Staff

Maria Hernandez

Learning & Engagement Manager

Maria is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with minors in Nonprofit Organizational Studies and Social Justice. Maria is passionate about sexual and reproductive health, particularly filling the gaps in access to high-quality health resources for communities of color. As a proud Latina and sex-positive advocate, she has witnessed the linguistic, cultural, and systemic obstacles many women in her community face when seeking education and support related to sexual health.

Irissa Baxter-Luper

Postsecondary Engagement Coordinator

Irissa has a Masters of Arts in Holocaust and Genocide Studies with a focus on identity-based systemic oppression. She joins TCI with years of experience in gender- and sexuality-based advocacy and education, serving for the past six years at Oklahoma State University’s Coordinator of Women’s and LGBTQ Affairs and as a campus Sexual Assault Victim Advocate. She loves working with her LGBTQ+ community and was a 2021 recipient of the city of Stillwater’s Leaders Under 40. In her free time, Irissa loves watching (and analyzing) horror films, spending time with her spouse and pets, and playing video games. She’s so excited to be returning to her hometown of Tulsa to join the TCI team in empowering individuals’ bodily autonomy and health.

Candice Holley

Clinical Training & Data Manager

Candice coordinates the Clinical Training of the TCI+ quality improvement project. Candice brings a degree in Health Education and Community Health, years of consulting experience in medical device and clinical data integration, and working with hospital systems and clinics all around the United States and Canada. Her efforts also led her to Alaska where she worked for the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium in Biomedical Engineering and Clinical Informatics Training expanding care, education, and access to information. Candice has a passion for culture, community and Women’s Health, and believes in the power of connecting with people.

Caitlin Beasley

Policy Engagement Manager

Caitlin engages with partners, stakeholders, and the community at large to expand awareness and create meaningful change around women’s health issues. With a background in historical research and communications, she is passionate about trauma-informed, ethical storytelling and the power of compelling narratives in driving actionable empathy. Caitlin joined TCI to support and grow the Metriarch project, where she focuses on democratizing policy and the data that should be informing it. She earned her Masters degree in the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine from the University of Oklahoma and most recently worked with Domestic Violence Intervention Services.

Tommy Yap

Legislative & Policy Analyst

Tommy Yap is a self-described policy wonk and currently serves as the Legislative & Policy Analyst for Metriarch®. Tommy comes from a family of public servants and has been excited about civics since childhood. He earned a B.A. in Political Science and Master of Public Administration from Cal Poly Pomona. Tommy holds the core belief that policy and civics should be understandable to everyone. He is dedicated to breaking down issues, concepts, and physical barriers to constituent and voter access. He is known for his ability to take even the muddiest policy and break it down into concise meaningful pieces for the everyday Oklahoman. His efforts have included writings, the creation of interactive graphics, video, organizing, and presentations to a wide range of groups including the Oklahoma Legislature.

Paola Almanza

Creative Marketing Manager

Paola manages Take Control’s social media platforms, marketing, and supports the team through the design and production of key materials such as video, ad images, and outreach resources. She also supports the marketing for Metriarch and Tulsa Birth Equity Initiative. An Oklahoma native, Paola received her Bachelors in Strategic Communication with a minor in Graphic Design from Rogers State University and gained experienced through her internships at Create the Movement, City of Tulsa’s Mayor’s Office, and Schnake Turnbo Frank.

Brandy Hammons

Operations & Development Manger

Brandy coordinates events and manages the day-to-day operations of TCI and TCI+. Brandy earned her BA in Organizational Leadership from Southern Nazarene University and is passionate about non-profit work focused on empowering women. Before joining the Take Control Initiative, Brandy acted as the Program and Marketing Manager for Tulsa Girls Art School.

LaTonya Scott

Equity & Partnership Director

LaTonya implements TCI+ programmatic quality improvement supports, providing technical assistance and best-practice integration to participating clinic sites. She received her Masters of Public Health from University of Oklahoma and most recently worked with the Carrera Program.

Alice Blue

Clinical Services Director

Alice coordinates the implementation of the TCI+ quality improvement project by providing project management, technical assistance and best-practice integration to participating clinic sites. Alice received her Masters of Social Work from Yeshiva University and has years of nonprofit experience with Community Service Council and Carrera Program.

Jacqueline Blocker

Data & Policy Director

Jacqueline directs the collection, analysis, dissemination and utilization of health data from national, state and local levels to create and implement policy change and public awareness. Jacqueline’s focus and passion is educating and engaging the community at large, and teaching others how to advocate and build capacity for effective and impactful change. Jacqueline joined the TCI team to deepen the expansion of the statewide women’s health collaborative, Metriarch. Jacqueline graduated from Harvard University with a B.A. in Organizational Sociology and went on to obtain her Juris Doctorate from UMKC where her studies focused on Legislation and Environmental and Urban Law. Previously,  Jacqueline practiced corporate defense, focusing on Environmental and Employment Law.

Gaby Lagorin

Program Director

Gaby manages the strategic building and maintaining of community relationships, including but not limited to families, community organizations, healthcare partners and community leaders. Her work focuses on strategically bridging community and healthcare spaces. She previously served as the Clinical Services Director, having joined the team as the Education and Social Media Coordinator in 2015. Gaby graduated from Oklahoma State University where she studied International Business and served as a City Year Corps Member in Tulsa before joining Take Control.

Mindy Galoob

Deputy Director

Mindy oversees the administrative operations of Take Control and  leads the TCI+ clinic quality improvement project, a multi-year effort to meet the objectives of improving access to contraception and reproductive healthcare services. Mindy earned her BA in Women’s Studies from the University of Oklahoma and her MBA in nonprofit management from American University. Prior to joining the Take Control Initiative, Mindy managed operations in a variety of nonprofit and foundation settings both locally and in San Francisco.

Laura Bellis

Executive Director

Laura Bellis is a relentless community organizer, educator and mentor working across public health, education and local/state policy spaces. Within her first four years at Take Control, Laura has strategically scaled the team to incorporate a clinical quality improvement initiative, a post-secondary peer-health initiative, and incubate a statewide data collaborative, Metriarch.

Laura is deeply involved in the Tulsa community. She has served on the City of Tulsa’s Human Rights Commission since 2017, serving as vice chair in 2018, and a subsequent two years as chair. Since 2015, she has worked on the municipal level of policing policy. In March of 2020, Laura co-founded Save Our State: Oklahomans United, a grassroots organization focused on COVID-19 resources & policies. In August of 2022, Laura was elected to the Tulsa City Council representing Council District 4.