Grandmothers For Gun Responsibility

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Our Leadership team

STAFF

Margaret Heldring 2

Margaret
Heldring, PhD

Principal Founder &
Executive Director
Washington

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Margaret Heldring PhD, is the Principal Founder and Executive Director of Grandmothers for Gun Responsibility, Margaret was the Founder and served as Chair of Grandmothers Against Gun Violence for 10 years. A retired clinical psychologist, she served as clinical faculty in the UW Department of Family Medicine, as health care legislative assistant to former U.S. Senators Bill Bradley and Paul Wellstone, as a senior policy advisor on Bill Bradley’s presidential campaign, and as the founder and Executive Director of the national nonprofit, America’s HealthTogether. She delights in being a thriving grandmother.

Liana

Liana
Redmond

Director of Operations
Washington

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Liana Redmond is the Director of Operations for Grandmothers for Gun Responsibility. She has a background in account and project management and over 25 years in the creative industries spanning design, retail, tech, and staffing. She is known for building strong partnerships, driving results, and meeting clients’ needs. After years of supporting top brands and building and recruiting creative teams, she recently transitioned into a new chapter bringing her expertise in strategy, organization, and collaboration to mission-driven work. She lives in Seattle with her husband, two sons, and pup and thrives on making a meaningful impact every day.

Sarah Dean_300x350px

Sarah J.E.
Dean

Director of Social Media &
Community Engagement
Washington

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Sarah J.E. Dean is the Director of Social Media and Community Engagement. She holds degrees in Communications and English from the University of Washington. Her career in education resulted in 36 years of employment with the Washington State Board of Community and Technical Colleges, including adjunct faculty at Shoreline, Highline, Seattle Central and Bellevue Colleges; tenured faculty at Renton Technical College, and Communications Director at Seattle Vocational Institute. She served as outreach coordinator for Grandmothers Against Gun Violence before joining the Advisory Council of Grandmothers for Gun Responsibility. She has a passion for social justice, equality and inclusion. She is President of the NCNW Rocky Mountain Regional Coalition. She is a dedicated Grandmother and Great-Grandmother.

Board of Directors

Senator Bill Bradley

Senator Bill
Bradley

Former U.S. Senator (NJ), NBA, Playwright, Author New York

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Senator William W. Bradley is a Managing Director at Allen & Company LLC. He previously served as Senior Advisor at JP Morgan and as chief advisor to McKinsey & Company’s nonprofit practice. Bradley was a U.S. Senator from New Jersey (1979-1997) and ran for President in 2000. A former Olympic gold medalist and NBA champion with the New York Knicks, he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1982. A Rhodes Scholar, he holds degrees from Princeton and Oxford. Bradley hosts “American Voices” on Sirius XM and premiered his performative autobiography, Rolling Along, at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival which streams on Max and his YouTube channel.
A man in a suit and red tie looks directly at the camera against a neutral background, exuding the calm assurance reminiscent of wise grandmothers.

Brian H.
Williams, MD

Trauma Surgeon, U.S. Air Force Veteran, Former RWJF Health Policy Fellow Texas

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Dr. Brian H. Williams is a trauma surgeon, Air Force veteran, and expert in gun violence prevention and healthcare disparities. He trained at Harvard Medical School and Emory University and served as a Professor of Surgery at UT Southwestern and the University of Chicago. Dr. Williams played a key role in crafting the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act of 2022. He is a former candidate for Congress endorsed by Brady PAC and received the inaugural Giffords Gun Safety Champion Award. Dr. Williams lives in East Dallas with his wife and daughter, where he advocates for safe and healthy communities.
An elderly grandmother with long gray hair, large black glasses, and a black top smiles warmly against a plain background.

