we are

ABORTION ACTION MISSOURI

One year ago the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, and within minutes Missouri became the first state in the country to make providing abortion a criminal offense.

The game has changed, and we’re rising to meet the moment. With this rebrand, we’re stepping boldly into our future.  Abortion Action is Missouri grown.

Missourians are no strangers to an uphill battle for abortion access in the state, and we know when we act together we can build the Missouri we deserve.

OUR  VISION

Abortion Action Missouri envisions a world with stigma-free abortion access and reproductive freedom for all.

In June 2022, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, and within minutes Missouri became the first state in the country to make providing abortion a criminal offense. The game has changed, and we’re rising to meet the moment.
When we take action together, we can build the future we deserve. Missourians are no strangers to attacks on abortion– that’s why we’re stepping boldly into our future. Abortion Action is Missouri grown, and YOU are who Missouri needs to lead this fight. We will not back down now when Missourians need us most.

OUR  HISTORY

In 1969, the Committee for Legal Abortion in Missouri was organized with the goal of “persuading our legislators to respond to the people’s wish for a more liberal abortion law.” Years later, after the groundbreaking U.S. Supreme Court  Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide, the Committee joined the National Abortion Action League and changed its name to the Abortion Rights Alliance. Over the following decades, our name would change several more times, including in 2021, when Pro-Choice Missouri stepped away from NARAL Pro-Choice America, but our mission would not: to fight for all Missourians’ right to choose abortion, and to advance reproductive freedom for all. 

Yet we know abortion does not exist in a vacuum – the decision of whether or not to become a parent, depends on so many factors including one’s mental, physical, and socioeconomic well-being. We’ve long worked on issues including access to birth control, fighting pregnancy discrimination, access to paid leave, and more – but in 2020, we made a commitment to do our work through a reproductive justice (RJ) lens, recognizing the disproportionate impact abortion bans have on communities of color, those struggling to survive pay check to paycheck and other groups that have historically been disinvested in.

We committed then to make reproductive equity an organizational priority– utilizing the Reproductive Justice framework established by Sister Song, the largest national multi-ethnic Reproductive Justice collective, supporting every person’s right to maintain bodily autonomy, to have children, to not have children, and to raise our families in safe and sustainable communities.

Read our commitment to Racial Equity and Reproductive Justice

OUR OTHER ENTITIES

FOUNDATION

Abortion Action Missouri Foundation is the research and education arm of our movement. The Foundation does not do direct political work, but its work in the areas of civic engagement, public policy, public education, leadership development, and research and polling complement the advocacy work done by Abortion Action Missouri Missouri. Donate here.

POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE

Abortion Action Missouri PAC helps elect reproductive freedom champions into state and local offices by providing financial and in-kind campaign contributions to candidates who have been endorsed by Abortion Action Missouri.

MEET OUR TEAM

MALLORY SCHWARZ (she/her)

Executive Director of AAM and the first Latina to hold this position. Prior to joining Pro-Choice Missouri she represented the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists as a policy manager, and served as the Director of Government Relations for Republican Majority for Choice. She is a pro-abortion adoptee and a lifelong advocate for issues of sexual and reproductive health having been published in numerous outlets and spoken on many panels on issues of reproductive freedom. Mallory holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Saint Louis University and is currently a candidate for a Masters of Public Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

MARICELI ALEGRIA (she/her)

Director of Operations for Abortion Action Missouri, and has been leading AAM’s Clinic Escort program since 2018. A Texas native from the Rio Grande Valley, she is the first in her family to graduate from college, receiving an Associate’s Degree in Information Systems from St. Louis Community College, then a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with a focus on Accounting from the University of Missouri St. Louis. Additionally, Mariceli volunteers as an AAM clinic escort, an abortion doula, a street medic, and a companion for those attending ICE/Immigration appointments in St. Louis.

MAGGIE OLIVIA (she/her)

Senior Manager of Public Policy at Abortion Action Missouri. Also a volunteer clinic escort and abortion story-teller through Abortion Action Missouri programs, Maggie began her time with AAM as a public policy intern after being escorted to an appointment for an abortion by an AAM clinic escort. In her current role Maggie represents Abortion Action Missouri to stakeholders, coalition partners, elected officials, and media representatives as the organizational lobbyist. With Bachelors Degrees in Political Studies and Communications from mid-MO, Maggie is a lifelong Missourian with a deep love for the midwest

DR. LOVE HOLT (she/her)

Community Engagement Manager and abortion storyteller with Abortion Action Missouri. Born and raised in Berkeley, North County St. Louis, she is also an abortion doula, herbal womb practitioner and Cultural Competency Consultant. With certifications in herbalism, biology, anatomy, storytelling, and trauma healing, she has developed 2 CDC supported initiatives Black Woman: Healed, and The Brown Girls Brunch. Dr. Love was an Action St. Louis Black Organizing Summer School (BOSS) fellow in 2020 before joining Abortion Action Missouri as a reproductive freedom organizer and was named the 2022 Activist of the Year for her Reproductive Justice advocacy and leadership.

