The Body Agency is Revolutionizing Health and Sexual Wellness

We’re providing a single source for all things fem-care, normalizing the conversation around women's natural being and eliminating fem-shame once and for all.

A woman’s body is a powerhouse. It can do extraordinary things.

—Kate Roberts, Founder
MEET US

The Body Board

Our female founded Body Board of doctors, practitioners, and medical experts as well as contributing industry leaders and wellness advocates make up what we call The Body Agency Body Board.

Medical Experts

Lynn Barclay

Sexual Health Specialist

Since June of 2006, Lynn Barclay has led the American Sexual Health Association (ASHA). Barclay worked to bring this 100+ year old nonprofit, from a strict disease paradigm to a more positive sexual health paradigm, challenging and changing many long held beliefs in the process. Working with experts from around the country from academia, federal government, researchers as well as corporate America, Barclay led ASHA in the development of the framework for sexual health. She frequently represents ASHA with the media, funders and colleague organizations and speaking about sexual health across the lifespan. 

She is committed to learning and sharing every day about how to help Americans achieve and enjoy their own sexual health. 

Keira Barr, MD

Women's Wellness Expert

Dr. Keira Barr is an author, global speaker, coach and physician who helps high-achieving women let go of perfectionism and self-doubt and embrace confidence and courage instead. She has helped thousands of women quiet their inner critic to amplify their own voices and live their most authentic life.

She is the proud author of The Skin Whisperer, which is a roadmap to vitality, self awareness and resilience.

Dr. Keira is a dual-board certified integrative dermatologist, certified as an Advanced Practitioner of Mind-Body Medicine and a trauma informed life coach. She is also the founder of the Resilient Health Institute and creator of the Skinny Dipping Method.

Through workshops, coaching and her books, Dr. Keira has taught women around the globe tools and strategies to inspire and empower them to live confidently and comfortably in their own skin.

Esther Blum

Integrative Dietitian and Menopause Expert

Esther Blum is an Integrative Dietitian and Menopause Expert. In the past 27 years she has helped thousands of women master menopause through nutrition, hormones and self-advocacy. Esther is the bestselling author of See ya later, Ovulator, Cavewomen Don’t Get Fat, Eat, Drink and Be Gorgeous, Secrets of Gorgeous, and The Eat, Drink, and Be Gorgeous Project.Known as Gwyneth Paltrow’s menopause mentor and by Forbes for helping women thrive through menopause, Esther was also voted Best Nutritionist by Manhattan Magazine. She has appeared on the Today Show, ABC-TV, and Good Day NY and is frequently quoted in goop, Well + Good, Forbes, Time Magazine, The New York Post, The Los Angeles Times, In Style, Bazaar, Self, Fitness, Marie Claire, and Cosmo.

Louann Brizendine, MD

Neuropsychiatrist and Women's Moods and Hormones Expert

Dr. Louann Brizendine, MD, is a neuropsychiatrist at the University of California, San Francisco and the author of The Female Brain and The Male Brain. She is founder and director of the Women's Mood and Hormone Clinic and the Teen Girls' Mood and Hormone Clinic. Her newest book, "THE UPGRADE: How the Female Brain Gets Stronger and Better in Midlife and Beyond," launches this April.

Jennifer Elisseeff, PHD

Biological Engineering and Fibroid Expert

Dr. Elisseeff is the Morton Goldberg Professor and Director of the Translational Tissue Engineering Center at Johns Hopkins Department of Biomedical Engineering and the Wilmer Eye Institute with appointments in Chemical and Biological Engineering, Materials Science and Orthopedic Surgery. She was elected a Fellow of the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering, the National Academy of Inventors, a Young Global Leader by World Economic Forum. In 2018, she was elected to the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine and in 2019 she received the NIH Directors Pioneer Award.

Jennifer received a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Carnegie Mellon University and a PhD in Medical Engineering from the Harvard–MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology. Later she was a Fellow at the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, Pharmacology Research Associate Program, where she worked in the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. She is committed to the translation of regenerative biomaterials and has founded several companies and participates in several industry advisory boards including appointment by the governor to the State of Maryland’s Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO).

Jennifer’s initial research efforts focused on the development of new biomaterials for medical implants, understanding stem cells and designing technologies to rebuild tissues. Bench to bedside translation transformed her labs research interests towards understanding the role of the immune system in health and repair. In recent years, she developed a passion for womens health and aging research– including the science behind adverse events to breast implants, new options to regrow tissue lost during lumpectomy, and deciphering the mechanisms behind fibroid development.

