Meet the team
One Love’s staff is comprised of truly passionate and hard-working individuals. These are the people behind the mission who roll up their sleeves and get down to business to further the One Love cause every day.
Katie Hood
Chief Executive Officer
Katie Hood is Chief Executive Officer of the One Love Foundation, a position she has held since 2014. Under her leadership, the organization has become the nation’s leading educator of young people on the topic of healthy and unhealthy relationships, as both a primary prevention strategy for relationship abuse and as an investment in the relationship health of the next generation. One Love’s award-winning film-based, peer-to-peer educational workshops have reached over 1.35 million young people in-person and over 100 million have engaged with One Love’s educational campaigns online.
Prior to joining One Love, Katie was Chief Executive Officer at the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research where for nine years, she worked to drive research progress toward a cure for Parkinson’s disease. Katie also worked as a philanthropic consultant and served as a Visiting Lecturer at Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy. Before discovering her passion for philanthropy, she held positions at both Goldman Sachs and Bain & Company. Katie is a passionate, dynamic speaker who has appeared at TED, Aspen Ideas: Health, Milken Global Conference, Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Conference, and The Nantucket Project. She is frequently quoted as an expert on dating violence and healthy relationships in national media outlets from ABC News to Teen Vogue.
Katie received her bachelor’s degree in Public Policy from Duke University and MBA from Harvard Business School. She currently serves on the Dean's Board of Advisors for Harvard Business School and the President's Advisory Council of Concordia College, and has served on the Advisory Board of the National Institutes of Neurological Disease and Stroke (NINDS) at the NIH, and as an advisor to the Institute of Medicine at the National Academies in Washington DC. Katie lives outside New York City with her husband and four children. 
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David Gallagher
President
David Gallagher is the President of the One Love Foundation. He started with the organization in 2020. David joined One Love after dedicating two decades of his career to the strategic expansion of Playworks, a youth-focused nonprofit headquartered in San Francisco. Thanks to David’s expertise and oversight, Playworks grew from a small, local non-profit serving eight schools in the San Francisco Bay Area into a national organization serving 1200 schools across 23 regions, while helping to improve the social and emotional health of many children’s lives.
David brings his passion for fostering healthy relationships and nonprofit leadership to One Love. He will oversee daily operations and lead work on evolving the organization’s mission on relationship health education. David earned a B.A. in Psychology from Siena College and is currently earning a Master’s in Education, Equity and Social Justice from San Francisco State University. He resides in San Francisco until Spring 2020 when he will move to New York with his wife and their three-year-old son. Jennifer Lescott
Chief Operations Officer
Jennifer is the Chief Operations Officer at One Love, overseeing the strategic direction of the organization as well as operating functions including finance, human resources and technology. Jennifer brings to One Love over a decade of experience in finance, strategy, and operations at companies including Morgan Stanley, Disney, and Insight Communications. Most recently she helped launch a start-up Investment Management firm in New York City. Jennifer received a B.A. with distinction from Northwestern University and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. Megan Shackleton
Chief Program Officer
Megan is One Love’s Chief Program Officer. She leads all One Love efforts to scale One Love’s educational programs nationally and building the movement to end relationship violence. Megan brings a decade of experience working in strategy roles in the nonprofit sector. Prior to joining One Love, Megan led strategy and impact assessment for the Einhorn Family Charitable Trust, a family foundation focused on helping people get along better. Megan has also worked for The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research where she managed Team Fox, the organization's grassroots community fundraising program. She holds a B.A. in American Studies with a focus on means of social change from Stanford University and an M.B.A. from Dartmouth's Tuck School of Business. Melanie Sperling
Chief of Staff
Melanie Sperling joined One Love in 2014, as One Love’s second employee. Her dedication to One Love’s mission inspired her work spearheading One Love’s integration into schools and overseeing the development of strategic campaigns including #LoveBetter. She now serves as One Love’s Chief of Staff, working with the CEO and President to help create partnerships that will accelerate expansion of One Love’s educational reach and impact. Melanie also works with the executive staff in all endeavors including: general business development efforts, new partnership development, advancement expansion and development and management of special projects. Melanie graduated from Duke University with a B.A. in psychology, and received her MBA from Harvard Business School, where she served as Chief Community Officer and was a Dean’s Award Recipient. You can reach Melanie at [email protected]g. Ojeda Hall
