Who We Are

The PERIOD. Mission

PERIOD. is a youth-fueled nonprofit that strives to eradicate period poverty and stigma through service, education, and advocacy. Through the distribution of menstrual products, promotion of youth leadership, and championing of menstrual equity in policy, PERIOD. aims to center those disproportionately affected by period poverty and support local efforts for menstrual equity.

Our Global Network

PERIOD. is composed of hundreds of youth chapter members, grassroots organizers, service partners, and a network of partner organizations and companies. To learn more, visit our Get Involved page to find out which partnership is the right fit for you.

Photo Credit to Beatrice Domingo

About Us

PERIOD. is a global youth-powered nonprofit focused on eradicating period poverty and period stigma through service, education and advocacy. PERIOD. annually distributes millions of menstrual products for free to people in need, and helps support a network of hundreds of PERIOD chapters, youth-led organizations and product distribution partners. Period poverty must be solved with systemic solutions, and through the creation and distribution of menstrual health education, PERIOD. works to destigmatize menstruation and promote menstrual literacy. PERIOD. proudly advocates for menstrual equity policies such as a repeal of the luxury tax on menstrual items and mandating period products in schools. Activating a grassroots network of thousands of advocates, PERIOD. will help solve period poverty in our lifetime.

PERIOD. was founded in 2014 by Nadya Okamoto and Vincent Forand, two high school students in Portland, Oregon. Since then, the organization has grown to hundreds of volunteer chapters around the nation and world. In 2020, grew in staff capacity and Board governance, hiring a new Executive Director and senior leadership team, including a Youth Advisory Council.

Changes at PERIOD.

PERIOD. has undergone many changes this year and is continuing to take steps to create a more inclusive and representative organization. PERIOD. has retained Dragonfly Partners to assess how we got to this place, which includes a review of our programs and communications. We appreciate those who are working to hold us to account. Below is a preliminary report from Dragonfly Partners.

Dragonfly Partners Report

News

Almost A Quarter Of Students Struggle To Access Period Products, New Study Finds

Forbes

Amber is Changing Our World

Authority Magazine

Amber Wynne is not afraid to ask for help

Thrive Global

End the stigma: Seattle students start donation drive for menstrual products

King5

Menstrual Hub Generates Awareness on Period Poverty

The Hawk (Saint Joe's U)

Everything We've Been Doing To Teach Kids About Periods Is Wrong

Huffington Post

How to Tackle Period Poverty

Solutions Now

Young Change Makers

Authority Magazine

PERIOD@ UVA Combats PERIOD Stigma

Cavalier Daily

Where is the US on Period Equity? Far Behind...

USA Today

Menstrual Products need Tax Exempt Status in Iowa

The Daily Iowan

The Price of Period Poverty

healthywomen

1 in 10 college women face period poverty, a study shows. Here’s what that means.

The Lily/Washington Post

Bay Area teenager taking on 'period poverty' in San Mateo County schools

SF Chronicle

Hilary Duff and Period Activists Are Fighting to Normalize the Convo Around Menstruation

Popsugar

Six Menstrual Equity Activists Break Down Best Practices in Period Activism

Ms. Magazine

The Menstrual Justice Activists Fighting To End Period Poverty By Making Period Action Day A Reality

Forbes

Period Poverty Is Getting Worse During the Pandemic

Teen Vogue

Activists call on Education Department to take action for ‘menstrual equity’

The Washington Post

Menstruation and Mental Health: A Q&A with Planned Parenthood

Psych Central

Period Poverty, a Silent Crisis in the Latinx and Black Communities

BELatina

Why These 5 Feminist Period Brands Are So Important

Femestella

Free period products to be available for Oregon students

AP News

Free period products will be available for Oregon students this fall

The Oregonian/OregonLive

Free Women’s Hygiene Products in All Grade 6-12 Schools Heads to Governors Desk

East County Today

Hana O'Looney elected as Student Board Member

Patch.com

Our Team

Michela Bedard

Executive Director

Damaris Pereda

National Programs Director

Dara Wilk

Development Director

Ameer Abdul

Campaign Manager

Miniya Ali

Communications Coordinator

Blaise Albis-Burdige

Data Engineer & Webmaster

Zakiyyah Babatunde-Bey

National Network Manager

Kate Barker Swindell

Service & Operations Manager

Nicky Dawkins

SE Regional Coordinator

Maya Foxall

Communications Manager

Aydan Garland-Miner

Northwest Regional Lead

Olivia Jenkinson

Service Associate

Anusha Singh

Campaign Lead

2020-2022 Youth Advisory Council Cohort

The Youth Advisory Council is a governance committee tasked with supporting the work of PERIOD by providing insight and advice to PERIOD’s programs and strategy. The group consists of 12 activists, ages 14-25, who meet bi-monthly to tackle essential questions and provide strategic advice to PERIOD staff and Board of Directors. Council Members are the voice and face of PERIOD's youth activists, and will ensure that the voices and diversity of young activists are heard and represented in PERIOD’s decision making and program design.

All Youth Advisory Council seats are currently filled, but please stay tuned for more information and availabilities

Ally Crays

YAC Chair

Aliyah De Jesus

YAC Vice Chair

Catalina Carbajal

Hodan Barreh

Amber Wynne

Sameeha Khan

Annabelle Jin

Gabriela Lopez Castillo

Hana O'Looney

Sarah Smidi

Shruti Gautam

Jasmine Shabazz

(Photo Credit: Shimecca McCall)

Board of Directors

Nancy Monsarrat

Board Chair

Kirsten Brady

Board Vice Chair Founding President

Project Lemonade

Dr. Charis Chambers

Board Certified OBGYN and Menstrual
Health Educator

Ajay Doshi

Board Treasurer

Assistance VP of Finance, Northwest
Permanente

Alisia Ford

Founder/CEO, Glory Skincare

Lisa DeNike, MD

Pediatrician/MD, Regional Chief of

Shari Dunn

CEO/Principal, ITBOM LLC

Kristin Rios

Corporate Engagement and
Experiences Executive, Advocate and
Activist for Women’s Health Equity

Jasmine Shabazz

Graduate Student at Furman
University; Student Advisory
Committee, American Society for
Emergency Contraception

Amber Wynne

Undergraduate Student at Hampton
University; Student Advisory
Committee, American Society for
Emergency Contraception, In our
Own Voice Leadership Fellow

Want to join the team?

When positions with PERIOD are open, you'll find them listed below and you can click the links below to apply.

For volunteering opportunities, please email info@period.org.