ms. Foundation; and in 2022, she was named a Reproductive Justice Hero and a 2022 Jane Bagley Lehman Award winner by the Tides’ Foundation.
Prior to building OWA & OWA Action Fund, Rhiannon Carnes became the founder and leader of Ohio’s Women’s March, where she collaborated with national leaders and recruited over 100 volunteers. And on January 21, 2017, over 15,000 women, gender-expansive folks, and allies took the Ohio streets. After the success of the Women’s March, she became a field organizer with Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio, where she worked for two years.
Adelaide Appiah, Treasurer
Adelaide "Adele" Appiah (she/her/hers) is a Ghanaian American reproductive justice advocate and the Director of Programs at CHC: Creating Healthier Communities. CHC is a nonprofit organization that builds partnerships to address health inequities by fostering trusted community engagement, fundraising, and offering programs and services to support communities where everyone can thrive.
Adele strategizes and executes CHC's $9.5 million inaugural national grantmaking portfolio, focused on adequately resourcing community-based organizations to advance Black Birthing outcomes and address social determinants of health barriers to HPV vaccinations and care along the Breast and Cervical Cancer continuum. This includes strategizing and executing a trust and community-based grantmaking approach, leveraging implementation science to build sustainable and scalable community health program models, and providing comprehensive operational oversight of programming initiatives such as budget, grantee, and funder management.
She is committed to integrating racial, reproductive, and social justice frameworks in her work and believes that the solution to health disparities lies within the communities most impacted. Adele strives to amplify the voices and experiences of those most affected by health inequities in her program design and grantmaking strategies.
With over a decade of experience, Adele has served in various programmatic, grantmaking, and organizational leadership roles, with Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio, AIDS United – an HIV grantmaking organization, The National Association to Advance Black Birth, USAID’s Office of HIV/AIDS and the National Association of County and City Health officials. She has managed multimillion-dollar grant initiatives funded by The Ford Foundation, Elevance Health Foundation, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), and Groundswell Fund.
Additionally, Adele serves is a fellow with the RWJF-supported National Collaborative for Health Equity's Culture of Health Leaders Institute for Racial Healing, focusing on the Racial Healing and Relationship Building pillar.
Adele received her Bachelor of Science in public health and sociology from Ohio State University and her Master of Public Health in maternal and child health from George Washington University
Kendra Asiedu, Secretary
Kendra Asiedu (she/her) is passionate about community upliftment, joy, and health for all, but especially marginalized communities. A graduate of THE Ohio State University with concentrations in International Studies; Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies; and Global Public Health; Her aim is to use her academic and life experiences to center communities of color, by combining the arts, research, health justice, community, and global relations.
From abortion access to housing, historically systems continue to leave behind the most marginalized. She wants to be a part of the leaders working to uplift and empower our communities and bring them to the helm of public health advocacy and Reproductive Justice. Kendra has served as a Legislative Analyst for Columbus City Councilmember Shayla Favor, and she currently serves as a Human Resource Generalist for the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office and a volunteer for BHE Foundation.
Tamaya Dennard
Inspired by Shirley Chisholm and an abiding belief that everyone deserves a non-tokenized voice in what’s happening in their community, in 2017, Tamaya became the first openly gay woman elected to public office in the City of Cincinnati. Her focus in office was dismantling legislation rooted in systemic racism, classism and sexism and creating equitable policies that gave everyone an equal opportunity to succeed.
Tamaya holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Business from the University of Cincinnati. In 2014, she was recognized as one of the Forty Leaders Under 40 by the Cincinnati Business Courier. In 2017, Tamaya was given the Affirmed award by the Urban League Young Professionals of Southwest Ohio and in 2019, she was voted Best Elected Official in Cincinnati by CityBeat Magazine.
In her spare time, you can find Tamaya sitting courtside rooting for the University of Cincinnati Women’s Basketball team, playing pickleball or golf and listening to 90’s RnB and hip-hop (the golden era).
Stacy Hall, MSN, BC-FNP
My name is Stacy Hall and I am the Owner/CEO of I.V.Rain Hydration & MedSpa. I have over 20 years' experience in the medical field, 11 years as a Registered Nurse, and four years as a Certified Nurse Practitioner.
At our spa, we understand the importance of holistic wellness and offer a range of services that promote both physical and mental well-being. Our team of highly trained medical professionals is dedicated to providing personalized treatments tailored to your unique needs.
When it comes to IV hydration, we believe in the power of replenishing your body from within. Whether you're seeking to boost your immune system, enhance athletic performance, recover from a hangover, or simply rejuvenate your skin, our IV hydration therapies are designed to help you achieve optimal health and vitality. Our IV hydration treatments are carefully crafted using a combination of essential vitamins, minerals, and electrolytes to nourish your body at a cellular level. With customized formulations, we address your specific concerns and goals, ensuring that you receive the precise nutrients your body needs for optimal results.