Suzanne Fenske, MD, FACOG

Gynecologist

Board-certified gynecologist and integrative health expert Suzanne Fenske, MD, FACOG, provides holistic medical care to optimize patients’ health at TārāMD in Lenox Hill, Manhattan, in New York City. Dr. Fenske applies her broad medical expertise to treat a range of complex conditions, including hormone imbalances, endometriosis, and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), using a functional approach.

Dr. Fenske entered an accelerated medical program at age 17 before starting her undergraduate education at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. She then attended medical school at Drexel College of Medicine in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where she discovered her passion for women’s health. She continued her training with a residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City.

Dr. Fenske continued to advance her education and training with a highly renowned minimally invasive gynecologic surgery fellowship at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, also in New York City. Even after all this training, she felt her patients deserved more comprehensive care. This led her to pursue additional training in whole-body health care at the University of Arizona Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine in Tucson, Arizona.

Today, Dr. Fenske uses her unique combination of advanced training to provide unmatched care in hormone therapy for perimenopause and menopause, SoLā for pelvic pain, and functional medicine for a range of gynecological conditions. She also contributes to peer-reviewed studies, news articles, and national conferences.

Monika Friedman

Certified Mind-Body Fertility Specialist

Monika is a fertility coach with focus on the mind-body connection providing emotional, lifestyle and practical support for women who are ready to take charge of their fertility. She is also a health & life coach and yoga & meditation instructor, offering her clients a holistic approach to fertility. Her own long journey to becoming a mom (4 rounds of IVF and a miscarriage for baby #1, naturally conceived baby #2) has made her passionate about helping make your path easier. 

Lyndsey Harper, MD

Gynecologist

Lyndsey Harper, MD is the Founder and CEO of Rosy, an app for women with decreased sexual desire and other sexual problems. Dr. Harper created Rosy out of frustration when she couldn’t find a modern and accessible resource to help her many patients with this problem. Rosy is a resource to connect the 84 million women in the US with sexual problems with hope, community, and research-backed solutions to improve their lives. Dr. Harper is Associate Professor of Ob/Gyn for Texas A&M College of Medicine, a Fellow of The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and a Fellow of the International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health.

Dr. Glenn Hill

Marriage & Family Therapist & Clinical Sexologist

Dr Glenn & Phyllis Hill are authors, speakers, and the founders of the Connection Codes- the guide to human connection. After 30 years in a marriage filled with pain, Dr Glenn went back to school to discover what was causing marriages to suffer so deeply. This led him down the path of finding the root of conflict within relationships. And, it is there that the couple discovered what creates deep connection. Through their masterclasses, they have taught thousands of couples in over 50 countries their framework & hear daily from couples who have gone from living in pain to thriving. Emotional connection is the foundation to dynamic sexual connection.

Heather Hirsch, MD, MS, NCMP

Doctor and Menopause Health Specialist

Dr. Hirsch is board-certified in Internal Medicine and completed advanced fellowship training in Women’s Health at the Cleveland Clinic. Dr. Hirsch now practices consultative menopause at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston Massachusetts and is faculty at Harvard Medical School. Her practice focus on perimenopause and menopause symptom reduction, hormone therapy, genitourinary syndrome of menopause, sexual health, breast, and bone health. Her academic work centers on enhancing midlife women’s health education for the clinician, resident, and medical student. Dr. Hirsch also teaches at the local, regional, and national levels as an expert in her field.

Somi Javaid, MD

Board-Certified OB-GYN

Dr. Somi Javaid is a board certified OBGYN physician/surgeon. She specializes in menopause, minimally invasive surgery, sexual medicine, general gynecology, laser surgery and ultrasound. Honored by her peers, in 2014 she was named a Cincinnati Top Doc and is now considered an expert in sexual medicine and menopause. Dr. Javaid earned her education at Northwestern University, (Bachelor of Arts, Neurobiology 1993-1997), University of Cincinnati College of Medicine (1997-2001) and the University of Cincinnati Obstetrics and Gynecology Residency (2001-2005; Chief Resident 2004-2005). She has a post graduate certification in Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery and is credited with various publications / presentations. Professional memberships include: American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology–Board-Certified, American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ohio State Medical Association, Warren County Medical Association, North American Menopause Society and International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health (ISSWSH).

Dr. Javaid’s mission is to empower women to take charge of their own health & wellness. This admirable volition led her to establish a private medical practice and medical spa in 2015. With 3 active children, a busy husband, and a down-to-earth outlook on life, she understands the stresses and desires of women today. Dr. Javaid enjoys encouraging women and practicing medicine, traveling, hiking, cooking and yoga.

