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Our Team
Meet MOASH's staff

Finance Director
Carolyn H.
Carolyn (she/her) is the Finance Director for MOASH. She graduated from Eastern Michigan University with a BBA in Accounting. She and her husband have two grown sons, one a recent high school graduate and the other is part of the LGTBQ+ community. She has been in charge of all things finance and accounting related to help sustain MOASH programming for five years. Carolyn was the lead on all four of MOASH's clean external Audited Financial Statements. She is passionate about helping youth gain more agency over their lives and louder voices in areas that impact them. In her free time she enjoys traveling to Florida, taking nature walks, eating out, making home improvements, and stock picking. She is excited to show up every day in support of MOASH's mission within her home state.
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Program Director
Chardae B.
Chardae, M.Ed, MCHES (she/her) is the Program Director at the Michigan Organization on Adolescent Sexual Health (MOASH). While developing and facilitating sexual health curricula for both in-school and after school programs, she gained a passion for working with adjudicated youth, young people who are pregnant and parenting, as well as folx who are involved in the commercial sex industry. With over 12 years of experience in the sector of adolescent sexual health, she continues to be an outspoken advocate focused on building community and empowering youth voices, while prioritizing young people from marginalized communities including BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ youth.
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Program Coordinator
Hannah M.
Hannah, MSW (they/them) is a community organizer, creative, and critical thinker. They are the lead editor/ organizer for a local newsletter, Suburban Connections for Collective Liberation, aiming to connect folks in Metro Detroit’s suburbs with values related to social justice, community work, and visionary organizing. Additionally, they are active in their local mutual aid group, the Radical Social Workers community, and played an important role in the development of the first resident advisor union in the state at Wayne State University. Before grad school, Hannah spent time in Zambia with the Peace Corps and supported various programs abroad where they made many friends and learned new ways of being. Now, they are happy to be rooted in the Pontiac area and be building beloving communities with others that are committed to the path towards collective liberation. As a queer person of faith who grew up in a conservative church, they are thrilled to be fulfilling this new position with MOASH as the MY Faith YAC Facilitator. They look forward to all that will come personally and communally by struggling with this important work at the intersections of youth, faith/ spirituality/ religion, queerness, and sexual and reproductive freedom.
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Program Manager
James T.
James (he/him) is the program manager for both the Promoting Protective Policy (P3) Project and Teen Outreach Program (TOP). James supervises the development and delivery of technical assistance and policy recommendations for 15 schools participating in the Promoting Protective Policy (P3) Project, a partnership between Michigan State University, Wayne State University, University of Texas at Arlington, and MOASH. He leads MOASH’s implementation of the Teen Outreach Program (TOP) by providing training and compliance monitoring for two community agencies serving about 200 youth, and oversees MOASH’s research safety efforts as Human Protections Administrator. James holds a Bachelor's in Public Policy with a minor in Leadership of Organizations.
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Implementation Specialist
Jarred D.
Jarred (he/him) is a Black Queer Muslim born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. He holds a Bachelor of Science from Grand Valley State University in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. Jarred is a transplant to Michigan with an interest in poetry, anime, and comics. He is inspired by the works of Audre Lorde, Maya Angelou, and Octavia Butler. He has used their teachings to support his work in assisting victims/survivors of sexual and intimate partner violence to find empowerment. His own praxis of healing modalities focuses on using Black feminist thought and Afro-futurism to transform racialized and gendered harm into liberation and self-determination. Jarred also holds the title of Sarah Hegazy Fellow through Queer Crescent bringing together his faith background to intersect in all the work he is devoted to.
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P3 Regional Coordinator
Jude K.
Jude (he/they) is one of two regional coordinators for the Promoting Protective Policy (P3) project. He completed his Bachelor’s in Anthropology with the University of Michigan Flint in 2022. He has been captivated by the research process for years, even working as a research assistant for the University’s History department. While finishing his degree, he was employed with UM Flint’s Center for Gender and Sexuality to provide comprehensive sexual health and social equity education for youths and adults. They also assisted in teaching English to Spanish-speaking community members and connected individuals to local resources for citizenship. With this experience, he moved on after graduation to work in harm reduction and disease prevention, significantly shaping his connection to the Flint community. Now, they are incredibly honored to be a part of the MOASH and P3 teams! When Jude is not working in sexual health and community building, you can find him cleaning up cemeteries around the state of Michigan or cuddling with his two cats - Fish and Lentil.