ALEX COOK (he/him)

Director of Organizing and Campaigns at Abortion Action Missouri. He has been with the organization in all of its forms since 2019. Alex is a dedicated organizer with experience in community, political and labor organizing. Alex has lived in St. Louis since 2016 and considers it his home. Prior to Abortion Action Missouri, Alex was an organizer with SEIU Local 1 where he organized St. Louis workers to build power and win. Alex organizes for abortion access because he wants to live in a state where the people who represent us do so with respect for Missourians’ freedom and dignity. He believes that organizing people-led movements for reproductive freedom and multi-racial democracy is how we will achieve this vision. In his spare time, he can be found playing guitar, grilling, and spending time with his dog and cat, Frankie and Junebug.

KENNEDY MOORE, MPPA (she/they)

Manager of Digital and Youth Organizing at Abortion Action Missouri, Kennedy started her organizing career in 2015 on the University of Missouri – Columbia campus where she graduated with degrees in Communications and Black Studies in 2018. Additionally Kennedy has her Masters of Public Policy Administration from the University of Missouri – St. Louis. They were a Black Organizing Summer School (BOSS) fellow with Action St. Louis in 2020, and has worked to push for surveillance oversight, paid family leave and other policy aligned with reproductive access in the St. Louis region. Her passions for data and digital organizing are integral in helping rebuild abortion access in Missouri. In her spare time, you can find Kennedy biking, checking out new tech gadgets, DJing or looking for the next gig to share her contralto singing voice.

 

LARISA KLEBE, MA (she/her)

Director of Development at Abortion Action Missouri. She previously worked in the Jewish nonprofit sector for nearly a decade and held positions including Director of Nishmah (women’s programming) at the St. Louis Jewish Community Center, and Associate Director of Programs and Education at Jewish Women’s Archive. Larisa holds a master’s degree in History and Museum Studies, and a certificate in Nonprofit Management and Leadership. She lives in St. Louis with her husband Brian and their dog Oreo.

BRIAN WINGBERMUEHLE (he/him)

Manager of Political Advocacy at Abortion Action Missouri. He has worked at Abortion Action Missouri for more than 4 years. Brian is also the Democratic Committeeman of Meramec Township of Saint Louis County and represents State Senate District 24 on the Missouri Democratic Party’s State Committee. He has a long tenure in Missouri politics helping elect progressive candidates and on numerous boards and commissions including being the youngest redistricting appointee in St. Louis County History.

CARA HILE (she/her)

Kansas City Organizer at Abortion Action Missouri. She began organizing during the summer of 2022 with the Kansas campaign to protect the right to abortion. Since starting with Abortion Action Missouri in October 2022, Cara has built a base of dedicated members and leaders in Kansas City. She holds a Bachelor of Liberal Arts degree from the University of Missouri – Kansas City. Cara lives in Grandview, Missouri with her partner Edgar.

Sarah Sheahan (she/her)

St. Louis Organizer at Abortion Action Missouri. Sarah started her journey working with Abortion Action Missouri as a Canvassing Manager in October 2022, knocking doors for the Board of Alderman election. Her journey in organizing started as a political organizing intern in 2017 with Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis region. Alongside her experience in organizing, she also spent 3 years working as a non-profit fundraiser. As a lifelong Missourian, with a bachelor’s degree in Communications, Sarah hopes to use her skills to co-create a state that prioritizes safety, dignity, civil rights, and remediating poverty. She has a deep love for the Saint Louis region. In her free time, you can catch her hanging with friends and her beloved cat, Homer, and dog, Maeve.

 

MELISSA DUNN (they/them)

Clinic Support Manager at Abortion Action Missouri. Melissa began their organizing journey with Abortion Action Missouri in 2016, when they became a volunteer clinic escort. Melissa became more involved with the organization through various volunteer roles, including acting as a rally marshal at local actions and traveling with AAM to Jefferson City lobby days. They became a full time employee in 2023.