Jill Krapf, MD

Gynecologist Specializing in Female Sexual Pain

Dr. Jill Krapf is a board-certified Obstetrician Gynecologist specializing in female sexual pain disorders and the Associate Director of The Center for Vulvovaginal Disorders in Washington, D.C. She is a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. She is a North American Menopause Society (NAMS)-certified menopause practitioner. Dr. Krapf is active in research and has published chapters and peer-reviewed articles on vulvodynia and vulvar lichen sclerosus. She is Associate Editor for the medical journal Sexual Medicine, as well as for the textbook Female Sexual Pain Disorders, 2nd Edition. She is also an author of the upcoming second edition of the book, “When Sex Hurts: Understand and Healing Pelvic Pain.” She is a Fellow and on the Board of the International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health (ISSWSH), serving as Chair of the Social Media Committee. She shares educational content on her Instagram @jillkrapfmd.

Jennifer Lanoff

Women’s Health and Gender Related Nurse Practitioner

Jennifer Lanoff (she/HER/hers) WHNP-BC, MSN-RN, JD, is a board-certified Women’s Health and Gender Related Nurse Practitioner. She is a Washington, D.C. native and has lived in D.C.
for her entire life. She completed her undergraduate studies at Stanford University, her MSN at Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, and received her Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner degree
from Georgetown School of Nursing.
Jennifer currently works as a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner in a Women’s Health and Family Planning clinic in Northern Virginia, where she provides full-scope gynecological care for adolescents through menopause, conducts STI and vaginitis evaluations and treatments, provides contraception counseling and IUD and Nexplanon insertions and removals. She treats patients with breast and sexual health disorders, pelvic floor dysfunction, and other vulvovaginal disorders. She also works for DiscovHER Health, a boutique women’s sexual health and wellness practice focusing on complex women’s health conditions and menopause treatment.
Jennifer has a passion for women’s health and well-being at all stages of life. She will be joining the National Menopause Foundation’s Medical Advisory Board this spring, and is a member of
the North American Menopause Society (NAMS), the International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health (ISSWSH), the American Academy of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG), the Society for Family Planning (SFP), and The American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology (ASCCP).
She is also an attorney and was a public defender in D.C. for 22 years before she decided to become a women’s health provider. She is married and has three children, and is loving her second career.

Corinna Lathan, PHD MIT

Neuroscientist, Biomedical Engineer,

Dr. Corinna Lathan is a neuroscientist, biomedical engineer, and tech entrepreneur who uses technology to help people do things better. She co-founded AnthroTronix, a tech innovation firm that made a robot to help kids with disabilities, a sensor glove to train surgeons, a virtual reality system to study astronauts in space, and a computer game to track your brain health. These inventions and more are featured in her new book, "Inventing the Future-Stories from a Techno-Optimist."

Dr. Lathan is a social advocate for STEM (Science, technology, engineering, mathematics) education, is on the board of the KID Museum in Bethesda, MD, and was featured in an exhibit of 120 statues of contemporary women in STEM at the Smithsonian in 2022.

Shyama Mathews

Gynecologist

Dr. Mathews is a board-certified gynecologist and fellowship-trained minimally invasive surgeon. She completed her medical training at Albany Medical College, followed by OB/GYN residency at Lenox Hill Hospital in NYC. Her interest in complex gynecologic conditions and surgery led her to complete a 2-year AAGL fellowship in Minimally Invasive GYN Surgery at Mount Sinai in NYC.

She became proficient in laparoscopic and robotic surgery, managing conditions such as large uterine fibroids, extensive endometriosis, and ovarian cysts. She is grateful for the mentorship and training she also obtained in menopause management, chronic pelvic pain evaluation and treatment, and sexual dysfunction diagnosis and care.

She is a Menopause Society certified menopause practitioner and is passionate about menopause education, particularly surrounding
hormonal and nonhormonal therapies available to aid the transition. As a Medial Advisor for Playground, a female-founded sexual wellness company, she educates and promotes the importance of sexual health and well-being, dispelling myths surrounding female anatomy, sexuality, and intimacy.

In clinical practice, she enjoys caring for people of all ages, races, ethnicities, sexual orientations, and gender identities. In listening to their
fears and concerns, she works to find treatment plans best suited to their needs. She is passionate about educating and empowering patients with knowledge to participate in their health care and make informed decisions about their bodies.

Laurie Mintz, Ph.D.

