MEET OUR TEAM

Lilly Marcelin

FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Meet Lilly

Lilly Marcelin is a community activist and organizer who has dedicated herself to a lifelong journey around racial and social justice equity. Ms. Marcelin has worked on a broad range of issues from gender-based violence, human trafficking, health and socioeconomic disparities to women’s reproductive health and rights. She is the Founder and Executive Director of the Resilient Sisterhood Project (RSP) with a mission to inform and empower women and young adults of African descent about the common diseases of the reproductive system that disproportionately affect them. Ms. Marcelin strongly prefers to work in partnership with–rather than on behalf of–Black women to address deeply rooted systemic racism.

Ms. Marcelin holds educational degrees from:

Wellesley College – B.A. Women's and Gender Studies with a concentration in science, public health, and Global health
Tufts University – Masters in Public Policy
Boston University School of Management – Certificate from the Institute for Nonprofit Management and Leadership (INML) program.

Katie Durant

COMMUNICATIONS AND OPERATIONS DIRECTOR

Meet Katie

Before joining RSP in January of 2022, Katie Durant earned a BA from Wellesley College in 2011 and an MFA from Bennington College in 2014. Besides having more than 15 years of experience in writing and editing for various publishing companies, Katie has taught college-level English and Creative Writing for seven years. She is thrilled to be able to combine her skills in writing and teaching with her passion for women’s reproductive health and rights.

Aleyana Momplaisir

PROGRAM DIRECTOR

Meet Aleyana

Aleyana Momplaisir is the Program Director at the Resilient Sisterhood Project (RSP). Her struggles with menstrual cycle symptoms and family’s experiences with reproductive health conditions led her to join RSP for an internship in 2020. Upon completion, Aleyana transitioned into a permanent staff position and has since worked on research, event planning, educational resource design, volunteer engagement, and program management to advance RSP’s mission in support of Black women and girls’ reproductive health. Alongside her work in women’s health, Aleyana is a visual artist who uses paint and digital illustrator software to create art that evokes feelings of joy, connection, and curiosity. Her other interests include public transportation systems and Caribbean history and culture; she is also an active volunteer at I AM CARIBBEING and the Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute—two cultural organizations in New York City. Aleyana holds a Bachelor and Master of Arts in Political Science from Northeastern University, where one of her reproductive and environmental justice-centered digital illustrations is on display.

Kadriana Saintelus

PROGRAM MANAGER

Meet Kadriana

As Program Manager at the Resilient Sisterhood Project (RSP), Kadriana Saintelus helps translate research into easily digestible and informative material for RSP’s reproductive health webpages and social media platforms.

As a first-generation Haitian-American, Kadriana witnessed cultural stigmas in health passed from generation-to-generation that discouraged people from seeking help. Gradually, she began to challenge these stigmas by holding conversations with the women in her family about infertility, fibroids, and the effects of reproductive health conditions on pregnancy. Because of this, Kadriana began to view knowledge and community as important and powerful tools. In 2022, she began working with RSP, which catered to her passion for learning more and addressing stigmas associated with Black women and their reproductive and mental health.

Furthering her interest in this intersection and adding to her degree in Psychology and Master in Science, Kadriana is on track to earn her Maternal and Mental Community Health Worker Certificate by the summer of 2025. Coinciding with RSP’s support for advocacy, activism, and empowerment, Kadriana’s overall goal is to create a safe space for women, especially Black women, to seek help and be heard without having to experience the trauma that can be unwillingly faced when pursuing medical care.

Liz Sohn

DATA MANAGER

Meet Liz

Liz is the Data Manager at Resilient Sisterhood Project (RSP). She has supported RSP's reproductive health programs since 2017. Her interest in global and community health first developed during her time as a student at Northeastern University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology, Health and Wellness, and International Affairs.

At RSP, Liz is dedicated to help women have access to clear, evidence-based information and the tools they need to make informed decisions about their reproductive health. She is especially passionate about breaking down systemic barriers and improving health literacy—work that aligns closely with RSP’s mission.

Outside of her role, Liz advocates for policy changes that amplify women’s voices in healthcare. Her heart for service and community keeps her connected to local organizations where she enjoys volunteering.

Sophia Carryl

YALC MANAGER

Meet Sophia

Dr. Sophia Carryl is a health data researcher and analyst dedicated to advancing health equity through data-driven, community-centered approaches. With over a decade of experience spanning evolutionary biology, environmental health, and social justice, she integrates rigorous quantitative analysis with an equity lens to uncover and address the structural drivers of health disparities. communities most affected by inequitable health outcomes.

