|
Alejandra Alvarez, MPH, Research Analyst
Alejandra (she/her) is a Research Analyst for Beyond the Pill. She has a broad background in global health, with experience in data management for clinical trials in Rwanda and Zambia as well as experience with a youth health education program in the Dominican Republic. Before joining the Beyond the Pill team, she was working as a database manager for the San Francisco Department of Public Health with the COVID response Epi Team. She completed her Master’s in Public Health in 2020 in Epidemiology where she focused on global health and infectious diseases
|
|
Stephanie Andaya, CCMA, Contraceptive Training Specialist
Stephanie (she/her) is a Contraceptive Training Specialist for Beyond the Pill, facilitating in-person and virtual trainings with contraceptive providers, educators, and counselors across the nation. She has worked in reproductive health care provision for over ten years in front office, patient intake, and administrative capacities. Prior to working at Beyond the Pill, Stephanie was a Training Specialist for the Planned Parenthood Northern California affiliate, supporting the onboarding and training process for clinical support staff across 15 health centers. Notably, Stephanie helped implement the Epic electronic health record system for PPNorCal, the first Planned Parenthood on the west coast to transition to this system. Stephanie received her BA in Religious Studies at Humboldt State University and is a California Certified Medical Assistant. She is passionate about reproductive health as it relates to nonjudgmental, culturally relevant person-centered care and considers herself a lifelong learner in this process. She is also partial to naps, climbing, and goldenberries.
|
|
Maya Blum, MPH, Associate Director
Maya directs and manages operations for Beyond the Pill, including finances, contracts and human resources, and contributes to program policy, strategy and partnerships. She also provides technical direction to research projects and the national training program. Her work focuses on promoting reproductive health through innovation and rigorous research. She has extensive experience implementing high-quality studies in the US and globally, including in Nepal, South Africa and Zimbabwe. Maya received her MPH in Maternal and Child Health from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in West Africa.
|
|
Julia Duray, MSt, Education and Communications Coordinator
Julia (she/her) is the Education and Communications Coordinator for Beyond the Pill, working across the team to support overall program communications for BTP. She also works closely with the training team to develop educational resources and programs on contraceptive care. Previously, she was the Digital Communications Assistant and Conference Coordinator for The Global Health Network at the University of Oxford. Prior to working in public health, she spent many years in the creative industries developing films and theatre productions geared toward social change and has also worked as an educator for youth and adults. She is passionate about reproductive autonomy and justice, public communications, education, and utilizing creative media for social and political change. Julia holds a master’s in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from the University of Oxford and a bachelor’s in English and Theatre from Northwestern University.
|
|
Connie Folse, MPH, CHES, Senior Manager, Training Quality & Curriculum
Connie is a Certified Health Education Specialist and has provided reproductive health education and counseling in diverse settings, including Title X clinics, STD/HIV clinics, school-based health centers, middle and high school classrooms, and on college campuses for nearly 20 years. She also develops nationally recognized patient education materials and resources around contraceptive options. Connie has focused her career on training medical providers and allied health professionals to talk with both youth and adults about sexuality and contraceptive decision-making. She leads a team of subject matter experts and manages the accreditation of our national training curriculum.
|
|
Hannah Hecht, MPH, Research Data Analyst
Hannah (she/her) is a Research Data Analyst for Beyond the Pill. She is analyzing data from a randomized control trial of community college students. Hannah received an MPH in Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health from UC Berkeley and a BA in Psychology from Pomona College. She has a background in mental and maternal health research. Previously, she has worked on projects related to telemedicine in perinatal care and the experiences of doulas during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hannah is committed to leveraging data to advance reproductive health equity and justice.
|
|
Julia Fritz, Program Coordinator
Julia Fritz (she/her) is the Program Coordinator at Beyond the Pill, focused on providing administrative support to the program’s training and research teams. Previously, she provided direct sexual and reproductive health services for patients at Planned Parenthood Mar Monte as a Health Services Specialist, as well as clinic administrative support as Center Administrative Support Coordinator. Julia received her BA in Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies, and Environmental Studies from Dickinson College, and is deeply passionate about both reproductive and environmental justice.
|
|
Erica Somerson, MSc, Manager, Training & Technical Assistance
Erica Somerson is the Training & Technical Assistance Manager at Beyond the Pill, overseeing the implementation of the national training program. Prior to joining BTP, Erica worked in sexual and gender-based violence prevention across spheres of community education, research, and evaluation. She is a mentor to girls and gender expansive youth at Sadie Nash Leadership Project, and an advocate for reproductive justice, queer liberation, and sex workers’ rights. Erica received her master’s in International Social and Public Policy from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and her bachelor’s in Integrated Studies — with foci in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies — from Ball State University.
|
|
|
Luisa Alejandra Tello Perez, MGPS, Project Manager
Alejandra is a Project Manager for Beyond the Pill, working on a randomized control trial to increase awareness of and access to contraception among college students. Previously, she was Project Manager at the Self-Managed Abortion Needs Assessment Project (Project SANA). She has implemented and evaluated poverty alleviation policies in Latin America, North America, Europe, and Africa in cooperation with the Monitoring and Evaluation Unit at UNCTAD Switzerland, the World Bank, and the Colombian Presidential Office. She holds a BA in Economics from Universidad Santo Tomás and a Master’s in Global Policy Studies (MGPS) with a specialization in evaluation and data analysis from the University of Texas at Austin. Her research and interest areas include reproductive health, education, poverty alleviation policies, and Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E).
|
|
Iris Wong, Research Assistant
Iris (she/her) is a Research Assistant at Beyond the Pill. She is analyzing a cluster randomized trial on contraceptive usage among young adults throughout California. As a former Health Services Specialist and Colposcopy Coordinator at Planned Parenthood, Iris has experience working with marginalized communities, demystifying taboos surrounding sexual and reproductive health. She is passionate about reproductive freedom, advancing health equity and policy. Iris received her BA in International Studies-Political Science from the School of Global Policy and Strategy at UC San Diego.
|