Sexuality Psychologist

Dr. Laurie Mintz is a feminist professor, author, speaker, and therapist. As a tenured Professor at the University of Florida, she teaches the Psychology of Human Sexuality to hundreds of undergraduate students each year. She is the author of two popular press books-both written with the aim of empowering women sexually: Becoming Cliterate: Why Orgasm Equality Matters and How to Get It (HarperOne, 2017) and A Tired Woman's Guide to Passionate Sex: Reclaim Your Desire and Reignite Your Relationship (Adams Media, 2009). With this same goal of providing scientifically-accurate, sex-positive information to enhance female pleasure, Dr. Mintz writes a popular Psychology Today blog and gives presentations and workshops to professionals and lay audiences, including a recent TEDx talk. Finally, for over 30 years, Dr. Mintz has also maintained a small private practice, working with both individuals and couples on general and sexual issues.

Erica Montes, MD, FACOG

Board-Certified OB-GYN

Dr. Erica Montes is a board-certified Obstetrician and Gynecologist and the creator of The Modern Mujer Women's Health Blog. Her vision to create this blog started soon after delivering her third son and realizing that there are not many places on the internet for people to find expert information about their health, let alone in English and Spanish!

The foundation for her blog combines her medical knowledge, life experiences, and approachable personality to create a safe space to learn about your body. She is proud to be one of the few Latina physicians in the United States and hopes her work and visibility can decrease some of the health care disparities seen in her community.

She attended medical school at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio and was elected as one of the chief residents in her last year of residency at the largest program in the country at Parkland Hospital in Dallas, Texas. She practices in Arizona and loves delivering babies, performing minimally invasive gynecological surgery, and providing patient advocacy. Aside from being a full-time physician and medical blogger, she is the mama to three beautiful boys who keep her grounded.

Learn more about Dr. Montes here

Blair Peters, MD

Plastic Surgeon and LGBTQI Activist

Dr. Blair Peters (He/They) is an Assistant Professor in both the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and De-partment of Urology at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU). He is a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon with Dual Fellowship training, having attended medical school and com-pleted his residency training in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at the University of Manitoba with a special focus on microsurgery. He completed his first fellowship in peripheral nerve, hand and microsurgery at the prestigious Washington University in St Louis. He is one of the first surgeons in North America to complete an additional fellowship in comprehen-sive Gender-Affirming Surgery at OHSU in Portland training in both plastic surgery and urology. In practice he performs fa-cial, chest and genital gender affirming surgery and complex peripheral nerve surgery. A large part of his practice focuses on phalloplasty and vaginoplasty surgery. He aims for clinical innovation and uses his unique training to bring techniques of modern nerve surgery into the field of gender-affirming sur-gery. His research interests are focused on sensory and ero-genous outcomes following genital gender-affirming surgery and the development of novel nerve transfers. Outside of clini-cal practice, he is both a member and a strong advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community. He frequently speaks on panels, creates educational materials and advocates for policy change and increased coverage for gender-affirming surgery and the broader rights of all queer people. He strives to con-tinue to be a strong queer voice in medicine and surgery. You can find him on Instagram @queersurgeon

Andrea Pleune

Perimenopausal and Menopausal Healthcare Expert

Andrea Pleune is a board certified physician assistant. She has worked in various fields of medicine including hospital medicine, family medicine, urgent care and woman’s health. Her passion is women's hormone health. She specializes in treating women who are perimenopausal and menopausal. She has had extensive training on hormone health, she helps her patients achieve hormonal balance in the most effective and safe way. In addition, she created a successful medical weight loss program that empowers her patients to take control of their health. Andrea was raised in a bicultural environment and is fluent in Spanish. She has volunteered in Guatemala setting up women's health clinics in small rural communities bringing medical care to underserved mayan communities. She is committed to helping improve healthcare access and education for all women. As a mother of two daughters, she is committed to continue educating and empowering women about their bodies.

Ricki Pollycove, MD

Doctor and Women’s Health Expert

Dr. Ricki Pollycove is a Fellow of the American Congress of ObGyn, FACOG, and since July 1981, medical staff at California Pacific Medical Center. She is an active member of the American Society of Breast Diseases, and an elected “Fellow of the NCBC” for recognition of her decades of service regarding prevention, early diagnosis, multidisciplinary treatment and survivor care of women with breast cancer. She bridges clinical care with the academic and larger societal worlds, condensing the vast literature on hormones as they positively or negatively influence risk for disease in women. From contraceptive choices, menstruation to menopause, Dr. Ricki is a world expert on health concerns that wield special impact on women. She integrates 40 years of clinical experience with body image, menstrual regulation, mood disorders such as PMS-PMDD, postpartum depression, post menopausal depression, breast cancer and dementia concerns for women of all ages.

