Staff Members
Diane Cornman-Levy
Executive DirectorDiane Cornman-Levy
Watch VideoAs the Executive Director of WOMEN’s WAY, a nonprofit organization committed to achieving gender equality and justice, Diane is responsible for leading the restructuring of WOMEN’S WAY to reestablish it as a powerful catalyst for achieving gender equality and justice. Her role is critical to the transition and rebuilding of the organization that will support and expand on the mission.
Diane brings more than 30 years of nonprofit leadership, coalition building, and fundraising experience to WOMEN’S WAY. A tireless advocate for gender equality, Diane joins WOMEN’S WAY after running for State Representative of the 168th District, where she secured the highest percentage of votes on the Democratic ticket. Prior to that, Diane was co-founder and executive director of Natural Creativity, an educational initiative dedicated to helping young people develop a foundation for life-long learning that promotes self-direction, constructive purpose, and personal fulfillment, within a commitment to social equity.
Between 2015 and 2007, Diane was the Executive Director of the Federation of Neighborhood Centers (FNC), a non-profit organization that provides health and human services to more than 35,000 disadvantaged individuals per year. Prior to working at FNC, she was the Founder and Executive Director of Journey Home, a nonprofit organization that provided health and human services to more than 2,500 disadvantaged individuals per year. In each of these positions, Diane challenged the status quo through improving existing or developing new programs and services.
Diane served as the Co-Chair of the City of Philadelphia’s Food Policy Advisory Council (FPAC), and currently is a member of FPAC, Thomas Jefferson University’s School of Population Health’s Advisory Board, and the Philadelphia Declaration of Play Council.
Growing up in a family who was deeply committed to social justice built the foundation of her diverse career as a community activist, healthcare professional, educator, and non-profit leader. Diane is a long-term resident of Delaware County where she graduated from Radnor High School and then received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology at Brown University and a Master’s of Science in Physical Therapy at Northwestern University.
She returned to Delaware County in 1991 when she moved to Newtown Square. A mother of two daughters, she understands the health and economic inequities that women face, which is a driving force behind her past and present work. A strong advocate for public education, her two daughters graduated from Marple Newtown High School.
Leadership profile on Diane
Email: dcornmanlevy@womensway.org
Jessica Muslin
Director of OperationsJessica Muslin
Jessica’s passion for gender equality issues developed during her studies at the University of Vermont, where she earned her BA with a double major in Women’s Studies and Sociology. While attending UVM, she volunteered as a hotline counselor for the Women’s Rape Crisis Center in Burlington.
Jessica pursued a career in finance, beginning as a Sales Assistant at Raymond James & Associates in New York, where she progressed to eventually hold a position as Vice President. After 16 years in finance, Jessica decided to return to her roots and true calling in non-profit work focused on benefiting women and girls, joining the Young Woman’s Initiative in March of 2015 and then the Advisory Board in July.
Jessica has been the Director of Operations for Women’s Way since June of 2016. She lives in Point Breeze with her fiancé and his two children.
Email: jmuslin@womensway.org
Mary Scout
ControllerMary Scout
Mary has been the controller at WOMEN’S WAY for over 19 years. She began her career at PriceWaterhouse in 1965 and has been a CPA since 1967. She then worked at the Pitcairn Company in Jenkintown for over 17 years as a Vice-president of Taxation. In the 1980s, Mary served on WOMEN’S WAY’s Board of Directors. Mary is a professional registered parliamentarian. She serves WOMEN’S WAY as its parliamentarian, and also serves the NJ PTA and Dance Masters of America.. Mary has served on the board of several women’s organizations, and is currently treasurer for her church. She is a graduate of Drexel University, with a degree in accounting. Mary is married and resides in Medford, NJ.
Email: mscout@womensway.org
Camille Nickow
Program Director, WESICamille Nickow
Camille joined WOMEN’S WAY in the fall of 2017, and currently serves as the program director for the Women's Economic Security Initiative. In this role, Camille works to support and catalyze cross-sector collaborations that address structural inequalities, build community power, and test innovative solutions to entrenched and complex problems.
Having spent the last decade working to advance social and economic justice, Camille fervently believes that engaging and uniting the public, private and nonprofit sectors is critical to enacting lasting change. Prior to joining WOMEN’S WAY, Camille served a variety of grassroots organizations, causes, and campaigns. Most recently, she worked for 270 Strategies—a mission-driven consulting firm started by Obama campaign alumni—where she designed and delivered training programs for clients from 25+ countries. Before that, Camille was organizing director at FACE AIDS, where she empowered a national network of high school and college students to raise funds and educate their peers about global health inequities. Camille also served as deputy regional field director for President Obama’s re-election campaign in Florida and as a case manager at Connections for the Homeless in Evanston, IL.