PAIGE SPINDLER-RICHARDSON (she/her)

Communications Manager at Abortion Action Missouri. Growing up in Springfield, Missouri, Paige has had an eclectic career path following her passion for the arts. She earned her Bachelor of the Arts degree from NYU Tisch in 2019 and worked in Southern California in nonprofit and holistic practice arenas. The common thread throughout her life has been a dedication to activism in sustainable food systems/food insecurity, housing insecurity, and social justice. Returning to Springfield, Paige strives to utilize the design and communications tools she’s cultivated to help make Missouri a state that unwaveringly supports all of our people. In her freetime, Paige can be found painting, spending time with her cats Esther and Clementine, or making socio-political analyses of pop culture with friends.

MEET OUR TEAM

MALLORY SCHWARZ (she/her)

MALLORY SCHWARZ (she/her)

Executive Director of AAM and the first Latina to hold this position. Prior to joining Pro-Choice Missouri she represented the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists as a policy manager, and served as the Director of Government Relations for Republican Majority for Choice. She is a pro-abortion adoptee and a lifelong advocate for issues of sexual and reproductive health having been published in numerous outlets and spoken on many panels on issues of reproductive freedom. Mallory holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Saint Louis University and is currently a candidate for a Masters of Public Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. 

MARICELI ALEGRIA (she/her)

MARICELI ALEGRIA (she/her)

Director of Operations for Abortion Action Missouri, and has been leading AAM’s Clinic Escort program since 2018. A Texas native from the Rio Grande Valley, she is the first in her family to graduate from college, receiving an Associate’s Degree in Information Systems from St. Louis Community College, then a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with a focus on Accounting from the University of Missouri St. Louis. Additionally, Mariceli volunteers as an AAM clinic escort, an abortion doula, a street medic, and a companion for those attending ICE/Immigration appointments in St. Louis. 

MAGGIE OLIVIA (she/her)

MAGGIE OLIVIA (she/her)

Manager of Public Policy at Abortion Action Missouri. Also a volunteer clinic escort and abortion story-teller through Abortion Action Missouri programs, Maggie began her time with AAM as a public policy intern after being escorted to an appointment for an abortion by an AAM clinic escort. In her current role Maggie represents Abortion Action Missouri to stakeholders, coalition partners, elected officials, and media representatives as the organizational lobbyist. With Bachelors Degrees in Political Studies and Communications from mid-MO, Maggie is a lifelong Missourian with a deep love for the midwest

DR. LOVE HOLT (she/her)

DR. LOVE HOLT (she/her)

Community Engagement Manager and abortion storyteller with Abortion Action Missouri. Born and raised in Berkeley, North County St. Louis, she is also an abortion doula, herbal womb practitioner and Cultural Competency Consultant. With certifications in herbalism, biology, anatomy, storytelling, and trauma healing, she has developed 2 CDC supported initiatives Black Woman: Healed, and The Brown Girls Brunch. Dr. Love was an Action St. Louis Black Organizing Summer School (BOSS) fellow in 2020 before joining Abortion Action Missouri as a reproductive freedom organizer and was named the 2022 Activist of the Year for her Reproductive Justice advocacy and leadership.

ALEX COOK (he/him)

ALEX COOK (he/him)

Director of Organizing and Campaigns at Abortion Action Missouri. He has been with the organization in all of its forms since 2019. Alex is a dedicated organizer with experience in community, political and labor organizing. Alex has lived in St. Louis since 2016 and considers it his home. Prior to Abortion Action Missouri, Alex was an organizer with SEIU Local 1 where he organized St. Louis workers to build power and win. Alex organizes for abortion access because he wants to live in a state where the people who represent us do so with respect for Missourians’ freedom and dignity. He believes that organizing people-led movements for reproductive freedom and multi-racial democracy is how we will achieve this vision. In his spare time, he can be found playing guitar, grilling, and spending time with his dog and cat, Frankie and Junebug.

KENNEDY MOORE, MPPA (she/they)

KENNEDY MOORE, MPPA (she/they)

Manager of Digital and Youth Organizing at Abortion Action Missouri, Kennedy started her organizing career in 2015 on the University of Missouri – Columbia campus where she graduated with degrees in Communications and Black Studies in 2018. Additionally Kennedy has her Masters of Public Policy Administration from the University of Missouri – St. Louis. They were a Black Organizing Summer School (BOSS) fellow with Action St. Louis in 2020, and has worked to push for surveillance oversight, paid family leave and other policy aligned with reproductive access in the St. Louis region. Her passions for data and digital organizing are integral in helping rebuild abortion access in Missouri. In her spare time, you can find Kennedy biking, checking out new tech gadgets, DJing or looking for the next gig to share her contralto singing voice.

