Staff & Board of Directors

9to5 is a national organization with offices in California, Colorado, Georgia and Wisconsin and has members in every state. To get connected with other activists in your state not listed, email activist@9to5.org or call (800) 522-0925.

9to5 California

Los Angeles, California

630 Shatto Place, 4th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90005
Phone: (213) 201-7029
Fax: (213) 389-1816
Email: 9to5california@9to5.org

9to5 Colorado

Denver, Colorado
655 Broadway #800
Denver, CO 80203
Phone: (303) 628-0925
Fax: (303) 628-3888
Email: 9to5colorado@9to5.org

Erin Bennett, Chapter Director

Erin has extensive organizing and leadership development experience. She helped lead the Colorado chapter’s winning campaign to defeat an anti-affirmative action ballot initiative in 2008 and was a leader in Denver’s recent paid sick days ballot initiative campaign.

Wacky skill: Installing a car stereo and speakers
Loves: My family, my cats, texas hold ‘em, women’s soccer, Brandi Carlile, the color red, Tom Robbins books
Favorite part of job: I love working at an organization filled with strong and amazing staff and members who stand up for and support one another.

erin@9to5.org
(303) 628-0925

Margaret Gomez, Chapter Organizer

Maggie has experience working for the liberation of historically oppressed populations, leadership development, and community organizing. She led organizing around the Paid Sick Days campaign with small local businesses.

Wacky skill: Picking things up with my toes
Loves: Music, nature, revolution
Favorite quote: “I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different than my own.” Audre Lorde

Maggie@9to5.org
(303) 628-0925

Margarita Gomez, Chapter Organizer

Margarita was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA and moved to Denver to attend graduate school in 2008. She began doing activist work as an intern with the California Faculty Association and worked to keep higher education affordable and accessible for all Californians. Margarita primarily focuses on 9to5 Colorado’s equal opportunity and election connection work.

Wacky skill: I can remember random facts about people that I just met before I can remember their names.
Loves: My family, my friends and my dog Ames
Unwinds by: Knitting while watching Spanish soap operas

Margarita@9to5.org
(303) 628-0925

Bridget Kaminetsky, Chapter Lead Organizer

Bridget completed a one-year field placement at 9to5 through the Graduate School of Social Work at the University of Denver. Bridget won an award from Denver University for her student activism and commitment to social justice. She led the Colorado chapter’s very successful Election Connection civic engagement organizing project, and then joined the team as permanent staff.

What’s the best advice received/given: Fully appreciate the moments of today.
Wacky skill: I have become extremely proficient in using just one arm while carrying my toddler in the other.
Favorite quote: “Be the change you want to see in the world.” Gandhi

Bridget@9to5.org
(303) 628-0925

Linda Meric, National Executive Director

Linda helped found 9to5 Colorado in 1996 and served as the chapter’s Director until fall 2004 when she became 9to5′s national Director in a planned organizational transition. Under Linda’s leadership, 9to5 has won important anti-discrimination, living wage, work-family, welfare and child care victories. Click on Linda Meric Bio to see the full-length version.

What’s the best advice received/given: Be true to yourself, your ideals and your values.
Wacky skill: I’m a kid magnet!
Favorite quote: “Don’t mourn. Organize!” Mother Jones
Favorite part of job: Having the privilege of working with and learning from women who are taking action to improve their workplaces, their lives and the world.

Lindam@9to5.org
(303) 628-0925

Zoë Williams, Transit Organizer

Zoë has been involved in social justice work in Denver for over ten years. Combining many issues that she is passionate about—women’s rights, jobs, housing, healthcare and
preserving communities, Zoë will organize for transit justice in the Denver metro area.

Best Advise Received/Given: Well behaved women rarely make history
Unwinds by: Cooking
Favorite Quote: “When I use my strength in the service of my vision it makes no difference whether or not I am afraid.” Audre Lorde

Zoe@9to5.org
(303) 628-0925

9to5 Georgia

Atlanta, Georgia

501 Pulliam Street SW #344
Atlanta, GA 30312
Phone: (404) 222-0001
Fax: (404) 222-0006
Email: 9to5atlanta@9to5.org

Susan Berryman-Rodriguez, National Public Relations Coordinator

Susan leads the development and implementation of proactive and defensive communications plans and strategies to continue to position 9to5 as a leading expert on low-wage women’s issues. New to 9to5, Susan has dedicated herself to social justice and environmental issues as an organizer, program manager and communications expert.

Loves: Horses
Unwinds by: Running, riding, hiking, kayaking — anything related to nature.
Favorite part of job: Working with strong, bold women who think that they are “ordinary” but helping the world see how extraordinary they really are.

Susan@9to5.org
(404) 222-0030

Cindia Cameron, National Organizing Director

Cindia coordinates issue campaigns, and provides leadership and program development support to chapters and staff across the country. She is a media spokesperson and public speaker for community and employer audiences on a range of working women’s issues. She has worked for 9to5 since 1983.

What’s the best advice received: Keep an open mind, but don’t let your brains fall out (Karen Nussbaum, 9to5 founder)
Loves: Listening to/playing old-time fiddle music
Unwinds by: Unstructured time with my camera

Cindia@9to5.org
(404) 222-0077

Lindsey Challis, Luthern Volunteer Corps Intern

Lindsey contributes to 9to5′s national communications and membership systems, staffs the Job Survival Helpline, and is an organizer with the Atlanta chapter. Lindsey’s prior organizing experience includes working to defend LGBTQ rights and to end environmental and social injustices of corporate hog farms.

