Staff
The Rippel Foundation relies on a dedicated team of full-time staff to help create and sustain its major initiatives and projects. Our creative, team-driven environment fosters the ability to work in close collaboration with a broad array of partners who, in turn, help ensure we accomplish our goal of seeding innovations in health.
The Rippel Foundation Strategy & Management Team
Becky Payne – President & CEO
As Rippel’s President and CEO, Becky Payne leads the foundation’s efforts to shape a future in which all people and communities can thrive—no exceptions. She joined Rippel in 2021 as an Executive Vice President, leading the implementation of Rippel’s programs and facilitating strategic partnerships with organizations in the philanthropic, corporate, and government sectors.
Over the last 20 years, Becky served in a variety of leadership roles within the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), where she was responsible for designing and launching new, large-scale initiatives. Prior to joining Rippel she led the development of an all-of-government plan for the equitable recovery and resilience of U.S. communities following the Covid-19 pandemic, based on the Vital Conditions framework originated by Rippel in partnership with other changemaking organizations. Prior to that, as CDC’s Deputy Chief of Staff, Becky established corporate partnerships and coordinated agency responses to significant crises, including international Zika and Ebola outbreaks and the contaminated water crisis in Flint, Michigan. Her many assignments allowed her to have a significant impact on the direction of numerous CDC activities, including global health security, healthy communities, racial and ethnic approaches to community health, adolescent and school health, and public private partnerships. In 2012, she was recognized with a CDC Honor Award for Excellence in Front Line Public Health for her leadership of the Communities Putting Prevention to Work program. Prior to joining CDC Becky was integral in establishing the Healthy Communities Program serving as the first Director of Workforce Development in the Louisiana Office of Public Health.
Becky serves on the board of directors for the Decatur Education Foundation and has been recognized by the Atlanta City Council for her community service. She holds an MPH in community health sciences with a minor in evaluation from Tulane University School of Public Health & Tropical Medicine and a BS in interdisciplinary studies in social science: health policy with a cognate in psychology from Michigan State University. In her free time, she loves to run, travel, and spend time with family.
Alan Lieber, MBA – COO and Chief Health Care Strategist
Alan is focused on supporting the Rippel Foundation team to amplify our impact in the community, develop an in depth understanding of the challenges and solutions in the health care sector, and help raise the funds necessary to do our work throughout the foundation. Alan has been a health care executive for nearly 40 years. He spent the last 18 years as president of Overlook Medical Center, which is part of the Atlantic Health System. Under his leadership, Overlook has ranked as a “Top 50” hospital by Healthgrades, and a “Top 25” environmentally friendly hospital and among the “Top 100” places to work by Fortune magazine. Also under Alan’s leadership, Overlook instituted several innovative programs that tackled major structural problems, including a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ gainsharing demonstration project as well as one of the most successful accountable care organizations in the country. During Alan’s tenure, Overlook also established the Thomas Glasser Caregivers Center, as well as a community-based program to educate families on having crucial end-of-life conversations and a “Walk a Mile” program to encourage patient ambulation. Prior to serving at Overlook, Alan served in various leadership roles at Lenox Hill Hospital, University of Maryland Medical Center, Hahnemann University Hospital, and the Medical College of Virginia (now known as VCU Medical Center). Alan has served on many boards and has held leadership positions on several of them. He served as board chair for the Gateway Chamber of Commerce and for the Cornell Sloan Alumni Association, and as board vice chair for Optimus ACO. He also was a board member for the American Heart Association, Northern New Jersey, and is currently on the boards of the Red Bear Angels and the Jewish Home Family, a long-term care provider. He is also an advisor to several health care startups. Alan loves to be outdoors; he has hiked, biked, and paddled all around the U.S. and in several other countries as well. He is most proud of his family, including his wife of 35 years and their two children, who are now pursuing their own exciting careers. Alan holds an MBA, with a focus on health care administration and finance, and a BS in operations research and industrial engineering from Cornell University.