Lauren Streicher, MD

Certified Menopause Practitioner

Lauren Streicher, MD is a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, a certified menopause practitioner of the North American Menopause Society, and the founding medical director of the Northwestern Medicine Center for Menopause and the Northwestern Medicine Center for Sexual Medicine. She is a Fellow in the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, a member of the Sexual Medicine Society of North America, Inc., The International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health, The Scientific Network on Female Sexual Health and Cancer, and is a Certified Menopause Practitioner of The North American Menopause Society. 

She is a best-selling author and has written multiple books including The Essential Guide to Hysterectomy, and Sex Rx: Hormones, Health, and Your Best Sex Ever.  Inside Information a series of books about menopause launched in 2021 and includes Slip Sliding Away: Turning Back the Clock on Your Vagina and Hot Flash Hell: A Gynecologist’s Guide to Turning Down the Heat. Her next book, Put the O Back into Mojo: A Post Menopause Guide to Orgasm is scheduled to be released in 2022.  

Amir Rashidian, MD

Chiropractor Specialist

Holding Bachelor of Science degrees in Chemistry and Human Biology and a Doctorate in Chiropractic, Amir A. Rashidian is the founder of the Mid-Atlantic Chiropractic Center. Established in 2006 and serving over 18,000 patient visits annually, the Mid-Atlantic Chiropractic Center focuses on high-tech diagnostics to detect and correct disturbances in the nervous system. The doctors at the Mid-Atlantic Chiropractic Center, promoting drugless health solutions, work with patients to eliminate the causes of disease and not merely the suppression of symptoms.
As a consultant, Dr. Rashidian has worked with 18 chiropractic practices, 16 of which were startup businesses that all reached profitability within the first 3 months of a business launch. Dr. Rashidian attributes his success in opening practices to an intensive systematized marketing plan implemented 3 months prior to business launch. He has personally opened two very successful chiropractic practices.
A very active speaker at corporate events, conventions, and churches, he is also frequently interviewed by the local TV, radio, and newspaper. Additionally, Dr. Rashidian serves on the Board of Directors of Habitat for Humanity and is a major financial supporter of their local building projects.

Kathryn Templeton

Board Certified Ayurveda Practitioner

A psychotherapist for 30 years, Kathryn is a Master Teacher in the field of Drama Therapy and continues to work both clinically and as an educator specializing in the treatment of individuals with anxiety, depression and complex trauma. As a C-IAYT, NAMA-BC board certified Ayurvedic practitioner, and EMDR Therapist, Kathryn has worked to develop specialized treatments integrating the principles of yoga, ayurveda and psychology in both her clinical work and educational offerings on topics such as women’s health and mental wellness. Kathryn is the Founder and Director of the Himalayan Institute Ayurvedic Yoga Specialist program, Torchbearer Mentorship program, and Ayurvedic Health Counselor Program. She is the Founder of the Yoga International 3WT Program - The Three Wisdom Traditions: Integrating Yoga, Ayurveda and Psychology. Kathryn is a contributing writer, featured in publications such as Spiritual & Health Magazine, Yoga Journal, and a podcaster on Yoga International as Ayurvedic Abbie.

Amita N. Vyas, PhD, MHS

Professor

Amita is an Associate Professor and Director of the Maternal and Child Health Program in the Department of Prevention and Community Health, at The George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services. At the age of 20, Professor Vyas journeyed to Calcutta to work alongside Mother Teresa in the Missionaries of Charity. She saw what the social determinants of health and well-being really mean to vulnerable populations, and from that extraordinary experience decided to pursue a career in public health. Today, her work focuses on reproductive health care, adolescent health, and the health and development of immigrant children and adolescents. She is also an expert in multi-level research methods and evaluation. She also holds an adjunct position in the Department of Population and Family Health Sciences at Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Sonia Wright, MD

Board-Certified Radiologist and Sexual Counselor

Dr. Sonia Wright is a board-certified radiologist, a sexual counselor and a life coach. She is on a mission to help women embrace their sexuality as well as end the emotional pain and isolation associated with sexual difficulties. She believes wholeheartedly that all women deserve to experience pleasurable sexual intimacy. Dr. Wright has a natural ability to put people at ease while discussing sensitive issues related to sex. She enjoys combining this natural ability with her medical knowledge, sexual counseling skills and life coaching tools to create her unique brand of sex coaching. She tackles the hard issues by normalizing the situation and sharing helpful information, while coaching from a caring and humorous perspective. Dr. Wright inspires audiences to view sexuality and sexual intimacy as a normal part of life.

