BOARD MEMBERS & STAFF

Chief Medical Officer

Co-Founder, Board Chair

Board Member

Board Member

Board Member

Board Member

Board Member

Board Member

Board Member

Board Member

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Clare Dougherty has worked at the intersection of public policy, communications, and mission-driven leadership for the last 25 years, focusing on the health and well-being of women and children. Prior to joining the Brem Foundation to Defeat Breast Cancer, Clare spent over 15 years at the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF), working to promote, enhance, and protect the organization’s global brand reputation, while building stakeholder and donor support for its mission to end AIDS in children, youth, and families.

During her tenure at EGPAF, Clare also held senior positions in Public Policy & Advocacy and the Office of the President, advancing major legislative priorities and driving Board engagement. Clare has served as director of International Programs at the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and as deputy chief of staff on Capitol Hill. She holds a master’s degree in Urban Affairs and Planning from Hunter College and a bachelor’s degree in Communication from Boston University.

A recovering New Yorker, Clare is a longtime Washington, D.C. resident, along with her husband and two sons. She has been an avid supporter and volunteer in her local schools and loves taking long walks on Capitol Hill; attending Washington Nationals games; and keeping up with her active, baseball-obsessed family.

DIRECTOR OF STRATEGY AND PROGRAMMING

Julia Lichtman Kepniss, a DC native and recovering lawyer, spent the last 14 years as an entrepreneur, starting and running businesses in the area. Before and during law school, Julia worked in various non-profits, primarily with underserved communities, in operations, direct service, legal services and policy. After catching an entrepreneurial bug at the Georgetown University Law Center, Julia founded a high-end, customer-focused bridal shop called Hitched. Over 10 years, Hitched grew from an idea into a multi-million dollar, Georgetown-based company with 15 employees, winning local and national accolades for it's fresh, experience-centered vibe. After selling Hitched four years ago, Julia founded FONBOOTH, a fixture for public restrooms to hold cell phones. This user-experience product can be found in universities, hotels, restaurants, convention centers and stadiums.

Ultimately wanting to return to her mission-focused roots, Julia is thrilled be expanding the reach of Brem's life-saving message and working to increase coverage of diagnostic testing for DC area women in need. 

Julia is a lucky mom of two energetic, funny kiddos (6 & 10). She loves her walkable neighborhood, family movie nights, Maryland crabs and binge-worthy detective series.

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

Natalie has been in mission-driven work for the last ten years. Originally from the Washington, DC area, she graduated from Sweet Briar College in rural VA in 2013 with a BA in Business Management.

Prior to joining Brem Foundation in 2019, Natalie followed her passion for serving others and completed an extended service with the Peace Corps as a Community Economic Development volunteer in Senegal, where she worked with the local community to develop income-generating activities and trained women’s groups in financial literacy.

Following her Peace Corps service, Natalie worked with a social enterprise bringing solar technology to rural West Africa, leading a pilot program for solar home systems and TV kits in Senegal and Mali. She was also a mentor to high school graduates completing a fellowship gap year program through a non-profit, Global Citizen year, providing support and facilitating workshops for the fellows.

At Brem Foundation, Natalie is the Director of Operations, keeping the organizational wheels running and taking care of all the administrative needs for Brem. But most importantly, she enjoys being a part of a small team of strong and ambitious women, and getting the message out about the importance of early detection to make a difference in women’s lives.

OPERATIONS ASSOCIATE

Jessica Horwitch has worked in the nonprofit industry for nearly four years. While pursuing a Bachelor's degree in English, she found grant writing a fulfilling challenge that unites her zeal for writing and passion for giving back to her community. She has written numerous awarded grants and has worked at a variety of nonprofits in underserved communities across the country. Her positions have included development, operations, and community engagement roles.

Jessica's work in programming and community outreach for a Communities for Immunity awardee and her grant writing for Thresholds has catapulted her advocacy for equitable access to medical care and education. She's excited to be working at Brem Foundation, supporting a team and organization whose focus on early detection highlights the importance of not only early diagnosis but also champions the importance of equitable access to medical care and education.

PART-TIME CONSULTANT

Oyindamola Shoola is a writer and Co-founder of Sprinng, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting African writers. As a polymath, she pursued a diverse academic background to match her interests, including an Associate Degree in Psychology from Bronx Community College and a Bachelor’s Degree in Organizational Behavior and Change from New York University. She recently completed a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing - Poetry at the American University. 

Oyin worked in the education industry for over six years in college success advising and career coaching roles while interning at top book publishing companies. Using her storytelling skills, she has helped students secure over a million dollars in scholarships and gain admission to several top academic programs. 

PART-TIME CONSULTANT

Oyindamola Shoola is a writer and Co-founder of Sprinng, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting African writers. As a polymath, she pursued a diverse academic background to match her interests, including an Associate Degree in Psychology from Bronx Community College and a Bachelor’s Degree in Organizational Behavior and Change from New York University. She recently completed a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing - Poetry at the American University. 

Oyin worked in the education industry for over six years in college success advising and career coaching roles while interning at top book publishing companies. Using her storytelling skills, she has helped students secure over a million dollars in scholarships and gain admission to several top academic programs. 

2025 DEVELOPMENT INTERN

Rida Mahmood is a junior at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, majoring in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology on the pre-med track. She is working towards a career in medicine, with a particular focus on neurology and surgery. Rida is dedicated to leveraging her scientific background to improve patient care and make a meaningful impact in the healthcare field.

Outside of her academic pursuits, Rida works as a medical scribe at UMD Dermatology, where she supports healthcare providers in delivering efficient, high-quality care. Prior to this, she gained valuable experience working at Mercy Medical Center in the OB/GYN department, where her passion for preventative care and advocacy for women's health was ignited. This experience deepened her commitment to advancing healthcare access and promoting wellness for women.

In addition to her work in the healthcare field, Rida volunteers as a Blood Donor Ambassador with the American Red Cross, where she helps educate and encourage community members to donate blood, furthering her mission to support public health.

Rida is excited to join Brem and collaborate with their team to take the next steps in preventative care for women, continuing to build on her passion for healthcare advocacy and wellness.