About Us Independent Women is the public-facing umbrella brand uniting the 501(c)(3) Independent Women's Forum, the 501(c)(4) Independent Women's Voice, the Independent Women's Law Center, and a network of issue-focused policy centers to advance women's freedom, opportunity, and well-being. As of mid-2026, the organization founded in 1992 as the Independent Women's Forum (IWF) operates publicly under the broader "Independent Women" brand, which now encompasses IWF (the 501(c)(3) research arm), Independent Women's Voice (IWV, its 501(c)(4) advocacy affiliate), the Independent Women's Law Center (IWLC), Independent Women's Features (storytelling), Independent Women's Network (grassroots), and six issue-specific policy centers (AI & Technology, American Safety & Security, Better Health, Economic Opportunity, Energy & Conservation, and Education Freedom). ^^ Submitter's Note: This StratML rendition of the Independent Women "about us" statement was compiled by Claude.ai and edited in the form at https://stratml.us/forms/Claude/Part1.html. ^^ It was prompted by a June 26, 2026, Fox News op-ed by Yali Nuñez, a visiting fellow with Independent Women, on the 250th anniversary of American independence: https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/lucky-enough-escape-cuban-socialism-americas-250th-reminds- ^^ It supersedes the prior plan at https://stratml.us/docs/IWF.xml Independent Women IW _05f8b285-18e5-4acc-a7eb-51b3179ae0df A Winchester, Virginia-based nonprofit network, legally rooted in the Independent Women's Forum (IWF), a 501(c)(3) founded in 1992, now operating publicly as "Independent Women" alongside its 501(c)(4) affiliate Independent Women's Voice (IWV) and the Independent Women's Law Center (IWLC). American Women Women whose freedom, opportunities, and well-being the organization seeks to advance through policy research and advocacy. American Families Families affected by policy on taxes, education, health care, energy, and child care. Policymakers Federal, state, and local officials and legislators to whom the organization directs its research, testimony, and amicus briefs. Donors & Supporters Individuals and foundations who fund the organization's research, advocacy, and legal work. News Media Journalists and outlets who carry the organization's commentary, research, and member stories to the public. IW Board of Directors Independent Women’s Forum is governed by an independent Board of Directors Heather R. Higgins Chairman Giovanna Cugnasca The Hon. Nan Hayworth Board Member; Senior Fellow Larry Kudlow Adele Malpass Abby Moffat Mike Rydin Dick Weiss IW Team The Women of Independent Women ~ Independent Women is proud to be home to some of the brightest, kindest, and most interesting women in the world. Meet our team! Carrie Lukas President Amber Schwartz Executive Vice President Dr. Qanta Ahmed Senior Fellow Diana Banister Visiting Fellow Lynn Bensur Communications Director Rebecca Bohlman Social Media Manager Kelsey Bolar Founder, IW Features Andrea Bottner Senior Vice President for External Relations Jennifer C. Braceras Founder, Independent Women's Law Center Sekayi Brunson Director of Creative Concepts Rebecca Burgess Senior Fellow Julia Butch Communications Assistant for Media Relations Rachel Chiu Visiting Fellow Allie Coghan Ambassador Ellie Cohanim Senior Fellow Chelsea Coleman External Relations Intern Victoria Coley Senior Vice President for Communications Katie Cook Policy Research Assistant Kamryn Crane Budget and Entitlement Reform Policy Analyst Neeraja Deshpande Policy Analyst Caroline Downey Senior Fellow Lyndsey Fifield Visiting Fellow Chelsea Follett Visiting Fellow Jayme Franklin Visiting Fellow Madeline Fry Schultz Visiting Fellow Aleksandra Gadzala Tirziu Senior Fellow Kelly Garcia Visiting Fellow Reagan Reese Visiting Fellow Ginny Gentles Senior Fellow Kim Gossling Investor Relations Coordinator Julie Gunlock Director, Independent Women's Network Beverly Hallberg Senior Fellow Kayli Hamilton Advocacy Associate Taylor Hathorn Visiting Fellow Hannah Hawkins Marketing Intern Hadley Heath Manning Senior Fellow Beth Herman Visiting Fellow Gabriella Hoffman Director, Center for Energy and Conservation McKenzie Holmes Operations & Editorial Manager Amie Ichikawa Ambassador Dr. Keri D. Ingraham Senior Fellow Mallory Jammullamudy Communications Coordinator Samantha Janney Visiting Fellow Emily Jashinsky Senior Fellow Jordanne Kemper Director of Advocacy Kiara Kennedy Membership Manager Martha Kennedy Communications Intern Nicole Kiprilov Visiting Fellow Paige Lambermont Visiting Fellow Krysia Lenzo Visiting Fellow Karin Lips Senior Fellow Heather Madden Vice President for Policy Initiatives May Mailman Director, Independent Women's Law Center Sarah Makin Visiting Fellow Elisha Maldonado Senior Fellow Marion Mass, M.D. Contributor Meredith May Media Relations