In addition to IV hydration, we offer a variety of other treatments and services to enhance your well-being. From vitamins/minerals injections, weight loss therapies and management, lypossage, body contouring, to cosmetic surgery JP drain removal, etc. Our comprehensive approach allows us to address your unique needs and help you achieve your desired results.
What sets us apart is our commitment to our understanding that a spa treatment is personal and can sometimes be a vulnerable experience, which is why we strive to create a safe space where you feel heard, supported, and respected throughout your journey with us. We pride ourselves on our attention to detail, ensuring that every visit to our spa is a luxurious and indulgent experience. Our friendly and knowledgeable team is here to guide you through your treatment options, answer any questions you may have, and ensure that you leave feeling refreshed, renewed, and revitalized.
Whether you're seeking relaxation, rejuvenation, or restoration, we invite you to discover the transformative power of our medical spa and IV hydration services. Schedule with us today and let us help you unlock your true potential and embrace a healthier, happier, and more vibrant you.
Jamilah Pitts
Jamilah Pitts is an author, educator, social entrepreneur, and wellness guide whose work centers the liberation, healing and holistic development of communities of the Global Majority. Jamilah has worked and served in various roles and spaces to promote racial justice and healing. Jamilah has served as a teacher, coach, dean, and as an Assistant Principal. She has worked in domestic and international educational spaces, including Massachusetts, New York, the Dominican Republic, China, and in India. As the Founder and CEO of Jamilah Pitts Consulting, Jamilah partners with schools, communities, universities and organizations to advance the work of racial, social and intersectional justice through educator training and coaching. Jamilah is also the Founder of She, Imprints, an organization serving at the intersection of wellness and justice for women and girls of the Global Majority.
Jamilah is the author of Toward Liberation: Educational Practices Rooted in Activism, Healing and Love. Jamilah’s written work has also appeared in the Huffington Post, Learning for Justice, and EducationWeek. She has presented to audiences of thousands of educators both within the United States and internationally. Jamilah threads her passion for human rights and social justice into her teaching, writing, scholarship and other artistic pursuits. She sees education and healing as her life’s work and calling, and truly believes that education should be an avenue through which empathy, healing and justice are promoted.
Jamilah is also a certified as a Yoga Teacher, Reiki Practitioner, Omnoire Retreat Facilitator, and is certified as a Trauma - Conscious Yoga guide. She is a proud alumna of Spelman College where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in English. Jamilah also pursued graduate studies at Boston College and Teachers College, Columbia University and holds a Master of Education.
Jamilah is an avid traveler, serious foodie and dancer.
Cynthia Tyson, Ph.D., MSW, LISW-S
Cynthia Tyson, Ph.D., MSW, LISW-S is based in Columbus, OH, with a diverse background as a professor at The Ohio State University, a clinical therapist in private practice, certified National End of Life Association (NEDA) Death Doula and Greif Recovery Method Specialist She is also a certified Death Doula through the National End of Life Association (NEDA).
Dr. Tyson earned her doctoral degree in education and a master's degree in social work from The Ohio State University. Currently, Dr. Tyson serves as a Professor in the Department of Teaching and Learning within the College of Education and Human Ecology at her alma mater. Her academic pursuits revolve around exploring the historical, social, and cultural intersections of theory and practice in the context of diversity, equity, inclusion, oppression, and justice. In addition to her academic role,
Dr. Tyson is an independently licensed social worker who works as a clinical therapist at Focus Counseling Clinic in Columbus, OH. Her areas of expertise lie in culturally sensitive holistic approaches, with a specialization in grief, bereavement, end-of-life planning, and addressing the impacts of racialized stress and trauma. Dr. Tyson employs individualized and relationship-centered approaches to provide anti-oppressive, holistic care and guidance to individuals as they navigate challenging life experiences and cope with losses across the continuum of life.
Mission
Ohio Women’s Alliance is a power-building Reproductive Justice organization providing programming, resources, and education for women, gender-expansive folks, and youth throughout Ohio. Rooted in the foundations of Reproductive Justice, our mission is to transform Ohio into a state where all people can truly thrive through access to safe communities, equitable education, holistic health care and wellness, inclusive and representative democracy, and economic prosperity.
Vision
Our vision is an Ohio where all people can truly thrive—an Ohio that takes a stake in all women and gender-expansive folks having the power to make their own decisions for themselves, their families, and their communities.
Our Values
We developed our Pillars of Prosperity—our issue platform—directly with our membership.
In the summer of 2019, we conducted a statewide listening tour to 1) better understand how an alliance like the Ohio Women's Alliance could support emerging and existing leaders and 2) identify issues these leaders are organizing around in their communities.
We held eight focus groups in seven different cities/towns: Dayton, Cincinnati, Columbus (2), Athens, Cleveland, Akron, and Toledo. These cities were selected for having a non-white population of 25% or more, with the exception of Athens, which was chosen for having a very active activist base. Focus group invitees included community organizers, local grassroots leaders, and community volunteers identified by our co-founders, Rhiannon Childs and Erin Scott. Between Rhiannon and Erin’s collective networks and the suggestions of peers, the pool of focus group attendees was diverse, engaged, and eager to participate.
