About
Rhia Ventures
The multibillion-dollar health care market has tremendous potential for public health impact, but it has been built on flawed systems that perpetuate unjust outcomes for women of color, low-income women, and others directly affected by systemic inequities. Our work is to transform this market.
Operating in a novel impact space, we seek opportunities to move investment toward reproductive and maternal health in a way that does not perpetuate harm and that will yield measurable, sustainable improvements in health outcomes.
Our Core Activities
- Venture capital investment with an impact lens in early- and growth-stage companies that have the potential to transform the reproductive and maternal health care market through RH Capital, a Rhia Ventures fund
- Ecosystem building that supports reproductive and maternal health entrepreneurs and investors with building and growing in a way that incorporates an equity lens and culture of impact measurement and management through the HEART framework
- Corporate engagement and advocacy to advance corporate, state, and federal policies that center the reproductive and maternal health needs of people who have been historically marginalized
- Narrative change that amplifies the reproductive and maternal health stories and lived experiences of people who have been historically marginalized, and that challenges harmful, dominant societal messages and norms through PS Blossom
- Professional advising that accelerates ownership and deployment of, and access to, capital to improve the material conditions of historically marginalized people through The Racial Equity Asset Lab (The REAL)
Our
Priorities
Rhia Ventures uses 4 core strategies:
- Leveraging capital to advance reproductive and maternal health equity
- Advancing federal and state policies that align with principles of reproductive justice, equity, and bodily autonomy
- Elevating narratives and solutions at the intersections of reproductive justice and capital
that center those who have been historically marginalized - Operationalizing our commitment to becoming an equity-focused organization
These pillars of our work enable us to:
- Encourage investment in the areas of the market that need it most
- Fund public goods and services that grow the market in equitable, profitable, and sustainable ways
- Engage and highlight stakeholders of color
- Strengthen social norms to support quality maternal and reproductive health coverage and treatment of women in US workplaces
Our Team
It takes vision, persistence, and courage partnered with skill, experience, and advocacy to do this work. Thankfully, we know some people who fit the job description. Get to know our team below.
Associate Vice President of Corporate Engagement
Shelley brings over two decades’ experience leading and participating in shareholder advocacy campaigns on a wide range of environmental and social issues, which resulted in numerous negotiated agreements to advance more progressive corporate policies and practices. Prior to Rhia Ventures, she worked for the leading sustainability firms Clean Yield Asset Management, Trillium Asset Management, and Ceres, a sustainability nonprofit. Her work in advancing LGBT rights was recognized by several organizations including Fortune and The Advocate, and she received the SRI Service Award in 2005 for “outstanding contributions to the socially responsible investment community.” She was also the recipient of the first-ever Rachel Carson Award from the Silent Spring Institute, which researches environmental links to breast cancer. Shelley has always been amazed at the positive influence that actively engaged shareholders can have on companies. She holds degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas.
Managing Director, The REAL
Jonalyn Denlinger supports the advising and field building work for The REAL. Jonalyn has over 15 years of supporting foundations, funds and businesses in the capital deployment strategies for impact. Her areas of expertise include: human capital development, access to capital strategy implementation, fund deployment for impact, evaluation of impact, and collaborative design efforts.
Jonalyn worked in the philanthropic sector in a variety of capacities. In addition to her work at Rhia, she supports clients through consulting focused on impact areas of affordable housing, small business and entrepreneurship, environmental justice, and the social determinants of health. She previously served as a Director, Consultant for Syntrinsic Investment Counsel, an investment advisory firm committed to supporting foundations and nonprofits in their investment strategies aligned to mission. She was a Program Officer at the Baltimore Community Foundation for nearly seven years, investing in intergenerational programming; social capital building strategies; place-based, community driven development; and public education reform. Jonalyn served as the Director of Member Engagement at Maryland Philanthropy Network (formerly Association of Baltimore Area Grantmakers) where she led the organization’s policy efforts, the emerging leader strategy, and the impact investing strategy.
She holds a MBA from University of Denver, a MSW from University of Maryland, and a bachelors degree from Eastern Mennonite University
Director of Communications
Jessica Feeley is the Director of Communications at Rhia Ventures. Her background is in non-profit communications, advocacy, development, and client services. She was on staff with the Dystonia Medical Research Foundation for 20+ years, most recently as Director of Communications & Education and Editor of the Dystonia Dialogue.
She serves on the board of directors of We Rock Chicago climbing club and previously on the executive committee of the NAACP Camden County Branch (Georgia). She is a founding team member of the Camden Black Business Project and past president of the Humane Society of Camden County, Inc.
Jessica obtained a bachelor’s degree from Hampshire College.