Executive Director, Maryland, D.C. & Virginia
Ojeda leads One Love’s Maryland, D.C. & Virginia division and is responsible for the expansion of One Love’s partnerships and programming in the region. Under her leadership, the organization has initiated a formal partnership with Baltimore City Schools and enriched its video content with diverse stories and storytellers from the Baltimore community. She brings over 15 years of experience as a community organizer in the civic sector. Before joining One Love, Ojeda was the Senior Director of Collective Action for Leadership for Educational Equity (LEE). She holds a bachelor’s degree in Government from Harvard College and a Master of Divinity Degree from the Drew Theological Seminary. To learn more about how to bring One Love to your Maryland & D.C. community, please email Ojeda at [email protected]. Ellen H. Blais
Executive Director, New York Tri-State Region
Ellen H. Blais is One Love’s Executive Director of the New York Tri-State Region, leading initiatives to increase educational programming and partnerships in New York, New Jersey, and southern Connecticut and empowering communities to end relationship violence through education and awareness.
Ellen brings over 20 years of experience in non-profit and business management and has contributed to the growth and strategic direction of several organizations. Previously, Ellen was Vice President of Development at STRIVE International where she implemented fundraising strategies that contributed to a five-fold increase in the number of people served and a doubling of the annual budget. Prior, Ellen was an investment banker at Credit Suisse, executing initial public offering and mergers & acquisitions, and joined the management team of the Investment Banking Department as a Director, where she managed the annual budgeting and strategic planning processes.
Ellen volunteers as a tour guide at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and also served on the Board of Directors of the Appalachian Mountain Club. Ellen holds a BA from Brown University and an MBA from Columbia Business School. She and her husband have three adult children – all avid One Love boosters.
Michèle Heffron
Executive Director, Pacific Northwest & Acting Executive Director, San Francisco Bay Area
Michèle Heffron is One Love’s Executive Director of the Greater Seattle Area, leading the effort to expand One Love's educational programs and advance the movement to end relationship violence throughout the Pacific Northwest.
Michèle brings over 30 years of experience, in both the corporate and nonprofit sectors, where she developed her skills as a high-profile development and relationship manager for various organizations, including the Seattle Times and the Jim Mora Count On Me Family Foundation.
Before joining One Love, Michèle served as the Director of Development for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Bellevue. In this role, she oversaw philanthropy and was instrumental in a $24.5 million capital campaign to build two new facilities.
An avid collector of life-experiences, Michele offers an invaluable perspective. A graduate of Eastern Washington University, she serves on the Board of Directors for the Bellevue Police Foundation and Advisory Committee for Northwest Center. She continues to fulfill her passion for positively impacting the lives of young people through the One Love Foundation. Contact Michèle at [email protected] Tara Small
Executive Director, Boston
Tara Small is the One Love Regional Executive Director for Boston. In her role, Tara leads all One Love efforts with the goal of scaling One Love’s educational programs and building the movement to end relationship violence throughout the region. Tara brings years of experience in the nonprofit sector of Boston with a focus on critical issues impacting the lives of young people including substance abuse, education, social justice, and gang violence. Tara has a Bachelor’s Degree from Stonehill College and Master’s Degrees in Social Work and Public Health from Boston University. Carlos Rivera
Director of Finance and Accounting
Carlos manages One Love’s financial operations. He brings 25 years of senior financial management experience in the non-profit sector. Before joining One Love, he served as the Controller and Corporate Secretary of The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation. Carlos graduated from Baruch College with a bachelor’s degree in Accountancy and a master’s degree in Business Administration. He is an alumnus of the Executive Leadership Development Program through the Institute for Not-For-Profit Management at Columbia Business School. Shera Salgado Easter
Director, Community Fundraising
Shera is the Director of Community Fundraising at One Love and has been involved in non-profit fundraising for over 15 years. She manages the community fundraising events and is responsible for developing future events aimed at raising funds to spread the One Love mission. Before joining One Love, Shera served as the Director of Development at the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, New York City – Southern New York Chapter, where she oversaw Bike MS New York City, a cycling fundraiser that raised $3 million annually. At her 12 years at the Society, Shera oversaw several fundraising events including walks, stair-climbs and marathons. Shera holds a B.A. in Communications from the Pennsylvania State University. If you are interested in fundraising for One Love by hosting a community event, contact Shera at [email protected]. Sue Fine, Ph.D.
