Naji Gehchan: Hello, leaders of the world. Welcome to “Spread Love in Organizations”, a podcast for purpose-driven healthcare leaders, striving to make life better around the world by leading their teams with genuine care, servant leadership, and love.
I am Naji, your host for this special episode in collaboration with MIT Sloan Healthcare and BioInnovations Conference, an event that brings the Healthcare Ecosystem Together. I have the pleasure to be joined by Britt Wahlin is the Vice President for Development and Public Affairs at Ibis Reproductive Health, a global nonprofit research organization working to advance sexual and reproductive autonomy, choices, and health. She leads fund development, communications, and policy and advocacy initiatives and serves on the senior management team. She is proud to be part of the leadership of Free the Pill, a coalition-driven campaign operated by Ibis that aims to move birth control pills over the counter in the United States and ensure they are affordable, covered by insurance, and available to people of all ages without a prescription. Before Ibis, Britt created public engagement campaigns for social justice-themed films and worked in women’s and girls’ philanthropy. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Modern Thought and Literature and Master of Arts in Humanities from Stanford University. She lives in Charlottesville, Virginia, with her husband and two daughters.
Britt, it is great to have you with me today!
Britt Wahlin: Thank you so much for having me. It’s a pleasure to be here.
Naji Gehchan: Before we go and dig in transitions to over the counter products, which was the topic of your panel at the Sloan Healthcare Conference, I’m really eager to learn more about you, about your personal story, what brought you to healthcare, and now being a leading voice on such crucial social topics of reproductive health.
Britt Wahlin: Sure. Yeah, I’m happy to share my story. Uh, so yeah, looking back, um, when I was growing up in California, I was always focused on, like, what’s doing, what was, doing what was right. I care deeply about social justice. Uh, I led service organizations. I volunteered in high school. Um, but it actually wasn’t until I was in college that I, uh, understood you could actually have a career working in the nonprofit sector.
I just didn’t know there were so many options out there. Um, and it was also in college that I followed my feminist calling, um, both in my studies, um, in the internships I did. Um, I, one day, my first year in college, walked into the Women’s Center, like, what can I do? How can I get involved? Um, I ended up working with, um, an organization focused on electing women to public office, uh, which was great.
really gratifying and I learned so much. Uh, I also in college took a class called Philanthropy and Social Justice, um, and I learned how to write a grant proposal. Uh, and so then as I was looking about what to do after college, uh, I was really interested in resource mobilization, uh, and distribution. I was really, um, interested in how philanthropic dollars could be used to reduce the wealth gap, um, and also to reallocate resources to communities.
Um, so the first job I had was with what’s now called the Women’s Foundation of California. Um, I worked with organizations and leaders around the state who were doing incredible work. Um, they were. organizing, providing health education to farm workers in the Central Valley, uh, groups that were supporting young women who were part of the street economy in San Francisco and transforming them into leaders.
I, uh, and these groups, they were so appreciative of our 10, grants, and they did so much with those funds. Um, but I had a strong desire to Amplify those stories, um, to let more people know about these amazing leaders and the work and the impact they were having. Um, so I really wanted to kind of shift into, uh, communications work.
I moved to Boston. I continued working with, um, private foundations that were committed to investing in women’s and girls issues and organizations. Um, but I also did more of this communications work, um, I worked with an organization called Active Voice, which I think you mentioned in my bio, um, harnessed the power of character driven, social issue film, um, to inspire community engagement and action.
I also had the privilege to spend a year overseas, um, mostly in Burma, um, officially known as Myanmar. Um, after my return, I, Looked specifically into opportunities that were global in scope and, um, specifically kind of global health, um, I, I also wanted to return to what felt like my true calling of advancing gender equity, um, uplifting women’s and women and girls health and rights.
And that led me to Ibis Reproductive Health, where I am now. And I was hired as the first development and communication staff person. And that’s where I’ve been for the last 17 years. I’m now currently in the role of Vice President for Development and Public Affairs.
Naji Gehchan: Oh, thank you so much, Britt, for sharing your journey.
And what you’ve been doing is really impressive and inspiring. Um, I, you know, we’re going to talk about, uh, obviously, OTC and your thoughts about this. But the follow up question to what you said, you talked about gender equity, and you’ve been, um, an advocate, an activist, and working, uh, intensely on this.
I would love your view about it. How do you, where do you see us today? Do you see improvements? Are we there yet? Are we not there yet? Consistently think and talk about those things for several reasons. And I’d love, I’d love your view as an expert on this.
