She’s the First is a community:

We are advocates and changemakers; ambitious students and dedicated teachers; inspiring artists and seasoned policymakers; resilient mothers and feminist fathers; community organizers and business leaders. We come from many countries and backgrounds, but our differences are not nearly as important as what we share—a belief that every girl, no matter where she is born, deserves to be educated, respected, and heard.


Our Philosophy

In everything we do, we put girls' voices at the center of conversations that affect their lives; we also believe in anti-oppressive partnerships and support communities to drive their own transformation.


 

Our Staff

 

LUCERO JULAJUJ
Latin America Programs Intern

DANI ANTONIO
Community Engagement Assistant

Esther Aoko

ESTHER AOKO
Communications Specialist

CECI ARRIAZA
Senior Programs Manager
Incoming Director of Programs

YEZENA DEGU ENDESHAW
Advocacy Intern

Elise Herbert - Headshot STF

ELISE HERBERT
Donor Admin Assistant

DANIA DE LEÓN
Programs Regional Coordinator for Latin America

EMMA MOGAKA
Training Manager

KATE KIAMA
Director of Programs & Impact
Incoming co-CEO

KATE LORD
Director of Advocacy & Communications

KAYLA PATE
Development Manager

JANAE PHILLIPS
Advocacy Programs Manager

 

FLORENCE SIDI
Programs Coordinator

TAMMY TIBBETTS
Co-Founder & CEO

 

Girls Advisory Council

The Girls Advisory Council incorporates girls’ voices into our programming and communications decisions. Two members are appointed as representatives to our Board of Directors.


Board of Directors

Tara Abrahams.jpg

TARA ABRAHAMS
Board Chair

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HARISH NATARAJ
Co-Vice Chair

DEE POKU

EZINNE OKORO
Co-Vice Chair

VIVIAN NUNEZ Secretary

ARIANNA DE LORENZI
Secretary, U.S.

CHRISTEN BRANDT
Co-Founder

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ELSIE CHACHA
Secretary, Kenya

SYEDA AREESHA FATIMA

SYEDA AREESHA FATIMA

SUKEJI MODI

 

NATALYA MURAVCHIK
Treasurer, U.S.

MARY MURIGI
Treasurer, Kenya

 

TAMMY TIBBETTS
Co-Founder & CEO

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in memory: MERCY NZIOKI, 1979-2023

 
 

Advisory Board

ALANA ROCKLAND

JANE MAINA

Brittany Nwachuku

BRITTANY NWACHUKU

KAZI MGHENDI

CLARA DESALVO

Larissa Bachia

LARISSA BACHIA

CORAZON SEFU WANDIMI


Our Founding Story

She’s the First launched on November 1, 2009 as a simple YouTube video. Tammy Tibbetts' idea was to use social media to inspire and motivate their generation to support girls' education—and when she took that idea to Facebook, Christen Brandt immediately messaged her to get it started. They share their story and insights in Impact: A Step-by-Step Plan to Create the World You Want to Live In, a book that donates its proceeds to She’s the First.


Press Coverage