Director of Education
Sue oversees the design, development and ongoing adaptations of all One Love educational products, curricula, tools and resources. She is dedicated to ensuring that all One Love educational products optimize learning and impact for young people, educators and families. A life-long educator, Sue has a BS in Elementary Education from the University of Illinois, an MS in Remedial Reading and a Ph.D. in Politics and Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. To learn more about One Love’s educational design, please email Sue at [email protected]. Ebele Onyema
Director, New York Tri-State Region
Ebele is the Director of the New York Tri-State Region at One Love. Her work is focused on building and executing strategies to expand our programmatic footprint, and managing the community education and activation efforts that are the heart and soul of our work. A dynamic and strategic leader, Ebele served as Vice President of Global Strategic Planning at an award-winning public relations firm, leveraging data-driven insights to guide the strategic vision and goals of some of the world's top brands. In addition to her corporate background, Ebele brings to One Love over a decade of nonprofit leadership experience – designing programs, leading teams, and growing local and global partnerships for a variety of high-impact, social justice-focused organizations. Ebele earned her bachelor’s degree in Political Economics from Georgetown University, and her Master of Social Work from the University of Chicago. To learn more about how to bring One Love to your New York Tri-State community, reach out to Ebele at [email protected]. Megan Gray
Director, Volunteer Engagement
As the Director of Volunteer Engagement, Megan works to activate One Love's volunteer network by creating and implementing comprehensive goals, tools, and resources to lead the movement to end relationship abuse. Prior to this role, Megan was the Manager of Student Leadership, where she oversaw One Love's Teen and Campus Ambassador Programs and their corresponding Team One Love Clubs. Megan works closely with our program team, to better understand how our supporters want to participate in this movement and designs campaigns to support their interests. Megan graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, with a bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, focusing on Social Media and Non-Profit Management. To learn more about our volunteer opportunities, please email Megan at [email protected]. Greg Clements
Senior Manager, Data, Systems, & Donor Services
Greg oversees One Love’s donor services operations and data integrity. Before joining One Love, he managed systems and lead development projects at the non-profit Child Mind Institute. His background includes various roles in project management, marketing and operations. Greg received a bachelor’s degree in Communications from the University of Southern Maine and a master’s degree in Public Relations and Advertising from Suffolk University. Serena Sidawi
Senior Manager, Marketing & Communications
Serena is the Senior Manager of Content and Communications at One Love. She is responsible for developing creative marketing strategies for the foundation and spreading awareness about our movement in the digital realm. She is also responsible for creating content and material for One Love's website, blog, social media channels, and educational programming. Serena is the manager of One Love's brand voice and visual identity. She joined our team in March 2016 after several years in the digital communications field at various advertising agencies in NYC. Prior to her career in advertising, Serena worked and held internships at Special Olympics Connecticut and WOR 710 Radio. Serena received a B.S. in Advertising and minor in Interactive Digital Design from Quinnipiac University. Gina Provenzano
Senior Manager, Content Marketing
Gina is the Senior Manager of Content Marketing for One Love out of the New York office. For nearly a decade, her work has focused on establishing strategic communications and creating brand campaigns for non-profits and consumer organizations. Gina is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana where she studied Advertising. To learn more about marketing opportunities at One Love, reach out at [email protected]. Annie Forrest
Engagement Manager
Annie manages One Love’s national partnerships with community-based organizations, as well as expansion in the state of Florida and policy-related efforts advocating for the inclusion of health-based relationship education. Before joining One Love, she served as a Leadership Consultant for Sigma Kappa Sorority and remains an active volunteer within the organization. Annie graduated from the University of Virginia with bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Women, Gender, & Sexuality. She was deeply involved in the violence prevention community, working with the Sexual Assault Resource Agency, Albemarle County Policy Department, and Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance. To learn more about how to get involved with One Love’s policy work, please email Annie at [email protected]. Emily Lloyd
