Meet Our Team

Aika Aluc, is an accomplished systems-level strategist and policy advocate specializing in maternal and child health. She has extensive expertise in public health policy, and as a seasoned practitioner, brings her knowledge of national, state, local, and community landscapes to Every Mother Counts as the Director of Policy and Advocacy. Aika brings exceptional relationship building skills along with the ability to leverage data in the narratives she creates related to sustainable change. Previously, Aika was Director of State and Community Engagement at ASTHO and has worked across various efforts such as breastfeeding, risk-appropriate care, maternal mental health, maternal mortality review committees, etc. She holds a Master of Public Health degree in Maternal and Child Health from George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health. Currently, she is pursuing a Ph.D. in Population Health focused on Maternal and Child Health from Lehigh University College of Health.

Hannah Appleman is the Office & Operations Associate at Every Mother Counts. In this role, she supports the Founder & President with all scheduling, and she manages all operational tasks at the EMC office. Before joining Every Mother Counts, Hannah was a Development & Events Associate at a local university. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy at The College of Wooster. Hannah is passionate about women’s rights and LGBTQIA+ rights. In her spare time, she enjoys attending concerts, golfing, and traveling.

Nina Rabinovitch Blecker joined Every Mother Counts as the Vice President, Communications & Marketing in September 2022. Previously, she served as the Vice President of Strategic Communications at The Global FoodBanking Network, an organization that supports community-led solutions to alleviate food insecurity, and Director of Communications for Data2X, an alliance at the United Nations Foundation that is committed to using data to advance gender equality. Nina has developed and implemented strategic communications campaigns for global health, gender equality, and social impact organizations, including the Population Council, Merck for Mothers, HIAS, and the Center for Communication Programs at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School for Public Health. A proud Canadian, Nina holds a Bachelor of Arts & Science from McMaster University and a Master’s in International Affairs from the Fletcher School at Tufts University. Nina lives in Brooklyn, NY with her husband and three children.

Raised in the Midwest by hugely supportive parents, Jim Boyd seemed destined to enter the business world. After graduating from college, Jim spent the first nine years of his career in financial institutions around the world, seeing many of the challenges and failures of numerous organizations. He then had an opportunity to join a small nonprofit organization focused on a healthcare related field and was hooked. Since that time, much of his career has been focused in nonprofit healthcare services and he is gratified to have had such a privilege to help others.

Christy Turlington Burns is the Founder and President of Every Mother Counts. Christy’s work in maternal health began after she experienced a childbirth-related complication in 2003—an experience that inspired her to direct and produce the documentary feature film, No Woman, No Cry. Before founding EMC, Christy received international acclaim as a model representing the world’s biggest fashion and beauty brands which she leveraged to become a health and wellness advocate. She authored the book, Living Yoga: Creating A Life Practice (2002), edited the book, Arrival Stories: Women Share Their Experiences of Becoming Mothers (2022) with Amy Schumer, and served as an executive producer for the 2023 Apple TV documentary series, The Super Models. Christy received the Distinguished Alumni Award from New York University and has been one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People and Glamour Magazine’s Women of the Year. Christy graduated Cum Laude from NYU’s Gallatin School of Independent Studies and studied Public Health at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. She has completed 10 Marathons on behalf of Team EMC and lives in New York City.

Caity Dekker, MPH (she/her) is a reproductive and maternal health advocate and the Manager of Policy & Advocacy at Every Mother Counts. In this role, she supports evidence-based policies to advance quality, respectful, and equitable maternity care, and develops written resources in support of maternal health and birth equity. Before joining Every Mother Counts, Caity was Senior Research & Program Associate at Pregnancy Justice and a Research Assistant with the global Averting Maternal Death & Disability Program. She completed her Master of Public Health with a certificate in Sexuality, Sexual, & Reproductive Health at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, and her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology & Gender, Sexuality, & Feminist Studies at Oberlin College. Caity is also a trained full-spectrum doula.

