The WILPF US Board meets quarterly. Board meetings are usually via teleconference and are open to all WILPF members; pre-register to receive call-in information and agenda in advance of meeting by writing to secretary@wilpfus.org.

Next board meeting: Thursday, January 29, at 4pm PT / 6pm CT / 7pm ET

Possible Special Board Meetings

The Board occasionally has additional special meetings to address pressing or accumulated business (as well as Board gatherings, for board retreats).

The Bylaws stipulate that —

Any Board meeting … must be preceded by notification to all Board members at least sixty days in advance of the meeting. Failing such notice, the meeting may not make policy decisions. In addition, WILPF US members shall be notified in advance of all meetings by the means specified in WILPF US organizational policy

In addition to the schedule on this webpage, please see the WILPF eNews — especially the Updates section — for announcements of any such additional and special board meetings.

Board Minutes

Board minutes are usually posted following board approval at the subsequent regular meeting.

Click here for a list of board minutes

Opportunities for National-Level Involvement and Leadership Development

Are you an activist who wants to shape and develop WILPF at the national level? Spread your leadership wings! WILPF US members can become active at the national level by applying for membership in ad hoc committees and Board committees. Contact the Secretary for additional information on specific committees or committees that work in your areas of interest: secretary@wilpfus.org.

In addition to that option, experienced and interested WILPF US members are invited to seek a leadership position by applying for the national Board. Elections take place annually, for about a third of the board positions — generally, in the fall. You can apply and run for one of the open board positions.

We seek candidates who can develop respectful working relationships with sister board members and are ready to actively participate in WILPF US deliberations on policy, budget, and other issues. We especially encourage candidates with the special qualities of passion, clear sightedness, and other leadership abilities.

Between the regular elections, the Board sometimes makes appointments or takes other actions to address unfilled board positions. The Board may consider appointments to fill these positions, to serve to the end of the current board term (up to one-year). Contact the Secretary for additional information on currently vacant positions: secretary@wilpfus.org.

Hear from past and present Board members about what they like best about being on the Board

Current Board of Directors

Members, Brief Biographies, and Contact Information

Co-presidentMartha CollinsMilwaukee, WIpresident [at] wilpfus [dot] org

Martha Collins is an advocate, human rights activist and experienced nonprofit leader who has dedicated her career to working for social justice organizations that focus on building power within marginalized communities. For over two decades, Martha has had the opportunity to collaborate and strategically develop several coalitions to help create public policy groundwork for advancing social and economic agendas. She has extensive fund development and nonprofit advocacy experience. In 2015, Martha led a successful coalition to prevent the Wisconsin Family Medical Leave Act from being repealed by the state legislature. During 2016, she led the largest “Fight for $15” rally in Wisconsin and developed and implemented a community-focused program which trained and employed over 200 Milwaukee residents as Peacemaker Ambassadors. In 2017, Martha served as a Commissioner on the Equal Rights Commission with the City of Milwaukee and introduced a resolution for the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). Martha actively serves on the United Nations Association Women Affinity planning committee working towards build awareness of the Cities for CEDAW campaign. Since joining WILPF, she has actively served in various leadership positions with the local WILPF Milwaukee Branch and on the WILPF US Advancing Human Rights and Women, Money & Democracy issue committees.

Co-presidentShilpa Pandey president [at] wilpfus [dot] org

Shilpa Pandey holds a Master’s in Business Administration with over 15 years of experience in International Corporate and Non Profit Management. She has been actively involved in human rights advocacy work and has served on various non-profit boards, international advocacy groups and committees.

She believes in sharing her knowledge, professional skills and experience in the areas of project management, non profit boards leadership, volunteer development, human rights advocacy and community outreach by actively serving in volunteer run organizations.

She has also travelled extensively to various parts of the world where she has volunteered her time and skills as well as represented various nonprofit working groups in the international forums and conferences. Her passion lies in advocacy for climate justice, human trafficking and nuclear disarmament from a feminist lens.