Jane Erickson, MPA, MAIR — Director, Learning and Impact
Jane is the Director of Learning and Impact at The Rippel Foundation, where she leads Rippel’s work to measure, evaluate, and understand efforts for stewarding collaborative, equitable system change across the country. Jane and her team develop the frameworks, metrics, and approaches to surface and synthesize the effects of Rippel’s efforts and convey collective insights about what works, for whom, how, and under what contexts. The Learning and Impact team builds conditions that center learning and adaptation in all of Rippel’s work as an effective social change practice. A facilitator and pattern-spotter, Jane draws on rich experience in applied research, program design and implementation, and organizational strategy. She has led numerous nation-wide efforts to develop a shared understanding of the landscape of multisector collaboration to improve community health, including the ReThink Health Pulse Check survey. Jane has also designed and directed a range of nationally focused action-learning projects to build and spread practices for stewarding equitable system change, including ReThink Health Ventures (2016-2018) and Amplifying Stewardship Together (2019-2021). Previously, she oversaw the grants and contracts department at the Clinton Foundation’s Health Access Initiative. She began her career working to foster civic engagement across communities in the US and internationally, including as a Fulbright Scholar in Indonesia. In 2020, Jane was named a Terrance Keenan Institute fellow by Grantmakers in Health. Jane loves to imagine alternative futures through world-building science fiction and high fantasy (novels, television, or movies!). A Colorado native, she now lives in Syracuse, NY with her partner and two busy toddlers, where she spends as much time outside as she can — no matter the weather. Jane has a BA from Hobart and William Smith Colleges and an MPA, MAIR, and Certificate of Advanced Study in Public Health from Syracuse University.
Joann Kang, JD – Program Director
As Rippel’s Program Director, Joann provides leadership and strategic oversight to the foundation’s program work, furthering Rippel’s strategic direction. An attorney by training, Joann began her career practicing law—first as a pro bono fellow at the law firm of Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP (formerly Hunton & Williams LLP) and then as a staff attorney with Atlanta Legal Aid Society’s Health Law Partnership program. In both roles, she provided free legal representation to lower-income clients, practicing family law, immigration law, education law. She also served as a Guardian Ad Litem in juvenile court. Joann then transitioned to the field of health policy and advocacy, working to improve health coverage, access, and health outcomes for a range of issues in both the government and non-profit sectors. As a professional in the non-profit sector, Joann led the health policy portfolio at Voices for Georgia’s Children and later served as the Director of Medicaid Initiatives at Community Catalyst, Inc. As a federal employee, Joann led policy and partnership-related efforts across a range of critical public health issues over the span of a decade while working at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Joann studied Advertising at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and received her J.D. from the Emory University School of Law. In her free time, she enjoys running, biking, and hiking, and is a huge fan of the online Games Section of the New York Times. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, Joann and her husband Hubert enjoy visiting new countries when not spending time at home with their demanding pup.
Bobby Milstein, PhD, MPH – Director, System Strategy
Bobby directs system strategy for ReThink Health and Rippel; he is also a Visiting Scientist at the MIT Sloan School of Management. With an educational background that combines cultural anthropology, behavioral science, and systems science, he concentrates on efforts to spark large-scale institutional and cultural change. He works with innovators who see themselves — and others — as shared stewards in a movement for well-being and justice. In response to the compounding crises of 2020, Bobby was lead editor of “Thriving Together: A Springboard for Equitable Recovery and Resilience in Communities Across America.” He is a member of the National Academies Roundtable on Population Health Improvement, a co-founder of the Well Being in the Nation Network, an invited contributor to the Surgeon General’s Report on Community Health and Economic Prosperity, and a frequent design consultant for new endeavors that advance the dynamic and democratic frontiers of shared stewardship. Bobby also coordinates ongoing development of the ReThink Health Dynamics Model, the Thriving Together Theater, and other simulation tools that let leaders play out the consequences of their own scenarios for system change. Before joining ReThink Health and Rippel, Bobby spent 20 years planning and evaluating system-oriented initiatives at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), where he was the principal architect of CDC’s framework for program evaluation. He received CDC’s Honor Award for Excellence in Innovation, the Applications Award from the System Dynamics Society, the President’s Prize from the American Evaluation Association, and Article of the Year awards for papers published in Health Affairs and Health Promotion Practice. Bobby once was a documentary filmmaker whose work was used by PBS to spotlight challenges of racism on college campuses. He also contributed storylines for The West Wing on how to get beyond zero-sum thinking when setting health priorities. Bobby has a BA from the University of Michigan, an MPH from Emory University, and a PhD from Union Institute and University.