Engagement Manager
Emily Lloyd is the Engagement Manager for national programmatic partnerships, specifically focused on sports partnerships and customer success strategy. Emily previously worked at HopeWorks of Howard County and at Bridges: Sexual and Domestic Violence Support as a domestic violence advocate. She graduated from the University of Virginia in 2014 with a B.A. in Women, Gender and Sexuality. During her time at UVa, Emily was a varsity athlete, a captain of the women's swim team, and a member of the sexual assault prevention group, One Less. Contact Emily at [email protected] for more information about One Love nationally. Grace Carmichael
Engagement Manager, Maryland, D.C. & Virginia
Grace oversees education and engagement programs in the Maryland and Washington D.C. area with a special focus on developing and scaling One Love’s public school model. Before joining One Love, Grace worked in Development with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and The Family League of Baltimore. She graduated from Dickinson College with a bachelor’s degree in Sociology. To learn more about how to bring One Love to your Maryland or Washington D.C. community, please email Grace at [email protected]. Rhea Kimble
Engagement Manager, Pacific Northwest
Rhea Kimble is the Engagement Manager for One Love in the Pacific Northwest, focused on overseeing educational programs for K-12 public schools, universities and community-based organizations. Rhea has over 10 years of experience working in non-profit assisting with outreach programs and mentoring youth through the performing arts. She studied Broadcast Journalism and Theatre Arts at the University of Miami. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Renton Historical Society and brings her passion for telling stories and building relationships to One Love. To learn more about how to bring One Love programs to your community, email Rhea at [email protected]. Libby Gutschenritter
Engagement Manager, Pacific Northwest
Libby is responsible for overseeing education and engagement programs across the Pacific Northwest, working with schools, community-based organizations, and local facilitators. Before joining One Love, she oversaw programs at After-School All-Stars Puget Sound and was a high school math teacher with the New York City Department of Education. Libby graduated from Hamilton College with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and philosophy, and holds a master’s degree in secondary mathematics education from Relay Graduate School of Education. To learn more about how to bring One Love to your Pacific Northwest community, please contact Libby at [email protected]. Marissah Burt
Manager, Donor Stewardship
Marissah Burt is One Love's Manager, Donor Stewardship. She works closely with the Office of the CEO and across departments to help further advance top priorities of the organization in New York and regional offices, awhile supporting the day-day admin of the office. Prior to One Love, she built strong relationships and international partnerships, specifically with companies looking to expand their presence in the US/UK market at a chamber of commerce called, BritishAmerican Business. She also led the organization’s innovation initiatives through growth of the Annual Conference, which convened top forward-thinking minds and multi-national corporations. Before BritishAmerican Business, she kickstarted her NYC journey at an education-focused nonprofit, iMentor, where she supported special events and key fundraising initiatives alongside the development team. Marissah is a Midwesterner at heart and hailed from Ohio to grow her experience in the big apple through work with various nonprofits. She is also a proud graduate of The Ohio University, where she holds a BA in Psychology and discovered her passion for philanthropy. Contact Marissah at [email protected] Julie Bennett
Manager, Special Events and Outreach, Maryland, D.C. & Virginia
Julie Bennett is One Love’s Manager of Special Events and Outreach for the Maryland region. Julie plays a critical role in expanding One Love’s reach by developing and implementing strategic plans for events and outreach in the area. She brings over 15 years of experience in nonprofit fundraising, community outreach, and event planning. Before joining One Love, Julie was a special events consultant for organizations such as The Irvine Natural Science Center, The Commit Foundation, and The International Security Foundation, and helped raise over 1 million dollars in funding for charitable causes in the Maryland and D.C. region. Julie holds a bachelor’s degree from Ithaca College. To learn more about how you can get involved with One Love in the Maryland and D.C. community, please email Julie at [email protected]. Kiki Yannantuono
Marketing & Communications Manager
As One Love's Marketing & Communications Manager, Kiki applies a wealth of experience from work in commercial film production and a decade in the PR industry. She is a graduate of Skidmore College. Juan Marte, Jr.