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Accountant
Katie A.
Katie (she/her) holds a Master's degree in Statistics from Carnegie Mellon University. Katie is passionate about youth education, particularly that which supports healthy development through the transformative years of adolescence. Prior to her work at MOASH, she worked for over 20 years as a middle, high school, and college mathematics teacher. She developed an interest in accounting in her late 20s, and through self-study and work opportunities gained the knowledge and skills she uses in her work for MOASH. Katie and her husband, Chris, reside in Ann Arbor. Together they raised three daughters who are now in their 20s, one of whom is a member of the LGBTQ+ community.
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Program Coordinator
Katie L.
Katie (she/her) is a Program Coordinator at MOASH. She graduated from the Ohio State University in 2021 with a BSEd in English Education and a minor in Women’s Gender and Sexuality Studies. In college, she was a leader of a student organization that focused on volunteering at local LGBTQ+ organizations and was a LGBTQ peer mentor through the Multicultural Center. Katie worked part-time as the Project Assistant on the Michigan Department of Education’s LGBTQ Students Project, on which MOASH is now the fiscal agent, for 5 months before joining MOASH full-time. She is excited to be doing work supporting her passions of education and youth wellness as a part of the MOASH team.
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Implementation Specialist
Kristen H.
Kristen (they/them) works with the Sexual Health for Adolescents Rooted in Equity (SHARE) program. Kristen graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Women’s & Gender Studies from the University of Toledo in 2017 and has been working within reproductive healthcare and advocacy since then. Their most cherished experiences in this work include: coordinating a multi-county clinic escort program, helping over 1,800 people access abortion care after June of 2022, and guiding youth to advocate for their bodily autonomy and live authentically. Kristen's facilitation approach is rooted in radical honesty & community building. Both in work and at home they strive to destigmatize conversations and services involving sexual health and reproductive healthcare services. On any given day you can find Kristen daydreaming in Ypsilanti, MI where they reside with their wife, cat, and bearded dragon.
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Program Coordinator
Natasha T.
Natasha (she/her) is a writer, youth advocate, and artist-activist. From 2009-2018, she served as co-founder and Executive Director of RAISE IT UP! Youth Arts & Awareness (RIU), an award-winning organization that promoted youth engagement, expression, and empowerment through performance, literary art, and social activism. In 2018, she became a Regional Organizing Director for NextGen America’s NextGen Rising initiative, the youth organizing and voter mobilization and of NextGen America. Her writing has been featured in digital publications and academic journals such as the Hollywood Reporter, The Body is Not an Apology (TBINAA), AlterNet, and Kalfou: A Journal of Comparative and Relational Ethnic Studies. Natasha has performed/presented at various venues, conferences, and festivals including Harry Belafonte’s inaugural Many Rivers to Cross Music and Social Justice Festival in Atlanta, at the African-American Policy Forum’s (AAPF) Breaking the Silence Retreat at Vassar College, and for the #SayHerName Campaign at the African American Women and the Law Conference in Washington, DC. As a poet and speaker, she has had the honor of sharing the stage with artists and activists such as Stevie Wonder, Kimberle’ Crenshaw, bell hooks, Janelle Monae, Barbara Smith, Ryan Coogler, Sonia Sanchez, Jessie Williams, John Legend and more. Natasha is the facilitator for MY REC.
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Program Manager
Patty D.
Patty (she/her) is a lifelong Michigander and the state's biggest fan. She studied Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and Political Science at Grand Valley State University. Community care is the center of her advocacy framework, and she cares deeply about environmental conservation, equitable abortion access, and empowering sex education for all. Patty lives in northern Michigan and spends as much time swimming as possible.
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P3 Regional Coordinator
Sampoorna R.