Britt Wahlin: Sure, that’s an excellent question. It’s, gosh, a big question. Uh, yes. Are we, um, there are a few, maybe two ways, um, I can start to point to some progress. Um, first, um, I think we, We now have, um, much more sophisticated and inclusive frameworks for talking about these issues. When I was, you know, back in college, I was talking about, like, women’s issues and, and actually girls issues, because girls were really forgotten for so long.
And, um, that was such a neglected area of, like, say, youth programming. There was not a gender lens applied to it. Um, but I, you know, I think we were missing the, the racial justice angle. Um, also, um, when I was in college, I think we were only just then starting to talk about kind of reproductive justice, something broader than, you know, what pro choice, for example, like for so long, the, um, women’s movement was.
As many say, like very much defined by kind of white women’s issues and, um, focus specifically on abortion rights. Someone made that argument. I mean, that I think it was always more than that, but that that was certainly true in many cases in some of the larger organizations. And so, um, The reproductive justice framework, which, um, was created by black women, um, and actually, it’s going to be the 30th anniversary of those women coming together to create this framework, um, came up with a much more, um, a broader and a more inclusive framework, um, recognizing that, um, whereas, um, so much of feminism and second wave feminism, um, uh, up to, um, Um, into the, the 1970s had focused so much on, um, the right to abortion that for women of color, it was a lot about the right to reproduce and reproductive justice, um, that the main kind of tenets of that are that we have the right to have children, the right not to have children, and the right to have parents in communities that are safe and free of violence.
So I think we are seeing that framework and pieces of that framework very much more in the space of gender equity and reproductive health rights. and justice today. Um, and so that is an advancement. I think we, we have a much more sophisticated and inclusive framework, um, and much more of a focus on, um, ensuring that, uh, women of color, people of color, indigenous people, um, Latine folks, um, Asian, American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander folks are at the table, um, and in leadership positions.
And I think our kind of organizational movement space looks much different than it did, say, 20, 30 years ago. Um, but of course, we’re facing so many setbacks in reproductive, uh, health and, and rights in this country. So it’s also, um, A really frightening time for any person who is capable of being pregnant in the United States.
We have many advances that I will talk about that are helping deliver care and bring increased access in innovative ways, but also, um, policies and politicians that seem really determined to take away, um, people’s bodily autonomy.
Naji Gehchan: Yeah, well, thanks for bringing this up. And I think it’s a good transition to, uh, to your work, uh, with free the pill and the OTC word, and this is part of the topic you discussed. So if we start. on a broad position about transitions to OTC. What was, how do you think about this? Uh, which type of drugs should get there?
And what really did you discuss during this panel about those transitions?
Britt Wahlin: Sure. Uh, well, you know, ultimately creating, uh, More over the counter options for, uh, health products, for drugs, medications, devices, can bring care more directly to people, bring health, you know, put health care directly in people’s hands.
Um, so I think that was one of the really big takeaways of the panel. Um. My, my focus and, and as you mentioned, um, at the beginning, um, IBIS reproductive health, uh, leads the, the free the pill, um, campaign. It’s a coalition driven campaign. We have over 200 members representing, um, researchers, advocates, uh, health professions, associations, young people, activists.
We’re a very broad based, uh, coalition. Um, This coalition started 20 years, actually, almost to the date, um, 20 years ago, um, because a group of researchers and advocates, um, were interested in exploring how, um, removing the birth control, removing the requirement, prescription requirement for birth control pills, um, could expand access to safe and effective contraception.
Um, birth control pills have been around for now over 60 years. They’re well studied. They’re, they’re safe. Even 20 years ago, the, this group felt that they met the criteria for over the counter status. Um, and it was IBIS Reproductive Health’s founder, Charlotte Ellertson, who convened that very first meeting, um, 20 years ago.
And, um, it took 20 years of evidence generation, coalition building, kind of building support. And then, of course, a pharmaceutical company, um, HRA Pharma, which then became Parago, to bring a product through the FDA regulatory process. Um, and the FDA approved the first over the counter birth control pill back in July of this past year.
So
Naji Gehchan: this is a great achievement for your organization and for women in this country. Do you feel the work is done?
Britt Wahlin: The work with, uh, The work of gender equity or reproductive,
Naji Gehchan: yeah, specifically on advancing, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, productive justice through, uh, through lifting this barrier on birth control.
Britt Wahlin: Yeah, so for just to stay with the topic first of, of over the counter birth control pills, um, That that was a huge achievement getting FDA approval of the first with the kind of birth control pill and, um, and, and we really believe our coalition sees this as a movement when that this was a broad coalition and people clamoring organizations clamoring for this and, um, Making the case for why this is so important because people face too many barriers to accessing contraception.
