Our Team
The ICAN team includes leading reproductive justice and maternal and child health advocates, community and reproductive health practitioners, and experts in health care operations.

Dr. Toni Bond, PhD
Dr. Bond is a womanist ethicist and reproductive justice expert who has worked on issues of reproductive and sexual health, rights, and justice for over 30 years. Dr. Bond was one of the twelve Black women who gave birth to the concept of “Reproductive Justice” in 1994, creating a paradigm shift in how Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) would add their collective voices to the fight for reproductive autonomy and freedom. In 1994, Dr. Bond was the first Black woman appointed to serve as the executive director of the Chicago Abortion Fund. In 1996, she co-founded and led the first Black women’s reproductive justice organization in the country, Black Women for Reproductive Justice. She holds a BA in Women and Gender Studies from DePaul University, and a PhD in religion, ethics, and society from the Claremont School of Theology.

Jordan Hatcher, MPH
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.

Ray Jorgensen, MS
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.

Meg Lassar, MSW
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.

Sameen Qadir, MPH
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 graduated with a Bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and received her Master of Public Health from Columbia University.

Kai Tao, ND, MPH, CNM
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.

Katie Thiede
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 Illinoi, 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.

Deepali Gill, JD
Deepali is a Reproductive Justice State Fellow through If/When/How and defines herself as a dedicated activist for racial, gender, reproductive, and economic justice. She recently graduated from Golden Gate University School of Law where she earned her JD and is the first in her family to obtain a Doctorate. During her time at law school Deepali gained a wide variety of experience by providing direct and indirect legal services. Some of her past internships highlight her commitment to public service, include her time at the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office where she had the opportunity work in the juvenile delinquency department. She then transitioned into an internship with ACLU of NorCal where she worked on the Gender, Sexuality, and Reproductive Justice legal team. Following this role, she was a legal intern with the Vera Institute of Justice where she worked on the Ending Girl’s Incarceration team. Deepali is a Californian and a central valley native who understands how important it is for communities in rural areas to have access to reproductive health care.
Join Our Team!
We are looking for a collaborative Partnership and Growth Manager to join our work to advance contraceptive equity in Illinois. Learn more about the position and how to apply here.