Virginia has rolled back protections for transgender students so that students can only use bathrooms that correlate with their sex assigned at birth and will have to file legal documents if they wish to be called by different pronouns. The new so-called Model Policies will come into effect after a month of public consultation. To discuss, we FEATURE Heidi Peck Breaux. Breaux possesses an expertise in counseling individuals of marginalized identities, training staff that serve diverse populations, and teaching anti-oppressive practice in higher education. For over 15 years, she has provided counseling and administrative leadership in federal, municipal, and nonprofit agencies. Breaux served on the NYC Department of Health LGBTQ Employee Resource Group as a leader for the transgender and gender non-conforming inclusive sub-group and participated in developing programs for the Women Who Have Sex with Women group and Transgender Practice Patient training. Extensive media experience.

On an interview with 60 Minutes, President Joe Biden declared that the COVID-19 pandemic is over. To discuss, we FEATURE Dr. Celine Rani Gounder. Dr. Gounder is a Senior Fellow and Editor-at-Large for Public Health for Kaiser Health News at the Kaiser Family Foundation. She’s also the host and producer of American Diagnosis — a conversation about some of the biggest public health challenges across the United States, with insights on topics from teen mental health to opioids and gun violence highlighting the voices of experts and people on the ground working for the health of their communities — and Epidemic, a podcast about infectious disease epidemics and pandemics. Season 1 of Epidemic covered the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, and Season 2 will go back in time to cover smallpox eradication in South Asia. Media includes: Al Jazeera America, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, MSNBC, CNN, BBC.

Pakistan is experiencing record rain fall, creating deadly flooding that has killed nearly 1,500 people. Meanwhile, Alaska and Japan are also facing flooding. To discuss, we FEATURE Julie Pullen. Pullen is Climate Strategist at Jupiter Intelligence, a start-up delivering hyper-local predictions for a changing climate using cloud computing. She is an adjunct research scientist at Columbia’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and advises the Environmental & Climate Sciences Department of Brookhaven National Laboratory. She is a 2018 Fulbright Scholar (Philippines). Her expertise spans climate, weather and hydroscience with a particular focus on high resolution coastal urban prediction for flooding, heatwaves and other perils. Pullen currently serves on the Steering Committee of the American Meteorological Society (AMS) Commission on the Weather, Water, and Climate Enterprise. Media includes: Scientific American, Wired, CBS, NBC.

Hurricane Fiona hit Puerto Rico on Sunday, causing the power to go out and for evacuations to begin. Fiona also battered Turks and Caicos and the Dominican Republic. To discuss, we FEATURE Erica González Martínez. Erica is the Director of #Power4PuertoRico, a national coalition of organizations working to clear federal hurdles in the way of the Island’s ability to become more self-sufficient. She is a lifelong advocate for social justice and Latino issues. With expertise in news media, government communications and digital engagement, Erica is a leader in strategic and transformational work. As the former executive editor of El Diario/La Prensa, Erica conceptualized “Sept.11 – the Latino experience,” a 10^th anniversary, ground-breaking, multiplatform project that focused on the implications of this devastating event on Latino workers, immigration policy, the New York City mayoral race, and gentrification. Erica is the Vice-Chair of the Women’s Media Center Board. Media includes: Spectrum News, USA Today, Poder Magazine, CNN, NY1.

Yesterday, the funeral for Queen Elizabeth II was held in the U.K, in the presence of monarchs, presidents, and government officials from around the globe. Her son, King Charles III, has now begun his reign. To discuss, we FEATURE Hilary Fordwich. Fordwich is a national Royal Watcher for national networks including CBS Sunday Morning and CNN. She is an expert on British royals, including history, weddings, and funerals. Fordwich's business development career spans over 30 years, covers the globe and combines media with Global BD experience, for international firms including KPMG. She founded Strelmark, LLC, (15 years ago) to grow businesses by bringing best practices to every facet of business development. Media includes: The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN, CBS, NPR.

Next week is Abortion Justice Week of Action, during which lawmakers will be asked to take action on abortion justice, including on FDA approval of medication abortion care. To discuss, we FEATURE Alexa Garcia-Ditta. Garcia-Ditta is a reproductive health, rights and justice communications, policy and media professional dedicated to expanding access to reproductive health services, including abortion, for all Texans. She has years of experience reporting on reproductive rights and health policy in Texas; has extensive strategic communications and messaging experience; has five years of expertise in the state legislative process. Media includes: Rewire, TribTalk, Texas Observer.

WMC SheSource has a list of additional experts for the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade.

The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee has approved the Speak Out Act, which will waive NDAs in cases of sexual harassment and assault. To discuss, we FEATURE Noreen Farrell. Farrell is the Executive Director of Equal Rights Advocates (ERA), one of the nation’s leading women’s rights organization, where she has led landmark litigation and policy reform efforts to improve the lives of women and girls at work and school. She has written extensively on women’s economic issues, including discrimination based on pregnancy, pay, and caregiver status. Honored as one of the Top Women Lawyers and Top Employment Lawyers in California, Farrell has led ERA’s impact litigation efforts representing clients who have faced sex discrimination and other unfair treatment at school and work in numerous individual and class actions. They include Medina v. Station Casinos (which resulted in a multi-million dollar settlement on behalf of a sexual harassment and wage and hour class) and Mansourian v. Regents of the University of California (which resulted in a Title IX trial win and $1,350,000 settlement). Media includes: The Huffington Post, ProPublica, Times Magazine, The New York Times, NBC.

September 15 to October 15 is Hispanic Heritage Month. To discuss, we FEATURE Jessica Lavariega Monforti. Monforti is the Vice Provost of the California State University Channel Islands and the former Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences at California Lutheran University. She received her PhD from The Ohio State University in 2001. Her research primarily focuses on the differential impact of public policy according to race, gender and ethnicity. She is specifically interested in the political incorporation and representation of Latino/as, immigrants and women. Her latest research examines how major forces such as technology, the military system and immigration policy impact and are impacted by Latina/o youth. She has worked with organizations such as Texas Rio Grande Legal Aide, La Union del Pueblo Entero, and the South Texas Adult Resource and Training Center. Media includes: The New York Times, La Opinión, NPR.

WMC SheSource has a list of more Hispanic experts to discuss a variety of topics.