Directors’ Bios
Nico Thom (she/her)
Founder & President
She Became Responsibilities: At the age of 16, Nico founded She Became, driven by a vision to empower young girls and help them realize their full potential. Nearly a decade later, she continues to lead the nonprofit with a clear and steadfast focus, developing and executing strategic plans that foster growth and create lasting, meaningful impact. Nico leads an incredible team of more than 20 dedicated volunteers, creating a collaborative environment that supports the growth and success of key programs. She works to cultivate relationships with schools, community organizations, and donors, ensuring She Became’s reach and influence continue to expand year after year. Through her leadership, Nico has transformed She Became into a powerful force for change, touching the lives of countless young girls and inspiring them to dream big.
Professional Job: Health Equity Advisor, Medicare Advantage at Cigna Healthcare
Education: Bachelor of Public Health, University of Louisville
Personal Interests: Nico enjoys baking, cooking, swimming, learning the Dutch language, trying new restaurants, and spending time with her friends and family.
Ally Wendling (she/her)
VP, Operations
She Became Responsibilities: Ally project manages all internal deadlines for the She Became board. She also facilitates meetings and manages the calendar for the team.
Professional Job: Medicare Stars & Risk Adjustment Senior Advisor at Cigna Healthcare
Education: Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from The Ohio State University & Masters in Healthcare Administration from University of Cincinnati
Personal Interests: In her free time, Ally enjoys all things health and wellness, reading the latest beach read, traveling to new places, and spending time with friends and family. She is passionate about Ohio State football and reality television.
Director of Marketing
She Became Responsibilities: Julianna leads the creative and social media teams to develop strategic marketing plans driving awareness and engagement for the She Became mission and events. Julianna leads the creative and social media teams in developing strategic campaigns to amplify the She Became mission and impact. With a passion for storytelling and community engagement, they specialize in driving awareness and building meaningful connections with supporters.
Professional Job: Media Network Partner Manager
Education: Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Marketing at Kelley School of Business, Certificate of Journalism from Indiana University Bloomington
Personal Interests: Julianna can often be found exploring Chicago, working out at Studio Three, walking her dog Millie, and volunteering at the Breaking Bread community kitchen. She loves traveling and has studied abroad in India, Budapest, and Milan, Italy.
Maura Barrett (she/her)
Director of Communications
She Became Responsibilities: Maura guides strategy for communications and public relations messaging to articulate the mission for She Became. She’s launched cohesive internal and external messaging projects, including She Became’s newsletter and text campaigns, while maintaining and managing relationships with media contacts for coverage.
Professional Job: Journalist covering the economy & the environment
Education: Bachelor of Science in Journalism & Minor in French from Boston University
Personal Interests: You’ll find Maura in nature at any opportunity she gets, often traveling to hit the ski slopes or go scuba diving. When at home in Chicago, she’s likely trying a new design at the pottery studio, cheering on her fiancée a spoken word show, or taking their dog, Myka, for a run by the lake.
Shraya Soundararajan (she/her)
VP, Finance
She Became Responsibilities: Shraya is responsible for overseeing the financial operations of the organization, ensuring fiscal health, and compliance with legal obligations. This includes leading the annual budgeting and planning process, administering and reviewing financial plans and budgets, and managing cash flow and forecasting.
Professional Job: Corporate Finance and Strategy
Education: BA of Economics from Northwestern University; MBA from Kellogg School of Management
Personal Interests: Outside of She Became, Shraya enjoys playing tennis, going to shows, traveling to new countries, and spending time with her husband and family.
Julianna Merry (she/her)
Alexandra Ayala (she/her)
Director of Events
She Became Responsibilities: Mary is responsible for planning all of our external, revenue generating events. Examples of this include our annual gala, pickleball community fundraiser, yoga, etc.