Camille holds an MBA from University of California – Berkeley and a BS in Education and Social Policy from Northwestern University.
Email: cnickow@womensway.org
Lynn Schwartz
Chief Advancement OfficerLynn Schwartz
Lynn Schwartz, Chief Advancement Officer, joins WOMEN’S WAY with a passion for advancing gender equity for women and opening pathways for improved access. As CAO, Lynn designs, oversees and leads strategic fundraising initiatives. She brings over 25 years of experience in major gift fundraising. Her expertise extends to mentoring and training the next generation of both business and fundraising professionals with her distinct style mixing professional leadership development with humor.
Prior to joining WOMEN’S WAY, Lynn helped define the fundraising mission for Penn Medicine where she built organizational platforms for philanthropic and business sustainability. As Director of Philanthropic Partnerships, she was integral to the leadership team who helped the university reach its successful conclusion of the historic $1.4 billion Making History campaign. Lynn raised transformative gifts in support of groundbreaking immunotherapy work of Dr. Carl June and Dr. John Wherry, Director of the Institute for Immunology and the team of Penn’s Pancreatic Cancer Research Center.
Lynn grew up in Charleston SC where systemic racism, poverty, exclusion and barriers to equality were clearly evident. These formative years helped shape her drive and passion for fairness and equality. She has dedicated her career to development initiatives that help make the world a better place as a trusted fundraiser for the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, Temple University, and The Washington Institute.
Lynn volunteers her time with progressive organizations supporting the LGBTQ community and with the advocacy group Our City, Our Schools, fighting for fair funding for Philadelphia’s public schools. Lynn received her MBA from New York University’s Stern School of Business and her BA from Drew University in Economics and English.
Email: lschwartz@womensway.org
Board Members
Aletha Akers
MD MPH FACOGAletha Akers
Dr. Aletha Akers is a faculty member at PolicyLab at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and an adolescent gynecologist and medical director of Adolescent Gynecology Consultative Services in the Craig-Dalsimer Division of Adolescent Medicine at CHOP. Aletha also leads a research group that assesses strategies for improving access and quality of reproductive health services for adolescents.
Catherine Barbieri
Esq.Catherine Barbieri
Catherine Barbieri is a partner in Fox Rothschild LLP who practices in the area of employment law. Catherine also serves on the Firm's Diversity Committee and the Steering Committee of its Women's Initiative. She is also the Immediate Past Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Women’s Law Project.
Melissa Brickhouse
Melissa Brickhouse
Melissa Brickhouse is an IT Director at Cigna accountable for the integration, management and delivery of services. Melissa graduated from Pennsylvania State University and holds an M.B.A. from Drexel University. Melissa chairs the African-American/Black Colleague Resource Group and is on the board of WOMEN'S WAY.
Myra Brown
Myra Brown
Myra Brown is the CEO and owner of the National Workforce Opportunity Network (NWON) a national workforce management and placement firm with headquarters in Center City Philadelphia. Throughout her long and honored career Myra has been an advocate for the disenfranchised to gain sustainable and long term employment. She has held positions as Director of the Philadelphia branch of CareersUSA; Regional Business Services Director for PA Careerlink; Deputy Executive Director of a local Human Services agency; and Director of Human Resources and Diversity for the Philadelphia Orchestra Association.
Ms. Brown is a graduate of Temple University. She is a certified Professional Human Resources and has been an instrumental member of the Boards of Directors for SOSNA, Family Legacy Organization, Girls Rock Philly, The Aids Law Project of Philadelphia, and the Philadelphia International Airport Capacity Enhancement Project.
Myra recently received the Joan Shepp Woman of Style and Substance award. She also received a citation from the City of Philadelphia as a Woman on the Move for her efforts in Workforce Development and Employment throughout Philadelphia. Myra was honored by her alma mater, Temple University’s Fox School of Business as the 2016 Internship Provider of the Year.
Celeste Collins
Celeste Collins
Celeste is the Chief Human Resources and Inclusion Officer for Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC). Since 2005, she has been responsible for the strategic HR leadership and direction for one of the largest regional nonprofit public health organizations in the nation. Celeste is a key member of the senior leadership team at PHMC, participating in and contributing to decisions that effect the overall future direction of the organization.