Cheryl
Greene

Former Chief Strategy Officer Deutsch Advertising, Inc. New York

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Cheryl Greene is a grandmother and semi-retired advertising and marketing consultant. Formerly Managing Partner, and Chief Strategy Officer at Deutsch Advertising, she is hopeful that applying marketing and consumer insights to our gun violence issues can create a more peaceful culture. She has an A.B. in American Studies from Barnard College, Columbia University, and an M.B.A. from the University of Oklahoma.
A man wearing sunglasses and a blue cap, his beard visible, stands in a blurred outdoor background, reminiscent of cherished family photos taken by grandmothers.

Woodie Kessel,
MD, MPH

Assistant Surgeon General (Ret.), USPHS, Pediatrician Maryland

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Woodie Kessel, B.S.E.E., M.D., M.P.H., a pediatrician and child advocate, is an educator, investigator, and practitioner in medicine, public health, and public policy. He focuses on improving the health of children and families, eliminating food insecurity, and preventing gun violence. He is the Co-Director of the UMD Prevent Gun Violence: Research, Empowerment, Strategies and Solutions (PROGRESS) Initiative. Dr. Kessel is the C. Everett Koop Senior Child Health Scholar and Professor of Pediatrics at Dartmouth College; and Professor of the Practice at the UMD School of Public Health. He served in the U.S. Public Health Service as an Assistant Surgeon General and senior child and family health advisor spanning eight administrations. Woodie serves as the Board Treasurer for Grandmothers for Gun Responsibility.

A person with long hair smiles warmly, evoking the grace often seen in grandmothers, while standing in front of a leafy background.

Renée
Hopkins

Chief Executive Officer, Alliance for Gun Responsibility Washington

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As CEO of the Alliance for Gun Responsibility, Renée oversees the development and execution of the Alliance’s strategic plan. During Renée’s tenure, the Alliance passed two statewide ballot initiatives, more than 60 common sense gun laws through the legislature, and has led the nation in establishing best practices for gun law implementation. Renée previously served as CEO & President of the Seattle Police Foundation for 14 years. A native of Washington state, Renée lives in West Seattle with her husband. Renée; ‘s true beacon of hope is her daughter, a college freshman. When not working, she can be found walking her dogs, hiking with her family, or reading in front of the fire. Renee serves as the Interim Board Chair for Grandmothers for Gun Responsibility.
Bill Bradley 3

Senator Bill
Bradley

Former U.S. Senator (NJ), NBA, Playwright, Author
New York

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Senator William W. Bradley is a Managing Director at Allen & Company LLC. He previously served as Senior Advisor at JP Morgan and as chief advisor to McKinsey & Company’s nonprofit practice. Bradley was a U.S. Senator from New Jersey (1979-1997) and ran for President in 2000. A former Olympic gold medalist and NBA champion with the New York Knicks, he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1982. A Rhodes Scholar, he holds degrees from Princeton and Oxford. Bradley hosts “American Voices” on Sirius XM and premiered his performative autobiography, Rolling Along, at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival which streams on Max and his YouTube channel.
An elderly grandmother with long gray hair, large black glasses, and a black top smiles warmly against a plain background.

Cheryl
Greene

Former Chief Strategy Officer Deutsch Advertising, Inc.
New York

Read Bio
Cheryl Greene is a grandmother and semi-retired advertising and marketing consultant. Formerly Managing Partner, and Chief Strategy Officer at Deutsch Advertising, she is hopeful that applying marketing and consumer insights to our gun violence issues can create a more peaceful culture. She has an A.B. in American Studies from Barnard College, Columbia University, and an M.B.A. from the University of Oklahoma.
A person with long hair smiles warmly, evoking the grace often seen in grandmothers, while standing in front of a leafy background.

Renée
Hopkins

Chief Executive Officer, Alliance for Gun Responsibility
Washington

Read Bio
As CEO of the Alliance for Gun Responsibility, Renée oversees the development and execution of the Alliance’s strategic plan. During Renée’s tenure, the Alliance passed two statewide ballot initiatives, more than 60 common sense gun laws through the legislature, and has led the nation in establishing best practices for gun law implementation. Renée previously served as CEO & President of the Seattle Police Foundation for 14 years. A native of Washington state, Renée lives in West Seattle with her husband. Renée; ‘s true beacon of hope is her daughter, a college freshman. When not working, she can be found walking her dogs, hiking with her family, or reading in front of the fire. Renee serves as the Interim Board Chair for Grandmothers for Gun Responsibility.
A man wearing sunglasses and a blue cap, his beard visible, stands in a blurred outdoor background, reminiscent of cherished family photos taken by grandmothers.

