Our Board of Directors

Alex is a Senior Program Officer in the Global Policy and Advocacy program at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation where she manages relationships with large strategic advocacy partners.  Previously, she led the malaria, tuberculosis, and neglected infectious diseases advocacy portfolios to increase political commitment to, and funding for these diseases.

Prior to joining the foundation in 2007, Alexandra worked at a communications firm in New York and the International Herald Tribune in Paris. She has also spent time at the U.S. Embassy in the Democratic Republic of Congo and with Save the Children in Mali. Alexandra holds a Master of Health Science from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, an MA in international development from the Fletcher School at Tufts University, and a BA in politics from Princeton University.  She is fluent in French.  Alexandra enjoys running (for exercise) and to keep up with her two daughters.

Erin Shea McCann launched her legal career as an Equal Justice Works fellow at Columbia Legal Services. Through her fellowship, and beyond, she served as co-counsel for the state’s 10,000 foster children in a class action foster care reform settlement agreement. Erin worked to ensure that the (then) more than 25,000 homeless students in Washington were properly identified and served by their school districts under federal homeless education law. She also advocated to protect the due process rights of foster children in the State Court of Appeals and Supreme Court.

Following her work with Columbia, she joined the Office of Family & Children’s Ombuds, a state agency that investigates complaints against Child Protective Services and Child Welfare Services. She later joined The Mockingbird Society where she served as the Director of Public Policy & Communications. In that role, Erin led the agency’s strategic advocacy and policy agenda at the local, state, and national level—in collaboration with young people who experienced foster care and homelessness—to improve foster care and end youth homelessness.

In 2016, Erin started her own consulting firm, E.S. McCann, LLC, where she works with communities, policymakers, government agencies, programs, nonprofit organizations, and private funders to elevate the needs and voices of vulnerable children and families.

Erin most recently joined Legal Counsel for Youth and Children as the organization’s first-ever Deputy Director. With LCYC, Erin will play an instrumental role in designing and building out the organization’s systemic legal advocacy related to four direct service programs: child welfare, juvenile court, youth and young adult homelessness, and youth and family immigration.

Erin graduated from the University of Washington and received her J.D. from Seattle University School of Law. Erin has two young children who were born with the support and love of her partner and an incredible doula.

Alyson is currently an independent global health consultant. Prior to consulting, Alyson most recently worked at the University of Washington’s I-TECH, where she led headquarters based teams to implement large health systems strengthening programs in Tanzania, Namibia, and China. Before moving to Seattle, Ms. Shumays worked at the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies on the Board on Global Health. She also has several years experience working as a grant manager at non-profit organizations. Ms. Shumays completed her Master of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University. Her passion for maternal and child health began during her Peace Corps service in West Africa, and has continued throughout her career and in her personal life. Alyson is the mother of two busy, busy boys.

Nika brings over a decade of financial expertise, with a focus on financial strategy, risk analysis, and business development. She built her career in Silicon Valley with a major international financial services firm, managing a diverse portfolio of companies through growth transitions and fluctuations of the economic cycle. Most recently, Nika was a VP of Commercial and Technology banking, during which she consulted with CFOs of high-growth, venture capital-backed technology companies to develop and improve their capital structures and financial infrastructure.

For the past few years, Nika has taken on her most challenging and rewarding role yet– mom to two toddlers. The births of her children raised Nika’s awareness of the crucial difference being supported and heard can make during the heroic and life-changing–yet vulnerable and intimate–transition to motherhood, and sparked a passion to help other mothers find and honor their voice in their care. Nika is thrilled to draw on all of these experiences as a board member for Open Arms.

Nika holds a degree in Business Administration and a minor in Vocal Music from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. She enjoys singing, skiing, burritos, and family adventures near and far.

Jen brings more than 20 years of professional experience in business strategy, operations and finance.  She is currently President of DRSi, a commercial printing company.  She previously served as Director of Strategy at Nordstrom, where she supported strategic growth initiatives for the full price business.  She started her career in the private equity asset management industry, then worked as a management consultant with Bain & Company, advising executives of Fortune 500 companies on some of their most challenging strategic and operational issues. Her areas of expertise include customer strategy, financial modeling, customer analytics and service operations.  Outside of work, Jen is an aspiring gardener and mother to 2 little ones (3 if you count the forever-young yellow lab).  Jen holds a BA in economics from Colorado College and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Nan is a leadership and organizational consultant who has worked with local and global nonprofits and businesses since 1999. She has previously volunteered in hospice care, helping with individuals living with HIV, and with youth in South Africa while on sabbatical in 2010. Nan believes support during intense life transitions is critical to the health of individuals and communities. The work Open Arms does to support mothers and families is what first inspired Nan’s interest in being on the board.