Celeste has diverse and significant knowledge, insight and leadership in Human Resources. With a team of (18), she leads human resources strategy, policy and administration; benefits and compensation; employee relations; employment practices and procedures; and employee communications. This encompasses recruitment, selection, retention, compliance, employee learning and development, employee risk and safety, and overall talent management. She also has leadership oversight for ODL and Quality.
Denise E. Collins
Denise E. Collins
Denise E. Collins is the owner of DEC Consulting, LLC which focuses on business and real estate development. Denise received her B.S. degree in Health and Physical Education from Pennsylvania State University and her M.B.A. degree in Health Administration from Temple University. She is a member of the Board of Directors and Management Committee of the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia, a member of the Forum of Executive Women as well as a board member of WOMEN'S WAY.
Paula Crowley
Board ChairPaula Crowley
Paula Crowley was recently recognized by the Real Estate Forum – Women of Influence as one of the top 45 female executives making a difference in commercial real estate. Paula is also a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives and speaks nationally on the topics of customer-focused design, merchandising healthcare services, and creating investment value from healthcare real estate. She is also Chairman of The High Company in Lancaster, PA, Chairman of her firm Anchor Health Properties, and Chairman of WOMEN'S WAY in Philadelphia.
Brenda DeFeo
Brenda DeFeo
Brenda DeFeo has more than 20 years of management experience in healthcare and hospital administration. She is currently a Vice President for Bryn Mawr Hospital where she directs clinical support services, outpatient services and the oncology and pediatrics service lines. Brenda currently serves on the board of WOMEN'S WAY and is a trustee of the Valentine Foundation. She has also served as the Chair of the Maternity Care Coalition’s Corporate Advisory Committee and is a board member and treasurer of the Women’s Resource Center.
Don Forcey
Don Forcey
Don Forcey is an IT Executive at Vanguard where he has served in various roles across Data Center Operations during his 20 years there. He earned his undergraduate degree from Penn State University and holds a Master’s degree from St. Joseph’s University. Don is active with Home of the Sparrow, Adult Care of Chester County and is on the board of WOMEN'S WAY.
Gail Howard, Ed. D
Board SecretaryGail Howard, Ed. D
Gail Howard is Managing Director and a Senior Consultant at Liberty Business Strategies Ltd. She brings to her position over 25 years of experience as a senior consultant, executive coach, and Human Resources leader. She incorporates the best practices of both “insider” practical experiences with “outsider” objectivity to support leadership and corporate excellence in her work.
Julie P. Laine
Julie P. Laine
Julie Laine is currently the Vice President, Chief Transaction Compliance Officer and Senior Deputy General Counsel at Comcast Corporation. Julie is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and the College of William & Mary Law School. She is a member of Women in Cable & Telecommunications and a graduate of the Betsy Magness Leadership Institute. Julie is also a member of the Federal Communications Bar Association and is a former co-chair of the FCBA’s New England Chapter.
Adam B. Landau
CAIAAdam B. Landau
Adam B. Landau, CAIA serves as Co-Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer of Permit Capital Advisors, LLC. He is responsible for formulating and implementing the firm's investment strategy.
Prior to joining Permit, Adam served as Managing Director at McCabe Capital Managers, Ltd., working there from 1997 until 2011. Adam oversaw the integration of McCabe Capital's advisory efforts. This covered a rigorous process focused primarily on the various aspects of investment due diligence. Adam worked to optimize the structure of client portfolios to maximize the expected level of risk adjusted return. He served as one of two portfolio managers on three fund of funds products, including a hedge fund of funds and a socially responsible investment fund of funds, offered to clients of a number of major insurance carriers. Prior to joining McCabe, Adam spent four years at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette (DU) where he worked with both retail and institutional clients to develop asset allocation plans and construct appropriate equity and fixed income portfolios.
Adam received his M.B.A. {Finance) from Saint Joseph's University and a B.A. (Economics) from Rutgers University. He holds the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) designation and is a member of the CFA Institute and the CFA Society of Philadelphia. Adam serves as Chairman of the Board of Trustees at C.B. Community School, a private high school dedicated to students from foster care, and the Board of Directors of Bancroft, an organization serving children and adults with developmental disabilities. He is also on the Advisory Board of the Field Center for Children's Policy, Practice & Research at the University of Pennsylvania, an interdisciplinary effort of Penn's Schools of Social Policy & Practice, Law, Medicine, and Nursing, and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, focused on child welfare reform. Additionally, he serves on the Board of Directors of The Committee of Seventy.