Data & Donor Services Specialist
Juan assists with One’s Love’s donor services operations and data integrity. Before joining One Love, he worked as an Admissions Recruiter for Mercy College. Juan has participated in the 10-week intensive Salesforce Administration Academy Training with PepUp Tech Academy. Juan graduated from LIU Post with a Bachelor’s degree in Broadcasting and is currently pursuing his Master’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Data Analytics from Mercy College. Chrissy Besheer
Advancement Coordinator
Chrissy supports One Love’s donor engagement team and organizes One Love’s events and community cultivation efforts. Prior to joining One Love, she worked with art collectors from around the globe as the Collector Relations Administrator at Artsy. Chrissy graduated from Colby College in 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in Art History. To learn more about One Love’s events, contact Chrissy at [email protected]. Jalesa Tucker
Marketing and Communications Coordinator
Jalesa is responsible for content creation, managing the One Love blog and its team of external content contributors, the Writers Corps. She also manages the organization’s public relations. Before joining One Love, Jalesa was a public relations consultant at the entertainment agency The Terrie Williams firm. Jalesa graduated from The City College of New York (CCNY) with a bachelor’s degree in PR & Advertising. To learn more about public relations opportunities, or If you’re interested in contributing to One Love’s blog, please contact Jalesa at [email protected]. Manisha Sareen
Donor Services Coordinator
Manisha is responsible for donor services, overseeing donor relations and stewarding each donation that comes through the organization. Before joining One Love, she worked with mission programming for the Global Smile Foundation. Manisha graduated from Adelphi University with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and holds a master’s degree in International Business from Hult International Business School. if you need help or information regarding your donation, please email Manisha at [email protected]. Adriane Grant
Engagement Coordinator
Adriane is responsible for overseeing our current DOJ OVW grant to partner with community-based organizations and reach the city of Yonkers, which is one of the largest cities in the state of New York. Before joining One Love, Adriane worked in human resources at the nonprofit organization Family Services of Westchester and in the New York State Legislative Assembly. Adriane graduated from the University at Albany, SUNY, with a bachelor’s degree in Communications and Rhetoric. To learn more about how to bring One Love to your community, please email Adriane at [email protected]. Madeline Hopper
Engagement Coordinator
Madeline is responsible for supporting education and engagement programs in areas outside of One Love’s regional offices, working with schools, community-based organizations and facilitators. Prior to joining One Love, Madeline spent a year living in London earning her Master of Science in Violence, Conflict and Development from SOAS, University of London. She graduated from Colgate University, majoring in Peace and Conflict Studies with a geographic concentration in Sub-Saharan Africa. To learn more about how to bring One Love to your community, please email Madeline at [email protected]. Robin Graber
Florida Regional Engagement Coordinator
Robin is responsible for overseeing education and engagement programs in Florida, working with schools, community-based organizations and local facilitators. Before joining One Love, he led recovery efforts at the Women’s Center of Jacksonville, a certified rape crisis center. Robin graduated from the University of North Florida with a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice. To learn more about how to bring One Love to your Florida community, please email Robin at [email protected]. Michael Harley
Engagement Coordinator, New York Tri-State Region
Michael Harley is an Engagement Coordinator for One Love. He works closely with schools and universities in the Tri-State area to roll out One Love’s programming in their communities. A native of New Jersey, Michael graduated from SUNY-Binghamton in 2018 with a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Biological Anthropology. Before joining One Love, he worked with Binghamton’s 20:1 Prevention Programs providing educational workshops in sexual assault prevention and bystander intervention to University students. Contact Michael at [email protected] to learn more about One Love in the Tri-state area. Nalicia Williams
Engagement Coordinator, New York Tri-State Region
Nalicia is responsible for overseeing education and engagement programs in the New York/Tri-State area, working with schools, community-based organizations and local facilitators.
