Irene Shih is a social impact entrepreneur and two-time nonprofit CEO. Before becoming the Founding CEO of Pave HER Way, she was the inaugural CEO of Minds Matter Bay Area, a mentorship nonprofit that helped 100% of its 400 students graduate from 4-year colleges. For 21 years, Irene has advocated for underserved families in California, Arizona, Massachusetts, and Connecticut.
She currently serves on FACES SF’s governing Board and previously held leadership roles at Teach For America and The Achievement Network. As a first-generation Chinese immigrant from a low-income family, Irene owes her story to those who sponsored her potential. She pays her luck forward by building a movement that will empower other women to dream big and change the world.
Alex Bratman brings more than two decades of experience in finance, operations, and organizational leadership. Her early career in finance and entertainment at JPMorgan Chase and Immersive Pictures gave her first hand experience navigating industries where women have often had to work harder to be seen and heard. Her journey has also been shaped by raising two daughters and caring for her parents through the end of their lives. As Chief of Staff at Pave HER Way, Alex partners with Founding CEO, Irene Shih, to translate vision into execution, build scalable systems, and help create the foundation for the organization’s continued growth and impact.
Sasha Kress has spent over ten years helping nonprofits turn big promises into real, tangible impact. She specializes in building the systems, infrastructure, and networks that let mission-driven organizations deliver on what they set out to do. Her work is grounded in a lifelong commitment to volunteerism and a firm belief that equity-centered programs don’t just help individuals - they lift entire communities.
Jamie Mohn, Psy.D., is the Co-Founder of Pave HER Way and a clinical psychologist in private practice in Los Angeles. After earning her degree in Journalism from USC, Jamie received her doctorate from the California School of Professional Psychology, where her research focused on the impact of domestic violence on children.
She developed an intervention program for pre-adolescents designed to help interrupt the cycle of domestic violence across generations. Her experiences have shaped her passion for creating opportunities for women and her belief that women everywhere have the talent, vision, courage, and ideas to create meaningful change.
Joe Blackstone is the Founder, President, and CEO of Blackstone Consulting, Inc. (BCI), an integrated facilities services company he has grown into one of the largest Black-owned services companies in the United States, with nearly $1 billion in annual revenue and more than 10,000 employees nationwide. Before founding BCI, Joe held leadership roles at IBM and Bain & Company. Together with his wife, Jamie Mohn, and their daughter, Joe co-founded the J3 Foundation, which expands literacy opportunities for underserved students, and later co-founded Pave HER Way, reflecting their family's shared commitment to expanding opportunity, removing barriers, and empowering women to achieve their fullest potential.
Irene Shih is a social impact entrepreneur and two-time nonprofit CEO. Before becoming the Founding CEO of Pave HER Way, she was the inaugural CEO of Minds Matter Bay Area, a mentorship nonprofit that helped 100% of its 400 students graduate from 4-year colleges. For 21 years, Irene has advocated for underserved families in California, Arizona, Massachusetts, and Connecticut.
She currently serves on FACES SF’s governing Board and previously held leadership roles at Teach For America and The Achievement Network. As a first-generation Chinese immigrant from a low-income family, Irene owes her story to those who sponsored her potential. She pays her luck forward by building a movement that will empower other women to dream big and change the world.
Jamie Mohn, Psy.D., is the Co-Founder of Pave HER Way and a clinical psychologist in private practice in Los Angeles. After earning her degree in Journalism from USC, Jamie received her doctorate from the California School of Professional Psychology, where her research focused on the impact of domestic violence on children.
She developed an intervention program for pre-adolescents designed to help interrupt the cycle of domestic violence across generations. Her experiences have shaped her passion for creating opportunities for women and her belief that women everywhere have the talent, vision, courage, and ideas to create meaningful change.