Teri Wade — Director, Communications and Influence
Teri directs Rippel’s communications and influence initiatives. She and her team are responsible for strategic, multi-channel communications activities that build engagement with Rippel’s efforts to transform health and well-being so that everyone thrives. To cultivate partnerships, advance thought leadership, and ensure that Rippel’s many diverse audiences connect with its work, Teri and her team develop and execute a comprehensive, integrated communications program that includes content development and promotion; brand management; social media outreach; media relations; conference and event oversight; and more.
Teri has more than 25 years of experience helping mission-driven nonprofits in a variety of fields—including health and human services, education, philanthropy, arts and culture, and social research—increase their visibility and impact through strategic communications. She previously led communications and marketing at Amida Care, a nonprofit community health insurance plan designed for New Yorkers with complex medical conditions, and at the Foundation Center (now known as Candid), a national organization that advances knowledge about philanthropy and the social sector. Earlier in her career, Teri served as director of marketing at Baruch College of The City University of New York (CUNY) and was an editor and writer at the Museum of Television & Radio (now the Paley Center for Media).
Teri is on the board of directors of Ariva, a nonprofit organization that helps low-wealth New Yorkers achieve economic stability. She earned a master’s degree in corporate communication from Baruch College/CUNY and a BA in media studies from Fordham University. Teri enjoys performing as a jazz vocalist with her husband’s trio and other groups at venues in the New York area.
Audrey Wells, CPA – Director, Finance & Administration
Audrey Wells leads The Rippel Foundation’s financial and investment activities, including budgeting, financial planning and analysis, compliance, and accounting operations. She also oversees the Foundation’s human resources function as well as its information technology and facilities operations, and grants and contracts function. With more than 25 years of experience, Audrey has held positions in accounting, finance, and audit with Customized Distribution Services, Lever Brothers Company, and Ernst & Young. Most recently, she was chief financial officer at Cornerstone Family Programs (CFP), a local non-profit. At CFP, she played a significant role in the acquisition of another agency, procurement of new grants and contracts, and streamlining of procedures. Audrey holds a BS in accounting from Binghamton University. In her spare time, she enjoys performing in several vocal ensembles and is a long-time volunteer in many areas within her synagogue.
Rippel Staff
Cierra Bryant— Senior Learning and Impact Associate
As senior learning and impact associate, Cierra advances organizational learning and provides high-level support around the implementation and scaling of program evaluation, as well as developing and implementing a cohesive and innovate enterprise evaluation effort. She works to adapt conventional evaluation and impact approaches to Rippel’s dynamic, nation-wide, action-learning and influence portfolio.
Cierra’s professional background is in research and program evaluation in maternal and child health and domestic violence prevention. While in graduate school, she spent a summer in Lesotho, in southern Africa, researching knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of secondary school students toward menstrual hygiene management. Cierra received her MPH from Drexel University and BS in public health from the University of Maryland, College Park.
Cierra serves on the board of directors for a Delaware-based nonprofit organization that aims to improve birth outcomes for Black birthing people and their babies. In her free time, Cierra enjoys exploring new restaurants and spending time with her furry friend, Raven.
Adele DiBari – Executive Associate
Adele DiBari is the executive associate for the senior leadership team at Rippel. Her primary role includes calendar management, making travel arrangements, supporting meeting and event planning, and managing office administration. Adele has a background working in business for the consumer package goods and pharmaceutical industries, a market research expert, and an entrepreneur. Adele holds an MBA in Marketing and BS in Operations Management. Her personal interests include the spending time outdoors, reading, and attending film festivals.
Maggie Cooke, MPH – Senior Strategic Partnerships Associate
Maggie Cooke provides project management and high-level support to The Rippel Foundation and ReThink Health around the development and cultivation of new partners and emerging projects. She also assists in the implementation of partnership-oriented projects. In this role, she develops and monitors processes and timelines across the program teams, prepares partnership-focused blogs and communications materials, and supports the effective use of our customer relationship management database system. Maggie joined the Foundation after nearly 10 years at Johnson & Johnson and its operating companies, and earlier work with the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation. Maggie recently earned an MPH from Dartmouth and holds a BA in anthropology with a minor in Spanish from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. She enjoys spending time outdoors with her family and seeing live music whenever she can.
