The WOMEN'S WAY Speakers Bureau

Too often, conversations about gender and economic inequities exclude the people most impacted by these injustices. When dominant narratives reinforce harmful stereotypes or ignore systemic barriers, they limit solutions and stall progress. But, when those closest to the issues have the opportunity and platform to lead those conversations instead, we can get closer to lasting change.

Introducing the WOMEN’S WAY Speakers Bureau – a new phase of our narrative change work and a key initiative in our three-year strategic plan to challenge dominant narratives about gender and economic inequities by centering those most impacted.

Guided by feedback from all four cohorts of Change the Narrative Fellows, we created the Speakers Bureau to supercharge Fellowship alumni as they grow as advocates and changemakers.

Over six months, the Speakers Bureau provides a group of Fellowship alumni with:

  • Skill-building workshops led by regional experts
  • Opportunities to collaborate with WOMEN’S WAY to envision strategies for advancing gender equity
  • Live speaking engagements and media exposure

The Speakers Bureau is composed of 10 members, all former Change the Narrative Fellows: Alisha Gillespie, Angie Orozco-Rasique, Christina Tsan, Kachina Crippen, Marina Dominquez Cifuentes, Monique Taylor, Pamela Superville, Sappho Reynan Fulton, Tamara Cobb, and Dr. Victoria Best.

The Speakers Bureau is made possible thanks to the generous support of the HFGF Foundation.

Program Highlights

So far, the Speakers Bureau has come together for 4 sessions and participated in workshops facilitated by Kimmy Cook from the Alliance For a Just Philadelphia, Phoebe Bachman from The People’s Budget, and former PA State Rep, Donna Bullock. Members also attended the People’s Budget Public Meeting to engage in community-based efforts to influence the City of Philadelphia’s FY26 budget.

What's Next?

At the program’s conclusion, WOMEN’S WAY will launch a digital storytelling platform featuring videos, podcasts, blogs, and interviews with members of the Speakers Bureau. This platform will serve as a lasting foundation for the Speakers Bureau and a hub for our partners to connect with Bureau Members and engage them in their work, bringing conversation on systems change to people who know the system best.

Additionally, the Speakers Bureau will leave a lasting imprint on WOMEN’S WAY by shaping the organization’s advocacy agenda, influencing the future of policy and advocacy efforts.

Through diverse advocacy pathways, including public speaking, media strategy, arts advocacy, policy, and writing, Speakers Bureau members will generate awareness of racial and gender inequities in economic opportunity and drive meaningful action.

Read on to learn more about each member of our Speakers Bureau and stay tuned for more updates!

 

Meet The Speakers Bureau

Alisha Gillespie (she/her)

Alisha is a former chairperson at Compass Working Capital and a soon-to-be podcaster. She has been instrumental in helping change policies for TANF clients and believes that advocating for women of color is imperative to a changing world. Alisha has experience with public speaking both on the radio and media. As a born-and-raised Philadelphian, Alisha is passionate about becoming the help she always wanted. Her hobbies include writing, painting, and singing in the choir.

Angie Orozco-Rasique (she/her)

Angie wants to eradicate period poverty in and out of prisons. Angie is a first-generation Hispanic American with a lived experience of period poverty, or lack of access to menstrual products and reproductive health care. In addition to working on several period poverty initiatives in the city, Angie is also a student at the Community College of Philadelphia.

Christina Tsan (she/her)

Christina has always had a passion for social justice and the arts, which has led her to joining the WOMEN’S WAY Change the Narrative Fellowship in 2023 and studying graphic design at Temple University. In the Speakers Bureau, she plans to combine her interests in art and social justice by using her graphic design skills to create projects that raise awareness for issues such as gender inequality, racism, and xenophobia. Christina also enjoys reading, writing, and doing photoshoots with her friends in her free time.

Kachina Crippen (she/her)

Kachina is pursuing a degree in social work at West Chester. She is dedicated to changing the narratives surrounding trauma, mental health, housing insecurity, and food insecurity. Her interests include writing short stories, bowling, arts and crafts, and photography.

Marina Dominguez Cifuentes (she/her)

Marina immigrated to the United States from Argentina in 2013. She earned her LLM for foreign-trained lawyers from Temple University in 2019. She has been active in various social justice initiatives in the Philadelphia area. She believes a better and more inclusive world is possible, starting with awareness and education in values. She has a strong interest in children's rights. As a Fellow from the First Cohort, she is participating in this project with the conviction that it will make a difference for the community she wishes to serve.

Monique Taylor (she/her)

Monique is a firm believer in the power of community. She is a Special Initiative Outreach Worker for Project Home, working closely with the Opioid Epidemic Community in Kensington, and is in recovery. Originally from Rhode Island, Monique loves being outdoors in all seasons. She is an Indigenous woman, a caregiver, and formerly incarcerated.

Pamela Superville (she/her)

Pamela (she/her) is a dedicated Reintegration Specialist with over 15 years of experience advocating for individuals returning from incarceration. Through her work, and her experience as a justice-impacted citizen, Pamela aims to create a more equitable environment for those impacted by the justice system, (especially women and youth); empowering them to thrive and successfully reintegrate into their communities. Some of Pamela’s recent accolades include: The PRC’s 2022 “Leadership and Accomplishment” award; selection as a 2024 WOMEN'S WAY Change the Narrative Fellow; and a letter of Appreciation from the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Sappho Reynan Fulton (she/her, they/them)

Sappho is a global expert in transformational life coaching, addressing issues related to gender-based violence and pre-entry/re-entry services for diverse populations. With master's degrees in social work and organizational leadership, and currently pursuing a Ph.D. in International Psychology, she brings extensive experience in social work, community organizing, and nonprofit management to her role. Her personal journey, including over 20 years of involvement with the carceral system followed by nearly two decades of successful reintegration, adds depth to her professional expertise in reentry and second chances.

Tamara Cobb (she/her)

Tamara is born and raised in Philadelphia and a proud mother of three adult children. Tamara has dedicated her career to community health and is a Certified Community Health Worker, Certified Peer Specialist, and Perinatal Community Health Worker. Her passion for working with the community began in the late 1990s and continues to this day.

Dr. Victoria Best (she/her)

Dr. Victoria strives to inspire others to be their best selves through education. She is currently the Project Manager for the DATA CoLab at the DA’s office and runs Victoria's Urban Outreach Tutoring Service (VUOTS), a grassroots organization that offers free educational resources and services to underserved Philadelphia residents. Victoria is a Black woman, mother, and person of Re-entry.