Five Dynamic Leaders with Diverse Political and Advocacy Experience Join the Planned Parenthood Action Fund Board
For Immediate Release: May 11, 2012
Washington, DC — The Planned Parenthood Action Fund, the advocacy and political arm of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, announced today the addition of five members to its Board of Directors. The new members — Naomi Aberly, Joanne Egerman, Irma Esparza, Minyon Moore, and Michael Vachon —bring an abundance of political and advocacy experience, expertise and leadership to the Action Fund Board.
In 2008, the Action Fund campaigned to turn out one million pro-choice voters to elect a pro-choice and pro-health care president, as well as pro-choice candidates across the country at the federal, state and local level. During the first 15 months of the Obama administration, the Action Fund mobilized its grassroots activists to ensure women's reproductive health services were guaranteed under the new health care law.
Now, the Action Fund — with the help of its five new board members — will once again educate and mobilize pro-choice voters across the country. The 2010 election year is critical for women’s health and reproductive rights. Opponents of legal abortion and health care reform in states and congressional districts across the country are already working to undermine the hard-fought gains for women guaranteed by the national health care reform law; targeting key congressional and gubernatorial races; and initiating ballot initiatives that would impede and often eliminate women’s access to safe, affordable reproductive health care, especially abortion.
“At this crucial political juncture, we need the judgment and experience that each one of these five prominent individuals brings to our organization,” said Action Fund President Cecile Richards. “They will play a very important role in supporting the Action Fund’s execution of its political program this fall.”
Naomi Aberly has been active in more than a dozen civic and political organizations, including Obama for America and Annie’s List. She is a fundraiser for Democratic candidates at all levels. She currently serves on the board of Planned Parenthood of North Texas and is the current chair of their capital campaign, and she is a former board member of the Texas Association of Planned Parenthood Affiliates.
Joanne Egerman serves on the board of the Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts and on both the New England and the National boards of the Anti-Defamation League, as well the Executive Committees of both. She is also on the board of Mass Equality, an LGBT advocacy organization.
Irma Esparza has nearly two decades of experience in federal and local government and political campaigns. She is the chief of staff for Washington, DC, At-Large City Councilmember Kwame Brown and previously launched an issue advocacy organization on behalf of the American Federation of State and County Municipal Employees.
Minyon Moore heads the state and local affairs practice at the Dewey Square Group, one of the leading public affairs firms in the nation. Previously she was CEO of the Democratic National Committee, assistant to President Bill Clinton, director of White House Political Affairs and director of White House Public Liaison.
Michael Vachon is an advisor to George Soros. Previously he was communications director at the Commonwealth Fund. He serves on the board of the Democracy Alliance and other organizations and is an adjunct associate professor at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs.