Founder, Executive Director

Leah Chapman is a public health researcher, advocate, and nonprofit leader driven by lived experience and a deep commitment to health equity. After spending years navigating the painful, isolating world of infertility and undiagnosed endometriosis, Leah turned her personal struggle into purpose and founded the Women’s Health Research & Action Center (WHRAC) to center the voices and needs of those often overlooked in women’s health.

A Harvard-trained public health professional, Leah brings over a decade of experience in health policy research, with a focus on reproductive justice, access to care, and systems-level solutions. She believes research should not sit on a shelf, and through WHRAC, she’s building a platform where data meets storytelling, and advocacy is rooted in community care.

Scientific Advisor

Laetitia Meyrueix is an interdisciplinary scientist, children's health policy analyst, and passionate advocate for women’s health. She holds a Ph.D. in Nutrition from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where her research focused on how environmental exposures and maternal health influence placental and fetal development through epigenetic mechanisms.

Her commitment to women’s health is both professional and deeply personal. Having navigated the challenges of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and witnessed the generational impact of under-researched conditions like endometriosis and reproductive cancers in her own family, Laetitia is acutely aware of the consequences of research gaps in women's health. As a scientist, she understands how these gaps persist; as an advocate, she is driven to help close them.

Through her role on the board, Laetitia is dedicated to advancing research-driven, equity-centered solutions that protect and promote women’s health—recognizing that supporting women’s well-being is foundational to the health of future generations.

Scientific Advisor

Mary Kathryn Poole, PhD, MPH is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health where she also completed her doctoral training. Her research focuses on translating public health nutrition research into effective policy, strengthening nutrition environments for young children, and evaluating programs that support nutrition and food security. Inspired by her own experience with infertility, she has more recently expanded her work to include reproductive health, including studies of public policies related to infertility and insurance coverage of in vitro fertilization.

Mary Kathryn is dedicated to supporting the WHRAC’s mission by making infertility a public health priority nationwide. As a Scientific Advisor, she contributes her expertise in research and community engagement, as well as insights from her personal experience with infertility, to ensure that current and future generations of Americans will be guaranteed affordable and accessible options for family building.

Strategic Growth Advisor

Darrell Pons serves as the Strategic Growth Advisor for the Women’s Health Research & Action Center, where he is passionate about building strategic partnerships and helping grow the organization’s reach and impact.

Darrell brings over a decade of experience in business development within the healthcare sector, having worked with major hospitals and health systems across the U.S., including top institutions in the Research Triangle area in North Carolina and the Houston Medical Center. He brings this deep industry knowledge to WHRAC’s mission, helping to forge connections that amplify our reach and sustainability.

His commitment to WHRAC is also deeply personal. After going through the IVF process alongside his wife and witnessing firsthand the emotional, physical, and financial challenges that individuals face, Darrell became an advocate for more compassionate, well-funded, and inclusive women’s health care. Hearing the stories of so many women navigating under-researched conditions, from infertility to endometriosis, made a lasting impression on him and inspired his involvement in this work. Through his role, he is working to connect WHRAC with values-aligned sponsors, donors, and collaborators to ensure this critical work continues to grow and thrive.

Clinical Liaison

Lindsey is a dedicated Nurse Practitioner who has spent her career caring for the tiniest and most vulnerable patients in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Florida, where her passion for women’s and children’s health began. As a mother of two beautiful daughters, Lindsey’s commitment to women’s health is both professional and deeply personal. She believes that every woman deserves compassionate, informed care throughout all stages of life. Through her work with the Women’s Health Research & Action Center, Lindsey is excited to help drive research, advocacy, and community support for women navigating health challenges.