Administrative and Special Projects Manager
Sarah has 5+ years of experience supporting executives in a non-profit setting and is the Administrative and Special Projects Manager at Rhia Ventures. In this role, she provides administrative, operational, and logistical management. Prior to joining Rhia Ventures, Sarah was the Giving Strategies Assistant at the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, where she supported the Executive Vice President, the Senior Director of Racial Equity Initiatives, and the Giving Strategies Team to best assist clients and bring their philanthropic wishes to life. Sarah received her BA in Art History and Arts Administration from Goucher College.
Chief Operating Officer
Keisha joined Rhia Ventures in 2022 as Vice President of Development & Communications and now serves as Chief Operating Officer. She has more than 15 years of fundraising experience in the philanthropic and nonprofit sectors. She received her Bachelor’s degree from Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia. Keisha most recently served as Campaign Director at Spelman, where she was responsible for the day-to-day operations of a $250 million comprehensive campaign that raised more than $305 million in five years.
Previously, Keisha served as the Director of Development and Donor Services at the Baltimore Community Foundation (BCF) where she oversaw the Foundation’s annual fundraising goals and its work with private foundations, corporations, individual donors, and families. Before that, Keisha was BCF’s Campaign Director. In that role, she was responsible for the overall organization and management of the Foundation’s successful $100 million endowment campaign.
Keisha was an Executive Director at CCS Fundraising, where she served as a consultant for clients on fundraising and directed campaigns in various sectors, including associations, the arts, education, healthcare, and human services. She also served as a Major Gifts Officer at the NAACP. Keisha was a member of the ABFE (Association for Black Foundation Executives) Connecting Leaders Fellowship Program, CF Leads Equity Network, and the Knight Foundation Community Information Lab.
Program Associate
Laura Mesrobian is an executive assistant, writer, and performer based in New York City. Currently, she is the Program Associate for the Diverse Investing Collective at Rhia Ventures. She previously worked as an executive assistant at OptionMetrics and a copywriter for Copycat Copywriters, where she created and edited web copy, social copy, email marketing, and SEO content for over 100+ companies. She is also a drama graduate of New York University – Tisch School of the Arts, having performed off-Broadway, regionally, and across New York City.
Senior Program Associate
Caitlin O’Connor is the Senior Program Associate for Reproductive and Maternal Health, helping organizations to expand their capacity to ensure better maternal and reproductive health outcomes for all. Before joining Rhia, Caitlin previously served as the Title X Program Manager for UCLA OB/GYN, organizing all clinical health education and outreach efforts for patients and community partners. Providing direct service delivery in a busy family planning clinic cemented Caitlin’s values in providing care that is patient-centered, equitable, and centered in tenets of Reproductive Justice.
During her time as Title X Program Manager, Caitlin developed best practices trainings for Family Planning care, including PrEP administration in an OB/GYN Setting, Patient-Centered Contraception Counseling, and Operationalizing Reproductive Justice: Medical Racism in American Obstetrics & Gynecology.
Caitlin received her Master’s in Public Health at UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, where she served as both Co-President and Social Media Chairperson of the UCLA Reproductive Health Interest Group. Before that, Caitlin served in the US Peace Corps as a Community Health Volunteer in Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), a small, rural Sub-Saharan nation in Southern Africa.
Director of Programs and Legal Affairs, The REAL
Adewale Oduye is recognized as a “Top Venture Capital Voice” on LinkedIn and currently serves as the Director of Programs and Legal Affairs at Rhia Ventures, where he leads initiatives focused on advancing health and economic justice. Prior to this, he was Director at the Tara Health Foundation, a philanthropic investment group dedicated to promoting race and gender equity. In this role, Adewale primarily managed the Diverse Investing Collective, a partnership of endowments, pension funds, and high-net-worth individuals working to diversify the investment industry.
Before joining Tara Health, Adewale was an MBA Associate at M13, an early-stage venture capital firm that invests in visionary founders building disruptive software businesses. He also served as an MBA Investment Associate with the Lloyd Greif Center for Entrepreneurial Studies at the USC Marshall School of Business, where he applied his expertise to support emerging entrepreneurs.
Adewale is a proud alum of BLCK VC’s Black Venture Institute (BVI), a curriculum-based initiative that trains Black operators and executives in the foundational elements of angel investing, scouting, and venture capital. The program empowers and supports Black investors while working to increase diversity in the venture capital industry.
Adewale is also an alum of the Professional Development Program with the Los Angeles Sports & Entertainment Commission (LASEC), which prepares professionals for careers in the sports industry. Through this program, he worked as a Human Resources Associate at AEG Worldwide, the world’s leading sports and live entertainment company.
Earlier in his career, Adewale served as a veteran prosecutor with the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office, specializing in White-Collar Crime and trying more than 50 jury trials. His work in criminal justice reform has led to features in NPR, the Los Angeles Times, and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Adewale holds a Bachelor’s degree from Columbia University, a Juris Doctor from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, and an MBA from the USC Marshall School of Business, where he focused on Venture Capital and Sports Business Administration.
