Jasper L. Hendricks III - Board Chair

Jasper L. Hendricks III, originally from Farmville, VA, is a seasoned public servant with a track record of fostering collaboration among diverse stakeholders. Throughout his career, he has served in various capacities, from advising elected officials at all levels of government to leading initiatives aimed at empowering communities nationwide. Jasper's expertise lies in building coalitions and forging productive relationships between government entities, advocacy groups, and corporations.

Currently based in Nashville, TN, Jasper serves as the President/CEO of Social Strategies, a public affairs firm, and directs the Black Legislative Leaders Network along with being the Chair of the Metro Nashville Fair Board of Commissioners and serves as Executive Legislative Assistant to the Tennessee House Minority Leader. Prior to relocating to Nashville, he held influential roles in the Washington, DC Metropolitan area, including advising presidential and congressional campaigns, serving as a senior aide to multiple Members of Congress, and leading voter empowerment initiatives at prominent organizations like the NAACP and the National Black Justice Coalition.

Among his many achievements, Jasper takes particular pride in his election to the U.S. Electoral College, where he contributed to selecting the President of the United States in 2016, representing a significant milestone in his distinguished career.

William G. Hudson, MSMOB, MPH - Treasurer

William Hudson has over 15 years of healthcare management- public health leadership experience and serves as the Vice President for Public Health with the Qualtrics organization. Prior to joining Qualtrics, William served as the COO and CFO for Harris County Public Health (HCPH), the local health agency for Harris County, Texas, the 3rd most populous county in the United States.

William received his Master's in both Public Health and Management and Organizational Behavior from Benedictine University and a dual Bachelor of Science in Biology and Chemistry from Texas Southern University. In addition to his formal education, William has completed executive education programs centered on value-based care delivery and innovation from Harvard Business School, MIT Sloan School of Management, Thunderbird Global School of Management, and Cornell University. He is a Fellow of the Academy for Healthcare Management, a Certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, a Board Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality, and an official member of the Forbes Business Council. William holds certifications and professional memberships with the Academy for Healthcare Management, the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA), the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), and the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS).

William holds multiple board advisory roles with notable institutions such as the Texas Medical Center Innovation Institute, ChangeLab Solutions the University of Texas School of Public Health, Texas Southern University College of Science, Engineering, and Technology, and the Prairie View A&M School of Public and Allied Health. When not engaged in the rigors of business, William enjoys spending time with his wife and two daughters.

Kacie Brady

Kacie Brady is a creative individual with a passion for storytelling and sharing information.  She has spent 12 years working as a news producer in Florida and the Washington, D.C. area with a focus on writing, promotion, and production.  In 2018 she oversaw coverage of the March For Our Lives protest.  This coverage was later nominated for an Emmy award by The National Capital Chesapeake Bay Chapter of The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

Kacie currently serves as The Hill’s senior event manager/producer, where she oversees the production of live editorial events.  Kacie also serves as the lead producer on The Switch Up with Cheyanne M. Daniels, a podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of race and politics.

Kacie lives in Arlington, Virginia with her husband and 3-year-old son.  In her free time, she volunteers for PUSH For Empowered Pregnancy and participates in as much theater as possible.

Danielle A. Melton, M.Ed.

Danielle A. Melton stands out as a 2x founder, celebrated national speaker, foster care advocate, and an inspirational force for working mothers worldwide. Motivated by her personal struggle with burnout and maternal guilt, she founded both MOTHERboard®—a wellness solution tailored for mothers in the workplace—and the Motherboard Foundation, the nonprofit extension dedicated to uplifting working moms across the USA through community engagement, events, and pivotal research. What began as a humble Instagram page has grown into a powerful empire, steadfast in empowering the working mother community. Danielle has had the privilege of hosting over 500 women at in-person events in Oklahoma and fostering a vibrant digital community, uniting thousands of women nationwide.

Danielle's influence extends beyond her organization; she is recognized as a trusted voice for change and empowerment. Her contributions and insights have led to invitations to prestigious

events, including the 2019 BET Awards and the Emmys. Danielle has spoken on several stages, delivering keynotes and participating in panels alongside Emmy Award-winning writers, CNN correspondents, and New York Times best-selling authors.

Her impact and vision were acknowledged when Sass Magazine named her a "Person to Watch" in 2021. Danielle's thought leadership and work have been featured in esteemed publications such as Medium, Forbes, Yahoo! News, and the HuffPost. Since the start of this year, Danielle has proudly joined the ranks of the Forbes Coaches Council,, a prestigious, invitation-only group of elite business and career coaches, contributing her insights to Forbes.com.

Jennell Lynch, MA

Jennell Lynch, a career executive, mother of four and wife, uses her dynamic insight and experience from working in male-dominated industries to create customized programs that dramatically increase retention rates for organizations. She is committed to honoring and preserving the valuable assets women bring to the workplace.

With a master’s degree in organizational management and marketing and 20 years experience in finance, politics, technology, and sports/entertainment, Jennell has learned the granular details that can create a healthier career environment for working women.

Jennell most recently served as Vice President for the National Association of Investment Companies (NAIC). The NAIC, the largest network of diverse-owned private equity firms and hedge funds in the United States, is comprised of more than 50 member firms representing over $90 billion in assets under management.

Throughout the years, she has led initiatives that help organizations and women gain internal support, knowledge, and resources for working women who are expecting or already mothers. Now, as a trained doula, founder of the Executive Doula Agency, and co-founder of the Right Lanes, Jennell helps women and businesses navigate the intersection between career, giving birth and personal life.

Joy Burkhard, MBA - Founder

Joy is the founder of Mom Congress. After facilitating several conferences and advocacy days on Capitol Hill with her team and other non-profits focused on maternal health and paid leave, Joy founded Mom Congress in 2018 as a project of the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health (then known as 2020 Mom). She is known for her deep expertise in health systems and policy and for driving change for mothers and families. She has been recognized for her leadership and vision with several awards, including receiving The American Public Health Association’s Maternal Child Health Leadership and Advocacy Award and the "Emerging Leader" award in Women’s Health from the federal Health and Human Services Agency, Office of Women’s Health.