Professional Job: Finance Manager at Kraft Heinz
Education: Bachelor of Economics from the University of Louisville, MBA from Indiana University
Personal Interests: In her free time Mary loves spending time with friends, her fiancé, and her Border-Collie mix. She frequently volunteers at the Anti-Cruelty animal shelter and love group fitness classes.
Director of Spanish Programming
She Became Responsibilities: Alexandra leads initiatives to ensure the organization’s programs are accessible, inclusive, and impactful for Spanish-speaking participants. Alexandra’s role involves designing and implementing culturally relevant programming, translating materials, and fostering connections with the Spanish-speaking community. She serves as a bridge between the organization and Spanish-speaking families, ensuring they feel supported and included in She Became's mission.
Professional Job: Project Director
Education: B.S. in Business Administration, Indiana State University; MBA, DePaul University
Personal Interests: You’ll often find her discovering new cuisines or planning her next travel adventure. Alexandra is passionate about exploring new places, whether it’s immersing herself in diverse cultures or simply appreciating the beauty of the world around her. Alexandra also treasures quality time with friends and family; from hosting cultural events to mentoring youth or just relaxing with loved ones, Alexandra is all about connecting, learning, and making the most of every moment!
Mary Baker (she/her)
Elizabeth Livingston (she/her)
Tanya Pasha (she/her)
Director of HR
She Became Responsibilities: Tanya leads strategic initiatives to optimize HR processes, improve organizational structure, and develop goals around hiring, retention and data tracking to support the organization's mission of empowering girls to become future leaders.
Professional Job: Talent Acquisition Business Partner at Kraft Heinz
Education: Bachelor’s Degree from University of Missouri-Columbia
Personal Interests: pickleball, traveling, working out, spending time with family / friends
Director of Development
She Became Responsibilities: Liz leads our fundraising efforts, focusing on securing sponsorships and building corporate relationships. She works to engage partners and donors, ensuring their support aligns with our mission.
Professional Job: Change Management Consultant at Deloitte
Education: Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations from The University of South Carolina
Personal Interests: In her free time, Liz can be found attending a sculpt yoga class, reading, going on power walks around the city, trying out new restaurants with friends, or spending time with her dog, Gus.
Katie Buecker (she/her)
Vice President
She Became Responsibilities: Katie joined She Became in 2016, starting as a mentor before taking on leadership roles, beginning with President of the flagship chapter in Fort Thomas, KY. She founded the Oxford, OH chapter, helped establish the Chicago chapter, and assisted in developing the organization’s board and key initiatives such as the Teen Advisory Board, Spanish sessions, and community outreach programs. Now Vice President, Katie works alongside the President to oversee the board and guide the organization’s strategic growth, driving its expansion and impact through her collaborative leadership.
Professional Job: Experience Designer
Education: Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communication Design with a Marketing Minor from Miami University (OH)
Personal Interests: Outside of She Became, Katie enjoys reading, cooking, eating out, traveling, and spending quality time with her friends, family, partner, and dog, Blu.
Emma Caponigro (she/her)
VP, Strategy
She Became Responsibilities: Emma spearheads the development of She Became's strategic plan, evaluation of new opportunities, and execution of strategic projects. Emma also leads the publication of annual impact reports.
Professional Job: Senior Manager of Strategy and Operations at Author Health
Education: Bachelor of Science in Public Health: Health Policy and Management from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Personal Interests: Emma loves exploring Chicago, reading non-fiction and historical fiction novels, and participating in any type of group fitness class. Passionate about travel, she aspires to visit all seven continents by 2030.
Nori Greenstein (she/her)
Advisory Board Chair
She Became Responsibilities: Advisor to Board
Professional Job: Chief of Staff, Biometrica Systems, Inc.
Education: Master of Urban Planning and Policy, UIC; Hon. Bachelor of Arts, University of Toronto
Personal Interests: Nori lives in Lakeview with her husband, two teenage daughters and Australian Labradoodle. She’s happiest on an airplane (coming or going), loves a good gin & tonic and is a sneaker collector.
