Board of Directors

Liz Sondhaus, PhD

President

Liz returned to St. Louis in 2017 after twenty years in San Diego. While there, she held positions in both corporate and nonprofit settings including director of Corporate Learning and Performance at San Diego State University, training director at California Training Cooperative, VP of Talent Acquisition and Development at VeriCare and adjunct professor at University of California San Diego. Liz received a Masters in Organizational Psychology from California School of Professional Psychology and a PhD in Clinical Psychology from Washington University in St. Louis. Liz retired in 2021 and decided to study history. She completed a Masters of Liberal Arts in Extension Studies, field: History from Harvard in May, 2023. Liz has been active in WV since 2018, serving as board secretary and president as well as co-chair of the Racial Justice Committee (current) and Attainable Housing Task Force (previously).

Jean Calandrino

Treasurer

EDUCATION: Washington University, St. Louis, MO May, 2000 - Ph.D. Clinical Psychology University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN May, 1977 - B.S. Biology EXPERIENCE: Co-Facilitator, Why Powered Health Coaching; St. Louis, MO — … Read More

Karen Coulson

Secretary

Karen received her Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research from Virginia Tech and is a former executive for pharmaceutical research and development. She continues to guest lecture at Washington University for senior biomedical engineers and to partner with job seekers coming out of prison for Transformative Workforce Academy’s jobs fairs. Karen participates in Moms Demand Action and serves on the Criminal Legal System Reform Task Force for Women’s Voices Raised for Social Justice. She loves to read and to travel to hike at National Parks and visit family.

Karen Cloyd

Campaign for Common-Sense Gun Solutions Director

Karen Cloyd is a retired middle school educator. Since retiring from the classroom she has been involved in primarily politically-related activities including volunteering for candidates and causes. Those causes include protecting voting rights, campaign finance reform, and common sense gun legislation and gun
safety practices. She is also a member of the Metro STL League of Women Voters and currently serves as Co-Chair of West County Democrats. In 2021 she served on the St. Louis County Council Bipartisan Reapportionment Commission. Karen’s spare time is often devoted to entertaining her dog.

Margery Doss

Appointed Member

A National Board-certified teacher as an exceptional needs specialist, Margery Doss began her training as a special educator in a faith-based therapeutic day school in Chicago. She earned a master’s degrees in education and human services administration, managed a multi-campus therapeutic day school and vocational training programs, then became director of training for one of the largest child welfare consortiums in Chicago. As a cisgendered, bisexual female, Marg celebrates the opportunity to facilitate conversations about how educational settings can support ALL youth. As a native St. Louisan, she returned to teach middle school students for the Special School District of St Louis County. Upon retirement, she became a certified yoga teacher. In addition, she continues to advocate for robust public schools regardless of zip code as vice president of St. Louis Metro NEA (National Education Association) – Retired.

Karen Francis

Advocacy Director

Karen Francis is a retired high school administrator. She currently is the Chair of the American Association of University Women's (AAUW) Public Policy Committee , on the Board of Safe Connections, a facilitator for the YWCA's Witnessing Witness program and past president of the Ballwin Chesterfield Branch of AAUW. She is passionate about women’s issues and social justice. To quote former first lady Michelle Obama, “Find people who make you better” and that truly is Women’s Voices of St. Louis.

Barbara Harris

Fundraising Advisor

Barbara spent her professional life in fundraising beginning at The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, where she worked for 27 years, the last 15 years as development director. After retirement from The Rep, Barbara spent time at Parents as Teachers National Center; then for Cultural Leadership, which offers a year-long program where high school students learn how to stand up and speak out against prejudice; and then for HomeWorks, which encourages and helps parents become more involved in their children’s education. Barbara has served in various capacities with several organizations including Women’s Voices Raised for Social Justice, the League of Women Voters and Eliot Unitarian Chapel, and is always impressed by the integral role volunteers play in helping these organizations fulfill their missions in the community. She has great respect for the contribution of time, talent and dedication that all volunteers make.

Anne Litwin, PhD

Racial Justice Director

Anne Litwin, PhD, has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin, a Masters in Community Psychology from Marist College, and a Masters and PhD in Human and Organizational Systems from Fielding Graduate University. She is a member of The NTL Institute of Applied Behavioral Science, the International Coaching Federation and of the Organization Development Network. She is the co-editor of the book, Managing in the Age of Change, along with numerous articles on international consulting and women’s leadership. Anne has written a book on women’s relationships in the workplace entitled, New Rules for Women: Revolutionizing the Way Women Work Together (2014) based on her research. Dr. Litwin is an ICF-certified coach who provides executive coaching to help leaders, managers, and other professionals enhance leadership capacity by strengthening their interpersonal and strategic skills. She specialized in helping organizations develop leaders and leverage diversity to optimize organizational effectiveness.

Lynn Lupo

Programs Director

Lynn attended Macalester College in St. Paul, MN, where she studied economics and political science and graduate school at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. For the past twenty years, Lynn has been a volunteer and board member of the Independence Center, a St. Louis nonprofit psychosocial rehab facility for adults with serious and persistent mental illness. She is also on the Advisory Board of Clubhouse International, the overriding international governing body of Independence Center. She is on the Advocacy Committee of NAMI and on the Board of Helping Hands, a nonprofit, serving individuals in the criminal justice system that need mental health services. She is most recently on the board of Slaying Dragons, a theater group dedicated to reducing the stigma of mental illness through the arts. She is a native of St. Louis and currently lives in the Central West End. She has been a member of Women’s Voices for three years and is also a member of the Criminal Legal System Reform Task Force.

Michele Steinberg

Membership Director

Michele Steinberg is a St. Louis-based creative and storyteller, specializing in video editing, design, and photography. She is passionate about her St. Louis community and gravitates toward projects that further the conversation in areas such as social justice and tikkun olam (repairing the world). Michele has served on the Women’s Voices Raised advocacy committee since 2017 and is beginning her second year as membership chair. Michele also serves as liaison to the Missouri Voter Protection Coalition.

Susan Glassman

Past President

Susan Glassman was formerly the Executive Vice President of Urban Strategies, a non-profit that works to build human capital in revitalizing communities around the country. Prior to that she was Executive Director of the American Lung Association of Eastern Missouri and the Deputy City Manager of University City, Missouri.