Before joining One Love, Nalicia worked as a substitute teacher and in risk assurance at PwC where she participated in programs to teach youth about financial literacy and workforce preparation. She graduated from Quinnipiac University with a degree in Computer Information Systems. To learn more about how to bring One Love to your New York/Tri-State community, please email Nalicia at [email protected]. Jamie O'Leary
Engagement Coordinator, Maryland, D.C. & Virginia
Jamie O’Leary is an Engagement Coordinator for Baltimore and the surrounding region, and she is thrilled to work with One Love to deepen and expand the conversation around healthy relationships. Jamie is a recent graduate of Princeton University, where she received a B.A. in Anthropology with certificates in Gender & Sexuality Studies and African Studies. At Princeton, Jamie founded Princeton Students for Gender Equality (PSGE), an intersectional feminist group focused on discussion and education, and she served as a peer advocate and educator in the University’s SHARE (Sexual Harassment and Assault Advising, Resources, and Education) program. Jamie has conducted extensive ethnographic research in France and Senegal, and her research interests include the intersections of faith and gender, embodiment, forced migration, and LGBT/Queer Studies. You can reach Jamie at [email protected]. Hali Holtzman
Engagement Coordinator, Boston
Hali Holtzman is an Engagement Coordinator for the Boston region. She is passionate about empowering young people to build healthy relationships by providing them with the necessary tools. Hali graduated from the State University of New York at Cortland in 2017 with a B.A. in English and minors in Social Philosophy and Professional Writing. Prior to One Love, she spent two years serving AmeriCorps with City Year Boston. During this time, she had the privilege of working with two different Boston Public Schools to mentor young people in social emotional skill building. Additionally, she led an affinity space where LGBTQIA+ identifying young adults and allies could discuss identity and build community. To learn more about getting involved with One Love in Boston, please contact Hali at [email protected] Claire Giampetroni
Engagement Coordinator, Boston
Claire is responsible for overseeing education and engagement programs in the Boston area, working with schools, community-based organizations and local facilitators. Before joining One Love, she served as an AmeriCorps volunteer, bringing health and wellness programming to the youth of Vermont. Claire graduated from the University of Vermont with a bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education with a focus in English. To learn more about how to bring One Love to your community in the greater New England area, please email Claire at [email protected]. Anneke Reich
Engagement Coordinator, Boston
Anneke is responsible for overseeing education and engagement programs in the Boston area, working with schools, community-based organizations and local facilitators. Before joining One Love, Anneke worked as a theater practitioner and an educator for theater companies in Boston Public Schools. She graduated from Brandeis University with a bachelor’s degree in Theater Arts and American Studies and holds a master’s degree in Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. To learn more about how to bring One Love to your community in the greater New England area, please email Anneke at [email protected]. Brea Kaye
Engagement Coordinator, San Francisco Bay Area & Seattle
Brea is responsible for overseeing education and engagement programs in the Bay Area and greater Seattle region, working with schools, community-based organizations and local facilitators. Before joining One Love, she worked with various violence prevention organizations and acted as a liaison for the Sexual and Gender Violence Committee at the University of Puget Sound, where she holds a degree in International Political Economy. To learn more about how to bring One Love to your community in the Bay Area or greater Seattle region, please email Brea at [email protected]. Sheridan Riolo
Engagement Coordinator, Bay Area
Sheridan Riolo is responsible for engaging youth, teens, and adults in One Love’s work throughout the Bay Area and greater California regions. She works with schools and community-based organizations to cultivate leaders and maximize One Love’s educational reach through our train-the-trainer model. Before coming to One Love, Sheridan worked as a preventionist at a San Luis Obispo-based domestic violence services agency and implemented primary prevention programming throughout SLO County. She is a graduate of Loyola Marymount University and holds a bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies, as well as a California teaching credential. To learn more about how to bring One Love to your community, please email Sheridan at [email protected].