GALS Board
Get to know the current GALS Board Members
Returning members
Sera Bonds, MPH, Co-Chair
She is a health equity leader working to balance the scales of access and justice within the broad sector of global health. She has collaboratively raised over 20 million dollars for public health programs affecting women and children through partnerships ranging from multinationally directly programs to locally led initiatives. She is the founder of a leading feminist global aid organization, Circle of Health International, and is the CEO of Waking Giants.
Chief Executive Officer of Waking Giants
Midwife by training
Social justice advocate
Professional Coach
Barbara Northern, MSPH, Co-Chair
Barbara Northern was born in Kansas City, MO and raised in California. She received her Bachelor of Science from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and her graduate degree from Meharry Medical College with a Master of Science, Health Administration. Both of her degrees are in Public Health and she always works with a lens of promoting health, equity, and access.
With boots on the ground, her focus is educating, supporting and advocating for disenfranchised children, families, and communities. She has been in the public health arena for over 10 years working on the front lines, professionally and as a volunteer. In West Africa -IFESH, Washington, DC - Whitman Walker Clinic, San Antonio - CASA, and Austin, her center has been on health promotion, disease prevention and disease intervention - abroad and state side.
As a passionate proponent for reproductive rights and justice, and ever ready to turn the tide on the rise in the number of maternal deaths among African American women and women of color, in 2018 Barbara joined GALS as a volunteer to advocate and support birthing individuals. She now brings her collaborative and promotional skill sets to further the GALS mission of improving birth outcomes and empowering unsupported families.
Senior Program Coordinator MS3 at Dell Medical School
Focus areas include, Healthcare, Higher Education and Nonprofits
Public Health Education and Clinical Research
Grant and Project Management
Nicole McCharen, Board Member
Nicole McCharen is the founder and owner of Mama Bloom. She is a wife and mother two four amazing kids. She has a background in Social work, and has been working with families since 2003. “I have always been drawn to working with mamas because I truly believe they impact the generations. I am also passionate about community and connection and feel called to create it wherever I go. I am truly here for generational transformation TOGETHER!”
She is a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach with some leadership training with Coaches Training Institute (CTI), and a birth doula trained through DONA & Tiny Love Doulas. She has trained with Birthing from Within in Birth Story Listening, and is currently training in Somatic Experiencing with SETI, a body and nervous system healing modality for stress and trauma.
She blends her personal experiences with my professional training to create maternal and family wellness and wholeness, through Mama Bloom and through GALS.
Owner and Creator of Mama Bloom
Postpartum Group Facilitator
1-1 Parent Coaching
1-1 Birth Processing Sessions
New Members
Yasmin Diallo Turk, Secretary
Yasmin Diallo Turk believes in living a life of purpose and service.
Turk worked for over 20 years as an advocate, policy analyst and evaluator in the fields of child welfare, human trafficking, and sexual and domestic violence. Currently a community engagement consultant in the public energy sector, Turk plans, develops and implements strategies and programs to help facilitate bidirectional communication between community stakeholders and the utility.
Turk is a writer covering Middle Eastern, North African and Halal food. She is the mother of three children ages 9-20, active in her neighborhood property owner’s association, a member of the Islamic Center of Greater Austin’s sustainability committee and co-lead of the Austin chapter of the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom.
In addition to being a high school dropout with a GED, Turk holds a Bachelor of Arts in sociology from Huston-Tillotson University, a Master of Global Policy Studies from the LBJ School of Public Affairs and a Ph.D. in environmental geography from Texas State University.
Kat Horstmann, Board Member
Kat is a multidisciplinary creative practitioner based in Austin, Texas. She spent nine years in New York City working in affordable housing advocacy and social impact filmmaking, and has her Masters in Urban Practice at Parsons, The New School for Design. She has a background in yoga and restorative movement, and is the owner of and designer of Smith&Loom Jewelry. Having a baby at the height of a global pandemic gave her a new perspective on the critical need for a more holistic support system for new parents, and she is forever grateful to gave found GALS in the process. She has partnered with GALS on several Smith&Loom promotions, and currently works in social impact consulting as a Coalition Coordinator at Woollard Nichols & Associates based in Austin, TX.
Erika Nguyen, Board Member
Erika Nguyen is a native of Central Texas and has been working in the nonprofit sector for over 12 years. She is currently Director of Marketing and Communications for FUSE, a national nonprofit advancing systems change and narrowing racial disparities in partnership with local government. Since 2018, she has been a strong supporter of maternal health equity and birth justice in Travis County and is dedicated to working collectively to ensure surviving pregnancy is a human right.
She is a seasoned content strategist and marketing/development professional with a strong foundation in visual arts and graphic design and enjoys the challenge of bringing messages and missions to life through stories, images, powerful writing, and strategic partnerships.
Erika lives in Pflugerville with her husband, Ellis, bonus-son, Tyson, daughter, Amelia, and two dogs, Conan and Stone.