Our Team

About Diane

Diane Cushman Neal is the founder and president of Justice Necessary, a Colorado nonprofit founded to fight hygiene and period poverty. Through more than 100 community partners spanning nearly all 64 counties, legislative advocacy, and educational initiatives, the organization has made a significant impact.

Since its inception, Justice Necessary has donated more than 5,100,000 million organic and sustainable period products, 279,000 diaper wipes, and more than 325,000 hygiene products.

Diane founded Justice Necessary, formerly known as “Donations for Dignity” in 2020 after she discovered Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) don’t support the purchase of hygiene products.

Born and raised in California, Diane came to Denver for life-saving medical care when she was given six months to live. Remarkably, that was thirty years ago. Despite the challenges of living with Cystic Fibrosis, and relying on a permanent oxygen tank, Diane continues to live life to the fullest. Her Colorado adventures include skiing, snowshoeing, participating in the Avon 3-Day walk from Boulder to Denver, and even competing in a sprint triathlon.

Diane has garnered recognition for her unwavering perseverance, resilience, determination, and resourcefulness.  She lives by the inspiring words of Dr. Jane Goodall, “You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”

About Ashley

Ashley is Justice Necessary's Clean Slate Support Specialist, serving as our welcoming face and ensuring a positive experience for volunteers and other guests. From event coordination to social media to assisting with day-to-day operations, Ashley is excited to support the team in whatever ways necessary so that together, we can focus on serving the community to the best of our abilities! 

As a proud graduate from the University of Montana with a Bachelor's degree in Communications, Ashley brings strong interpersonal skills and organizational skills to this role. She is passionate about helping people and deeply motivated to support others in becoming the best versions of themselves. Whether she is connecting someone with the proper resources or simply ensuring a program runs smoothly, Ashley approaches every task with empathy and enthusiasm. 

Outside of work, Ashley's love of sports keeps her cheering all year round! In addition, she loves spending time with her roommates, cooking, and being outdoors.

About Emily

Emily is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker coming to Justice Necessary as a consultant with over 11 years of experience in the mental health field. Emily currently runs her own private practice where she provides therapy and advocacy to teens, college students, and adult women.

Previously, Emily worked as a school social worker in Greeley, Colorado. Emily met with students struggling with mental health and substance use concerns, developed and implemented Alternative to Suspension programming, obtained grants for wellness rooms, and trained students and staff in strengths-based suicide prevention models. Emily continues to use her school social work background to provide psychoeducation to students and families regarding their rights and the resources available to them in an academic setting.

It was her work at a 24/7 Crisis Center that Emily gained a wealth of knowledge in local resources, developed a foundation of skills in mental health care and client needs, and ultimately directed her to pursue a career in the field of Social Work. It is her belief that individual care is most effective when met with compassion, partnered with systems that bolster inherent strengths, all while bridging the gaps for needs not yet met. She’s also a firm believer that compassion and humor go a long way in someone's wellness journey.

When not wearing her social work hat (which Emily admits is hard to take off) you can find her by the water fishing or swimming with friends and family. Having grown up in the tiny town of LaPorte, Colorado, Emily is fond of the outdoors and spent many summers tubing the Poudre River and going to concerts at the Mishawaka Amphitheater. In the winter - you’ll find her indoors with a good book or watching nonsensical reality TV with her two dogs and wonderful partner.

Emily received both of her degrees from Colorado State University including a BS in Psychology, followed by a Master’s in Social Work.

About Dr. Michaels

Sharon Michaels, Ed.D. (she/her), is a visionary educational leader dedicated to racial and gender justice. As a teacher, coach, and elementary school principal, she founded Disrupt Forward in 2016. This consulting firm aids K-12 education organizations in refining their anti-bias and anti-racist policies, ensuring all students thrive.

Dr. Michaels earned her Doctorate in Leadership and Learning in Organizations from Vanderbilt University and a Master's in Curriculum & Instruction from George Mason University. Her expertise encompasses K-12 strategic planning, enrollment, retention, business development, and policy compliance. She has also pioneered technology integration in public schools, improved immunization compliance, and secured federal grant funding.

Her commitment to coaching and supporting teachers enhances the learning experience for educators and students.

About Ara

As a Razor Sharp Strategist, Ara tries to help with every aspect of Justice Necessary’s work, supporting our administrative needs and much more. With 20 years of experience in a variety of industries from nonprofits to universities, engineering firms, and tech startups, Ara has built an impressive portfolio of skills in fundraising, customer service, and administrative and legal support. 

After earning Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in International Politics and Conflict Resolution from the University of Denver, Ara founded and continues to run a cooperative disability household in Northwest Denver. With an intentionally intersectional focus, she works to support local members of the LBGTQIA community who live with disabilities and chronic illnesses.

As a second-generation Denverite on one side of her family and a first-generation American on the other, Ara attempts to embody the divisions between micro and macro and local and international perspectives in her daily life. She comes to Justice Necessary with deep roots in Denver advocacy and direct aid and brings an energetic passion for caring for the individual as well as the community, which dovetails perfectly with our mission.

About Randia

A Puerto Rico Native, Randia began her advertising career in 2009 as a Traffic Coordinator at BBDO Puerto Rico. She managed prominent accounts, ensuring smooth project execution from start to finish and fulfilling client advertising contracts, all while maintaining daily status reports to meet strict deadlines. After more than a decade at BBDO, Randia moved to Kroma Advertising, a local Puerto Rican agency, where she worked as an Account Executive, overseeing project timelines and collaborating on the successful launch of a major TV campaign in 2016, assisting with casting and production planning. Following the devastation of Hurricane Maria in 2017, Randia relocated with her family to Colorado.

In Colorado, she joined the Colorado Press Network (CPN) in 2017 as an Advertising Coordinator, managing client order fulfillment. In 2019, she was promoted to Client Services Director, where she focused on exceptional customer service, expanding business relationships, and helping clients maximize the potential of CPN's products. Randia has played a pivotal role in growing CPN’s client base and revenue, establishing herself as a dependable and trusted partner for her clients.

Randia also has extensive experience translating documents between English and Spanish.  As a Latina, she recognizes the importance of translation services in supporting her community and ensuring equal access to information. She joined Justice Necessary as a Spanish Consultant because she is passionate about the organization’s work as an advocate for communities in Colorado struggling to access essential hygiene products.

In her spare time, Randia loves exploring the vibrant culture, beautiful landscapes, and rich heritage of the Caribbean with her family, cherishing the opportunity to reconnect with her roots and create lasting memories together.

About Karen

Karen Wick is a principal at Swift Strategies, a government relations firm in Denver, Colorado focusing on the Colorado General Assembly and state government agencies. She has more than 15 years of legislative and political experience honed while working for top advocacy organizations in Colorado and Washington, DC.

As Political Director and Lobbyist for the Colorado Education Association, affiliate of the National Education Association, she led strategic campaigns to advance their political and legislative goals and engage their 35,000 members across the state. Her previous experience also includes advancing rights for LGBTQ individuals nationally with the Gill Foundation, advocating for union members with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and advancing the rights of working women at Women Work! The National Network for Women’s Employment.

A native of New Jersey, Karen completed her bachelor’s degree at Montclair State University. She later earned her Master’s in Public Policy at the Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration at George Washington University in Washington, DC.