Marissah is the Director, Engagement at EMC, where she partners with members of the Development team to deliver EMC’s core fundraising events and activities. In addition, Marissah oversees core development operations and stewardship initiatives. Previously, Marissah was the Director of Philanthropy at One Love Foundation, developing and leading fundraising strategies to drive forward the mission of relationship health. Bringing over a decade of fundraising and event planning experience, Marissah has also served in development roles in the nonprofit sector at BritishAmerican Business and iMentor. She holds a B.A. in Psychology from Ohio University.

Melissa Gradilla is the Director of Grantmaking at Every Mother Counts, where she manages the design and implementation of the organization’s investments in U.S. and global maternal health programs. She is a public health professional with extensive research and programmatic experience in maternal and reproductive health, child health, and HIV. She has worked on the planning, implementation, and evaluation of health projects with Ascension Global Mission, Population Council, and the Columbia University School of Nursing. Melissa currently serves on the Governance Committee for Funders for Birth Justice and Equity, the first birth justice funder affinity group in the U.S. She holds a graduate degree from the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and an undergraduate degree in Health and Societies from the University of Pennsylvania.

Krista Hagenbuch Rider first got involved with Every Mother Counts when she ran the 2015 TCS NYC Marathon with Team EMC. Inspired by the experience and passionate community, she became an EMC Ambassador and went on to run a marathon a year, raising funds and awareness for EMC, until 2020. Krista officially joined EMC as the Running & Fitness Program Manager in 2023. Prior to working at Every Mother Counts, Krista enjoyed an extended maternity leave to raise her son, during which time she also contributed to a blog about motherhood and volunteered with community organizations and neighborhood schools. She was born and raised in Gilroy, California and received her Bachelor of Arts from San Jose State University. Krista now resides in Portland, Oregon with her husband and son.

Grace is the Director of Brand Partnerships and Business Development at Every Mother Counts, where she has collaborated with over 100 brands resulting in longstanding partnerships for corporate match campaigns, sponsorships, co-branded product collections, private label collection, pop-up stores, and more. Previously, Grace was on the co-founding team at giggle, where she oversaw corporate development and philanthropy, and co-developed giggle’s proprietary products in multiple categories, including apparel, furniture, gear, and skincare products. With nearly 20 years as a professional in CSR and social entrepreneurship, Grace’s expertise lies in building social impact startups and brands to leverage their platforms for purpose and change. Grace graduated with a B.A. in Journalism and International Studies from the University of Minnesota’s School of Journalism and College of Liberal Arts. She also holds Certification in Fostering Inclusion and Diversity from Yale School of Management. Grace lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two children.

Lyndsey Kovacich is a public health professional with a passion for maternal and reproductive health. As the Program Associate, Grantmaking & Impact at Every Mother Counts, she supports the management and resourcing of EMC’s portfolio of grantee partners in advancing evidence-based models of care and delivering quality, respectful, and equitable maternity care. Previously, Lyndsey worked as a Research Assistant at ICAP, conducting qualitative research on HIV prevention among female sex workers in Kisumu, Kenya. She also contributed to health equity efforts at the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, helping inform recommendations for teletherapy in early intervention programs. Lyndsey holds a Bachelor of Arts in Public Health-Global Health with a minor in Geography from the University of Washington and earned her Master of Public Health in Population and Family Health with a certificate in Public Health Research Methods from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.

Vicky Metayer is the Development Associate at Every Mother Counts. In this role she specializes in managing donor information, streamlining event logistics, and enhancing supporter engagement. Before joining Every Mother Counts, Vicky worked as a Development Assistant at Safe Passage Project. She is a graduate of John Jay College of Criminal Justice with a degree in Law & Society. Vicky has a passion for mission-driven work and is committed to supporting organizations that create meaningful change.