What’s the best advice received: Move through the world mindfully (advice from my mom).
Wacky skill: Absurd costume design—the sillier and cheaper the better!
Loves: Mint tea, Indian food, collecting inventively-named paint chips
Favorite quote: “We all do better when we all do better.” Paul Wellstone

Lindsey@9to5.org
(404) 222-0001

Charmaine Davis, Chapter Director

Charmaine helps lead all chapter organizing and membership-building activities. She also helps lead the campaigns for family-flexible workplace policies with the Georgia Job/ Family Collaborative. In 2012, Charmaine helped lead a campaign to remove the discriminatory question “have you ever been convicted of a felony?” from city of Atlanta applications

What’s the best advice received: You reap what you sow, therefore always sow good seeds.
Loves: Reuniting with old friends
How do you unwind: Journaling

Charmaine@9to5.org
(404) 222-0037

Keely Harris, National Development Coordinator

Keely joined the 9to5 team in June 2010 to support fundraising and development efforts nationally. She brings experience in all facets of development, including public and private grant writing and administration, in-kind solicitation, corporate sponsorship, donor relations, event planning, and program and budget development.

Wacky skill: I am the hostess with the most-est and the queen of spreadsheets.
Loves: Homegrown tomatoes
How do you unwind: Going for a run; digging in the dirt.

Keely@9to5.org
(404) 222-0001

Nasreen Jilani, National Development Director

Nasreen manages fundraising planning and activities, including foundation grants, donor cultivation and special events. She has worked on a range of issues including winning rights for women inmates with Amnesty International, and researching living wage legislation nationwide with Good Jobs First in Washington DC.

Best advise received/given: Follow your gut instincts!
Loves: Traveling, but also being at home with a good book and a warm bath.
Wacky skill: I can do pretty much anything around the house with a baby in one arm.

Nasreen@9to5.org
(404) 222-0001

Valerie Thelen, National Online Organizer

Valerie coordinates the 9to5 Action Network, made up of 9to5 members who are not close to a chapter but want to do work in their own community. She has worked as a political, community, and union organizer.

Wacky skill: I am an aspiring professional hula hooper
Loves: My dog Tobey, bluegrass, and a good cup of coffee
Unwinds by: Salsa dancing, hula hooping, and singing really loudly in my car
Favorite part of job: Meeting strong, independent women across the country who are fighting to make the world a better place.

Valerie@9to5.org
(404) 668-0164

Marilynn Winn, Chapter Organizer

Marilynn, former co-chair of 9to5’s board of directors, lead a winning “Ban the Box” campaign that took the question about past criminal convictions off the City of Atlanta’s employment application. As a new hire, Marilynn will staff the Reformed Citizens Campaign and the CIP Program, and organize around Election Connection.

What’s the best advice received/given: Perseverance, don’t rust out, wear out, no matter what one person does so can you, persevere on towards your goals.
Loves: Crossword Puzzles, Music, Cooking, Socializing
Unwinds by: Relaxing at home with, R&B music or a good romantic movie

Marilynn@9to5.org
(404) 222-0037

9to5 Wisconsin

Milwaukee, Wisconsin
207 E. Buffalo Street, Suite 211
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Phone: (414) 274-0925
Fax: (414) 272-2870
Email: 9to5@9to5.org

Linda Garcia Barnard, National Operations Director

Linda oversees the organization’s financial, personnel and administrative divisions. Linda began her 22-year career with 9to5 as a single parent activist and leader.

What’s the best advice received/given: Listen
Unwinds by: Reading
Loves: Being a mother of 5, grandmother of 2 and married.

Lindagb@9to5.org
(414) 274-0933

Emily Kitchin, Chapter Organizer

Emily was born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and started fighting for working people on a series of campaigns in the Fox Valley.  She is excited to work on strengthening Wisconsin’s Family and Medical Leave Act while developing new activists across the state of Wisconsin.

Loves: Morning coffee, live music, Friday fish frys
Favorite quote: “Deserve victory.” Winston Churchill
Unwinds by: Catching a local sports game or going for a jog

Emily@9to5.org
(414) 274-0925

Dana Schultz, Chapter Director

Dana leads all chapter organizing, issue campaign and membership-building activities for 9to5 Milwaukee. Dana has worked in some capacity at the 9to5 Milwaukee office since May of 2007, taking a leave of absence in 2010 to run for the Wisconsin assembly.

What’s the best advice received/given: Celebrate small victories.
Wacky skill: Karaoke singing the man’s part in “Love Shack”
Favorite part of job: Thinking big, collectively

Dana@9to5.org
(414) 274-0920

Yaneth Solano, National Financial Coordinator

Yaneth prepares financial statements and budgets, and ensures proper allocation of overhead charges, and manages relationships with independent auditors.

Loves: Traveling
Unwinds by: Switching off technology devices for an hour
Favorite quote: “The time is always right, to do what it is right.” Martin Luther King, Jr.

Yaneths@9to5.org
(414) 274-0926

Lennise Vickers, Chapter Organizer

Before becoming an organizer, Lennise sat on the Milwaukee Chapter board of 9to5. She now leads the 9to5 W2/Early Learning Workgroup with members who are affected or know someone affected by the cuts in the W2welfare and childcare program.

Unwinds by: Watching recorded daytime shows on Friday evenings.
Wacky skill: I am a pro at opening and eating crab legs, yummy.
Loves: I love my kids and grandkids. I love teaching praise dances to my kids and the kids at church. I love knowing that the work we do at 9to5 is changing the lives of women and family.

Lennise@9to5.org
(414) 274-0925 x 206

To see our national board of directors, please click here.