Learn more about Dr. Wright here.

Sophia Yen, MD, MPH

Doctor and Reproductive Health Specialist

Sophia Yen is the CEO and Co-Founder of Pandia Health, birth control delivery. She has a passion for making women’s lives easier, preventing unplanned pregnancies, and educating women about #PeriodsOptional. With more than 20 years of experience in medicine, she is board-certified in Adolescent Medicine. She graduated with a B.S. from MIT, M.D. from UCSF Medical School, and M.P.H. from UC Berkeley in Maternal Child Health. She serves as a Clinical Associate Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Adolescent Medicine at Stanford Medical School. She has co-founded 3 non-profit organizations in her endeavors to improve the lives of women: The Silver Ribbon Campaign to Trust Women, SheHeroes.org, the “full” campaign = fffl.co = Female Founded, Female Led, a B2C campaign to get consumers to choose Female Founded, and Female Led, all things being equal.

She co-founded Pandia Health because she believes no one should suffer from “pill anxiety” - the fear of running out of birth control and the stress of having to obtain birth control each month.

Edie Zusman, MD

Neurosurgeon

Dr. Edie Zusman directed the NorthBay Center for Neuroscience and served as Chief of the Neurosurgery Division at her Mayo Clinic Network Affiliated Northern CA hospital. Dr. Zusman, recognized nationally and internationally as a top brain and spine surgeon, initiated models for multidisciplinary patient centered care emphasizing prevention, mindfulness, health and wellness. Her innovative "Prehab" program with a telehealth gateway encourages patients to take responsibility and participate in improving their health, avoiding surgery whenever possible and being more fit and prepared in the event surgery is needed.

Starting medical school at age 19 in the Northwestern Honors Medical Program, Dr. Zusman then did her residency at UC Davis, and Neurosurgical Fellowship at UCSF, specializing in awake craniotomies, neuronavigation, brain mapping and molecular medicine research. She was recruited to UC Davis where she held a process patent in photodynamic and laser therapy, won the top junior faculty research award, established the first endowed professorship in the department funding her basic science epilepsy lab and was named physician of the year by the UC Davis nurses and staff.

In 2002, Dr. Zusman was recruited to Sutter Health where she helped lead the Sutter Neuroscience Institute to be recognized among the top 50 in US News and World Report. She was the first female neurosurgeon in the history of the profession to serve on the American Association of Neurological Surgeons Board of Directors, was President of Women In Neurosurgery, Chair of the Epilepsy Foundation of Northern California, Board Member for Food System 6 Accelerator, Head Royce School, and the Foundation Board of NorthBay Medical Center.

Internationally she is an advisor to RISE Clinic, Nigeria where she developed and led the first international standards epilepsy program in Anambra State shifting the treatment of seizures from witchcraft to WHO approved medical management. She returned to Nigeria 5 years later to start the first public private partnership for recognition of TIA's/warning strokes to prevent the 40% conversion to completed strokes. In doing so, she laid the groundwork for the first emergency response protocols in rural areas working toward the G4 Alliance goal of 80% of people having access to emergency surgical care by 2030. Dr. Zusman was honored as a keynote speaker for the Continental Association of African Neurosurgical Societies in 2018.

With an MBA from George Washington emphasizing health policy, Dr. Zusman serves on the editorial board of both Neurosurgery and World Neurosurgery Journals. She is recognized as an expert in healthcare forecasting, vertically integrated health systems, data analytics, clinical decision support, and value-based care. Her team, D4AS's award winning work with the CDC National Leadership Academy for the Public's Health inspired going upstream for disease prevention by developing and implementing guidelines to include health elements in the built environment in Sacramento County and informing the California General Plan.

Edie is currently CEO and Board Chair of SafeLivingSpace.org, dedicated to concussion screening and prevention in domestic, intimate partner and family violence. As Adjunct Professor, Touro University College of Medicine, Dr. Zusman and her team have been invited to give commentary by Senators Feinstein and Durbin regarding inclusion of concussion screening in the Violence Against Women Act. Dr. Zusman's research and media messaging have garnered national attention, most recently from the New York Times and the Chuck Noll Foundation of the National Football League, in confirming the importance of implementing standardized concussion screening for victims of domestic abuse, as has been implemented for professional athletes.