Coordinator Kaylee McGhee White Editor-in-Chief, IW Features Adriana McLamb Marketing Director Casidy McMeans Investor Relations Database and Strategic Operations Manager Payton McNabb Ambassador Andrea Mew Managing Editor, IW Features Emma Miccoli Media Relations Manager Britton Miller Junior Fellow Meaghan Mobbs Director, Center for American Safety and Security Sarah Montalbano Senior Fellow Angela Morabito Senior Fellow Prisha Mosley Ambassador Whitney Munro Contributor, IW Features Abigail New Data Coordinator Faith Nosek Social Media Intern Yali Nuñez Visiting Fellow Jennifer Oliver O'Connell Visiting Fellow Patrice Onwuka Vice President for Economic Policy Kaitlin Owens Advocacy Manager Beth Parlato Senior Legal Counsel Anna Pingel Visiting Fellow Judy Pino Communications Elizabeth Renkert Social Media Assistant Allyson Reyna IWN Coordinator Lorena Riely Senior Administrative Officer Sydney Rodman Visiting Fellow Taylor Russell Advertising Coordinator Naomi Schaefer Riley Senior Fellow Kristin Shapiro Senior Fellow Carrie Sheffield Director, Center for AI and Technology Shelby Sorensen Communications Intern Miranda Spindt Health Policy Fellow Inez Feltscher Stepman Senior Policy and Legal Analyst Alexandra Stricker Investor Relations Intern Lindsey Stroud Visiting Fellow Heather Swinney Growth & Partnerships Lead Press Team Communications Alina Voss Visiting Fellow Courtney Watson Deputy Director, External Relations Charlotte Whelan Policy Managing Editor Jamie Whitefield Director of Investor Relations Sarah Wilder Visiting Fellow Aubrey Wursten Visiting Fellow Monique Yohanan Director, Center for Better Health A nation in which trusted, fact-based advocacy reshapes public preferences and policy toward greater individual liberty, economic opportunity, and family well-being for all Americans. _a7fee261-0d46-4e5a-bfe3-68df70520c3b To develop and advance policies that go beyond good intentions to genuinely enhance the freedom, opportunities, and well-being of women, families, and the nation. _c94c186d-b2d2-4ba1-89e2-42b234b76693 Economic Liberty Confidence in free markets and limited government over centralized planning as the surer path to prosperity. Personal Responsibility Emphasis on individual initiative and choice over reliance on government provision. Political Freedom Commitment to constitutional limits on government and protection of individual rights. Policy Research Develop rigorous, free-market research and analysis across the issues most important to women and their families. _f67264b1-c48d-4d9b-a28f-7dae49c666aa 1 AI and Tech Policy Advance the Center for AI and Technology's research on artificial intelligence and emerging technology policy. _4f8d5733-27c9-4ea1-87fe-ec31a63e22be 1.1 Safety and Security Advance the Center for American Safety and Security's work on crime, national defense, and public safety policy. _394b4855-4dc7-4c2b-9fa9-880d81c27dff 1.2 Health Policy Advance the Center for Better Health's research on health care costs, access, and wellness policy. _cfaab2c7-0134-4297-87de-72aa0c698212 1.3 Economic Opportunity Advance the Center for Economic Opportunity's research on jobs, taxes, regulation, and government spending. _a9c116f2-1f0b-4b57-8c21-d31f41dc12c2 1.4 Energy Policy Advance the Center for Energy and Conservation's research on energy abundance and environmental policy. _a150c73b-144d-441e-a713-36948270fb30 1.5 Education Freedom Advance the Education Freedom Center's research on school choice, K-12, and higher-education policy. _4906638e-069e-48ad-9f96-fb4872a125e7 1.6 Public Storytelling Bring policy issues to life through real people's stories and build an engaged grassroots community nationwide. _66a3fdd5-6582-4c18-80e9-89fb8f168210 2 Real Stories Identify and tell the stories of real people through Independent Women's Features to humanize policy debates. _9d106d7b-4132-4425-9c98-a51643950462 2.1 Grassroots Network Build and educate a nationwide network of local advocates through Independent Women's Network. _745174ab-9d08-4c2e-ba6f-49a32a19c7e6 2.2 Legal Advocacy Advance litigation and legal advocacy defending equal opportunity, individual liberty, and freedom of association. _b2bdbb62-1a01-488e-b65d-9293517650b2 3 Law Center Operate the Independent Women's Law Center (IWLC) to litigate and advise on sex-based and constitutional legal issues. _2509ce1c-fb4e-46aa-a845-5f2db7802432 3.1 Voter Education Educate and mobilize voters, particularly independent and center-leaning women, in support of the organization's policy priorities. _c0028e87-741d-4674-998a-6babc89a11e5 4 Issue Advocacy Operate Independent Women's Voice (IWV), the affiliated 501(c)(4) organization, to advocate directly for policy and electoral outcomes. _f705072e-0336-495f-afff-b5eabae8527b 4.1 1992-12-31 2026-06-28 https://www.independentwomen.com/about/ Owen Ambur Owen.Ambur@verizon.net