Board of Directors

CWHC’s Board of Directors is charged with furthering our mission, securing philanthropic support for our work, and being an ambassador for us in the communities that we serve and beyond.

Riya Desai, Vice Chair

Riya Desai (she/her) hails from metro-Detroit (Go Blue!) She is a B.S. / Master of Health Administration graduate of Cornell University, where she studied at the intersection of public policy and economics with a sharp focus on the U.S. healthcare system. Her background with payors, providers, nonprofits and in consulting have bolstered her skillset to improve quality, cost and accessibility for all. Following her lifelong passion for providing equitable healthcare - especially for womxn - Riya has experience leading social justice organizations and supporting healthcare organizations in uplifting their communities.

Kristin Englund

Kristin Englund (she/her) joins the CWHC board with enthusiastic support for accessible and collaborative health care and education. As a licensed clinical professional counselor (LCPC), Kristin works at a group practice where she feels honored to counsel individuals and couples as they navigate reproductive grief and loss. Kristin grew up in Chicago and she has also lived on the other side of the lake in Southwestern Michigan. Reading and crafting are hobbies of Kristin's, but nothing comes close to the joy she gets from spending time with her two nieces. 

Akanksha Graves, Finance Chair

Akanksha (she/her) has extensive experience in marketing and communications leadership roles across multiple industries, including healthcare. As a visionary strategic advisor and innovation agent, she has successfully ideated and implemented large-scale projects, initiatives, and new technologies at some of the world’s top companies. 

Passionate about social justice and equality, particularly for marginalized communities, Akanksha is committed to improving healthcare access, education, equity, and empowerment for current and future generations. 

She holds a degree in economics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. 

Suzette Guzman

Having attended Scripps College, a women's college, Suzette's (she/her) passion for women's health and 
preventative medicine was ignited. Her journey continued at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, where she delved into medical studies, worked as a research assistant, and provided compassionate care at various free clinics. Suzette's equity-driven mindset and commitment to community health have significantly impacted marginalized communities, aligning with her dedication to creating meaningful change in healthcare. 

KT Hawbaker

Originally from rural Iowa, KT (they/them) is a storyteller and recovering journalist, now the Communications Manager at Builders Vision. An organizer and artist at heart, KT uses stories to support Builders Vision's mission and build community within the team. Their career blends social justice and creativity. KT made history as the Chicago Tribune’s first openly genderqueer Arts & Entertainment Writer and later became the Marketing Manager at Emerald City Theatre, serving all of Chicago's 50 wards. At the Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation, KT's strategic communications helped pass several bills protecting survivors' rights.  In their spare time, KT enjoys baking, making zines, dreaming up tattoos, and drawing comics—though their two energetic toddlers keep them on their toes!

Stephanie Madden

Dr. Stephanie Madden (she/her) the founder of an integrative wellness center in Wicker Park / Bucktown Chicago.  Her vision to create a healing practice where patients feel at home and enjoy the journey of wellness inspired the integrative wellness clinic that is now Copper Wellness. Dr. Madden is a licensed professional acupuncturist, board certified herbalist, and integrative medicine specialist. She graduated from AOMA Graduate School of Integrative Medicine where her doctoral research focused on chronic pain and psychosomatic therapies. Outside of work Madden loves to travel near and far, spend time with her kittens, and has an intense love of in-home gardening.