Contributors

Nicole Bendayan

Menstrual Health Expert and Nutritionist

Cycle-Syncing Nutritionist, Nicole Bendayan, is a women's health expert who helps women overcome the havoc caused by hormones and their cycle to turn it into a propeller of success by balancing hormones, supporting their bodies and predicting their cycles through nutrition and lifestyle synchronization. Hormonal cycles impact every aspect of a woman's life from her physical and mental health to productivity and relationships. Nicole demystifies the menstrual cycle and helps women live in tune with it to optimize every aspect of their lives.

Nicole has a zest for sparking conversation and educating women via social media with over 709k followers on Tiktok and 12k followers on Instagram. She has a passion for driving a deep understanding of menstrual cycle care, empowering women, and supporting them to optimize their lives through cycle syncing. 

Nicole has accumulated multiple professional certifications such as Nutrition and Health: Macronutrients and Overnutrition and Nutrition and Health: Micronutrients and Malnutrition from WageningenX University & Research as well as Integrative Health Fundamentals and Principles of Holistic Health from Nutraphoria School of Holistic Nutrition to become a Certified Nutritionist and directed her focus toward women’s health, where she is continuing to study Advanced Holistic Nutrition. Nicole is also in the process of becoming a Fertility Education and Medical Management (FEMM) Certified Teacher as well as a TeenFEMM Certified Teacher.

Alison Buist, Ph.D.

Health Policy Expert and Writer

Alison is a health policy expert with more than 3 decades of experience at the state, federal, and international levels. With a background and PhD in health policy and development specializing in maternal and child/adolescent health, she headed up the national child health team for the Children’s Defense Fund, served as a health and social policy advisor in the U.S. Senate, and taught health policy at the university level. Alison is also contributing to The Body Agency as a researcher and writer.

Kay Kay Clivio

Yoga Teacher and Practitioner

In 1996, KK Clivio came to yoga in an effort to rehabilitate an injury she sustained as a competitive outrigger canoe paddler in Hawaii. During the course of her recovery she not only regained agility and healed, but cultivated a practice, discovered a passion, and, later -- a vocation. Keenly aware that traditions are not inherited but (L)earned, KK devoted herself to deepening her understanding of yoga and meditation. As part of this effort, she traveled to far reaches of the world and studied with luminous teachers including Bikram, Ana Forrest, Baron Baptiste, John Friend and Shri K. Pattabhi Jois in India. Her fascination with the human form and how that connects to spirit in the practice led her to deep anatomy studies with cadaver guru, Gil Hedly and craniosacral master Hugh Milne. Kay Kay was the Senior Manager for the Yoga Experience at Equinox & the Lead Teacher Training at Pure Yoga. She continues to lead the Pure Yoga online 200 hour Teacher Training since she has located back home to Honolulu during Covid. She works closely with the Philanthropy team at Equinox and the Body Agency to bring the BodyNEXT Yoga events to life. 

Shaline Gnanalingam

Social Enterprise Expert

Shaline has spent 18 years in the finance industry, working in banking and private equity in Asia. She now runs her office out of Hong Kong and is spearheading the transition from a traditional asset allocation model to impact investing to better align with family values while creating triple bottom line performance. Current projects are environmentally focused in an effort to create a cleaner future for generations to come. Shaline is passionate about bringing corporate best practices by tying together her experience in finance and investing to streamline the social enterprise model at PSI. Shaline also currently serves on the board of Westports Malaysia, the largest port operator in Malaysia.

Marina Hadjipateras

LGBTQIA Advocate

Marina is the Co-Founder and a General Partner at Trail Mix Ventures, an early stage venture capital fund focussed on well-being. Prior to Trail Mix, Marina oversaw Investor Relations for Dorian LPG and was a key participant in taking her family's 150-year old shipping company public in 2014. She restructured Dorian and oversaw talent, PR and IR, accepting the Tanker Company of the Year award. Marina has a passion for sustainability and currently serves as vice chair of the INTERTANKO Environmental Committee as well as the North American Marine Environmental Protection Agency. In 2018 Marina received the NYOT Innovators and Disruptors award for venture capital.

Odette Hekster

Sexual Reproductive Health and Menstrual Health Expert

Odette is the managing Director of PSI-Europe - established to offer European organizations, companies, and governments the opportunity to reimagine healthcare to meet the actual health needs of people in developing countries. One of the flagship projects Odette oversees is setting the agenda for menstrual health & hygiene (MHH), as an integral part of sexual and reproductive health and rights. With a Masters in Science of Public Administration, Odette has over 20 years of experience in sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), including living in East Africa for UN-Habitat, Safer Cities Programme to address urban sexual violence against women, as well as working for the Dutch NGOs Aidsfonds and Rutgers. She started her career in SRHR as a passionate youth advocate for the Dutch organization ‘Choice for Youth & Sexuality’ and spoke at various international forums.

