Our Team

Aria was born and raised in Atlanta, GA. She earned a BA in Biology with a specialization in cellular biology, molecular biology, and genetics at Boston University. Prior to matriculating at Rush Medical College, she worked as an outreach case manager and harm reduction specialist at Boston Healthcare for the Homeless Program to learn more about the social factors influencing the health of women who’ve experienced sexual violence. Aria has a special interest in reproductive justice and access to prenatal care for pregnant women experiencing homelessness, which led to her interest in working with ICAN!.

Bridget is originally from Daytona Beach, FL. She decided to expand her horizons by moving to NYC where she attended Columbia University and studied biology and mathematics. She has previously worked as a high school math teacher on the Near West Side of Chicago. Bridget is pursuing a career as an OB/Gyn because she has always been fascinated by women’s health, especially pregnancy. She is excited to work with ICAN! because she believes that this organization does important work in making sure vulnerable populations have access to quality birth control options. Bridget aims to incorporate health equity work into her career, and is eager to learn about and help eliminate the different obstacles faced by both the individuals seeking birth control and the organizations providing it.

Jordan serves as the Program Director for Illinois Contraceptive Access Now (ICAN!). Prior to joining ICAN!, Jordan worked with the United Nations Foundation’s Family Planning 2020 initiative where she coordinated stakeholders across government, civil society, and philanthropy to advance national family planning goals in 13 countries. Jordan previously served as a Manager for the Illinois Department of Public Health’s statewide COVID-19 vaccination campaign, building public-private partnerships and advancing equity-based initiatives to expand vaccination access for hard-to-reach populations. Jordan received her Master of Public Health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and a B.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She has previously served with the United States Peace Corps on community health and HIV prevention programs in Senegal and South Africa.

Kai is a career women’s health provider with extensive experience in maternal, child, and reproductive health policy, programs and clinical operations. In 2018, Kai founded Juno4Me— an inclusive, user-friendly digital platform that connects patients with trusted, highly skilled contraceptive care providers. Kai is a Certified Nurse Midwife with Northwestern Medicine’s Prentice Women’s Hospital and served as the Deputy Commissioner/ Chief Program Officer for the Chicago Department of Public Health overseeing the Maternal, Infant, Child and Adolescent Health Bureau and STI/HIV Bureau. Prior, she was the VP of Clinical Operations and Associate Medical Director for Planned Parenthood of Illinois. Under Illinois Governor Pat Quinn, Kai served as a Senior Policy Advisor to the Director at the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services where she co-created the Illinois Family Planning Action Plan—a multi-pronged approach to increasing contraceptive access via payment reform. Kai participates in multiple perinatal health committees, is currently an active voting member for the Illinois Medicaid Advisory Council and is a board member with Health and Medicine Policy Research Group. Kai received her Master of Science and Nursing Doctorate from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and her Master of Public Health from Harvard School of Public Health. ​

Kaitlyn is from Milwaukee, Wisconsin and earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Kinesiology: Exercise and Movement Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is interested in medicine because she wants to understand various diseases, decrease fears about medicine, and treat people in culturally appropriate ways. Kaitlyn’s commitment to women’s health, reproductive justice, and providing equitable care for everyone led to her interest in working with ICAN!.

Katie is a tireless champion for women’s health. As the CEO of Bright Pink, she led the organization’s strategic growth and programmatic initiatives. As the VP of Development Planned Parenthood of Illinois, she tripled annual philanthropic revenue, and as the Executive Director of the Chinook Fund, she worked to support grassroots social and economic justice organizations. Katie has also held leadership roles at the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Rape Assistance and Awareness Program and Clean Water Action. Katie is an experienced public speaker and media spokesperson on the topic of women’s health and her remarks have been featured in such outlets as the 2018 Women’s March Chicago, USOW Galvanize, ABC7, CBSN, WBEZ, WCIU, tastytrade, and SPIT Podcast. Katie earned her BA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.​

Meg has devoted her career to promoting women’s health through philanthropy and strategy development. She began her career at NARAL Pro-Choice America where she worked on proactive reproductive health policy. Since then, she has held leadership positions with Bright Pink and with Planned Parenthood of Illinois. She has also spent several years as a philanthropic advisor to high net-worth families. Meg received her master’s degree from the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration and her BA in Women’s Studies from the University of Michigan.​

Ray is a serial healthcare entrepreneur and business advisor with a passion for women’s rights. He is a sought-after speaker and consultant who has authored scores of articles and several books related to coding, billing and reimbursement with a focus on non-profit healthcare and serving marginalized populations. Ray is an avid fitness enthusiast, performing vocalist/guitarist, and golfer. Ray holds a BA from The College of the Holy Cross and a MS in management from Northeastern University.​

Sameen is a public health professional who is dedicated to advancing reproductive health, with a focus on family planning and improving access to contraceptives. She has several years of experience in both the nonprofit and academic sectors. She has previously worked at the Guttmacher Institute in New York City, the Contraceptive Choice Center at Washington University in St. Louis, and the University of Chicago. Sameen received her Master of Public Health from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health and a B.S. from Cornell University.

Skylar Kanine is a pro-abortion activist, community organizer, and reproductive justice advocate. She recieved her BA from Loyola University Chicago where she studied Sociology with a minor in Women and Gender Studies. Skylar believes that reproductive healthcare access is essential to a safe and healthy world. Before coming to ICAN!, they worked with Advocates for Youth as an Abortion Out Loud student organizer and a peer educator for Abortion On Our Own Terms. In her free time, Skylar loves to read, make mosaics, and volunteer with local organizations.

Yaa is a Rush Medical College student from North Carolina with a passion for reproductive and women’s health. As a future physician, she hopes to integrate her experiences with ICAN, and the lessons gained from her medical training to help address the unique health needs of women. Ultimately, she hopes to help her future patients navigate potentially challenging medical situations and overcome the inequities in our healthcare system. Yaa was born in Accra, Ghana and raised in Durham, NC. She received a Bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina and earned a Master of Science degree in Physiology from NC State University.