ADVISORY ORGANIZING COMMITTEE

 

Aricia De Kempeneer

The Network: Towards Unity For Health (TUFH)

Aricia De Kempeneer, M. Sc., is the Operations and Programming Director for The Network: Towards Unity For Health. She is responsible for managing the annual conferences, virtual regional conferences, TUFH Symposiums and Workshops, TUFH Academies, ISAT, iSTEP, Digital Aspects, Social Media, Newsletter, Communications and Membership. In addition, Aricia is the liaison to the Student Network Organization.

Aricia holds a Masters in Health Education and Promotion from Ghent University and a Bachelor in Midwifery from Erasmus Hogeschool. She works as an independent midwife in Belgium and gives prenatal lessons, prenatal care, and postnatal follow-up.
Prior to The Network: TUFH Aricia worked as a midwife in Gambia, Finland, United Kingdom, and Belgium in low-risk birthing units. She co-founded and was the first president of the Student Network Organization in 2015. She has been attending TUFH annual conferences since 2012

Nikolaj Hansen-Turton

The Network: Towards Unity For Health (TUFH)

Serving in the capacity of the Operations Manager at TUFH. Nikolaj Hansen-Turton also serves as Education Platform and Social Media Manager for the Social Innovations Journal. Originally from Philadelphia and now living in London. Nikolaj holds a Undergraduate Degree in Politics and International Relations, and a Post Graduate in Digital Marketing – Queen Mary, University of London.

Simran Spal

Student Network Organization (SNO)

Simran Spal is a fourth-year medical student from India She is an advocate for global health and a researcher at heart. She is active in organisations dedicated to achieving universal health coverage, undergraduate medical research, and public health. She has been a proud member of SNO for the past three years, serving as SNO regional activities assistant and SEA Regional representative. Birdwatching, speed cubing, and poetry are some of her interests. She wants to be a resident physician in the United States.

Erin Drummond

Senior Vice President HR Strategic Leadership

Ms. Drummond has over 20 years of experience in leadership roles, focusing on employee training and development, engagement, program management, team and organizational effectiveness, and leadership coaching. In her role as Vice President of Employee Success and Engagement for Woods System of Care, Ms. Drummond focuses on the full lifecycle of talent across WSOC, including recruiting/talent acquisition, onboarding, employee training and development, career pathways, management and leadership training/development, succession planning, culture, employee engagement, and employee retention. She is passionate about facilitating positive change and ensuring Woods System of Care thrives through strategic talent management, analysis, innovative solutions, and collaboration.

Ms. Drummond received a B.A. in Sociology from Bloomsburg University, an M.S. in Counseling Psychology from Holy Family University, and an M.S. in Nonprofit Leadership and Population Health Management from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. She also holds an ICF-qualifying certificate in Leadership Coaching for Organizational Performance through Rutgers University.

Dawn Diamond

CEO, Woods Services

Dawn Diamond is a seasoned professional with 30 years of experience working with vulnerable and at-risk populations. She started her career at Woods in 1997 and most recently served in the role of Executive Vice President of Operations for Woods. She builds high-performing, diverse teams who develop quality, outcome-based programs and services. Energized by challenges and driven by a genuine desire to help others, she is a creative problem-solver, a thought leader, and a staunch advocate for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In her current role, she is responsible for continuing to drive Woods forward and inspiring a culture of innovation and continuous improvement.

She holds an Master’s in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Florida Institute of Technology and a Bachelor’s in Psychology from Salisbury State University in Salisbury,

 

Liz Hayden

Vice President of Strategy Development

Ms. Hayden provides strategic guidance in program and partnership development, bringing together a strategy development team across Woods System of Care to support growth, quality and thought leadership. She identifies opportunities for collaboration, leads responses to funding opportunities and writes proposals, concept papers, and policy briefs. She brings over 25 years of project management, program development, and management in public health, healthcare, education, and social services to her role. Ms. Hayden received a Master’s in Public Health from Drexel University, a Master’s in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) from the University of Pennsylvania, and a Bachelor’s in Germanic Languages and Literatures from the University of Pennsylvania.

