Samantha Gerard

As the Founder and CEO of Talk, The New Sex Ed, Samantha’s work empowers teens to make informed, responsible choices about their relationships and sexual health, and helps parents foster an ongoing dialogue to guide teens’ decision-making.

As the first Post-Graduate Fellow at Carnegie Mellon University’s Institute for Social Innovation, Samantha conducted extensive research on where Sex Ed was missing the mark and designed an alternative approach based on the needs teens and parents articulated. Her latest endeavor leverages 13 years of classroom insights and translates elements of her successful classroom model to the digital space, which will extend Talk’s reach exponentially.

In 2023, Samantha was honored as a Carnegie Mellon University Tartan on the Rise for her leadership, service, and innovation, having provided knowledge and support to thousands of teens and parents in the Greater Pittsburgh Region. 

Samantha holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Carnegie Mellon University and completed her Master’s in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University in 2008. She has a lifelong commitment to gender issues, including a variety of advocacy and policy work in the area’s of women’s reproductive health, sexual assault and abuse, and intimate partner violence. Samantha has also worked as a management consultant in the private and non-profit sectors.

Debra Demchak

A native Pittsburgher, Debbie attended Smith college followed by a career in finance. She was a Vice President in Institutional Fixed Income Sales during her tenure at JP Morgan. In 2002, Debbie moved with her family to Pittsburgh where she has immersed herself in her home community.

Today, Debbie is co-chair of the Investment Committee for the Highmark Health Board of Directors and is a member of Fred Rogers Productions Board of Directors. She also sits on the Board of Directors of The Pittsburgh Foundation, serving as chair of the Development and Donor Services Committee. Debbie is Secretary to the Board of Directors of The Pittsburgh Promise where she is active on the Executive Committee and co-chairs the Development Committee. Debbie is also a Trustee Emeritus of Bethlehem Haven.

Debbie’s commitment to youth, education, and health care are demonstrated through her decades of philanthropy and tireless advocacy to benefit others and the region.

Jeanice Gantus

Jeanice is Vice-President of Google Cloud Support and has built a career spanning more than 20 years in the technology industry, leading software engineering and product management teams across the high tech, retail, and healthcare sectors. Over the last 15 years at Google, she has led support for a diverse range of customers across Cloud, Ads, Commerce, and Corporate Engineering. In her current role as the Vice President of Google Cloud Support, Jeanice directs operations, systems, and strategy while ensuring mission-critical stability and long-term success across the entire Google Cloud customer portfolio. ​Her prior leadership as Managing Director of Technical Services at Google focused on building next-generation Commerce and Payments experiences to evolve how people interact with Google products.

Throughout her career, Jeanice has remained deeply passionate about driving inclusive and diverse experiences. She is an enthusiastic advocate for amplifying underrepresented perspectives and building technology that connects and unites people.

​Jeanice holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Information Systems from Carnegie Mellon University. She lives in Stinson Beach, California, with her dog Ollie, where she stays active in the community and enjoys beach life, spending time with her family, traveling, and cheering on her favorite sports teams.

Sarah Amador-Guzman

Sarah is the Executive Director of Partners in Education Foundation for the Santa Fe Public Schools, where she works with over 60 organizations to help provide access to unique opportunities for students and teachers, helping them thrive in Santa Fe Public Schools while promoting educational excellence throughout the region. Previously, Sarah worked as the Director of Development at the Santa Fe Community Foundation.

Sarah’s passion for education and social policy began more than a decade ago with her work as a Fiscal Analyst for the New Mexico State Legislature, where she oversaw the use of state funds in public education and focused primarily on program evaluation. She is a strong advocate for equity and access in education, and previously served on the state’s Public Education Advisory Council. Sarah currently serves on the City of Santa Fe’s Children’s Youth Commission.

Prior to her work in the non-profit and public sectors, Sarah was employed by an international consulting firm in non-profit management where she developed strategic fundraising plans, raising over $8 million dollars for various causes during her two year tenure. She has also worked as a political consultant, spearheading several successful statewide campaigns and expanding reproductive health rights and education throughout the state of Pennsylvania. 

Sarah was born and raised in El Paso, TX and enjoys swimming, bike riding, and spending time with her daughters and husband. She holds a dual degree in Political Science and Foreign Languages from New Mexico State University, and completed her Master’s in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University in 2008.