Managing Director, Ecosystem Building
Sonia Sarkar has worked at the intersection of health, community economic development, and social justice movement-building for 15+ years. She is the founder of Healing Capital, an initiative that advises community-based and systems change organizations on health systems transformation through a racial and economic equity lens, including: the Healthcare Anchor Network, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Shift Health Accelerator, Center for Health Progress, and several health-focused payors, funders, and impact investors.
She previously served as Chief Policy and Engagement Officer for the Baltimore City Health Department, overseeing a portfolio that included the development of the city’s “Healthy Baltimore 2020” strategic plan, community engagement and mobilization, city/state/federal-level policy, funding strategy, and multi-stakeholder partnerships to address social determinants. Prior, she was Director of Provider Solutions at AVIA, a health system-led innovation accelerator, where she worked directly with hospital executive leadership to identify and incentivize innovations in patient care. She began her career with Health Leads, a national social enterprise instrumental in shifting the healthcare system to address patients’ basic resource needs as a standard part of quality care.
Sonia was a Harvard Medical School InciteHealth Fellow, an AcademyHealth/Kresge Foundation Population Health Scholar, a Senior Fellow with the Millennial Policy Initiative’s Healthcare Commission, and a Social Entrepreneur in Residence and Lecturer at Brown University. In 2017, she was named one of forty Culture of Health Leaders by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
She holds BA degrees in public health and international studies from Johns Hopkins University, and an MPH and DrPH from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, where she was a Fellow at the Center for a Livable Future. She is also a published author and poet.
Director of Finance & Operations
Iva Torres is a justice-centered operations professional based in the Midwest. Her vision is to create more equitable and just operations across the non-profit field. She has been in movement-building work for almost a decade and dedicates her talents to helping organizations strengthen their operations, strategy, and infrastructure.
She has worked with a range of organizations, including the Women’s Foundation of Oregon, Community Alliance of Tenants, Coalition of Communities of Color, Portland State Center for Women’s Leadership, Meyer Memorial Trust, City of Portland Office of Equity and Human Rights, Action St. Louis/Power Project, ArchCity Defenders, Demand Progress/Action, Coworker/Fund, and The Ops Collective.
Board
Board Chair
Ruth Shaber, MD founded and serves as President of the Tara Health Foundation, which uses its philanthropic capital to advance health and economic outcomes for women. She is the co-author of The XX Edge: Unlocking Higher Returns and Lower Risk and is now leading the Diverse Investing Collective, with the goal of increasing the numbers of women and people of color in the U.S. investment industry and the amount of assets they manage. Ruth is also the co-founder and board chair of Rhia Ventures. Ruth had a robust career as an Obstetrician and Gynecologist with a focus on systems change at Kaiser Permanente from 1990 to 2012.
Board Member
Rodney Foxworth is a mission-driven entrepreneur, executive, and investor with deep and diverse networks across economic development, impact investing, philanthropy, and venture capital. He’s advised, founded, operated, and funded multiple entrepreneurial endeavors and is currently Co-Founder of Worthmore, an impact investing and venture development firm.
Most recently, Rodney served as CEO of Common Future, a nonprofit social enterprise. Under his leadership, Common Future developed a new brand identity, quadrupled the size of its staff and budget, acquired two organizations, and launched an impact investment vehicle. Previously, Rodney was founder and CEO of Invested Impact, a consultancy and intermediary that facilitated millions of dollars in philanthropic and impact investment capital into community economic development projects and social entrepreneurs of color.
A Skoll Awardee for Social Innovation and an inaugural Ford Global Fellow, Rodney serves on the boards of Nonprofit Finance Fund, Race Forward, Rhia Ventures, RockHealth.org, and SOCAP Global.
Board Member
Debbie Santos is the Vice President, Finance at the Skoll Foundation. The Skoll Foundation catalyzes transformational social change by investing in, connecting, and championing social entrepreneurs and other social innovators who together advance bold and equitable solutions to the world’s most pressing problems. As VP of Finance, Debbie has primary responsibility for the Foundation’s financial matters and oversees the grants management, legal, accounting and finance functions. Debbie has spent most of her career helping organizations optimize across finance and operations to advance their mission.
Board Member
Janet Yearwood is an asset management and financial services professional. Her most recent role was as a full-time consultant to the Office of the CEO of New York Life Investment Management. Prior to that, she was the interim chief of staff to the CEO of MacKay Shields. Her past experience includes five years as a client portfolio manager at J.P. Morgan Asset Management in U.S. Equities. Before joining JPMAM, she was interim Associate Vice Chancellor at NYU Shanghai. Ms. Yearwood spent two years at Pzena Investment Management as a director of client service and seven years prior to that as an equity analyst and sector portfolio manager at TIAA-CREF. She began her career at Salomon Brothers in municipal finance and spent five years at Merrill Lynch in the fixed income securities department.
Janet holds a B.A. in literature from Harvard College and an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business. She is a CFA charter holder.
