Meet the Team

Denise Cappuccio has served as the CFO at Concerned Women for America since April 2016. She is originally from Long Island, New York and has worked over 20 years in the accounting field. After graduating from Hofstra University, Denise first started her career in 1995 at Ernst & Young LLP which was one of the “Big 6” accounting firms at that time. She worked at E&Y for four years and passed the New York State CPA exam during her time there. Denise has also held other roles in the corporate and non-profit sectors. Denise manages CWA’s finance department and she also serves on the executive leadership team where she assists in decision making for the organization. She also sometimes speaks at women’s events and conferences. Denise and her husband, Reverend Philip Cappuccio, have been happily married since September 2017 and reside in Northern Virginia. They enjoy traveling together as he ministers throughout the nation.

Mario Díaz, Esq., serves as Concerned Women for America’s (CWA) General Counsel and leads CWA’s Legal Studies Department. Mr. Diaz is a Constitutional Law expert who focuses on cases and legislation dealing with CWA’s core issues: religious liberty, the sanctity of human life, defense of the family, sexual exploitation, education, national sovereignty, and support for Israel. He directs CWA’s amicus briefs program and our work on judicial nominations and against judicial activism.

Mr. Diaz is the author of Be Spent: Winning the Fight for Freedom’s Survival. His columns are regularly featured in several media outlets, including The Washington Times, The Christian Post, Human Events, First Things, The Blaze, American Thinker, CNS News, WorldNetDaily, Townhall, and other outlets, as requested.

Mr. Diaz is also a media commentator who has appeared on networks like CNN, FOX, Univision, and Voice of America, both in English and Spanish. As a public speaker with experience at numerous conferences, including the well-known Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), he engages audiences to think through the way a Biblical worldview affects policy matters. Mario also speaks at churches and schools about legal matters and America’s founding principles.

A member of the United States Supreme Court Bar, among others, Mr. Diaz obtained his Juris Doctor from the Catholic University of America’s Columbus School of Law in Washington, D.C. He also has a Masters in Theological Studies from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Mr. Diaz lives in Virginia with his wife and four children.

Keep up with Mario’s work on Twitter @mariodiazesq and catch his latest writings, on CWA’s Legal Studies Page.

Sara Olson is the Chief Advancement Officer for Concerned Women for America. Sara looks for strategic ways to advance the mission of CWA, forging new national partnerships and stewarding some of CWA’s most treasured relationships. In her early career, Sara worked in sales training and management with The Southwestern Company. While she excelled in sales, she stepped into her role as a full-time mom when her first child was born. While fulfilling her role as a mother, Sara co-founded and oversaw Haystack Associates, an executive search firm serving national clients. In 2008, Sara and her husband, JT, sold their share of Haystack Associates so JT could start a nonprofit organization serving widows and orphans. Sara subsequently joined Belmont University overseeing visits in the Office of Admissions and planning major events. In 2012, she was promoted to Director of Parent Engagement. Sara is a member of The Republican Women of Williamson County, National Federation of Republican Women, and volunteers with Both Hands Foundation. Sara and JT live in Brentwood, Tennessee with the youngest of their five children.

Doreen Denny is Senior Advisor for Concerned Women for America where she focuses on protecting women, children, and families from the destructive impact of gender ideology in law and policy. Denny also serves as an opinion writer and commentator on cultural and women’s issues, appearing on major television and radio networks, including Fox News, PBS Newshour, CBN, and National Public Radio. Her work is also featured in numerous publications, including The Washington Times, The HiIl, The Christian Post, Newsweek, and Townhall.

Doreen has broad experience in policy, strategy, and communications roles across the federal government. She has held positions in the White House Office of Policy Development under George HW Bush, U.S. Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, and both chambers of Congress, most notably for Senator John Ashcroft (R-Missouri). She has also served as a consultant for both private sector and nonprofit organizations working on issues ranging from education reform to emerging democracies.