Joe Blackstone is the Founder, President, and CEO of Blackstone Consulting, Inc. (BCI), an integrated facilities services company he has grown into one of the largest Black-owned services companies in the United States, with nearly $1 billion in annual revenue and more than 10,000 employees nationwide. Before founding BCI, Joe held leadership roles at IBM and Bain & Company. Together with his wife, Jamie Mohn, and their daughter, Joe co-founded the J3 Foundation, which expands literacy opportunities for underserved students, and later co-founded Pave HER Way, reflecting their family's shared commitment to expanding opportunity, removing barriers, and empowering women to achieve their fullest potential.
Sean Edrington serves on the founding board of Pave HER Way because he believes real investment, not symbolic recognition, drives lasting change for women and girls. A Senior Vice President at UBS, he coleads Pacific Peak Partners and has spent 25 years working with women founders, executives, and matriarchs of multi-generational families. Sean lives in Fairfax with his wife Sara, a marriage and teen therapist whose work has shaped his understanding of the emotional dimensions of resilience, and their two children.
Courtney Morgan-Greene is an immigration attorney and advocate for immigrants and families, as well as a longtime civic leader committed to equity and inclusion. She has served on the City of Los Angeles Human Relations Commission since 2014, including as Commission President, leading initiatives focused on racial equity, policing, and building relationships across diverse communities. Her work has included creating opportunities for young adults and community members to engage with civic institutions and decision-makers. Courtney brings two decades of legal experience and a deep commitment to expanding opportunity, leadership, and belonging to her service on the Pave HER Way Board.
Marisol León is a civil rights attorney, educator, and advocate. For more than a decade, she has served as a civil rights attorney with the California Department of Justice and has also taught with the Critical Theory and Social Justice Department at Occidental College. A first-generation college graduate, she earned degrees from Yale, Loyola Marymount University's School of Education, and UC Berkeley School of Law. Before entering the legal profession, she taught middle and high school students and worked alongside social movements in Mexico and Brazil. Her work reflects a commitment to systemic change and creating pathways for women and others who have historically faced barriers to access and opportunity.
Priscilla Levine, LCSW, is a licensed clinical social worker, NYU Graduate School of Social Work graduate, and higher education leader dedicated to accessibility, inclusion, and student success. Since 2006, she has served as Director of Disability Support Services at Loyola Marymount University. Previously, she spent 15 years with The Actors Fund of America supporting professionals in the performing arts. As a Pave HER Way board member, Priscilla is passionate about expanding access, empowering women, and helping every individual reach their highest potential.
Lynette Merriman, Ed.D. is a higher education leader dedicated to helping students, faculty, and staff succeed. She serves as Associate Vice Provost for Campus Support & Intervention at the University of Southern California (USC) and is an adjunct faculty member in USC's Rossier School of Education, mentoring the next generation of campus leaders. Lynette knows that her accomplishments were not achieved independently and is grateful for the mentors and supporters who invested in her own journey. Through Pave HER Way she is excited to pay forward opportunities for other women’s success.
Araceli Mohn is a designer with a background in architecture and branding. As a first-generation Mexican American, she often navigated opportunities no one in her family had experienced before. Those experiences shaped both her definition of success and her commitment to serving as a founding board member of Pave HER Way. She believes success is measured by the difference you make, the opportunities you create, and the people you bring with you. She hopes her work helps those who follow carry a little less and dream much bigger.
Sarah Stegemoeller is a retired corporate and tax attorney who spent more than a decade at Public Counsel, the nation's largest pro bono public interest law firm, advising nonprofits serving communities experiencing poverty. She previously practiced business and tax law and has held numerous nonprofit leadership roles, including chairing the Santa Monica Commission on the Status of Women. Sarah joined the Pave HER Way Board to help build a foundation that removes barriers and paves the way for women and girls to fulfill their ambitions and positively impact the world.
Marla Tellez is an award-winning Los Angeles news anchor who credits her early adversity for fueling her success. Raised by a single mom, she built her TV career relying on her own vision and work ethic. Today, Marla’s greatest joy is her family. After an IVF journey, she and her husband, Jon, welcomed their baby girl in Spring 2025. As a Pave HER Way board member, Marla wants to lead by example, showing her daughter the importance of paying it forward and proving a lack of privilege doesn’t limit potential. She is dedicated to ensuring every woman can pave her own extraordinary path.