SecretaryDianne BlaisFairfax, VAsecretary [at] wilpfus [dot] org

Dianne had numerous jobs in Washington, DC and Virginia before becoming an active volunteer while raising 4 children.  Her interest in local politics gradually became more national and then international.  She has been horrified by US policy and the large number of people hurt by it.  Our DOD spending needs to be cut!  Dianne first joined WILPF and the Disarm sub-committee after learning about WILPF at a World Beyond War conference 6 years ago. She is now the Jane Addams branch convener which is WILPF US’s virtual branch.  She wants to do all she can so the goals of WILPF US’s issue committees are realized.

TreasurerBarbara NielsenSan Francisco, CAtreasurer [at] wilpfus [dot] org

WILPF US: Joined c. 1971; Life Member (2005) Member, Berkeley Branch (now East Bay) and active participant(1971 – c. 1989) Member, San Francisco Branch since 2005 and active participant Branch, Regional service focus until 2008; when added National, International, UN focus, service & work National Board Elected Service: Treasurer & Finance Committee Chair; Nominating Committee Chair; Program Committee Chair, (2008 – 2019) Bylaws Committee Service: Member (2007 – Current) National Program Committee, National Issues Committees Service/Participation: (2008 – Current) US Triennial Congress Service/Participation: 2008 Iowa 30th Congress: Co-Facilitator/Presenter, Bylaws Workshops and seated on National Board as member-elected Treasurer 2014 Detroit 32nd Congress: Parliamentarian; Member: Congress Rules Committee, Congress Committee, Congress Program Committee, Resolutions Committee 2017 Chicago 33rd Congress: Parliamentarian; Member: Resolutions Committee, Congress Rules Committee; Facilitator/Co-Presenter, four workshops 2021 Virtual 34th Congress: Parliamentarian; Member: Congress Rules Committee, Congress Resolutions Committee; Participant, Workshop on Member Development International Triennial Congress Service/Participation: 2015 Centennial International Congress, The Hague, Netherlands: Voting Member. USA Section Delegation 2018 International Congress, Accra, Ghana: Chair, Congress Resolutions Commit-tee; Alternate Member, USA Section Delegation 2022 International Virtual Congress: Participant in USA contributions to Int’l Program; voting member, US Delegation; invited service as Facilitator, Congress Resolutions Plenary WILPF at United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) Annual Meeting: Attended CSW and supported WILPF US CSW programs.

Membership Development Committee ChairEileen KurkoskiBoston, MAmembershipchair [at] wilpfus [dot] org

My activism started through the Social Action (S.A.) committee in my Unitarian Universalist (U.U.) society. A group of us brought food and prepared it for dozens of woman, some unhoused, all struggling to survive in Boston. During this time, Nancy Wrenn, a WILPF member also in the S.A. group, began educational meetings on the unjust prison system in Massachusetts. I admired and liked Nancy. When she invited me to a weekend WILPF Boston retreat in 2015, I immediately joined WILPF because I met so many other women like her- friendly, knowledgeable, and passionate about matters I cared about. I immediately volunteered for the job as secretary. Two years later, when the WILPF national office was moving from Boston to DesMoines, Jan Corderman asked me to apply for the WILPF US secretary position. Since the end of my three year term I’ve been involved in a number of WILPF administrative and issue committees. My other WILPF activities include attending the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women four times and, in 2023, being a representative in our WILPF U.S. Local to Global program. In 2024 I worked on the program committee for the WILPF 35th Triennial Congress: Water on the Frontiers for Peace. Locally, I am co-chair of my Boston WILPF branch, and am active on anti-nukes, drones & war, and environmental issues.

