Justice + Joy National Collaborative Welcomes Dynamic New Leaders to Its Board of Trustees
Justice + Joy National Collaborative (Justice + Joy) is proud to announce the appointment of six extraordinary leaders to its Board of Trustees. Each brings deep expertise, lived experience, and an unwavering commitment to advancing social, economic and political justice for girls, young women and gender-expansive young people of color. These new board members strengthen Justice + Joy’s mission to transform systems so that girls, young women, and gender-expansive young people—particularly those most impacted by structural inequities—can thrive.
Meet the new members to the Justice + Joy’s board of trustees:
Aysha E. Schomburg
President & CEO, Healing New York | New York, NY
Aysha E. Schomburg is a nationally recognized leader in child welfare policy and practice. As President & CEO of Healing New York (formerly the New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children) , she oversees one of the nation’s leading organizations focused on trauma recovery and prevention services for children and families.
Previously, Aysha served as Associate Commissioner at the Administration for Children & Families, appointed by the Biden-Harris Administration. Her career also includes senior leadership roles at New York City Children’s Services and the New York City Council, where she worked extensively on youth development, parent recruitment, and education policy.
Aysha serves on the Board of Trustees of the New York Public Library and is admitted to the Bar in New York and New Jersey. She is the great-granddaughter of Arturo Alfonso Schomburg, the famed historian and bibliophile for whom the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture is named.
Gwendolyn “Gwen” A. Bailey
Advocate | Philadelphia, PA
Gwen Bailey brings decades of leadership in social services that support children, teens and families. She has served as the Vice President of Programs at HopePHL and was the former Executive Director of Youth Service, Inc. For more than 20 years, she has dedicated her career to ensuring those in need receive the highest quality, trauma informed, and most supportive services. She has been a Social Work Masters Level Field Instructor for universities such as Eastern University and the University of Pennsylvania intending to cultivate high quality and passion for the work among prospective social workers.
Her expertise spans clinical and non-clinical case management, group home and emergency shelter for teens and young adults, community based prevention services and affordable housing services for HUD qualified adults and families. A long standing leader within the Crittenton Family of Agencies, Gwen has been active since 2002. She is a proud HBCU graduate of Hampton University.
Gwen previously served as President of the Pennsylvania Council of Children, Youth and Family Services as well as the Deep Roots Carter School. She also served as board president for the Girls Justice League, and remains deeply engaged in community leadership and education.
Kalisha Dessources Figures, Ph.D.
Founder & Chief Strategist, KDF Strategies | Mobile, AL
Dr. Kalisha Dessources Figures is a nationally respected impact strategist advancing gender and racial justice, civil rights, and the leadership of women and girlsAs Founder & Chief Strategist of KDF Strategies, she advises organizations on policy, research, advocacy, coalition-building, and political strategy.
Her distinguished career includes serving as Senior Advisor to the White House Gender Policy Council and Special Assistant to the President under the Biden-Harris Administration, as well as policy roles in the Obama-Biden White House, including Policy Advisor to the Council on Women & Girls. She also served as Deputy Director for Public Engagement on the Biden-Harris Presidential Transition Team; Senior Advisor to Mrs. Obama’s voting organization, When We All Vote; and Interim Vice President for Strategy & Policy with the National Women’s Law Center.
Dr. Figures has partnered with and advised leading organizations including New York Women’s Foundation, Ford Foundation, BLACK GIRLS ROCK!, The Gender Equity Coalition, In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda, Washington Area Women’s Foundation and Justice + Joy National Collaborative. Her expertise in building and scaling initiatives strengthens Justice + Joy’s systems-change strategy. She also serves on the Board of Directors of Women’s Foundation of the South.
Kiku Johnson
Executive Director, Bay Area Therapy Group | Half Moon Bay, CA
Kiku Johnson is a man of trans experience dedicated to building spaces where young people and communities can thrive. A leader, trainer, consultant, and coach, Kiku designs and leads programs rooted in equity, collective care, and measurable impact.
Drawing from years of experience across education, mental health, juvenile justice, faith-based, and community-based settings, he develops trauma-informed and culturally grounded approaches that center lived experience and belonging. His work uplifts marginalized and intersectional identities, including 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, youth, People of Color, girls, and low-access communities.
Kiku is the Executive Director of Bay Area Therapy Group and was formerly the Executive Director at Outside In, and Rainbow Community Center, as well as Associate Executive Director of One Circle Foundation, and National Program Director at Girls Leadership. He has also held leadership roles with Girls Inc. and contributed ongoing to numerous community initiatives, including Alliance for Girls and Pacific Center for Human Growth.
Lisette Orellana Engel
Director, Economic Policy, UnidosUS | Washington, DC
Lisette Orellana Engel is a respected policy expert and nonprofit leader advancing policies that support immigrant communities, young parents, people with disabilities, and families.
Currently Director of Economic Policy at UnidosUS, Lisette previously served as Vice President of Policy & Systems Change at Justice + Joy National Collaborative. Her career includes leadership roles at The Dwelling Place, Community Tax Aid, and Crittenton Services of Greater Washington, as well as experience within Maryland’s child support system.
Lisette is deeply engaged in community leadership, serving on boards including the Latino Democratic Club of Montgomery County and Williams Syndrome Association. She is also co-founder of #NoTeenShame, an initiative challenging the stigma faced by young parents.
“Maria” R. Salazar
Attorney, Advocate, Author | San Antonio, TX
Mary “Maria” R. Salazar is a fierce, legal advocate for families in crisis. As a solo practitioner at the Law Office of Mary R. Salazar, she focuses her practice on child welfare and family law. Specifically, Maria represents children and parents in neglect and child abuse cases entangled in the foster care and the juvenile system.
Maria’s career spans advocacy, organizing, and public service. She has served as a community organizer with the Esperanza Peace & Justice Center, an administrator with Equal Rights Advocates, a congressional aide to Congressman Leon E. Panetta, and worked as victim’s advocate with the Battered Women’s Shelter in Monterey County, California. In her childhood years, Maria was a migrant farmworker in Idaho and Oregon—an experience that continues to inform her commitment to equity and justice.
A dedicated civic leader, Maria has chaired San Antonio’s LGBTQ+ Advisory Committee; served as a Commissioner on the Charter Review Commission for San Antonio, Texas and is a current board member for Stonewall Democrats of San Antonio. Additionally, Maria has held various positions with the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC). Maria co-founded Orgüllo, LULAC’s LGBTQ Council #22198 and served as Co-Chair for LULAC’s National Advisory LGBTQ+ Committee.
Maria is a writer with published essays in the Panza Monologues and the recently released book of JOTA – A Queer Latina y Latinx Anthology.
Strengthening the Movement for Justice + Joy National Collaborative
Together, these six leaders bring cross-sector expertise in child welfare, economic policy, housing, education, LGBTQ+ advocacy, gender equity, and federal policymaking. Their combined experience reflects Justice + Joy’s commitment to bold, intersectional leadership rooted in community, equity, and systemic transformation.
“We are honored to welcome these exceptional leaders to our board of trustees,” said Dr. Linda Lausell-Bryant, Justice + Joy’s Board Chair. “Their expertise will support us in deepening our impact and expand our vision for Justice + Joy nationwide.”
With this expanded board, Justice + Joy National Collaborative continues building a future where girls, young women and gender-expansive young people will not only survive—but thrive.
