Breaking Down the Ballot: Live

Breanna is passionate about creating spaces that empower Black women and girls to advocate for their health and well-being. Her advocacy experience includes working in the New Jersey State Legislature, where she supported constituents and engaged with issues affecting immigrant and underserved communities. Breanna is especially interested in addressing disparities in maternal health, healthcare access, and patient advocacy, and hopes to pursue a career at the intersection of healthcare and law.

She currently serves as the Senior Director of Research and Community Engagement at United States of Care where she leads the people-centered research and listening approaches to drive state, federal, and private sector policy change. Her body of work is centered on elevating voices of populations marginalized by the health care system and addressing health inequities and health disparities using qualitative and community-based participatory approaches. She also has extensive experience in community capacity building, health communication, implementation science, and evaluation of public health programs, and brings these experiences to academia as an adjunct faculty instructor at Emory Rollins School of Public Health. She received her Bachelor of Science Degree from Tennessee State University, her Master of Science in Public Health from Meharry Medical College, and her PhD in Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior from the University of South Carolina.

She is currently the Campagn Manager for the National Urban Leagues' Reclaim Your Vote Campaign as well as a Partner at Arc Initiatives, a Washington DC-based public affairs firm. She recently led the Democratic Party’s efforts for the GA Senate Runoff elections, flipping the balance of power in the US Senate. During the 2020 election cycle she served as Vice President of Advocacy and Elections at More than a Vote, a coalition of black professional athletes fighting black voter suppression through advocacy, education, and mobilization. Originally from Marietta, GA; she first began her work in Georgia with local candidates and went on to serve as Southern Regional Director for the Democratic National Committee, Co founder and Chief Program Officer at Organizing Corps 2020 and in leadership roles on the 2008, 2012, and 2016 Presidential campaigns. She recently completed a fellowship at the Georgetown Institute of Politics and Public Service.

Dr. Keeys was formerly a Congressional Chief of Staff and Executive Director of the Congressional Black Caucus Health Braintrust.

Dr. Keeys also served as the inaugural Director of Health Equity Policy and Advocacy of the American Medical Association’s Center for Optimal Health Outcomes (née Center for Health Equity).

The National Minority Quality Forum recognizes Dr. Keeys as a 40 Under 40 Leader in Minority Health. Globally, Dr. Keeys has been an HIV/AIDS researcher in South Africa and a U.S. Fulbright Fellow to Indonesia, where she lived and worked in various teaching, public health speaking, and research capacities for three years, while simultaneously learning the national language. She is also a TedX speaker.

Dr. Keeys holds Bachelor of Arts degrees in English and Psychology from Cheyney University, and a Master of Arts degree in Medical Sociology from Vanderbilt University, where she was a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Policy Fellow through Meharry Medical College. She received her Doctorate of Public Health from the Milken Institute School of Public Health at The George Washington University. Her dissertation is a first-of-its-kind study on the intersection of health equity, health policy, and artificial intelligence. Committed to the business of health equity, Dr. Keeys is currently an executive MBA student of Yale University School of Management. Dr. Keeys is also a creative non-fiction writer, with training from the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.

Fenika holds an MBA from Wesleyan College and a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Fort Valley State University. She earned executive certifications in Non-Profit Entrepreneurial Leadership and Power, Innovation & Leadership, further enriching the diversity of her skill set.

Her dedication to social impact, advocacy for Black women and girls, and grassroots organizational capacity and power-building with Black Voters Matter Fund, has made an enduring impact on numerous southern communities. This has positioned her as a notable champion for positive change and a respected figure in her field. Fenika is the visionary owner of Succeed Cowork – the first co-working community and entrepreneur incubator for women in Houston County.

With two decades of experience in grassroots advocacy, reproductive justice, and program innovation, she has dedicated her career to dismantling systemic barriers, improving maternal health outcomes, and advancing justice-centered solutions. As a mother, Certified Professional Midwife, Licensed Professional Counselor, and Co-founding President and CEO of Mamatoto Village, she has redefined approaches to perinatal health and workforce development. Her expertise in designing scalable, justice-driven interventions has made her a sought-after strategist and thought leader. Dr. Nedhari’s work challenges the status quo, demonstrating that investing in community-driven care models is essential to strengthening families, creating thriving communities, and lasting systemic change. She holds a Doctorate in Human Services with a concentration in Organizational Leadership and Management. Her research focused on the sustainability and resiliency of Black-led social change organizations. Guided by a bold vision for a liberated future, Dr. Nedhari leverages her expertise to cultivate leadership and create pathways toward healthier families, stronger communities, and a more just society.

Dr. Whitt-Glover received her BA (Exercise Physiology, 1993) and MA (Exercise Physiology, 1996) from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She received her Ph.D. (Epidemiology, 1999) from the University of South Carolina. Dr. Whitt-Glover completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine (2000 – 2002).