And here’s a really innovative way to help increase access. So, um, so we did it. We hit, we hit that, um, big milestone, um, But and now, you know, you can go look in your local pharmacies and some grocery stores. I hope to see that the product is called Opal is on the shelf. Just the last couple of weeks, it’s been hitting the shelf stores around the country.
But now we need to make sure people can access the product. It needs to be covered by insurance. Um, that’s now only happening sporadically in a few states, um, that require coverage of over the counter contraception without a prescription. Um, we need there to be federal change, federal, um, that the administration could make that change right now and, and offer guidance through that this falls under the Affordable Care Act to require insurance companies to cover coverage over the counter contraception without a prescription.
Um, and we also need other innovative ways to get the product to people. You know, it’s, it’s 20 for a single pack. It’s, that’s, that’s unaffordable for many people, um, young people, um, people working to make ends meet. So we, um, the company is offering a community, uh, consumer assistance program. Um, and we need to support innovative ways for people to get the product, um, at affordable, at an affordable cost through their for to introduce to you, Title 10, um, family planning clinics, um, at a sliding scale, uh, through vending machines, um, through just free product donated to community, um, centers where people can access it.
So, so yes, the work won’t be done until we, we ensure that people can. Um, access the product, anyone who needs it can, um, and that, you know, that’s one piece. I’m happy to talk about other work that needs to be done. Um, IBIS works on, um, so many different topics, um, contraception access, but also, um, abortion access, and there’s, there’s a way to go in, in all of these.
On all of these issues, but, um, I think, uh, we are making progress and bringing innovation, um, in terms of how we deliver these services to people, um, whether it’s over the counter or methods like, um, models like telehealth, which is also helping, helping more people access services.
Naji Gehchan: Well, this is, this is again, uh, great impactful work that you’re doing and step by step as you’re saying to move the needle and help, uh, several, uh, women, uh, what’s your biggest learning as a leader, uh, you personally having led such important social issues, which unfortunately several times are becoming divisive.
political issues rather than human, you know, topics and social topics as we should discuss them or sometimes medical topics actually, um, that we should discuss. What’s your biggest learning in this and is there any advice you would give for young leaders passionate about social impact these days?
Britt Wahlin: Yeah, that that’s a great, that’s a great question.
I, I think one of the parts of my work that has been the most satisfying is, is how value centered it is, and how. We at IBIS, um, and in our coalition work and work with partners, um, can always, um, kind of lean into values, um, around equity and inclusion, um, trust. We engage in what we call principled partnerships, which are based on kind of shared power, mutual trust, transparency.
And. You know, in the example of, um, the Free the Pill coalition, um, that coalition led with its values. Um, one example is we, um, wanted to avoid the FDA imposing an age restriction on the product. That happened with emergency contraception plan be many years ago when it went over the counter it took six years for it to be fully over the counter and and not requiring people to show an ID to get it behind the counter.
So, uh, we did not compromise on that. Um, and we Uh, engaged in an adult youth adult partnership. We worked with an amazing organization continue to do so advocates for youth. Um, we, they created a platform for young people to speak up about the issue. And they test young people testified very powerfully before the FDA about why having an over the counter birth control pill was so important and about the barriers that they and their friends have faced.
Um, and at the end of the day, like. We, we won by leading with our values. So, you know, I think it’s, it’s a tough moment to work in reproductive health rights and justice. And I, you know, my colleagues, um, I work with at IBIS, organizations we partner with in this, um, in the United States. Um, it, it can be, it can be tough.
We have, we have We had the Dobbs decision a couple of years ago come from the Supreme Court. We’re now awaiting more um, abortion related decisions from the Supreme Court and it can be hard to be working so hard trying to like do what’s right. bring, um, help to people to access the services they have every right to and then face these setbacks.
But there are these wins like free the pill that, you know, those are our bright spots and, um, and, and those will come. I think you, you can’t give up and can’t compromise on your values. Um, that the losses are going to come. Regardless of whether you compromise, I think, you know, there are sometimes forces that are going to, um, no matter what you do, get in the way.
So, um, working in collaboration and principle partnership and kind of leading with your values. I think it’s always what’s going to help you win at the end of the day.
Naji Gehchan: I love it. Principal partnership and leading with your values for, for, uh, for you to win, for us to win. Uh, I’m gonna now move on giving you a word and I would love your first reaction to it.
The first one is leadership.
