Melannie Chard, Chapter Director
Melannie Chard has been a member of the YWTF since April 2006 and served as Director of Membership and Outreach in 2007. She currently works as an account manager in the appraisals department at Sotheby's Auction House and is responsible for overseeing appraisals and consignments for clients with large collections of fine and decorative art. Melannie has worked as a design consultant and multi-media coordinator for Kingsbridge Risk Solutions in London and Renee Fotouhi Fine Art in New York City. She holds a degree in broadcast journalism from Central Michigan University and studied international journalism at American Intercontinental University in London.
Laura Miranda-Browne, Director of Policy
Victoria Passarella, Director of Membership and Outreach
Victoria Passarella is a 2005 graduate of the State University of New York at New Paltz where she majored in Women's Studies with a concentration in History and Politics. While at New Paltz, she was a Women's Studies TA and co-hosted a campus radio show that presented political and social commentaries heard throughout New York's Hudson Valley. She was Co-founder, Events Chair and President of the campus' Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance. In addition, she served as a Planned Parenthood Peer Counselor and Event Organizer for Take Back the Night, a group raising awareness of violence against women. Victoria also served as President of the campus wide Student Association. Victoria has spent time interning for various NYC organizations such as V-Day and NARAL Pro-Choice NY. She was Co-Reviser for Our Bodies, Ourselves, 2005 edition, where she wrote the campus organizing section of the "Organizing for Change" chapter. Victoria has worked as District Aid/Community Liaison for New York State Assembly Member Richard Gottfried and as the Program Coordinator for the Women's City Club of New York. In the summer of 2006, she was one of 100 women's rights advocates selected from across the country to be a Real Hot 100 "Hottie." She sits on the Younger Women's Task Force board, where she serves as the Director of Membership and Outreach. During summer 2008 she attended Yale University's Women's Campaign School. Victoria is currently attending Columbia University for a Masters in Fundraising Management and is a Hall Director at Barnard, Columbia University's college for women.
Amie Figueiredo, Director of Fundraising and Finance
Amie Figueiredo has been a member of the YWTF-NYC since 2005. She is currently a Development Officer at the Wildlife Conservation Society based in the Bronx and has also worked in the corporate sector as well as for the United Nations. She has most recently completed the certificate program in Conservation Biology at Columbia University and has a master's in Environmental Policy Studies. She is also the Cofounder and Director for activism and awareness for _gaia, a collective of women based in NJ, which includes 6+ years of organizing, fundraising as well as management of an organization. She is extremely passionate about the many issues that color the lives of women. And believes that the YWTF is important and crucial in bringing forward and discussing the concerns of the young women in NYC.
Rebecca Andruszka, Director of Communications
Rebecca Andruszka joined YWTF-NYC Metro Chapter in 2005. She is currently U.S. Director of Ubuntu Education Fund, a South African-based organization. Previously, she was Development & Communications Manager at Funders Concerned About AIDS. She has also shared her extensive research and writing skills with a number of local non-profit organizations, such as NYC Gay & Lesbian Anti-Violence Project, Students Active for Ending Rape (SAFER), and Day One (f/k/a Break the Cycle). Rebecca graduated from the United Way of New York City's Junior Fellows program in Winter 2007. She received her B.A. in English from The New School and recently completed her M.A. in English at Hunter College (City University of New York). Rebecca lives in Brooklyn with her partner, her cat, and a lot of books. She has been a feminist since she was six years old and is damn proud of it.
Alexandra Zimmermann, Director of Marketing
YWTF-NYC holds Board Elections every November (terms start in January of the following year). Any young woman member who has attended two meetings (including the election meeting) is eligible to run for office. Please stay tuned for details nearer the election date.