Meet Our Board
Our Board of Directors plays a key role in driving our mission forward, bringing a wealth of experience across critical fields. With expertise in nonprofit management, business operations, fundraising, finance, healthcare, product development, marketing and data analytics, each board member is instrumental in shaping our success.
Together, they are guiding our vision and propelling us toward a brighter, more supportive future for all.
Elizabeth Bradley
President
Virginia, USA
Bio
Why CMI?
Email Me
elizabeth.bradley@connectingmothersinitiative.org
Elizabeth Bradley is a passionate advocate for mothers, birth givers and families, dedicated to creating accessible resources and fostering supportive communities. As the Founder and Executive Director of [CMI], Elizabeth brings extensive expertise in nonprofit leadership, project management, HR consulting and change management. She has a proven track record of driving strategic initiatives, streamlining processes and building collaborative teams that achieve meaningful impact.
Elizabeth’s commitment to supporting mothers and birth givers stems from her personal experiences as a military spouse and mother of two. She deeply understands the unique challenges families face and is devoted to empowering individuals with the knowledge, tools and connections needed to thrive.
Outside of her professional endeavors, Elizabeth enjoys spending time with her family and reading books across a variety of genres.
Laura Lyons, MPH
Vice President
New Jersey, USA
Bio
Why CMI?
Email Me
Coming Soon.
Laura Lyons is a seasoned healthcare executive with over a decade of experience leading operations, program design and healthcare delivery in dynamic, mission-driven organizations. She currently serves as Vice President of Central Operations at Better Life Partners, where she leads a team dedicated to providing exceptional member experience and customer care for individuals navigating substance use disorder.
Throughout her career, Laura has demonstrated a deep commitment to improving access to care and addressing health inequities. She brings a strong background in healthcare operations, integrative medicine, health literacy, having previously served as Vice President of Care Operations and Director of Wellness at leading healthcare organizations. Her leadership in these roles included delivering innovative solutions to enhance population health outcomes, scaling operations, designing evidence-based programs and advocating for clinician and patient wellness on national platforms.
Laura holds a Master of Public Health from the University of Kentucky and a Bachelor of Science in Human Nutrition, Foods and Exercise from Virginia Tech. Passionate about giving back, she is excited to leverage her expertise to support the mission and strategic goals of Connecting Mothers Initiative.
In her free time, Laura enjoys spending time with her family, running and exploring all that New Jersey has to offer.
Elijah Ramos
Treasurer
California, USA
Bio
Why CMI?
Email Me
elijahramos7@yahoo.com
I studied Finance at Western Governors University and graduated with my bachelor’s degree in 2024. I’ll be starting my Master's in Public Policy program at Indiana University next fall, and start law school upon completion of my masters. Since graduating high school at 15 and earning my bachelor's at 18, I’ve dedicated myself to service through local and global organizations. I am a member of Rotary International where I have worked to provide scholarships to underprivileged communities and build water systems in Southeast Asia. I currently serve as a Board Member and Director of Development for Connecting Mothers Initiative.
Bio
Why CMI?
Email Me
Coming Soon.
I am currently a Senior Data Analyst at Youth Guidance and a board member at the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Chicago Chapter. In my career, I have served over 17,000 students and 400 outside stakeholders in the data and program evaluation space, and I am eager and excited to extend my knowledge to the maternal well-being area.
My favorite part about data analytics is having so many different ways to solve a problem creatively, and I love my nontraditional background in the field. I have a Bachelors in Neuroscience and Psychology that I completed at Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan, Italy and have a Master's degree in Early Childhood specialized in trauma, the 0-5 space and child and maternal mental health. I also have expertise within EdTech and Education-based AI, community programs, literacy initiatives and language development, behavioral neuroscience and overall well-being and development.
Outside of my passion areas, I also do a lot of education and awareness surrounding the issues of femicide and gender-based violence in Italy. My biggest life goal is to become a humanitarian and help those who have experienced war.
Brianne Kelly-Prensa
Director of Fundraising
New York, USA
Bio
Why CMI?
Email Me
Coming Soon.
The Director of Fundraising, Brianne “Bri” Kelly-Prensa, comes to Connecting Mothers Initiative with over a decade of experience in the Development field. Bri served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Morocco (2014-2016), with a focus on youth asset building and health education programs. She also has experience working for the Foundation of a Chamber of Commerce in Hudson Valley New York, with a robust small business community, and Columbia’s University Double Discovery Center, building out educational youth and professional leadership programs.
For the past five years, she has developed the fundraising arm of the nonprofit, GO Tutor Corps, an AmeriCorps K-12 high dosage tutoring program. Bri’s degrees are in English and Legal Studies (B.A., University at Buffalo, SUNY) International Education Development (M.A., Teachers College at Columbia University) and a Certificate in Fundraising (New York University).
In her free time, Bri enjoys hiking, running, swimming, yoga, art, spending time with friends and family (husband, dog and daughter) and pursuing any creative venture.
Melissa Zimyeski
Director of Growth
New York, USA
Bio
Why CMI?
Email Me
Coming Soon.
Coming Soon.
Interested in joining our Board of Directors?
Are you passionate about ensuring mothers and birth givers have the support they need to thrive? Joining our Board of Directors is an opportunity to help advance CMI’s mission to cultivate emotional, physical, and economic stability by connecting mothers and birth givers to comprehensive, accessible resources and fostering a supportive community.
Resources that empower, community that cares
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