While embracing a career break to raise children, Doreen served as director of women’s ministry programs, mentor to young professional women in the CS Lewis Institute Fellows program, and in numerous volunteer capacities in the public schools. Denny holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Kansas and a Master of Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School. With their two children now young adults, Doreen and her husband recently re-located to beautiful Coeur d’Alene, Idaho to be near her parents.

Tanya Ditty, CWA’s Vice President of Field Operations, has served in this capacity since November of 2018. In this role, Tanya is responsible for field growth and increasing the effectiveness of CWA in the states to carry out CWA’s vision of impacting the culture for Christ through education and public policy. Tanya has been a CWA activist for over 30 years. Before her current position as Vice President of Field Operations, Tanya served as CWA of Georgia’s State Director for over 15 years recruiting new members and Prayer/Action Leaders. Tanya is an experienced state-level policy leader with a record of effective leadership on challenging state issues. Tanya has received numerous awards for her state-level activism, including a Woman of the Year award for state policy leadership. Tanya has served as a member of the Board of Directors of Concerned Women for America and on the board for the Conservative Republican Women of North Atlanta, in addition to serving on the Public Affairs Committee of the Georgia Baptist Mission Board. Tanya holds a Bachelor of Business degree from the University of Texas at Arlington and a Master of Education degree from the University of West Georgia. As a 31-year veteran educator, Tanya has been a public-school teacher, online course developer, and online instructor. She also holds various certifications in database application development. A little-known fact about Tanya – she holds two design patents.

Alexandra McPhee is currently CWA’s Director of Government Relations. Alexandra oversees the day-to-day operations for the Government Relations team. She previously served as a legislative counsel for U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri.

Alexandra has an undergraduate degree from the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, and a law degree from Regent University School of Law in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Before joining CWA, she worked in public policy for another national think tank with a focus on religious liberty issues domestically. She clerked for the Supreme Court of Virginia.

When not working, Alexandra tries to attend interesting events in the Washington, D.C., metro area that are off the beaten path. She enjoys playing chess even though she is not very good at it.

Annabelle Rutledge is the National Director of Young Women for America. In this role, she oversees CWA’s collegiate department which seeks to train and equip female college and high school leaders. Prior to this position, Annabelle worked as CWA’s Communications Coordinator for nearly two years, during which time she helped plan and execute CWA’s Women for Kavanaugh effort. Annabelle recently spent a year working as Deputy Social Secretary for Mrs. Karen Pence on the Vice President’s team where she planned events at the Vice President’s residence and did advance for Mrs. Pence from Hawaii to Ireland and many places in between. Annabelle grew up just outside of Sacramento, California, and graduated from Grove City College with a bachelor’s degree in history.

Valerie Bynog graduated from the University of Florida in 2020 with a B.A. in Political Science and a minor in Religion. She served as an intern on a U.S. congressional campaign throughout her final semester at the University of Florida. After graduating college, Valerie accepted a position with former Rep. Ted Yoho (R-Florida) until his retirement in January 2021. Valerie transitioned into the office of Rep. Kat Cammack (R-Florida), where she served until becoming Young Women of America’s Southern Regional Coordinator. Valerie is passionate about how our Christian values should form our political beliefs and hopes to share this passion with young women across the United States. If she is not in the office, she can be found listening to an Allie Beth Stuckey podcast, traveling with her husband, or drinking a good cup of coffee.

Ana Castillo is from Northwest Arkansas and is a graduate of John Brown University, where she received her B.B.A. in International Business. At John Brown, Ana worked as the Graduate Assistant to the Soderquist College of Business and Co-Advisor to Enactus JBU, a social entrepreneurship club on campus. Recently, she completed her Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Healthcare Administration from John Brown. Through her MBA courses, she learned the impact of public policy on every aspect of our lives, and her assignments challenged her to integrate Biblical values into her work. Ana is the new Young Women for America Eastern Regional Coordinator and is excited to continue integrating Biblical values into public policy beyond healthcare.

