State House Veterans Prepare for Fight to Protect Access to Abortion in New Hampshire at Crisis Point for Reproductive Rights Across the Country
CONCORD – Today, Planned Parenthood of Northern New England and Planned Parenthood New Hampshire Action Fund announced the hire of three key public affairs staff members who will help the organization protect reproductive rights at a time when access to care is in jeopardy at the state and federal level. Sara Persechino has been tapped as Campaigns and Communication Director, Liz Canada continues as Advocacy Manager, and Fiona Geary joins as Public Affairs Organizer. The new hires join a team of trusted health care advocates: Kayla Montgomery, Alyssa Antman, and Ashley Hichborn.
Statement from Kayla Montgomery, VP of Public Affairs for Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, NH and Planned Parenthood NH Action Fund:
“We are at a crisis point – access to safe, legal abortion is in jeopardy across the country and here in New Hampshire. Sara, Liz, and Fiona bring critical skills, experience, and energy to our fight to protect reproductive rights at the state level as we grapple with the impact of recent votes to dismantle the family planning program and defund Planned Parenthood health centers in New Hampshire and prepare for the implementation of Governor Sununu’s dangerous abortion ban and ultrasound mandate. Together our team will continue to fight to ensure every Granite Stater has access to the health care they need – including safe, legal abortion – no matter what.”
Staff Bios:
Sara Persechino, Campaigns and Communications Director, is a lifelong Granite Stater and former communications and policy consultant who has worked with a multitude of nonprofits to advocate for gender equality, protect and expand access to health care, and end domestic and sexual violence. Previously, Persechino served as the New Hampshire Senate Policy and Communications Director and the Policy and Community Relations Director at NARAL Pro-Choice New Hampshire. She earned her B.A. in Communications and Sociology at New England College and her M.A.L.S. at Dartmouth.
Liz Canada, Advocacy Manager, has been with Planned Parenthood in NH for just over a year and brought with them an extensive background in policy having most recently worked for a New Hampshire education think tank for three years. Under Liz’s purview, in 2021 PPNHAF/PPNNE was able to stop or delay a long list of dangerous bills and highlight the dangers of the soon-to-be-enacted abortion ban. Liz will manage the 2022 legislative initiatives to advance reproductive health care access in the Granite State, including protecting and expanding access to safe, legal abortion. Liz earned their B.S.Ed. in Secondary Education English from Bloomsburg University, M.A. in English from Seton Hall University, and Ed.M. in Education Policy and Management from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Liz and Sara join
Fiona Geary, Public Affairs Organizer joined the organizing team in October. Fiona is a recent college graduate of the University of California, Riverside with a B.A in Political Science: Law and Society and former PPNHAF intern. The organizing team, led by Alyssa Antman, has grassroots supporters in every county and on three New Hampshire campuses. The organizing team is committed to educating Granite Staters on the increasing rolling back of reproductive rights, including access to safe, legal abortion and the dismantling of the NH Family Planning Program, and what patients, supporters, and advocates can do to fight back. PPNHAF also runs a robust digital organizing program led by Ashley Hichborn.
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Planned Parenthood of Northern New England (PPNNE) is the largest provider of reproductive and sexual health care for women, men and young people across the State of New Hampshire. We serve New Hampshire residents through 6 health centers in Claremont, Derry, Exeter, Keene, Manchester and White River Junction, VT. In 2020, we saw nearly 11,000 patients at these sites.
Planned Parenthood New Hampshire Action Fund (PPNHAF) is an independent, nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization formed as the advocacy and political arm of Planned Parenthood of Northern New England in New Hampshire. The Action Fund engages in educational and electoral activity, including voter education, grassroots organizing, and legislative advocacy.