Sampoorna (she/her) is one of two regional coordinators for the Promoting Protective Policy (P3) project. She also works with the youth advisory council, MY Voice, as a co-facilitator. She graduated from the University of Michigan in 2022 with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and Biopsychology, Cognition, & Neuroscience. Sampoorna has a strong background in research and has previously been a student research assistant within the Psychology and Political Science departments at the University of Michigan. She is also a strong advocate for sexual health education, sexual violence prevention, and marginalized communities. During undergrad, she worked with U of M’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center (SAPAC) as the first Peer Led Support Group facilitator for survivors of color. In addition, she was an active volunteer with the SAPAC Bystander Intervention and Community Engagement cohort, where she led the Diversity and Outreach team. In addition, Sampoorna has worked as a Legal Assistant at a Social Security firm in Ann Arbor and enjoys advocating within her local community. Sampoorna has been working with MOASH in different capacities since 2019 and is always excited to continue advancing advocacy with this team.
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Communications Manager
Sarah Y.
Sarah, BSW, QMHP, RYT200 (she/her) is the communications manager at MOASH. She graduated from Wayne State University’s school of social work and completed her senior year practicum at MOASH. Sarah has worked in the realm of adolescent mental health from 2017 to 2023 through a peer role, encouraging youth voice and advocacy in treatment to improve outcomes, engagement, and resiliency. Sarah completed Planned Parenthood's Summer of Defiance fellowship in 2017 in partnership with Change Corps which provided campaign and organizing skills while working on actual campaigns such as the national fight for health care reform or passing local sex education policy. Sarah also completed a 200 hour yoga teacher training with additional certifications in children’s yoga, adolescent yoga, and trauma-informed yoga. Sarah has volunteered with Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Washtenaw County, served on the Association for Children's Mental Health (ACMH) board, spoken on panels regarding her queer identity through Eastern Michigan University's EPIC program, and been a member of Pride Alliance of Livingston for 5 years. Sarah currently resides in Michigan with her wife, Lindsey and dog, Luna.
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Advocacy Director
Shakti R.
Shakti R. (she/her) serves as MOASH's Advocacy Director where she has developed and leads the organization’s advocacy program. Some of her previous experiences include teaching comprehensive sex ed to middle school students, writing for the award-winning health promotion website, Go Ask Alice!, and evaluating PPFA’s Chat/Text sex ed program. Shakti also serves as a Board Member for the Abortion Fund of Ohio (AFO), Ohio's only statewide abortion fund which provides financial and logistical support to Ohioans seeking abortion care. As a queer, Jamaican-Indian woman, all of her work centers on values of anti-oppression, intersectionality, and staying research-informed; failure to do so only furthers harm against historically marginalized communities. She holds a Master's in Public Health (MPH) and certificate in Sexuality, Sexual & Reproductive Health from Columbia's Mailman School of Public Health, and a Masters of Science (MS) in Social Psychology, with a focus on intergroup stigma and discrimination towards queer and trans folks, from Ohio University.
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Executive Director
Taryn G.
Taryn, MPH, CPH, CHES (she/her) is the Executive Director at the Michigan Organization on Adolescent Sexual Health (MOASH), where she has held various roles since 2011. During her time at MOASH, she has worked alongside youth to break down the siloed approach to adolescent sexual health issues, in order to effectively address all that intersects with sexual and reproductive health among young people in Michigan. Taryn has worked in the world of sexual health for over 20 years and, prior to her work at MOASH, worked as a sexuality educator, HIV test counselor, and research assistant in HIV-prevention curriculum development. Currently, she is a board member for GLSEN Southeast Michigan Chapter and is the co-chair of the Ann Arbor Public Schools Sexual Health Education Advisory Committee.
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Bookkeeper
Taylor L.
Taylor (she/her/he/him) is a multifaceted talent who is always studying something new. She is a digital illustrator and voiceover artist, has a Bachelor of Science background in Criminology, a great research skill set, experience with Japanese, Korean, Wolof, Fulfulde, Afaan Oromoo and other languages, and loves to make the most out of her life. She makes up part of MOASH's team as the Bookkeeper.