Collin Henderson

Mental Performance Expert

Collin's passion is mental conditioning. As a former 2-sport DI student-athlete, he learned a lot (through mistakes and successes) about the importance of positive mindset. He left his corporate role as a number one ranked medical sales professional and national sales trainer to coach people in all walks of life on the importance of mental toughness.

Through his work, he has the privilege of working with some
of the world’s best organizations including: Nike, Zillow, Los Angeles Dodgers, Lululemon, Microsoft, Salesforce, Anaheim Ducks, Alaska Airlines, FedEx, and Amazon.

Barb Morrison

Music Producer and Trans Activist

Barb Morrison (they/them) is an American recording artist, Top 5 Billboard dance chart songwriter, and Platinum record producer, best known as a producer for numerous artists such as Blondie, Rufus Wainwright, Franz Ferdinand (band), LP, Asia Kate Dillon and as an ASCAP-featured film score composer. They also composed the theme music for The Body Agency's podcast, Sex, Body, and Soul and help contribute to our educational content on speaking about sexual identity. They identifies as non-binary gender.

Eric Seastedt

International Health Care Expert

Eric has 25 years of experience working in international healthcare and development across Africa, Latin America, and Asia. He has developed markets and executed projects in a wide range of health areas, and has used private sector best practices to implement public health programs in collaboration with Ministry of Health counterparts. He has managed commercial projects of $100+ million and implemented projects funded by donors including USAID, the UK Department for International Development, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and Global Fund. Eric has sat on various board of trustees including PSI branch offices and Global Fund country coordinating mechanisms. Eric enjoys bringing strategically aligned private sector speed and agility to public health problems.

Erin Samueli

Educator

Erin Samueli is a philanthropist, activist, and educator. As a middle-school science teacher, she infuses her work with themes of empowerment of the oppressed, as well as consent, trans pedagogy, and LGBTQ+ issues. She fiercely believes that a woman's power is derived from the ownership of her own sexuality. By living out loud and leading by example, Erin strives to normalize female sexuality in her own life and interactions.

Heather Smith

Women's Reproductive Rights Advocate

Heather has 11 years experience as a lawyer and nonprofit executive advocating for marginalized communities and for women's rights. Frustrated by her own infertility experience, Heather set out to design a better purchasing experience that actually serves the needs of women. She is the Founder of our partner, Juliet, which sells accurate pregnancy and ovulation tests for a community of women on their journey toward motherhood.

Board of Directors

Kim Agnew

Kim is a passionate sexual wellness advocate, an activist, a new-age philanthropist, public speaker, artist, and story-teller. Kim is a supporter and board member of numerous non-profit organizations that provide support to victims of domestic violence and life skills training to at-risk youth, particularly sex trafficking and slavery. Kim is a Founding Member of The Maverick Collective and board member of Women Moving Millions.

Kate Roberts

Kate Roberts is the Founder and CEO of The Body Agency and its charitable arm, The Body Agency Collective. She has 30 years of experience working in global development, philanthropy and business. She has tackled some of the most challenging women’s issues, including HIV/AIDS, sexual reproductive health, menopause and aging, menstrual hygiene, sanitation, maternal health and gender-based violence. Together with PSI, Melinda Gates and HRH The Crown princess of Norway, Roberts founded Maverick Collective, a $100M groundbreaking philanthropic initiative. She has been recognized as a 2007 Young Global Leader at The World Economic Forum, Fast Company’s Top 100 Most Creative, Public Policy Magazine’s Top 100 Thinkers, The Washington Post's Top Marketer, and Vogue’s Top 100 Women.

Kate is also an accomplished artist, and her pieces have sold across 10 countries. Many of her works have been inspired from her vast travels and highlight incredible women that she has come across from countries such as Saudi Arabia, India, Romania, Ukraine, Tanzania, Russia and Central America. She is also the host of the Sex, Body, and Soul Podcast.

Bill Sanders

Bill is Partner, President and Chief Operating Officer for 400 Capital Management, a $4.5 billion alternative credit asset manager specializing in structured credit. He is a member of the Investment and Operating Committees and is responsible for investment policy, capital allocation, risk management, business development and all business operations. Bill has over 30 years of investment management and financial services experience. He has held senior investment and management positions at Amherst Holdings, Freddie Mac, Banc of America Securities and First Boston/Credit Suisse.

The Youth Collective

Our Youth Collective is a group of all-gender entrepreneurs, creatives and world changers who have started their own businesses with ideas dedicated to changing the narrative on female sexual wellness.