WASHINGTON, D.C. — Independent Women’s Forum (IWF) announced today its summer 2021 class of fellows: Baishali Bomjan, Maria Chaplia, Christina Crenshaw, Gabriella Hoffman, Jennifer Kabbany, Meaghan Mobbs, Jean Morrow, Abby Nobel, Maya Noronha, Marilyn Quigley, Jennifer Stefano, and Hannah Zakaria.
“IWF is thrilled to welcome our newest class of fellows,” said Hadley Heath Manning, policy director at Independent Women’s Forum. “These women are leaders in their fields, from education to health care to law and more. They bring experience from working in federal government agencies, advocating at the state level, teaching in universities, and other rich backgrounds, and they will surely contribute to IWF’s mission of championing policies that make women better off.”
Learn more about these women below:
Baishali Bomjan is the co-founder of Trayas organization in India. As a women-founded organization, Trayas centers around economic freedom for women. The organization is leading a project to count and catalogue every legal provision that discriminates against female job-seekers. The initiative aims to give Centre and State governments in India a comprehensive repeal and amendment agenda to end legal economic discrimination against women.
Maria Chaplia is the Research Manager at the Consumer Choice Center. She mainly works in the field of trade, lifestyle regulations, and platform economy. Her research and writing have been featured in major European titles such as Daily Mail, The Independent, Financial Times, Euractiv, The Parliament Magazine, and more. Maria is a trained lawyer and economist. She also completed a Charles Koch Market-Based Management programme and a communications internship with Students For Liberty in Washington DC. In 2016, she received the European Students For Liberty Student of the Year Award.
Christina Crenshaw is a professor, researcher, writer, and human trafficking fighter. She is also an advocate for the integration of faith and culture. Dr. Crenshaw is an interdisciplinary educator. She earned a PhD in Education with an emphasis in English from Baylor University. She has nearly 20 years of experience with both secondary and post-secondary education. For 15 years, she has taught English, Education, and Leadership Studies courses at the undergraduate and graduate level. She taught as an Assistant Professor at California Baptist University and as a full-time Lecturer at Baylor University, where she currently teaches. Dr. Crenshaw frequently speaks on human trafficking prevention at academic conferences and workshops. She has spoken at The Texas Governor’s Human Trafficking Task Force, Shared Hope International, Point Loma Nazarene University, The University of Nebraska, The University of Texas, Texas Education Agency Region 11,12, 13 and several other educational venues and organizations.
Gabriella Hoffman is a freelance media consultant, columnist, podcaster, and award-winning outdoor writer. Her columns and commentary have been featured in dozens of national publications including Washington Post, Forbes, Marie Claire, and Time Magazine. Gabriella was recently elected to the Professional Outdoor Media Association’s Board of Directors. She hosts the District of Conservation podcast and CFACT original video series “Conservation Nation.” Learn more about her work at www.gabriellahoffman.com.
Jennifer Kabbany is editor of The College Fix, a publication of the Student Free Press Association. From 2002 to 2013, she worked in various capacities for the North County Times and San Diego Union-Tribune newspapers as a City Hall, education and features reporter, as well as a weekly education columnist. Previously, she served as Associate Editor of FrontPage Magazine, as well as held editorial positions at The Weekly Standard and The Washington Times. She is also a Robert Novak Journalism Fellowship recipient and has contributed to National Review.
Meaghan Mobbs is the daughter of two veterans, a veteran herself, and the wife of an active-duty Army officer. She possesses a unique personal perspective, but can also bring to bear academic and real-world expertise regarding military, veteran, and military family issues. Meaghan is a PhD candidate in psychology at Columbia University, where she is focused on this population. She is also a former Advisor to the Trump-Pence campaign on these topics.
Jean Morrow will focus her work as an IWF fellow on elevating patient-centered healthcare, including empowering patient choice and improving quality and outcomes. Starting in August, Jean will be the Manager of Public Affairs and Policy at the Pennsylvania Coalition of Public Charter Schools to advocate for choice, quality, and accountability in public education. Jean previously served as a political appointee at the United States Department of Education where she served as the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Lead for the agency and as a Policy Advisor in the Department’s Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development. Prior to the Department, she was a health policy researcher at The Heritage Foundation where she promoted patient-centered health care.
Abby Nobel, a nurse and healthcare advocate, seeks to expose and eliminate state barriers to local affordable healthcare. As founder and president of Michigan Healthcare Freedom, Abby educates and advocates through writing, testimony, and social media. She teaches a course for nursing students in Bill Reading, Analysis, and Advocacy.
Maya Noronha is a civil rights attorney. She has served in several roles in the federal government. At the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, her roles included acting chief of staff of the Administration for Children and Families, principal advisor to the Commissioner of the Administration on Children, Youth, and Families, and senior advisor to the Director of the Office for Civil Rights within the Office of the Secretary. She also had fellowships and internships in the White House Office of Speechwriting, U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, and D.C. Superior Court.
Marilyn Quigley is professor emerita of English at Evangel University, a private Christian school in Springfield, Missouri, where she taught for over 30 years. Her responsibilities included directing the composition program, teaching advanced and creative writing and literature courses, and designing and supervising the required writing proficiency exam. Marilyn is an author, editor, speaker, and mentor.
Jennifer Stefano has dedicated her career to defending individual liberty by ensuring America remains a place where people, regardless of race, creed, or gender, can earn their own success and pursue their dreams. She is a prolific writer, speaker, and advocate for freedom, the free market, and civil society. In her role as vice president and chief strategist at the Commonwealth Foundation, Jennifer oversees all communications, development, and long-term strategic planning, leading the organization as it works to expand opportunity, independence, prosperity, and fairness for all Pennsylvanians. The former Emmy nominated reporter has helped lead bipartisan efforts to pass expansions of school choice, criminal justice, and pension reform that Pew Charitable Trust called the most comprehensive and impactful in the nation.
Hannah Zakaria is Director of Operations at Abraham Accords Peace Institute. She previously served in the White House as Associate Director of Operations and Communications and as Receptionist of the United States. Prior to that, Hannah worked in digital communications for the NRSC and interned in the Congressional office of Rep. Robert Aderholdt. She holds a Master’s Degree from Georgetown University and a degree in Business Administration from Bob Jones University.