Over 50 women participated in the focus groups, and around 10 individual leaders were interviewed one-on-one. Attendees were asked to review a two-page proposal on the purpose of the Ohio Women's Alliance and informally discuss whether or not there is a need for a statewide coalition of women and gender nonconforming leaders. The response was overwhelmingly received positively for an organization that prioritizes relationships, brave spaces, restorative healing practices, resources for training, and small-dollar financial support opportunities. We also reviewed timely and essential issues leaders were working on, and ultimately followed up with a list of issues that were revised and re-sent twice to focus group participants.
After unveiling our Pillars of Prosperity to the broader community, we have received an enormous amount of support for our inclusive, forward-thinking platform that creates healthier communities, a more just democracy, and protects women and gender-expansive folx.
Our Pillars of Prosperity
we believe in healthcare for all, which includes:
Access to full reproductive care including safe and legal abortion
Improving maternal and infant care, specifically addressing the disproportionate Black infant and maternal mortality rates
Recovery services for folx struggling with an addiction disorder
Recovery services for survivors of sexual assault and human trafficking
Access to affordable prescriptions
Hormone therapy and gender affirmation surgeries for LGBTQIA+ folks
Culturally competent healthcare including mental health services that are culturally competent and anti-racist
Addressing biases against people with visible and invisible disabilities
Expanding the Affordable Care Act
Introducing a single-payer healthcare system
we believe in decarceration and rehabilitation, which includes:
Rehabilitation, restoration, and re-entry programs
Dismantling school-to-prison and school-to-human-trafficking pipelines
Decriminalizing sex work
Abolishing cash bail
Abolishing US Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE)
Justice for disproportionately incarcerated Black and brown folx
Abolishing the death penalty
Acknowledging racialized criminalization within drug classification
Abolishing privatized prisons
we believe in strong, equitable education, which includes:
Equitable public school funding
Universal Pre-K
Removing police officers from all schools
Diverse and representative teaching and administrative staff in schools
Well-resourced teachers
Policies protecting LGBTQIA+ students
Dismantling redlining practices and addressing their impact
Freedom to determine educational pathways regardless of income or zip code
we believe in economic prosperity for all, which includes:
Community economic development centered in the needs of the residents
Support for community care and mutual aid networks
Fair and livable wages for all
Resources and employment for folx with disabilities
Protecting and expanding social safety net programs
Protection from employer discrimination due to race, gender identity, ability, age, religion, sexual identity, etc.
we believe in humanitarian crisis support, which includes:
Support for immigrants and refugees, including ending inhumane detainment
Fighting climate change, which contributes to global humanitarian crises
Holding our elected officials accountable to take action during a humanitarian crisis
Access to free PPE
Access to rapid, accurate COVID-19 testing
Black Lives Matter
Prosecuting and convicting police officers who commit state-sanctioned violence against Black people
Protecting AAPI communities from xenophobia and violence, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic
The right to self-determination for all, including citizenship if desired
Protecting and expanding Indigenous lands, communities, culture, acknowledging and repairing the harms of colonization
we believe in safe communities, which includes:
Demilitarization of police forces
Addressing white nationalism and domestic terrorism through common-sense gun laws
Addressing a culture of toxic masculinity and misogynoir
Policies and laws protecting LGBTQIA+ folx from violence and harassment
Support for family and children impacted by the state-sanctioned drug epidemic
Divestment in police, investment in community resources independent of the state
Defending the rights of protesters, especially Black community organizers and activists
All people should have access to safe, affordable housing options and the right to determine where and how they live
All Ohioans have multiple ways to access healthy, affordable, and culturally appropriate food within their own communities
Ensuring the supply chains that feed Ohioans and provide energy are modern, efficient, and resilient.
we believe in an inclusive, representative democracy, which includes:
Expanding and protecting voter rights, especially in Black communities
Campaign finance reform, including spending and in-kind donation limits
Dismantling gerrymandering through a fair and transparent redistricting process
Investing in communities of color year-round, not just during the election season
Creating sustainable and inclusive pipelines to leadership, including but not limited to running for office
Empowering directly impacted folx to have a voice and a stake in policy and legislation within their community
Advocating for automatic and same-day voter registration
Improving the vote-by-mail system accessibility and accuracy
Our Action Fund
Ohio Women’s Alliance has always been led by Black women and influenced by the leadership of women of color and gender nonconforming folx. Too often the issues that impact Black women, women of color, LGBTQ+, and gender nonconforming folx are not referred to as reproductive justice issues. But all of our issues are reproductive justice issues — our health, food security, and our needs. We are reclaiming reproductive justice as a framework from which we have always been organizing and leading.
The realm of reproductive feminism has historically been limited to abortion rights. Ohio Women’s Alliance centers the full experience of women and gender nonconforming folx of color, including abortion access, maternal healthcare, criminal justice, economic justice, education, and wellness.