Dana Marlowe
Founder, I Support the Girls
Dana Marlowe is an architect of inclusion and accessibility. With an overflowing arsenal of passion and energy, she endeavors for equal access for people with disabilities in all facets of society. As the founder of the nationally renowned Accessibility Partners, she is a leading force in her disability and accessibility advocacy information technology consulting firm. Dana directs a team of skilled accessibility engineers with and without disabilities to help improve communication access for people of all abilities.
Dana continues to work tirelessly to better the lives of the marginalized populations often overlooked by mainstream society: homeless women. As the founder of I Support the Girls, Dana has created a network of nationwide affiliates to help facilitate the donation of bras and feminine hygiene products to homeless and low-income women. The movement has tremendous momentum, and Dana’s efforts have been showcased in The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, Yahoo News, The Today Show, Kveller, NationSwell, and many more. She even had a 60-second documentary video tweeted by George Takei. I Support the Girls is expanding daily and going ‘viral’, thanks to Dana’s tireless energy and indomitable spirit. Dana is at the forefront of this movement that has helped thousands of women by bolstering their dignity, self-esteem, and better health.
Lara Pukatch
Director of Advocacy, Miriam’s Kitchen
Lara Pukatch participated in the Avodah NYC Service Corps from 2004-2005, when she worked at Genesis Domestic Violence Shelter as a case manager and coordinator of children’s services. Her time there cultivated her knack for building relationships and navigating social service systems and inspired a long career in social change.
A seasoned advocate, Lara has 15 years of experience working on issues such as homelessness, violence against women, and global poverty. She has a proven track record in leading coalitions, building power through campaigns, and facilitating large-scale institutional and legislative change. Lara is deeply committed to partnering with and elevating impacted populations through storytelling and leadership development. At Miriam’s Kitchen, Lara chairs The Way Home Campaign, a city-wide movement to end chronic homelessness in the District, and leads internal efforts to ensure that people with lived experience of homelessness are at the forefront of organizational decision making. Before joining Miriam’s Kitchen, Lara held a variety of positions at women’s rights and service organizations. She holds a master’s degree in International Affairs from George Washington University and a certificate in International Human Rights Law from Oxford University. Lara also holds two Bachelor’s degrees, in Sociology and Spanish, from Vanderbilt University, where she graduated with honors.