Brian J. Worrell
City Councilor, District 4

Brian Worrell is the Boston City Councilor for District 4, which includes Mattapan, Dorchester, and parts of Jamaica Plain and Roslindale.

A native Bostonian, Brian was raised by parents who migrated to the United States from Jamaica and Barbados in search of the American dream. Through his parents’ hard work, determination, and belief in their community, Brian was given access to opportunity in Boston. He graduated from METCO and earned a bachelor’s degree at Northeastern University, majoring in accounting and entrepreneurship, and eventually becoming the proud owner of a Boston-based business.

As a small business owner who helped dozens of first-time homebuyers realize the goal of homeownership, Brian learned the ins and outs of city government. Since taking office, he’s continued this commitment to the community by proposing legislation that addresses the challenges facing the district and leveraging his knowledge and experiences with city government to deliver for his constituents. He is the proud father of a 1-year-old boy.

Dr. Ndidiamaka Amutah-Onukagha
Julia A. Okoro Professor of Black Maternal Health
Department of Public Health and Community Medicine
Tufts University School of Medicine

Dr. Amutah-Onukagha is the Founder and Director of the Center of Black Maternal Health and Reproductive Justice (CBMHRJ), and of the Maternal Outcomes of Translational Health Equity Research (MOTHER) Lab. In addition, she is the founder of the largest conference on Black maternal health in the United States held annually in April during Black maternal health week. In its 7th year, the conference attracts participants from over 46 states and 10 countries. An active scholar, Dr. Amutah-Onukagha’s research investigates maternal health disparities, infant mortality, reproductive health and social justice, and HIV/AIDS as experienced by Black women. She also serves as the inaugural Assistant Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for the university’s Public Health and Professional Degree Programs.

A well-published author, Dr. Amutah-Onukagha’s research has been presented in over 80 manuscripts, 8 book chapters, a best-selling book on Amazon, and a textbook on culturally responsive evaluation. Her research has also been featured across a series of platforms, including, The Lancet, TedX, USA Today, MSNBC and most recently in the New York Times. She also serves on the editorial board for the Journal of Women’s Health Issues. Currently, Dr. Amutah-Onukagha is the Principal Investigator of two multi-year studies on maternal mortality and morbidity, an R01 funded by National Institutes of Health and an interdisciplinary grant on maternal health equity funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. 

Dr. Amutah-Onukagha received her Master of Public Health from The George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services before completing her Ph.D. in Public Health from the University of Maryland. 

Renée Boynton-Jarrett, MD, ScD
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
Boston Medical Center and Boston University School of Medicine
Founding Executive Director, Vital Village Networks

Renée Boynton-Jarrett, a pediatrician and social epidemiologist, is an associate professor at Boston Medical Center and Boston University School of Medicine.  She is the founding executive director of the Vital Village Networks. Vital Village uses a trauma-informed lens to improve community capacity to promote child wellbeing and advance equity through dedicated collaborative partnerships, research, data-sharing, and community leadership development in Boston and nationally through the NOW Forum and CRADLE Lab.  Her scholarship has focused on early-life adversities as life course social determinants of health. She has a specific concentration on psychosocial stress and neuroendocrine and reproductive health outcomes, including obesity, puberty, and fertility.  She is nationally recognized for work on the intersection of community violence, intimate partner violence, and child abuse and neglect and neighborhood characteristics that influence these patterns.  She has received numerous awards for teaching, clinical care, and public health including the Massachusetts Public Health Association Paul Revere Award for outstanding impact on public health.  She received her AB from Princeton University, her MD from Yale School of Medicine, and ScD in Social Epidemiology from Harvard School of Public Health, and completed residency in Pediatrics at Johns Hopkins Hospital.

Marissa Rogers, MSW
Perinatal Mental Health Therapist

Marissa is a Perinatal Mental Health Therapist specializing in care for Black women and Women of Color from prenatal care and beyond. She started her career as an early childhood educator leading to her interest in postpartum care especially as a doula. She worked at Room to Grow as a social worker, and uses her experience from her time there to inform her work now as she continues to support pregnant and postpartum families in therapy. She focuses on deconstructing patterns that stem from generational and systemic trauma, especially the Strong Black Woman narrative. She enjoys spending time with her son and watching underrated series on Hulu!

Amber Payne
Publisher & General Manager, The Emancipator

Amber Payne is an award-winning journalist, executive producer, editor and storyteller with a track record for creating bold content that drives conversation.  

Before assuming the role of Publisher/General Manager, Amber was the founding co-editor in chief of The Emancipator, a multimedia digital publication reimagining the first abolitionist newspaper for a new day. Amber was a 2021 Nieman Foundation fellow at Harvard University. She served as managing editor of BET.com and executive producer of Teen Vogue and Them. In 2015 she created and launched NBCBLK, a section of NBCNews.com dedicated to elevating the conversation around black identity, social issues, and culture. She spent a decade at NBC Nightly News, where she worked her way up from being a production assistant to producing breaking news and feature stories. Amber and her husband run Tilt Shift Media, a small production house specializing in documentaries and narrative-driven branded content.