Claire Morrissey is an Associate on the Communications and Marketing team at Every Mother Counts. She began as an intern in October 2023, after earning a Bachelor’s in Cinema & Television Arts from Elon University and transitioned to a full-time position in September 2024. Claire is a passionate storyteller, committed to amplifying the untold stories of mothers everywhere. Prior to EMC, she worked as a Teaching Assistant at Sacred Heart Preparatory and interned at Eleven Three Productions, a small film production company in Los Angeles. With a strong foundation in both education and media, Claire brings a unique perspective to her work in social impact communications.

Yalda Nikoomanesh is the Vice President of Philanthropy at Every Mother Counts where she leads the organization’s fundraising and engagement efforts, with the goal of expanding and deepening support for EMC’s mission. Most recently, she served as VP of Philanthropy at Rethink Food, where she led donor engagement, strategic partnerships, institutional giving, and government revenue. Previously, Yalda was the Managing Director of Institutional Giving at iMentor, where she directed their annual foundation and corporate portfolio and helped to grow strategic philanthropic partnerships. Prior to iMentor, she worked with a range of institutions including the Children’s Museum of Manhattan, MOUSE, and Older Adults Technology Services. She has more than 25 years of service and leadership in the social sector and has worked within and consulted for a range of non-profit, policy and philanthropic institutions. Born and raised in Baltimore MD, and now based in Brooklyn, NY, she received her B.A. from the University of Maryland, College Park.

Stella Santos is a finance professional who is passionate about community and advocacy. Stella grew up in New Jersey with her mother and grandmother and has often thought about how valuable an organization like Every Mother Counts would have been in their community. While studying economics in college, Stella taught financial literacy to her mom and grandmother and seeing them learn and grow together was unforgettable. This experience made her reflect on how different things could have been with the right resources. Stella has sought out roles throughout her career that sit at the intersection of her passions and skills. Today, Stella blends her financial expertise with her commitment to advocacy in her role at Every Mother Counts, where she is proud to help make a meaningful impact.

Grace Sheed is the Manager of Digital Marketing & Communications at Every Mother Counts where she creates and executes digital content and campaigns. Grace has supported numerous nonprofits and small businesses with digital communications and marketing strategy in New York City and around the United States. Grace graduated from Bard College with a major in Art History and a focus on architectural theory, completing her thesis titled Progressive art education in the settlement house movement. Grace lives in Brooklyn, NY with her tuxedo cat, Violet.

Divya Sooryakumar is the Vice President of Programs and Impact at Every Mother Counts, where she leads the organization’s efforts to expand access to safe, respectful, and equitable maternity care for all through grantmaking, policy, and advocacy. Previously, Divya was the Director of Grantmaking at MADRE, where she developed and led strategies to resource gender justice and amplify the leadership of those most impacted by systems of oppression across the world. Divya brings over a decade of experience working with grassroots women’s rights organizing in India, including the Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA Bharat) and the Chandigarh-based, Chhoti Si Asha. Divya serves as the Co-Chair of the Board of FRIDA, the Young Feminist Fund and on the Board of Free to Run. She received her M.Ed. in International Education Policy from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a B.A. in Economics from Northwestern University.

Courtney Yannacci Saldana is Chief of Staff at Every Mother Counts where she assists the Founder & President in providing cross-functional alignment and leadership for the organizations day-to-day functions. Prior to joining EMC in 2017, Courtney lived in Sydney, Australia where she was an event planner at The Portside Centre, a large convention center located in Sydney’s CBD which hosted national trade shows and major corporate events. Prior to her role at The Portside Center, Courtney was Account Executive at MCI Group in Baltimore, MD, where she helped brands, associations, and not-for-profit organizations improve their approach to live events, strategic communications, and community solutions. Courtney graduated from Towson University with a focus in Business Administration and Marketing. In her free time, she is working her way to become a DONA-certified doula. Courtney lives in Brooklyn, NY with her husband, their twins, Cleo and Cruz, and goldendoodle, Ruthie.