Nominating Committee ChairJulie KabukanyiBrockton, MAnominatingchair [at] wilpfus [dot] org

Julie Kabukanyi is a Registered Nurse, an international activist and public health advocate focused on justice, peace, health equity, and women’s empowerment. She serves as Chair of the Nominating Committee and sits on the WILPF US Board, in addition to her roles as Co-Chair of the Advancing Human Rights Committee, U.S. Representative to the WILPF International Advisory Board and member of the WILPF Boston branch. Julie also leads two women non-profits: CAWEL in Massachusetts and LAFCO in the DRC, championing education, healthcare, and leadership for African women and girls.

Program Committee ChairGeorge FridayNorth Carolinaprogramchair-friday [at] wilpfus [dot] org

George grew up in Lincolnton and Gastonia, NC in the 60s. She holds degrees in Political Science, Economics, and African American Studies from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill where she graduated in 1982. George works with grassroots organizations to provide leadership and skills training ranging from strategic planning, organizing, fundraising, marketing and community building with particular focus on communication, oppression, change and the role of ”privilege” in transforming power dynamics to create broad, deep, economic and social justice change. She is currently Coordinator for NC Peace Action and United for Peace and Justice, and consultant to various non-profit groups.

Personnel Committee ChairCee’ Cee’ AndersonAtlanta, GApersonnelchair [at] wilpfus [dot] org

Cee’ Cee’ Anderson is a Licensed Ordained Minister, a Women’s Cancer Researcher, and Health Care Consultant/Provider in the Medical Field. She serves as Personnel Committee Chair for WILPF. As a Healthcare Manager/Administrator with Public Health DHA/DHM/DPH degrees, she is knowledgable about connections among human health, the environment and climate. She is a former RN and Special Ed Teacher. She is currently a Mediator for Clayton/Fulton Counties and is a founder of the Finding Alternatives For Safety and Treatment of Juveniles. She is a Life Member of Peoples Agenda, Ga WAND, NAACP, SCLC and USCAN among others. As HR and Quality Control Administrator, she has experience in getting clients and employees on the right path for several businesses. She has worked diligently with the Pardon & Parole Board to advocate justice for Inmates across the State of Georgia. Several Inmates have been pardoned and released due to her advocacy. She has made strides through Georgia WAND to combat the environmental injustices at the Savannah River where Augusta, Georgia & South Carolina connect. She’s traveled across the State of Georgia and nationally to share her passion as well as her expertise in Public Health, advocating for radiological environmental monitoring as well as strengthening radiation standards so that the standards reflect the differences in vulnerability to radiation in women’s and children’s bodies. Lastly she’s advocating for mortgage companies to save homes from foreclosure.

Development Committee Co-ChairMarybeth Riley GardamIowa City, IAdevchair [at] wilpfus [dot] org

Marybeth grew up in New Jersey and pursued journalism and advertising as a career goal. She changed course to work in non-profit public relations and marketing. And during the 80s she moved to Macon Georgia and started working to secure funding and help organizers provide services to migrant farmworkers. She served as director of the Peace and Justice Center of Central Georgia. All the while, she was involved on the periphery of human rights and civil rights in what was still a pretty segregated part of Georgia. In 2000 her husband’s job took the family to Iowa where she imagined a departure from activism and took some writing courses at the University of Iowa. But after 9/11 she found herself drawn back in to peace and justice work. In 2003 she found WILPF and served first as Co-President of the Des Moines branch; and then, in 2014, she joined the WILPF US Board as Development Chair. Also, she currently chairs the Women, Money & Democracy Issue Committee. Having served in commercial marketing, non-profit marketing, and organizing at the community, WILPF branch and WILPF issue committee level, she brings a multi-faceted approach to fundraising and looks forward to working with her Development Co-Chair, Martha Collins, to create a culture of philanthropy among the whole Board and all members of WILPF. Fundraising at WILPF is everyone’s job. She lives in Iowa City, Iowa, with her husband of 40+ years, just two miles from her daughter and grandson.

