Period Project @ BUSPH.

Mission and Vision:

The mission of the Period Project at BUSPH is to ensure that students have equitable access to menstrual hygiene supplies and menstrual health education on campus. Our vision is to foster a community that destigmatizes periods and promotes equitable, safe, inclusive, and affordable menstrual care on campus and in Boston. Read More.

Meet the Executive Board Officers:

President: Grace Koch (she/her)

Grace

Grace is a second year MPH student pursuing certificates in Community Assessment, Program Design, Implementation, and Evaluation (CAPDIE) and Maternal and Child Health. Her public health interests and passions are in maternal perinatal and postnatal health, equity in reproductive health, and environmental health and justice. She hopes to spend her time with the Period Project promoting menstrual education and developing menstrual health equity projects for BUSPH students and the broader community.

Contact: gkoch@bu.edu

Vice President: Taylor Halvensleben (she/her)

Taylor

Taylor is a second year MPH student completing her functional certificate in Program Management. Taylor works as a Communications Coordinator at CARB-X, a nonprofit that funds the development of much-needed antibiotics. Her public health interests are quality improvement projects and public health advocacy. Taylor is looking forward to the involvement of menstrual equity initiatives at Boston University and in the community, as well as educational menstruation events for BUSPH students.

Contact: thalven@bu.edu

Secretary: Peyton Comfort

Peyton

Peyton is a first-year MPH student with a functional certificate in Environmental Health and a context certificate in Maternal and Child Health. Peyton has a strong passion for health literacy as it pertains to reproductive health; outside of the Period Project, she has a passion for environmental health policy and justice. She is looking forward to working to improve menstrual health education and equity with the Period Project!

Contact: comfortp@bu.edu

Treasurer: Manogna Mutte (she/her)

Manogna

Manogna is a first-year MPH student with a concentration in Epidemiology and Biostatistics. Growing up she noticed that the topic of periods is always looked upon with stigma and this motivated her to join The Period Project to promote menstrual equity. One of her passions include promoting awareness regarding menstrual health and hygiene. She is a foodie and shopaholic, so in her free time, she enjoys exploring the local markets and food outlets.

Contact: muttem@bu.edu

Community Action Coordinator: Sherly

Sherly

Sherly is a second-semester MPH student at Boston University School of Public Health majoring in Community Assessment, Program Development, Implementation, and Evaluation along with Sex, Sexuality, and Gender. Sherly works with Activist Lab as the Podcast Producer managing the Less Seen Less Heard Podcast. Coming from a medical background herself, Sherly is eager to talk about women, gender, sexual reproductive health, and adolescent health. Additionally, as an avid learner, she aims to advocate for women’s health starting by debunking the stigma of menstruation and striving for menstrual equity.

Contact: ssherly@bu.edu

Workshop Coordinator: Hannah Jacobson (she/her)

Hannah

Hannah is a second year MPH student with a functional certificate in Health Policy, Law, and Management and a context certificate in Maternal Child Health. Outside of the Period Project, Hannah works as an intern with the March of Dimes, a maternal child health non-profit. She hopes to educate her community on menstrual health equity and advocate for policies that prioritize reproductive health.

Contact: hanjacob@bu.edu

Social Media Coordinator: Abby Varker

Abby

Abby is a first year MPH student pursuing certifications in Health, Policy, & Law as well as Sex, Sexuality, & Gender, and she serves as the Social Media Coordinator for the BUSPH Period Project. Abby’s passions include promoting sexual education in healthcare and public spaces, emphasizing the importance of normalizing sexual and reproductive health to all patients, providers, and educators. She hopes that her service in the Period Project will establish a safe space on the BUSPH campus and have a large outreach to share public health context via social media to the wider community.

Contact: avarker@bu.edu

Campus Liaison: Abrielle Brown

Abrielle

Abrielle is in her inaugural year as an MPH student, focusing on earning certificates in Global Health and Maternal and Child Health. She aspires to use her degree internationally, dedicating herself to raising awareness about reproductive health. A fervent advocate for menstrual equity, Abrielle is committed to fostering long-lasting positive changes in communities by enhancing education and empowering individuals.

Contact: abrown17@bu.edu

First Year Representative: Darya Iranmanesh

Darya

Darya is a first-year MPH student pursuing certificates in Epidemiology/Biostatistics and Pharmaceutical Development, Delivery, and Access. Darya’s research interests are in clinical trials and pharmacoepidemiology. Darya is also interested in reproductive justice including the study of birth defects, as well as bringing equity to those who menstruate. Darya hopes to help de-stigmatize menstruation during her time at the Period Project. In her free time, Darya enjoys reading, spending time with her pets (2 dogs and 1 cat), and trying new restaurants.

Contact: daryaira@bu.edu