Hello everyone,
My name is Brittany Averette, and I am excited to introduce myself as the new executive director of Sylvia’s Sisters. I have worked in non-profit communications for many years and feel honored to serve this mission. I am also a web designer, business owner, and mother of two, with a passion for equity issues in women’s health.
In June, our founder and president, Jennifer Taylor, retired. Jennifer is the visionary behind Sylvia’s Sisters and the heart and soul of our organization. Retiring with her are Laura Davidson, vice president, JoAnne Kaperick, treasurer, and volunteer Heidi Field-Alvarez.
These women are the driving force behind Sylvia’s Sisters’ success. Their many achievements include:
- Establishing Sylvia’s Sisters as a 501(c)(3)
- Distributing pads, panty liners, and tampons to menstruators in Central Virginia since 2016 (and in the past three years alone, we have supplied more than 640,000 period products to our community!)
- Purchasing, producing, and distributing reusable pads (and menstrual health education) to dozens of rural Ugandan schools
- Developing a relationship with Afripads to make our Ugandan mission more sustainable
- Successfully lobbying Virginia legislators to require free period products in school
- Providing 4 Ugandan schools with water catchments so they have access to clean water (an essential component of menstrual health)
- Establishing a relationship with more than 30 partners in Central Virginia, including agencies through whom Sylvia’s Sisters provided products to students in more than 50 Virginia public elementary, middle, and high schools
- Joining the Alliance for Period Supplies, a national organization that supports and provides resources for local period poverty groups
- All of the fundraising and volunteer coordination to make the above possible!
Fortunately, Jennifer will remain a part of Sylvia’s Sisters as a Board member and a trusted advisor. I have learned a lot from her, and I am personally grateful to call her a friend. Laura, JoAnne and Heidi remain steadfast volunteers and supporters–and we could not do this work without them.
Jennifer, Laura, JoAnne and Heidi: Thank you for your many years of invaluable service!
I am excited to introduce two other brand-new members of our leadership team! Heather Lennon is our new director of operations. She has worked in non-profit administration for many years with various organizations across the country. Katie Irvine Wadey is our new director of finance. She is an analyst with the Federal Reserve of Richmond.
Meet our full staff here. We remain an all-volunteer organization.
Heather, Katie and I are honored to join the fight to end period poverty.
With gratitude,
Brittany