Christine Lussier
CPAChristine Lussier
Christine Lussier is a retired certified public accountant and former senior tax manager at Deloitte where she specialized in individual and trust income tax. Christine left public accounting in 2009 in search of new passions and began studying yoga. She teaches yoga to elementary school children at Wissahickon Charter School and leads a women’s yoga program at Broad Street Ministries. Christine serves on the Boards of NextMove Dance, WOMEN'S WAY, and Philadelphia Photo Arts Center.
Joanna Otero-Cruz
Joanna Otero-Cruz
Joanna Otero-Cruz serves as Deputy Managing Director for the Community Services cabinet. Within this post, Mrs. Otero-Cruz leads and oversees’ operations for 311, the Office of Immigrant Affairs, the Community Life Improvement Program (CLIP), and the Office of Civic Engagement and Volunteer Services and Town Watch Integrated Services. Previously, Mrs. Otero-Cruz led Pennsylvania’s oldest Latino non-profit organization, Concilio, where she oversaw the organization’s foster care services, youth development programming, and children’s health work. She serves as Pennsylvania Commissioner for the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Latino Affairs, is a member of the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence and served on the CEIBA Coalition. Mrs. Otero-Cruz holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Peirce College in Business Administration with a concentration in management.
Marguerite C. Weese Raab
Board Vice ChairMarguerite C. Weese Raab
Marguerite C. Weese Raab is a Director of Wealth and Fiduciary Planning at Wilmington Trust. She holds a Juris Doctorate and Master of Laws in Taxation from Villanova University’s Charles Widger School of Law and earned her Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees from the University of Maryland. Marguerite is also a member of the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Probate and Trust Section’s Executive Committee and a prior chair of the section’s tax committee.
Cynthia Ritter
Board TreasurerCynthia Ritter
Cynthia Ritter is a retired finance executive and former vice president at Tyco International where she held several roles, including strategic planning, operations and corporate finance. Cynthia now focuses her time in organizations that have a direct social impact, particularly with girls and women. She coaches cheerleading at New Foundations Charter School, is an executive mentor for WOMEN Unlimited, and serves on the Board of Directors for the Arts Condominium and the Duttine-Cavataio Fund.
Johanna Rossell
Johanna Rossell
Johanna Rossell is the Vice President of Launch Excellence at Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals. In her role, Johanna works with Development and Brand Teams to enhance the strategic preparations of future launch brands Johanna has experience in developing, leading and delivering successful commercial strategies. Her experience spans global Marketing, franchise leadership, market research, operations, and sales leadership, digital and cross cultural marketing. She has gained her expertise across geographies spanning Latin America, North America and Europe and across major pharmaceutical companies, most recently at Merck, prior to that at Novartis, and Procter and Gamble. Johanna is a Computer Engineer by training and an MBA from Simon Bolivar University in Caracas, Venezuela.
Kim Takacs
Kim Takacs
Kim Takacs is Senior Counsel in the Global Corporate Transactions group at Chubb. She is a member of the Chubb Pro Bono Committee and is passionate about engaging in-house lawyers in pro bono service. Kim is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees for Community Legal Services and Philadelphia Legal Assistance.
Lauren Winchester
Lauren Winchester
Lauren Winchester is a Privacy Breach Response Services manager for Beazley Group in Philadelphia where she guides policyholders through suspected and confirmed data privacy and cyber security incidents. Prior to Beazley Group, Lauren was an Associate in the Litigation Department of Fox Rothschild, LLP. She received her J.D., cum laude, from Seton Hall University School of Law where she served as an Articles Editor of the Seton Hall Law Review. Lauren also received a BS in Political Science at Carnegie Mellon University.
Mims Maynard Zabriskie
Mims Maynard Zabriskie
Mims Maynard Zabriskie is a partner at Morgan Lewis who advises on complex executive compensation and employee benefit plan matters. She counsels large publicly and privately owned businesses, including Fortune 500 enterprises, technology companies, and universities on a range of legal issues related to executive compensation governance, and employee benefit plans. She also advises on benefits and executive compensation issues that arise during major corporate transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, sales, IPOs, and spinoffs.
Active in a variety of professional and civic organizations, she lectures regularly on executive compensation and equity compensation issues at legal continuing education programs. She is listed in Chambers USA (2007-2016) and Best Lawyers in America (1995-2017). Before joining Morgan Lewis, Mims was a partner at another large law firm, where she practiced law for 16 years.