Mari Offenbecher spent her professional career as a non-profit leader including nearly three decades as the CEO of School’s Out Washington (SOWA).  Mari  served as the leader for SOWA, advancing quality, equity and innovation in building the field of after-school and youth development across Washington State. Mari has spent her career dedicated to bringing quality educational opportunities and supports to children and youth.

Mari has extensive experience building local, statewide and national coalitions and initiatives that impact systems change for children and youth.  She has especially focused these efforts on children of color and children from low-income backgrounds, understanding the critical role that early learning and expanded learning programs play in developing life-long skills and forming meaningful relationships.

Mari holds a Bachelors degree in Child Development from California State University Sacramento and has conducted research on advanced child development systems at the University of California Berkeley and Edinburgh University.  Mari is excited to support Open Arms in furthering their mission to provide vital supports to families during pregnancy, birth and early parenting.

Srilata Remala is a Seattle native. Her parents immigrated to the United States in 1981 from Andhra Pradesh, India to achieve the American dream. Through their successes, they created a family foundation, the Satya and Rao Remala Foundation where Srilata is both a Trustee and Director of health programs. Srilata attended the George Washington University in Washington D.C. for undergraduate studies and Carnegie Mellon University a Master’s of Science in healthcare policy and management.

After graduate school she worked in strategy consulting at Deloitte and Point B focused on healthcare improvements. She transitioned to non-profit and is currently emoloyed at Country Doctor as a manager working on special projects reporting to the Executive Director. She is also the founder of a non-profit, The Maternal Coalition, whose mission is to ensure that all moms have access to just equitable care. Srilata is also on the board of Seattle Children’s Hospital Foundation and Make-a-wish Alaska and Pacific Northwest.

Srilata lives in Capitol Hill with her husband, Charles and 2.5 year old daughter Saanvi and her dog Hunter. In her spare time she enjoys exploring recipes from the villages in India her parents are from, exploring her artistic side, and binge watching Netflix.

Bio coming soon!

Christine Stansfield is a devoted public servant, committed to improving quality of life for women and children in the Puget Sound Region. Christine has significant experience in the nonprofit world, and her greatest passion lies in strategy and capacity building. She is currently the Volunteer and Community Engagement Coordinator for the Sno-Isle Library System, responsible for management of a two county, 750+ person volunteer program, as well as supporting strategic relations for the district around early learning, civic engagement, and workforce development. Previously, Christine served as a Program Officer at Seattle Foundation, leading collective giving grant programs, as well as managing the Foundation’s Health and Wellness investment and knowledge strategy. Christine received a BA from the University of California at Santa Barbara, and earned a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Seattle University. She is also an alum of JustServe AmeriCorps. Christine lives in Edmonds with her husband and young daughter.

Christine was first introduced to Open Arms through a grant proposal in 2011, and it was love at first sight.

Tisha Frank spent her professional career in nonprofit leadership, including service as the Executive Director of Puget Sound Big Sisters and Director of the Children’s Hospital Guild Association. Most recently her experience includes a decade as an internal consultant for Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, providing analysis and guidance to more than 80 local agencies across the West on business and strategic planning, organizational development and capacity building, board and fund development, legislative advocacy, mergers and consolidations, and the use of metrics for program performance management.

Tisha currently serves as both a community volunteer and a part-time consultant to nonprofit organizations. She has volunteered as a board member of the Children’s Alliance, Washington Special Olympics, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound, and the Leadership Tomorrow Alumni Committee. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin and a Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Washington. Tisha believes that leadership of a nonprofit organization, either professional or volunteer, is some of the most challenging and important work in our society. Her commitment is to provide as much support as possible to those willing to take it on.

Dr. West is a physician at Swedish practicing Musculoskeletal Medicine. His work involves helping patients improve their performance and function through Osteopathic manual techniques. He works to maximize the body’s amazing healing potential to recover from illness and injury. He helps adults through a rehabilitation process and sees newborns with latching difficulties. Dr. West believes that people who educate themselves about exercise and nutrition can alter their lifestyle to improve health. They can set powerful examples for children, family, and friends. His interest in working with Open Arms comes from his passion for improving health. Open Arms aligns with his goal to help new parents and families. He believes that doulas can provide education and support that can relieve stress for families facing different challenges during pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period.