17th February 2026
Honouring our board members as they conclude their service
4 min read
Equality Now extends its sincere thanks to several board members who are concluding their terms after years of dedicated service. Their leadership, expertise and commitment have helped strengthen the organisation and advance our mission to achieve legal equality for women and girls worldwide.
Over the course of their tenure, each of these board members brought distinct perspectives and skills that enriched Equality Now’s governance, advocacy and global reach. Their contributions supported our work across regions and issues, from fundraising and public engagement to technology, strategy and movement-building.
“Thank you to our departing board members, Paula Ravets, Omar Samra, Ramez T. Shehadi and Lara Stein, whose generosity, leadership and unwavering commitment to women and girls’ rights have made Equality Now stronger, and whose impact will be felt far beyond our organisation.” Mona Sinha, Chief Executive Officer, Equality Now
Paula Ravets concludes six years of service on the US Board, following earlier involvement on Equality Now’s Advisory Board beginning in 2013. A lifelong feminist and advocate for women’s rights, Paula has been a longstanding steward of Equality Now’s fundraising and public engagement efforts, particularly through her leadership of the organisation’s annual Galas.
A practising clinical psychologist and certified mindfulness meditation teacher, Paula brought a deep commitment to wellbeing, resilience and community care to her role. She played a key role in connecting Equality Now with creative and entertainment industry audiences, helping to broaden the organisation’s reach and impact over more than a decade of involvement.
Omar Samra concludes five years of service on the US Board, during which he was a global amplifier of Equality Now’s work. Based in Cairo, Omar brought an international perspective and a strong commitment to storytelling, leadership and advocacy.
An entrepreneur, adventurer and former UNDP Goodwill Ambassador, Omar used his platform to elevate conversations around equality and justice. He also contributed to Equality Now’s thought leadership through his participation as a guest on the We Change the Rules podcast, helping bring the organisation’s work to new audiences. His daughter, Teela, also shared her heartwarming call to action at our Gala in 2024.
Ramez T. Shehadi concludes three years of service on the US Board, contributing extensive expertise in technology, AI, growth strategy and organisational leadership. With decades of experience across global technology, consulting, and investment sectors, Ramez provided strategic insight into innovation, productivity, and digital transformation.
Throughout his tenure, Ramez supported Equality Now’s focus on forward-looking governance and operational effectiveness, while championing diversity, inclusion and women’s empowerment across his professional and community leadership roles.
Lara Stein concludes seven years of service across Equality Now’s US and Africa boards. Her governance has been shaped by deep experience at the intersection of global movements, technology, media, and systems change, alongside a sustained commitment to advancing women’s rights worldwide. As a co-founder and CEO, former Executive Director of Women’s March Global, and a leader behind initiatives including TEDx, TEDxWomen, Singularity University, and Bedari Collective, Lara has brought expertise in distributed movement architecture, global communications, climate justice, and large-scale convening to the advancement of women’s leadership. Across these platforms, she has designed and scaled participatory infrastructures that elevate women’s voices, strengthen civic agency, and translate narrative power into institutional and cultural reform. Her work situates gender equity as foundational to innovation, climate resilience, economic inclusion, and democratic renewal.
Equality Now thanks Paula Ravets, Omar Samra, Ramez T. Shehadi and Lara Stein for their service, leadership and dedication. Their contributions helped shape the organisation during a period of growth and impact, and we are deeply grateful for the time, care and expertise they shared as Board members. We look forward to staying connected and continuing to benefit from their insight and engagement as valued members of the Equality Now community.