At-Large Board MemberJulie LeakNew York, NYjeleak [at] gmail [dot] com

Julie Leak grew up in Charlotte, NC in the 1960s and moved to Atlanta to work as a legal secretary and then to Houston where she worked again as a secretary and then nine years for IBM as a marketing support representative. She graduated from the University of Houston in 1982 and transferred with IBM to Raleigh, NC in 1984 before setting out on her own as a training consultant. Here she became involved with ending apartheid in South Africa before moving to Washington, DC and finally New York City in 1989. Living in DC and then NY, the belly of the beast, changed all this and her eyes were opened. There was a Town Hall in Manhattan with a call to action for two important issues — health care and housing. This became a defining period in her life. In those days it was not Medicare for All but Single Payer and she joined the fight learning, engaging and eventually running into the Raging Grannies, singing their clever songs about health care and other issues. She had never heard of WILPF except that they were influential in establishing the Raging Grannies in New York City. Singing about all the issues became a real education and expanded her engagement totally. The issues of social justice that she sang about became the primary focus of her life. Naturally some touched the heart more than others given the circumstances and two of those were the Occupation in Palestine and the Blockade of Cuba. She finally made it to Cuba in 2021. Julie currently lives in New York City; however, she has family in Charlotte and a home in Raleigh. Depending on the circumstances she may be in either of those places but easy to contact.

At-Large Board MemberTina SheltonPhiladelphia, PAat-largeBdMemberTina [at] wilpfus [dot] org

Tina Deshotels Shelton grew up in Louisiana and has lived in Texas, Oregon, and in Pennsylvania, where she learned about WILPF. She works in the mental health field, and is an advocate for better services. In addition to WILPF, she is active in her com-munity, with Girl Scouts, and local community activism. She and her husband have three children, and they have been involved in Scouts, band, and other activities. She enjoys gardening, teaching rational thinking skills, and helping people make connections. Finding WILPF after 9/11, she has been active in the local branch along with many passionate and interesting women and men. As most WILPFers, she is grateful for the leadership, mentorship, and progress of those who worked before. She continues to have a leadership role in the Greater Philadelphia Branch, including coordinating with coalitions and bringing the strengths of WILPF into these areas. She is passionate about living peaceably, anti-militarism, anti-racism, immigration concerns, sustainability, creating a nuclear-free world and building relationships to sustain us and move us toward our goals. She is excited about the transformative movements we see all around, especially those that are women-led and build on our feminist strength.

Past PresidentDarien De LuSacramento, CAconjoin [at] sonic [dot] net

Darien draws support and strength from her “activist home” in WILPF, where she has been active for over 30 years. Outside of WILPF work, Darien uses leisure time to sing and write political and labor songs, for gardening and being in nature, and in other peace and justice organizing, including as a Latin America solidarity activist. She speaks multiple languages and has traveled extensively in Latin America, North Africa and West Africa, the Middle East, many parts of Asia, and all of Europe. She considers herself fortunate to have over forty years of participation in—and education from—many of the political movements that have often found innovative expression in California, such as nonviolent direct action, feminist process, ecological activism, and the ending of nuclear weapons and power. She agrees, to paraphrase Noam Chomsky, “since privilege confers responsibility, the question always arises as to how [one is] using that responsibility.”

Current Board of Directors

Members, Brief Biographies, and Contact Information

ISSUE COMMITTEE CHAIRS

For Issue Committee Chairs, please contact the leadership for the individual Issue Committee, as shown below:

• Women, Money & Democracy: wmad [at] wilpfus.org
• Middle East Peace and Justice Action Committee: MEPJAction [at] wilpfus [dot] org
• Earth Democracy: earthdemocracy [at] wilpfus [dot] org
• Domestic Prisoners of War: nomoredpows [at] wilpfus [dot] org
• Disarm/End Wars Chair: disarmchair [at] wilpfus [dot] org
• Cuba & the Bolivarian Alliance: Venceremos [at] wilpfus [dot] org
• Advancing Human Rights: ahrchair [at] wilpfus [dot] org