Civilians are fleeing eastern Ukraine as Russian strikes continue to destroy their cities. To discuss, we FEATURE Kathleen Newland. Newland is co-founder of the Migration Policy Institute and directs MPI's programs on migrants, migration, and development and comprehensive protection for refugees and internally displaced people. Her work focuses on the relationship between migration and development, governance of international migration, and refugee protection. Previously, at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, she was a Senior Associate and then Co-director of the International Migration Policy Program (1994-2001). She sits on the Board of the International Rescue Committee, and is a Chair Emerita of the Women's Commission for Refugee Women and Children. Newland is the author or editor of six books, including the first State of the World’s Refugees for UNHCR in 1993, and No Refuge: The Challenge of Internal Displacement for the United Nations in 2003. Media includes: The New York TImes, The Washington Post, The Economist, Reuters, BBC, NPR.

Texas district attorney Gocha Allen Ramirez has dismissed the murder charge against Lizelle Herrera, who was charged with murder for a "self-induced abortion." The charge was made after Texas lawmakers passed legislation that would put several restrictions on abortion. 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 five 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, Texas Observer, TribTalk.

There has been an uptick of COVID-19 cases. As the pandemic enters its third year, many healthcare workers are experiencing burnout. To discuss, we FEATURE Felicia Stokes. Stokes is the Director of the American Nurses Association Center for Ethics and Human Rights. She completed her BSN at the University of Virginia and worked several years as a critical care nurse. Stokes received her Juris Doctor (law) from the University of Richmond and worked as a Consultant for the D.C. Board of Nursing interpreting and conferring professional ethics provisions in nursing. As a nurse-attorney-bioethicist, she has research and policy development experience in professional nursing ethics, codes of ethics, moral distress in health care, assisted suicide, medical marijuana, LGBTQ+ populations, nonpunitive treatment of pregnant women, expedited partner therapy, posthumous assisted reproduction, and nursing advocacy on social justice issues such as the abolishment of the death penalty and nursing obligations to provide nondiscriminatory care. Media includes: Bloomberg, Huffington Post, CNN.

Spring Break is coming up for many students and, as the weather warms up and with restrictions lifted, many people are starting to travel again. To discuss what this means for COVID-19, we FEATURE Céline Rani Gounder. 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 Epidemic, a podcast about infectious disease epidemics and pandemics (Season 1 of Epidemic covered the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic) and 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. From November 9, 2020 to January 20, 2021, Gounder served on the Biden-Harris Transition COVID-19 Advisory Board. Media includes: The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, Al Jazeera, MSNBC, CNN, BBC, NPR.

President Biden will be picking a new director for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives as his administration prepares to unveil rules to restrict ghost guns, guns that are privately made without serial numbers. To discuss, we FEATURE Kristin Goss. Goss focuses on why people do (or don't) participate in political life and how their engagement affects public policymaking. Her current research projects focus on the role of philanthropic billionaires in policy debates and on the evolution of gun-related advocacy over the past decade. Goss is the co-author (with Philip J. Cook) of The Gun Debate: What Everyone Needs to Know (Oxford University Press, 2014) and author of Disarmed: The Missing Movement for Gun Control in America (Princeton University Press, 2006, 2009), which examines the strategic and political barriers to mass mobilization for stricter firearms regulation. Media includes: Raleigh News & Observer, Atlanta Journal Constitution, Newark Star Ledger.

In the upcoming French election, President Emmanuel Macron will be facing off against far-right leader Marine Le Pen. To discuss, we FEATURE Terri E. Givens. Givens is a Professor of Political Science at McGill University. She is the author/editor of books and articles on immigration policy, European politics, and the politics of race. Her most recent book is the memoir, Radical Empathy: Finding a Path to Bridging Racial Divides. Her other publications include Voting Radical Right in Western Europe, Immigration Policy and Security and Legislating Equality: The Politics of Antidiscrimination Policy in Europe. Media includes: BBC, PBS, NPR.

This week is Black Maternal Health Week. Black women are three times more likely to die of pregnancy-related complications compared to white women. To discuss, we FEATURE Jamarah Amani. As a birthworker and advocate, Amani has been tackling the epidemics of Black maternal and infant morbidity and mortality for over fifteen years. She is currently the director of Southern Birth Justice Network, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization working to expand the Birth Justice movement and to make midwifery and doula care accessible to all. She is also the founder of National Black Midwives Alliance, the only national professional association specifically for midwives of African descent. In addition to parenting four children and jumping in the ocean whenever possible, Amani offers midwifery care to families across South Florida and workshops on Birth Justice to organizations across the United States. Media includes: Miami Times, South Florida Times, Huffington Post, NBC, PBS, NPR.

Tax Day is coming up! Have you done your taxes? To discuss, we FEATURE Nancy Ortmeyer Kuhn. Kuhn has expertise in nonprofit governance and tax issues. She has been retained multiple times as an expert witness in litigation involving the IRS and taxpayers with charitable conservation easement issues, along with litigation between two large public charities in the low-income housing space. The issues include nonprofit governance and alleged misappropriation of charitable assets. In addition, Kuhn represents individuals with tax liability and tax collection issues. She has been successful procuring “innocent spouse” status for multiple clients who are then not responsible for tax liability incurred by their spouse. Media includes: The Washington Post, Bloomberg.

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. To discuss, we FEATURE Michelle Garcia, who joined the Office of Victim Services and Justice Grants as its director in 2016. Previously, Garcia was director at the Stalking Resource Center at the National Center for Victims of Crime in April 2006 and served as the Director of the Stalking Resource Center since October 2006. The mission of the Stalking Resource Center is to enhance the ability of professionals, organizations, and systems to effectively respond to stalking. The Stalking Resource Center envisions a future in which the criminal justice system and its many allied community partners will effectively collaborate and respond to stalking, improve victim safety and well-being, and hold offenders accountable. Media includes: The Washington Post, USA Today, Voice of America.

WMC SheSource has a list for more experts on Sexual Assault Awareness Month.