Britt Wahlin: Collaboration. You know, that, that’s, if you’d asked me like 20 years ago, I don’t think I would have said that. It’s like my first response. Um, I. When I think about leadership these days, it’s so much about collaboration. It’s about kind of stepping back and listening and listening to your team, listening to your partners, not needing to be the one who’s out there.
Um, but the 1, who’s seeing the strengths and everyone you work with and finding the ways to to make. Each person, um, shine using their strengths. And knowing, I mean, the work is. It’s, you know, our, our vision, it’s, it’s too ambition, ambitious to be ever, um, focused on as, as one individual, um, we’ll only get there by working together.
Naji Gehchan: The second one is health equity.
Britt Wahlin: Health equity to me means that we are designing systems that meet everyone’s needs. Thank you. And especially the needs of those who’ve been most impacted by systemic inequities, by structural racism, um, by barriers to, to getting the care that people really do deserve. And so that means, you know, creating really inclusive systems that, that meet people where they are.
Naji Gehchan: What about social justice?
Britt Wahlin: You know, I feel like, again, this is one of those, like, way back when I thought so much about social justice, and now I think much more about human rights, um, and kind of justice writ large, um, think our frameworks have changed, like I spoke about earlier, we, we talk now about reproductive justice, and gender justice, and climate justice, And is social justice, it feels like really an inadequate kind of term now, um, for, for all of the justices potentially that are part of that.
And, um, to me, the broadest framework we have is, is human rights, um, and achieving justice is ensuring that everybody is able to realize the human rights that they have.
Naji Gehchan: The last one is spread love in organizations.
Britt Wahlin: Well, first, I think you need to love what you do. Um, if you don’t, that’s going to show up somehow. When you’re a leader in an organization and, um, and when you love what you do, you, you bring that love to, to the people you work with. And this has been a learning for me to really show up authentically and to build trust and really build relationships with your team, your colleagues, the other groups you partner with, um, that requires some, some vulnerability.
Yeah, that is, that continues to be my learning edge. Um, I think I kind of started out as a, my, I started out my career feeling like my professional and personal boundaries were like very distinct. Um, and of course we, we all need to have our boundaries. That’s important, but, um, you also really just need to show up, um, as, as who you are and to the people you work with.
And, and again, that requires. Letting your, letting that guard down a bit. Um, also important to that is being able to, yeah, show your, you know, you’re human. You’re not perfect. We all make mistakes and letting your team know that. So to me, that kind of vulnerability is a way of bringing love, spreading love within your organization.
Naji Gehchan: Any final word of wisdom for healthcare leaders around the world?
Britt Wahlin: Healthcare leaders. Yes. Well, you know, you don’t. There’s there’s so many ways that health care leaders, whether they’re working for profit kind of entity for pharmaceutical company health care system. It doesn’t have to just be a nonprofit organization like mine to be really making a difference and and bringing a helping to bring about health equity.
Um, so I guess I would encourage health leaders to think about, um. Innovation. For expanding access, um, that could be in a specific product or a service delivery method, but it also could be looking at your own kind of practices as an organization and what you’re doing for your employees. So you offer robust.
Reproductive health coverage for all of your employees, for example, cover over the counter of contraception without a prescription. You can look at your own policies and practices. And then the second thing I would impart is, is what was, I think, part of what has been successful about, um, or one of the key things that’s been successful about the free the pill movement and having an over the counter birth control pill is.
Um, we, there’s been a different kind of switch. We, there was a pharmaceutical company, Paraga, who ultimately took this through the FDA process, but, um, this was not just driven by pharma, this was driven by communities, by advocates, by people wanting, um, this option because it would expand access to contraception.
And I. I would, I want, I, my advice would be healthcare leaders to the healthcare leaders is to listen to communities, hear what communities need, what to patients need, what, where do they see room to improve and expand access. That’s, that’s what’s going to make your innovation, your intervention successful in the end and have it really be impactful and expand access for people who need it most.
Naji Gehchan: Uh, and as you said, uh, going back to this principled partnership, and if we’re all leading with, uh, our values and trying to solve for patients, for our communities, I’m sure the world will be a better place. And thank you so much for joining me, for making the world a better place for, uh, several women. So thank you so much, Britt, again, for being with me today.
Britt Wahlin: Thank you, Naji. It’s been such a pleasure. Thank you for having me.
Naji Gehchan: Thank you all for listening to SpreadLove in Organizations podcast. Drop us a review on your preferred podcast platform
Follow us on LinkedIn and connect with us on spreadloveio.com. We’re eager to hear your thoughts and feedback. Most importantly, spread love in your organizations and spread the word around you to inspire others and amplify this movement, our world so desperately needs