LARISA KLEBE (she/her)

LARISA KLEBE (she/her)

Director of Development at Abortion Action Missouri. She previously worked in the Jewish nonprofit sector for nearly a decade and held positions including Director of Nishmah (women’s programming) at the St. Louis Jewish Community Center, and Associate Director of Programs and Education at Jewish Women’s Archive. Larisa holds a master’s degree in History and Museum Studies, and a certificate in Nonprofit Management and Leadership. She lives in St. Louis with her husband Brian and their dog Oreo.

BRIAN WINGBERMUEHLE (he/him)

BRIAN WINGBERMUEHLE (he/him)

Manager of Political Advocacy at Abortion Action Missouri. He has worked at Abortion Action Missouri for more than 4 years. Brian is also the Democratic Committeeman of Meramec Township of Saint Louis County and represents State Senate District 24 on the Missouri Democratic Party’s State Committee. He has a long tenure in Missouri politics helping elect progressive candidates and on numerous boards and commissions including being the youngest redistricting appointee in St. Louis County History.

CARA HILE (she/her)

CARA HILE (she/her)

Kansas City Organizer at Abortion Action Missouri. She began organizing during the summer of 2022 with the Kansas campaign to protect the right to abortion. Since starting with Abortion Action Missouri in October 2022, Cara has built a base of dedicated members and leaders in Kansas City. She holds a Bachelor of Liberal Arts degree from the University of Missouri – Kansas City. Cara lives in Grandview, Missouri with her partner Edgar.

Sarah Sheahan (she/her)

Sarah Sheahan (she/her)

St. Louis Organizer at Abortion Action Missouri. Sarah started her journey working with Abortion Action Missouri as a Canvassing Manager in October 2022, knocking doors for the Board of Alderman election. Her journey in organizing started as a political organizing intern in 2017 with Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis region. Alongside her experience in organizing, she also spent 3 years working as a non-profit fundraiser. As a lifelong Missourian, with a bachelor’s degree in Communications, Sarah hopes to use her skills to co-create a state that prioritizes safety, dignity, civil rights, and remediating poverty. She has a deep love for the Saint Louis region. In her free time, you can catch her hanging with friends and her beloved cat, Homer, and dog, Maeve.

MELISSA DUNN (they/them)

MELISSA DUNN (they/them)

Clinic Support Manager at Abortion Action Missouri. Melissa began their organizing journey with Abortion Action Missouri in 2016, when they became a volunteer clinic escort. Melissa became more involved with the organization through various volunteer roles, including acting as a rally marshal at local actions and traveling with AAM to Jefferson City lobby days. They became a full time employee in 2023.

Paige Spindler-Richardson (she/her)

Paige Spindler-Richardson (she/her)

Communications Manager at Abortion Action Missouri. Growing up in Springfield, Missouri, Paige has had an eclectic career path following her passion for the arts. She earned her Bachelor of the Arts degree from NYU Tisch in 2019 and worked in Southern California in nonprofit and holistic practice arenas. The common thread throughout her life has been a dedication to activism in sustainable food systems/food insecurity, housing insecurity, and social justice. Returning to Springfield, Paige strives to utilize the design and communications tools she’s cultivated to help make Missouri a state that unwaveringly supports all of our people. In her freetime, Paige can be found painting, spending time with her cats Esther and Clementine, or making socio-political analyses of pop culture with friends.

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FAQs

Why did the organization change it's name from Pro-Choice Missouri to Abortion Action Missouri?

Performing abortions in Missouri is now a criminal offense – further attacks on abortion patients, their loved ones, and their care providers are becoming increasingly normalized, and anti-abortion violence is at an all time high – the game has changed, and so have we. 

We are rising to meet the moment and stepping boldly into our future as Abortion Action Missouri. The new name of our organization, in addition to our new headquarters in St. Louis, communicates loud and clear our commitment to taking up space, saying abortion out-loud, and centering Missourians in this work because when we take action together, we can build the future we deserve. 

Missourians are no strangers to attacks on abortion, no strangers to the national spotlight brought on by power hungry politicians obsessed with our bodies and lives, but at Abortion Action Missouri we know that Missourians are not the problem, Missourians are the solution.