GRW staff have been working in the violence against women field for decades and are tireless in their efforts to ensure that our network of partners has consistent access to the current best practices and developments happening across the globe on bettering responses to violence against women.
Our Staff
Patricia Cumbie
Communications Manager
Patricia Cumbie is the Communications Manager at Global Rights for Women, and her career has been focused on working with mission-driven organizations seeking to tell their stories through partnership and collaboration.
Nazifa Wazirzada
Program Coordinator
Nazifa received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Minnesota Duluth in 2019, where she pursued her degree in International Studies and Communication with a minor in Chinese.
Laura Wilson
Women's Human Rights Attorney
Laura previously practiced in immigration law and youth law with Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid, where she represented many survivors of gender-based violence.
Sara Mowchan
Director of Development
Sara brings over 10 years of experience in driving organizational growth, including nonprofit consulting and management for organizations in Minnesota, Washington D.C. and abroad.
Christy Flikke
Finance Manager
Christy has a Finance Degree and worked with high net worth clients and their businesses at U.S. Bank Private Client Group and before that in Credit Administration at Marquette Bank.
Cheryl Thomas
Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Since 1993, Cheryl has worked with partners around the world to promote women’s human rights and achieve effective reform on violence against women.
Melissa Scaia
Director of International Training
Melissa brings a wealth of experience as the former executive director of Domestic Abuse Intervention Programs (DAIP), also known as “the Duluth Model.”
Helen Rubenstein
Senior Counsel
Helen has traveled to Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Tanzania, Moldova, and Russia and Turkey to conduct trainings and presentations, and carry out human rights fact-finding on the legal system response to violence against women.Consultant Expert Trainers
Kay Arola
Carol Arthur
Marcus Brunning
Judge Elizabeth Cutter
Gabrielle Davis
Judge Shaun Floerke
Lori Flohaug
Laura Goodman
Lieutenant Scott Jenkins
Judge Kathryn Quaintance
Julie Tilley
Board of Directors
Lynn Anderson, Executive Vice President & General Counsel, Holiday Companies
Liz Barrere, Owner, Liz Barrere Consulting
Holly Eng, Vice President and General Counsel, Cargill
Bob Hamilton (Treasurer), Chief Operating Officer, Fredrikson & Byron, P.A.
Richard Ihrig (Board Chair), Director, Richard Ihrig Law Firm
Imani Jaafar, Director, Office of Police Conduct Review (City of Minneapolis)
Jim Jacobson, Senior Vice President and General Counsel, Medica
Kelley Lindes, Board Member
Rebecca J. Bentzinger, M.Div.
Janet Walsh, Senior Fellow, University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs
Kathryn Goodwin Brackney, Board Member
Lynn Schubert, President, Surety & Fidelity Association of America (retired)
Sally Spence, Global Studies Program Specialist, Office of Global Studies, St. Catherine University