 

 

Phil Gabel

Manager, Technical & Support Services

 

Carrie Adkins-Ali

Senior Director of Strategic Communications at Woods Services

Carrie Adkins-Ali is the Senior Director of Strategic Communications at Woods Services, where she oversees internal and external digital and print communications. With deep experience in healthcare communications across various industries, she is dedicated to sharing information that will break down barriers and improve healthcare for all individuals. She holds a BA in Literature from West Chester University, Pa., and is pursuing an MS in Organizations and Management from The College of New Jersey.

 

 

Louise Flaig

Strategy Development Director

Louise joined Woods in 2022. In her role, she identifies and responds to funding opportunities that support expansion and new program development of Woods System of Care programs and services, looking at local, national, and global opportunities. Her other primary role is to support public policy efforts at the local, state, federal, and global levels that will lead to program expansion, sustainability, and equitable and improved services and outcomes for not just clients served by the Woods System of Care, but all individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, autism, brain injury, and complex behavioral health needs, as well as supporting the workforce that these individuals rely upon. Prior to Woods, Louise accrued 20 years of experience as a journalist, serving as a project manager and senior editor at top-tier publications. She has a BA in journalism and mass communication from University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill and master’s degrees in nonprofit leadership and in social policy from University of Pennsylvania.

Rich Dougherty Jr.

Facilities Project Coordinator

Since joining Woods Services in 2003 as a painter, Mr. Dougherty has become an indispensable force within the Facilities team. Through hard work and dedication, he rose to the role of Project Coordinator, where he now oversees contractors and major facilities projects. More than just a job, he is committed to excellence, and his work is a passion—driven by the knowledge that every project he manages helps create a safer, more supportive environment for the individuals Woods serves.

Anupriya Mishra

Fellow and Manager, Mollie Woods Hare Global Center of Excellence at the Woods System of Care (WSOC)
Anupriya is a dedicated nonprofit professional committed to enhancing healthcare access and quality of care for individuals with intellectual disabilities, autism, and mental health conditions.
She holds a Master of Science in Nonprofit Leadership (MSNPL) from the University of Pennsylvania, an MBA from India, and has completed courses in Psychology and Sociology at Harvard University. With over 9 years of experience, Anupriya specializes in donor management, fundraising, project management, and research, focusing on underserved communities in urban and rural India.

Anupriya’s work has been particularly effective in supporting marginalized rural and indigenous artisans, especially women, by helping them create sustainable livelihoods. Through organizing training programs, facilitating connections with leading retailers, and securing funding from corporations and foundations, she has been instrumental in expanding economic opportunities and reducing migration pressures in these communities. Her passion for social impact continues to guide her work towards creating meaningful and positive change on a global scale.

Danica Lynn

Director of Woods’ Social Enterprises

Danica Lynn serves as the Director of Woods’ Social Enterprises, where she has spearheaded the growth and expansion of key initiatives, including the Yellow Daffodil Flower and Gift Shop, Woods Wear print shop, and Common Grounds Café and Market. Her leadership has fostered innovation and sustainable growth within these enterprises.

With over two decades of experience in business development, Danica transitioned her focus to human services, bringing her expertise to roles in youth recreation services and the Neshaminy School District before joining Woods Services eight years ago.

Danica holds a Master of Science in Non-Profit Leadership and Population Health Management from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and a Bachelor of Science in Marketing with a minor in Industrial Psychology from Thomas Jefferson University. She is currently pursuing a Master of Social Work degree at Capella University, further enriching her ability to drive impactful change within the communities she serves.

 

Pat  Dolan

VP, Information Systems

Cheryl Kauffman

Senior Director of Special Projects

 Ms. Kauffman is a dynamic communications and fundraising leader with a wealth of experience in higher education and population healthcare. Now semi-retired from Woods Services, she supports the organization through special project work.

 Since joining Woods Services in 2002, she has been the driving force behind a strategic, multi-faceted plan that amplifies Woods’ brand, elevates awareness of its life-changing programs, and champions critical issues affecting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Under her leadership, Woods has expanded its base of support and strengthened its advocacy efforts.

 Before bringing her expertise to Woods, she served as Associate Vice President of Alumni Programs and Advancement at Franklin & Marshall College, where she honed her skills in engagement and philanthropy and holds a B.A. in Sociology.

Susan Cannon Testa

Executive Assistant to the CEO and COO

Carmen Diaz-Alers

Administrative Assistant to the Senior Management