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Meet MOASH's Board of Directors

Youth Board Member
Adam DeGregorio
Adam (he/him) is a youth member of the MOASH board of directors. He has been a part of MOASH for two years. He joined MOASH in hopes of getting better sexual health education for himself and his peers. Adam is also the President of the Dexter Pride Festival Planning Committee, a youth city council member, a Communications officer for Dexter Drama Club, a Student Thespian Officer (STO), and the 10th-grade student body advisory representative. In his (very little) free time, he enjoys musical theatre, going to local parks, and vocal performance study!
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Youth Board Member
Mackenzie Lovell
Mackenzie (she/her) is one of the two youth members of MOASH's board of directors. She is about to go into her fourth and final year at Michigan State University studying Comparative Cultures & Politics and Social Relations & Policy.
On campus, she works with organizations like Planned Parenthood Generation Action, the Sexual Assault Crisis Intervention team, and Pad the Mitten (a menstrual equity organization). She has devoted not only her time personally to reproductive justice but academically as well with her focus on Women's and Gender Studies. She is passionate about menstrual equity, the accessibility of reproductive health care, and reforming sex education. She is honored to serve on MOASH's board of directors. She has always admired the work they do for reproductive justice in the state of Michigan and is excited to be a part of it.
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Board Treasurer
Naomi Khalil
Naomi (she/her) is an Ed.S. consultant, facilitator, and change agent with over 25 years of experience with leading and learning in the areas of diversity, equity and justice. In addition to her educational experience as teacher, school administrator and district leader, Naomi, of Arab heritage, has native fluency in Spanish and has lived and traveled extensively abroad. This vast experience, coupled with her own identities and journeys, allows Naomi to bring a unique, yet powerful perspective to the world of diversity work. In addition to serving on the NO HARM Board of Directors, Naomi is board member and treasurer of MOASH (Michigan Organization On Adolescent Sexual Health) and an advisory board member for Peace Players Detroit, M-DICE, and Jimri.org. She also serves as the project coordinator with Detroit4Youth, working to streamline and prioritize the voice and needs of youth ages 0-26 across the city of Detroit. Naomi is an agent of racial and social justice, civic literacy and civic engagement, and leads both students and adults on a journey of self-discovery as they explore their own words and action in relationship to others. Her life’s passion is to celebrate unity through diversity, and she is always willing to push status quo in order to help us live into that passion.
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Board Co-Chair
Colby Spencer Cesaro
Colby, MPA (she/her) is Vice President at the Michigan Independent Colleges and Universities association (MICU). In her role, she focuses her time analyzing data on the contributions of higher education institutions, their students, and graduates to the economy, enhancing awareness of the importance of higher education to policymakers and the public. Outside of MICU, Ms. Spencer Cesaro is Board Co-Chair of the Michigan Organization on Adolescent Sexual Health (MOASH). MOASH’s work is focused on mobilizing youth voices, engaging community partners, and educating decision-makers to advance sexual health, identities, and rights for youth. Ms. Spencer Cesaro is also Board Chair of The Arts Alliance, a non-profit focused on arts advocacy throughout Washtenaw County and the State of Michigan. The Arts Alliance works collaboratively with National Endowment for the Arts and other organizations nationally. Ms. Spencer Cesaro holds a Bachelor of Science in elementary and special education from New York University with a concentration on vocal performance and music. She holds a Master of Public Administration in urban/social policy and econometric/quantitative analysis from the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University in New York City.
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Board Co-Chair
Craig VanKempen
Craig, LMSW, MPH (he/him) is a clinical therapist in private practice and the owner of Heard & Empowered Wellness. He sees clients online as well as in Ypsilanti and Royal Oak and specializes in working with members of the LGBTQ+, poly, and kink communities. He attended the University of Michigan and obtained a Bachelor's degree in Theatre and German along with two Master's Degrees in Social Work and Public Health. Prior to going back to graduate school he spent two years living in Germany teaching English along with being the Boys Camp Director at Camp Miniwanca in western Michigan. He has been working on improving the health and well being of adolescents for over two decades. In addition to his work with MOASH he is on the board of St. Dunstan's Theatre in Bloomfield Hills. He lives in metro Detroit with his partner Angela and baby Bailey where they spend most of their free time working on theatrical endeavors and enjoying their family time.