Rooted in her background as both a scientist and advocate, Dr. Carryl’s career is driven by a belief that science should be accessible, inclusive, and transformative.

Recently an NIH-funded Postdoctoral Researcher at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Dr. Carryl investigates how environmental exposures, particularly in housing and neighborhood contexts, shape asthma disparities in Boston. Her work bridges complex statistical modeling, geospatial analysis, and policy translation to inform interventions that empower communities most affected by inequitable health outcomes.

Sophia earned her PhD and MS in Evolutionary Biology from the University of Chicago and her BA in Biology, summa cum laude, from CUNY Lehman College. Her work continues to reflect a deep commitment to using data as a tool for social change, bridging research, policy, and community empowerment to create a more equitable public health future.

Cierra Brown

PROGRAM COORDINATOR

Meet Cierra

As Program Coordinator at the Resilient Sisterhood Project (RSP), Cierra Brown develops accessible, culturally relevant programming that raises awareness about reproductive health conditions disproportionately affecting communities of color, while fostering safe spaces for intergenerational dialogue and collective healing. With a strong foundation in both the sciences and social justice—holding degrees in Chemistry and African-American Studies from Harvard University—she works at the intersection of health equity and cultural awareness. In her senior year of college, Cierra worked on a senior thesis project that was centered around her family’s ancestry and discovered many generational reproductive wrongs perpetrated in her family line. This unearthing ignited a deep intellectual interest in eugenics, health disparities, and a passion for reproductive justice.

In addition to her work at RSP, Cierra is deeply invested in women’s health and increasing the number of women in medicine and STEM. This is evidenced by her weekly volunteering work at Boston Healthcare for the Homeless Program’s Health Empowerment Resources clinic–a weekly clinic for women experiencing homelessness to build community and receive healthcare. Cierra also volunteers as a mentor for the program Science Club for Girls, teaching weekly science lessons to elementary school-aged children. Through her work at RSP, she is committed to advancing reproductive justice and amplifying the voices of those most impacted by health disparities. Outside of RSP, Cierra is interested in educational equity, community building initiatives for BIPOC in schools, and in her free time enjoys reading, playing the viola, and seeing plays.

Djoulissa Louis-Jean

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COORDINATOR

Meet Djoulissa

Djoulissa Louis-Jean is the Environmental Justice Coordinator with RSP and her work centers around studying the impacts of climate change and the built environment on Black women’s maternal and reproductive health. Upon receiving her Master of Science in Public Health from Tulane University and engaging in community health work in New Orleans, she recognized how structural racism and inequalities influence the way our neighborhoods are built and what we have access to. Encouraged to learn more about the intersection between public health and the built environment, Djoulissa earned a Master of Urban Planning from Harvard University in May 2025.

Pushing RSP’s work forward, Djoulissa received the Center for Climate, Health, and Equity (CCHE) Scholarship to present on the topic of extreme heat and pregnancy at the American Public Health Association (APHA) 2024 annual conference. Her continued goal is to address inequalities and improve health outcomes for Black women.

MEET OUR INTERNS AND VOLUNTEERS

Lauren Gullett

INTERN

Ciara Norman

INTERN

Tiana Mason

VOLUNTEER

Aliah Mahadeo

CAPSTONE STUDENT

Meet Our Young Advisory Leadership Council

A Message From Our Founding Director, Lilly Marcelin

A message from our founding director, Lilly Marcelin:

I am often asked what motivated me to start the Resilient Sisterhood Project. I always wish that I could respond with a quick and simple answer. In reality, the concept for this organization is a culmination of my steadfast beliefs in women’s rights and health, my love of science, and many years of advocating and working in partnership with underserved women who experience(d): incest, domestic and sexual violence, human trafficking, domestic servitude, labor exploitation, and other forms of social injustice.

While working with many of these women I became keenly aware of their countless health burdens, particularly around diseases of the reproductive system. This awareness compelled me to inquire about the prevalence and impact of these diseases in women of African descent. The findings from my inquiries gave me a more in-depth understanding regarding the seriousness and consequences of these diseases in our communities.

In addition, I gained greater insights into

the prevalence of these diseases in many women of African descent including young adult girls.
the pervasive under-diagnosis and under-treatment by medical professionals.
the general lack of attention to these diseases for this racial group.
class and racial stereotypes.
stark medical and social inequities.
limited or no knowledge of these diseases.
emotional, familial, financial, and other hardships.
a culture of silence and secrecy in dealing with these diseases.
the impact of environmental toxins and synthetic hormones in our food and common household products.

These are some of the reasons behind the genesis of RSP—with its unwavering commitment for transformative social change toward more equitable reproductive health education and policies, as well as healthier women in our communities.