Bradley Girard — Director, Branding and Creative
Bradley directs the Branding & Creative Team, leading a team on the creative design and production of all Rippel branding vehicles. He makes complex concepts easier for all to understand and unifies messaging around Rippel’s shared vision and its initiatives. His team designs visuals to make ideas more straightforward for all to understand. In his 28 years as a professional designer, photographer, and marketer, Brad has worked with a variety of large brands–including Kaiser Permanente, Verio Healthcare, SCAN Health Plan, Toshiba, The Irvine Company, San Francisco 49ers, Del Taco, and Quicksilver–and has received multiple international awards for design, print, and marketing. He also serves on portfolio review boards for AIGA, Cal State Fullerton, and Chapman University, mentoring students as they ready themselves for professional careers. In his free time, Brad enjoys spontaneous adventures with his family, traveling to Kauai and other tropical places, and photography.
Kimberly Hines Hart, JD – Corporate Counsel
As corporate counsel for The Rippel Foundation, Kimberly Hines Hart is responsible for all legal matters for the Foundation and ReThink Health. This includes drafting and negotiating contracts, providing guidance on intellectual property matters, and handling other nonprofit issues that arise. Earlier in her career, Kim spent six years as a litigation associate with McCarter & English, LLP, in Newark, NJ, and clerked for the Hon. Herbert Friend in the Superior Court of New Jersey. She holds a JD from Wake Forest School of Law and two bachelor’s degrees (in psychology and journalism) from Boston University. For more than five years, Kim served on the board of trustees, including as co-president, for her children’s schools, and continues to do other volunteer work in her community. She is also an amateur photographer.
Laila Hussain — Deputy Communications Director
Laila Hussain leads the development and implementation of communications strategies designed to further the understanding, value, and impact of Rippel’s work. She specializes in making complex concepts accessible to a wide range of audiences, and is committed to amplifying individual and collective voices to advance change. Laila brings expertise in strategic communications on programs related to public health, reproductive rights, education, and impact investing in the United States and South Asia. Before joining Rippel, she was most recently part of the Knowledge and Communications team at Mission Investors Exchange, where she helped foundations and other mission-driven organizations learn about and engage in impact investing.
Laila holds an MBA and an MA in Media, Culture, and Communication from NYU, where she was a Fulbright Scholar. Originally from Karachi, Pakistan, she is motivated by her two young children and her family across three continents to leverage the power of communications to shape a new narrative around health and well-being.
Joey Lee – Finance Associate
Joey’s responsibilities include supporting the Finance and HR departments. Her focus is on accounts payable, payroll, benefits, investments, financial statement reporting, and audit support. Joey has a great deal of experience in all areas of accounting, having worked as an accountant for a mid-size retail company responsible for corporate accounting compliance. She has also worked as a senior financial analyst in a global logistics company. Prior to joining the Rippel family in 2021, she spent 6 years working as an accountant for a local non-profit organization while raising her family. Joey holds and MBA from Rutgers University, and loves eating and traveling with her family. Her family goal is to visit all major league baseball stadiums with her husband and two boys before the kids head off to college. In her spare time, Joey enjoys watching her kids play sports.
Amanda McIntosh, MPH – Communications Manager
Amanda McIntosh manages editorial and visual production and provides other key support for The Rippel Foundation and ReThink Health communications. She also provides critical research, design, and project management support to national level ReThink Health projects, including an R&D effort exploring how tax credits can finance population health and the Convening of Catalysts leadership group. Amanda brings her experience supporting nationwide programs and outreach campaigns for consumer health advocacy organizations, formerly serving as program associate to Community Catalyst’s Roadmaps to Health project and as statewide coordinator at Health Care For All. Amanda holds an MPH from Drexel University and a BA in political science from the College of Charleston. Amanda finds great joy in raising her young daughter, traveling whenever possible, and spending time on the ocean.
Program Staff
- Molly Belsky, Program Associate
- Sonali Bhatnagar, Administrative Associate
- Maggie Cooke, Senior Strategic Partnerships Associate
- Anna Creegan, Project Director
- Tiona Moore, Director of System Change
- Brooke Muya, Senior Program Associate
- Komal Razvi, Associate Director, Systems Change
- Verinda Sood, Program Coordinator
- Katherine Wright, Associate Director, Stewardship Practice
Learn more about the Rippel Program Team