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Anne Scott
Anne Scott (she/her) is a passionate advocate for comprehensive sexual education and reproductive rights, particularly for young people. She brings her professional and personal background to MOASH, where she champions equitable, inclusive, and comprehensive sexual and reproductive health education policies and resources for Michigan's young people. Anne's personal experience of becoming pregnant with her daughter at the age of nineteen and facing many of the challenges that young parents face has shaped her advocacy and professional work. She has over seventeen years of professional experience in public health and healthcare administration, including the operation of school-based adolescent health services through Ingham County Health Department's network of Community Health Centers. Currently, Anne serves as Sexual Health Education Supervisor for the East Lansing Public Schools, in addition to her full-time role as the Health Center Operations Officer for the Michigan Primary Care Association, which promotes healthcare access for low-income and medically underserved communities across Michigan. When not working, Anne enjoys volunteering in her local community, being a mom to her kids and beloved animals, cooking, writing, and enjoying the outdoors.
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Jenny Wein
Jenny, CPA, PMP (she/her) is an IT Manager for the Great Lakes Water Authority. She has over 20 years of experience in business, technology improvement, and organizational change management. Jenny joined MOASH in order to help improve people’s sexual and reproductive confidence and to increase the quality and quantity of resources available to welcome their unique desires. Jenny has a Masters of Business Administration and Masters of Science in global sustainability from the University of Michigan and a Bachelors of Arts in accounting from Michigan State University with a specialization in international business. Outside of her full-time work and volunteering Jenny owns and manages a handful of rental properties and she enjoys creating gardens and habitat for native wildlife.
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Laurie Bechhofer
Laurie, MPH (she/her) has been an advocate, champion and change agent on adolescent sexual health and effective HIV/STD and sex education programs for the past 25 years. She believes in the power and strength of young people to make informed decisions about their relationships, their sexual health, and their future. She has been the HIV/STD Education Consultant with the Michigan Department of Education since 1996, working closely with schools, parents, and communities to promote HIV/STD programs for youth that are consistent with student needs, community norms, the law, and research and best practice. Laurie is committed to acknowledging and addressing the structural barriers that impede equitable health and education outcomes for young people. She has been the project director for a federally-funded grant to promote exemplary sexual health education, access to sexual health services, and safe and supportive school environments for all students. Laurie leads a statewide initiative, A Silent Crisis: Creating Safe and Supportive Schools for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning Students. In 2008, she co-founded the Michigan Organization on Adolescent Sexual Health (MOASH). She has been invited to serve on numerous national panels including the National Sexuality Education Standards Committee, and to speak at a sex education briefing on Capitol Hill. Laurie is a past president for the Society of State Leaders of Health and Physical Education, a Fellow with the American School Health Association, and co-author of a chapter in the book, Case Studies in Global School Health Promotion. She earned her M.P.H. from the University of Michigan and her B.A. in Psychology from Cornell University.
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Levi Berkshire
Levi (they/he) is currently the Biomedical Prevention Coordinator at Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Bureau of HIV and STI Programs. Levi has been working in the HIV field since 2015 including HIV Prevention and testing work, HIV Case Management, and serving as the Co-Chair of the Michigan HIV AIDS Council from 2016 to 2020. Levi is an Activist and Advocate for people living with HIV and AIDS. Levi personally helped with changing the HIV Laws in Michigan back in 2019. The law is not what Levi wanted, but thought it was a good starting point. Before working in HIV and AIDS Levi managed restaurants, did hair, waited tables, and worked for a bank. During their free time you can find them at home with their pets, foster pets, or kayaking.
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Lindsey Brenz
Lindsey (she/her) is an event coordinator at The Community House Foundation in Birmingham, is honored to join the MOASH Board of Directors. Her passion for nonprofit fundraising and youth advocacy makes this the perfect fit! For the last five years, Lindsey was the Marketing and Communications Coordinator at Tamarack Camps where she successfully created and executed strategic marketing plans for year-round and summer programs. As a member of Tamarack’s Advancement team, she played a pivotal role in organizing their annual event that attracted over 550 attendees and raised nearly $750,000 through individual and corporate gifts. Lindsey resides in Berkely with her rescue cat and is an active participant in local community theatre productions. She loves to travel, try new restaurants, and spend time outdoors with her friends and family.
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