The Womxn Project
The larger Womxn Project team and their families meeting at the Rhode Island State House campus.
The Womxn Project (c4)
TWP (c4) BOARD
Director, Jocelyn Foye
Board Co-Chairs, Harshita Ganesh & Barbara Colt
Secretary, Emma Gaulthier
Treasurer, Janie Seguí Rodriguez
Ellie Beargeon is a disbabled Iraq War Veteran, researcher, and graduate instructor in the International Development department at Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts. Prior to her current position at Clark, she obtained her bachelor’s degree in Sociology at Rhode Island College in 2020. As a six-year-Army veteran and lesbian woman, Ellie’s activism and advocacy efforts center around the rights of LGBTQ individuals in and out of the military, disabled folks, and accessible health care for all. She has contracted for several non profits including Common Defense, an organization of progressive veterans that advocates for equitable voter rights and political representation for diverse Americans. Ellie has been volunteering as a database admin for TWP since Summer 2020 and is eager to continue serving TWP in a new capacity.
Barbara Colt is a longtime advocate and activist promoting true equality for women including comprehensive reproductive health care. Former Board chair of the R.I. Women’s Political Caucus and Planned Parenthood of R.I. Board member, Women’s Development Corp. and former Executive Director of the R.I. Community Health Center Association.
Jocelyn Foye (Director) is a Connecticut native who brings her artistic training and experience as a contemporary feminist sculptor and design professor to the movement. Jocelyn is presently the Marketing Director and Design Lead for the Oakland-based software company, Crow Canyon Software, working out of the Wakefield office. She is a recipient of the 2014 NEA and City of Long Beach, CA Arts Grant and the prestigious Emerging Visual Artist fellow with the California Community Foundation having lived there for thirteen years before coming back to New England.
Emma Gauthier is a life-long storyteller and writer, Emma uses her self-described “storytelling superpower” to advocate for gender equity. While studying Journalism and English at the University of Rhode Island, the impact and results of the 2016 national campaign motivated Emma to challenge social norms for women. As the Editor-in-Chief of her campus newspaper, The Good 5 Cent Cigar, Emma helped write and publish a series of stories exposing instances of campus sexual assault at the University. After graduation, Emma made Providence her permanent home and joined the then-Lt. Governor Dan McKee’s successful reelection bid. As the Associate Director of Communications, Emma managed social media and email communications for the campaign while also working for her alma mater as a writer in the Office of External Relations and Communications. Later, Emma worked in Boston as a Newsroom Editor for Business Wire, a global press release newswire. During the 2019 legislative session, Emma served as the Legislative Co-Chair for Rhode Island NOW, where she lobbied on behalf of initiatives supporting victims of workplace harassment and reproductive justice. Emma furthered her writing, policy, and advocacy skills as a fellow in the 2020-2021 Women’s Policy Institute. Emma is excited to be back in the political arena this legislative session as the official lobbyist for The Womxn Project, where she hopes to help write a new powerful story for the women of Rhode Island. In her spare time, Emma volunteers as a Helpline Advocate for Day One and serves on the Education and Outreach Committee for SHIP.
Liz Homsy is a Syrian-American civil rights, criminal defense, and election law attorney in Chicago. A lifelong activist, Liz attended the UIC-John Marshall Law School in her home town and quickly found her way into the advocacy work she has always wanted to do. Liz currently manages a case load that includes representation in all manner of legal issues, including protester defense work, representation in ballot challenges for progressive candidates, asylum work, and more. Liz is currently one of the Plaintiffs attorneys in Chicagoans v. City of Chicago (1:18-cv-04242), a lawsuit that seeks to end the Chicago Police Department’s unconstitutional policies and practices related to their Gang Database. She is thrilled to continue her work with the incredible and talented womxn that make up the Womxn Project!
Stephanie Olarte is a first-generation American and proud daughter of a Colombian Immigrant. Stephanie was born and raised in Rhode Island where she acts as the RI State Program Coordinator for the Hispanic Federation where she develops programs to uplift and empower the Latinx community. Stephanie is the Founder and Executive Director of Caneiwalk, an organization that seeks to empower youth with disabilities and provide opportunities for leadership development.
Emily Olson is a writer, editor and educator who has lived in Rhode Island for more than a decade. She’s managed or been involved with several local arts-related publications, including Motif magazine, Ave. magazine and Chazan! Unfiltered, a biographical graphic novel, which was written and illustrated by local artists. She also is an educator at RIMOSA and leads local Tinkergarten sessions at Slater Park in Pawtucket.
Charlotte Peters is a graduate of Rhode Island College’s Sociology and Philosophy program as well as Roger Williams University College, Legal Studies program with the American Bar Association. She currently works as a paralegal, focusing on the elder community of Cape Cod and the Islands in addition to her pursuits with the Haus of Codec. In her spare time, she can be found relaxing with her fiancé and family in Attleboro. Charlotte is a part of UMass Dartmouth School of Law’s Fall 2021 class, where she is pursuing a dual Masters in Public Policy and Juris Doctorate Degree.
Janie Seguí Rodriguez holds a master’s degree in community development from Roger Williams University. She manages the operations of a tri-state middle school career exploration program; co-founded Parents Leading for Educational Equity (PLEE), a parent-led, grassroots organization with a mission to fight for the voice of parents in education decision-making.She is an educator, community organizer, and political candidate.
Jennifer Rourke is an activist and leader who calls Warwick home. A mother to four children, she has been fighting to give a voice to the most marginalized communities for many years. Growing up in low-income housing and to teenage parents, she was taught to always fight for those that are often ignored. She received her degree in Healthcare Management.
Ogechukwu “Oge” Uwanaka was born in Nigeria and raised in the Bronx, New York. She attended Williams College in Williamstown, MA for her undergraduate degree and majored in Biology. She went on to complete her medical degree at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, MA where she took a special interest in women’s health and learning how to care for underserved populations. She is currently a resident physician in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Brown University/Woman & Infants Hospital in Providence, RI. Her impetus for building a career around caring for underserved populations is grounded in her personal experiences growing up in different neighborhoods in the Bronx. She hopes to ultimately build a career as a physician advocate and help carve out spaces for traditionally neglected populations in healthcare. Through intimate and purposeful patient connections, she plans to address issues of health equity, reproductive rights, and disparate race-based maternal outcomes.
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Additional Part-Time Staff:
Morgan Meneses-Sheets, Strategy & Communications
Alicia Monnes, Accountant
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