Julia is a recent graduate from Dallas Baptist University with a B.A. in Graphic Design. During her college career, she worked as the Lead Graphic Designer and Editor in Chief for the DBU Yearbook. Before graduating, Julia spent time in Japan interning as a graphic designer for L-Café and also working closely with the Oharah Museum of Art. Now she is CWA’s Lead Graphic Designer and plans to influence our country using her art.

Katie Everett is from Longview, Texas, and is a graduate of Texas A&M University, where she received a B.A. in Telecommunication Media Studies. At Texas A&M, Katie was a Young Women for America (YWA) leader and continued her involvement with YWA upon graduation as a YWA Regional Coordinator. Before her current role as CWA’s Press Secretary, Katie worked in the press offices of Congressman Louie Gohmert and Sen. John Kennedy.

Marie Guthrie finds great joy in connecting with CWA supporters across the Midwest. Each conversation with a treasured partner strengthens her faith and hope for the future of our country. Marie lives along the scenic Fox River in Illinois with her husband and son. She consistently stands firm for Biblical values and conservative principles and policies. Prior to joining CWA in 2021, Marie’s fundraising and marketing career included time as a fundraising consultant for a conservative Super PAC, a corporate marketing director for the global children’s ministry Awana and a communications strategist and content writer for compassion ministries. Her early career in corporate marketing strengthened her passion for excellent communication. In her free time, you’ll find Marie writing, drawing, and spending time with her cherished family and friends. Don’t be surprised if she asks you how she can pray for you. Her faith in God and the power of community makes her heart beat fast.

Morgan Kensinger is Executive Assistant to Sara Olson and the Development Relations team. Morgan graduated from Baylor University with a degree in Apparel Design and Product Development. Before CWA, Morgan worked as an assistant for SWBC Mortgage and Assistant Manager at Hester & Cook. Morgan is overjoyed to be able to work for CWA and further the Kingdom of God. She is thrilled to work alongside such strong and amazing women.

Morgan was born and raised in Waco, Texas and now lives in Franklin, Tennessee, with her husband, Collin, and sweet golden retriever, Boog. Outside of CWA, Morgan enjoys knitting, sewing, graphic design, hiking, and exploring Nashville.

Michelle Minor, CWA’s Field Organization Coordinator, assists the National Field Director in encouraging, training, and overseeing CWA leaders around the country. Michelle has been on staff for over 25 years. Before her time at CWA, Michelle worked for Operation Rescue, where on her own time was frequently arrested for peaceful civil disobedience during events outside of abortion clinics across the country. Michelle is a graduate of Elim Bible Institute. While at Elim, she was one of three students who started a campus group called Action Now where they encouraged students monthly to be educated on the issue of abortion and to speak out against it through writing their representatives, attending rallies, marches, etc. Michelle enjoys spending time with her husband and pre-teen son as well as in her gardens.

Natalie Panettiere is the Executive Assistant to the CEO and Finance Manager.  She interned at CWA in the summer of 2020 in the Communications and Field Operations Department. Natalie graduated from Lee University with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology in May of 2020. She is thrilled to be a part of Concerned Women for America. She is so thankful to have the opportunity to work alongside a staff that is actively seeking the Lord through prayer, as well as taking action on issues that are affecting our nation today.

Morgan Schlesselman is a California native and a graduate of Fresno Pacific University, where she received a B.A. in Criminal Justice. At Fresno Pacific, Morgan worked in the Events Office and interned for the Office of Congressman Devin Nunes. Before Morgan’s current role as YWA Regional Coordinator, she interned for CWA in the Government Relations Department. In 2021, she completed a Master of Public Policy from Liberty University. Her passion for the intersection of faith and public policy has led her to this role with YWA; Morgan is grateful for the opportunity to walk alongside young women in their pursuit of Biblical values and Constitutional principles.

Celso has been with CWA for 30 years. Celso ensures all office operations are running smoothly and brings a level of calm enthusiasm to every task. CWA is blessed to have Celso on our team.