Woodie
Kessel, MD, MPH

Assistant Surgeon General (Ret.), USPHS, Pediatrician
Maryland

Read Bio

Woodie Kessel, B.S.E.E., M.D., M.P.H., a pediatrician and child advocate, is an educator, investigator, and practitioner in medicine, public health, and public policy. He focuses on improving the health of children and families, eliminating food insecurity, and preventing gun violence. He is the Co-Director of the UMD Prevent Gun Violence: Research, Empowerment, Strategies and Solutions (PROGRESS) Initiative. Dr. Kessel is the C. Everett Koop Senior Child Health Scholar and Professor of Pediatrics at Dartmouth College; and Professor of the Practice at the UMD School of Public Health. He served in the U.S. Public Health Service as an Assistant Surgeon General and senior child and family health advisor spanning eight administrations. Woodie serves as the Board Treasurer for Grandmothers for Gun Responsibility.

Dorothy Mann_300x350px

Dorothy H.
Mann, PhD MPH

Retired Regional Health Administrator, Region X USPHS
Washington

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Dorothy Mann is a public health expert, consumer advocate, and civic activist with a B.A. in Sociology from Howard University, a Master’s in Public Health Care Administration and Policy from the University of Michigan, and a PhD in Health Care Administration and Policy from the Union Institute in Cincinnati. She serves on numerous boards, non-profit organizations, and committees. Dr. Mann developed the nation’s first Regional Office for Women’s Health and has led initiatives on women’s health, interpersonal violence as a public health issue, and gun safety policies. After losing a grandson to gun violence, she continues to make a positive difference in the gun violence prevention movement.
Gregory Redding_300x350px

Gregory
Redding, MD

Professor Emeritus, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine
Washington

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Gregory Redding MD is a practicing pediatric respiratory specialist and Professor Emeritus at the University of Washington in Seattle. He has received federal funding for more than 40 years to train health care professionals about public health issues and systems of care involving children and their families.
brian-williams

Brian H.
Williams, MD

Trauma Surgeon, U.S. Air Force Veteran, Former RWJF Health Policy Fellow
Texas

Read Bio
Dr. Brian H. Williams is a trauma surgeon, Air Force veteran, and expert in gun violence prevention and healthcare disparities. He trained at Harvard Medical School and Emory University and served as a Professor of Surgery at UT Southwestern and the University of Chicago. Dr. Williams played a key role in crafting the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act of 2022. He is a former candidate for Congress endorsed by Brady PAC and received the inaugural Giffords Gun Safety Champion Award. Dr. Williams lives in East Dallas with his wife and daughter, where he advocates for safe and healthy communities.

Advisory Council

SARAH DEAN

Sarah J.E.
Dean

President, Rocky Mountain Regional Coalition-National Council of Negro Women
Washington

Pamela Eakes

Pamela
Eakes

Community Leader, Founder, Mothers Against Violence in America
Washington

Maureen Ford

Maureen
Ford, MD

Emergency Medicine/Addiction Medicine, Asst. Professor, WMU School of Medicine
Michigan

Lynniah Grayson

Lynniah
Grayson

Founder & Executive
Director, RISE
Washington

Winona Hollins Hauge

Winona
Hollins-Hauge,
MSW, LICSW

Co-Founder, Washington Equity Now Alliance
Washington

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Trudi
Inslee

Former First Spouse Washington State

Jeanne Kohl-Welles

Jeanne
Kohl-Welles, PhD

Retired King County Councilmember, Former State Senator & Representative
Washington

Ilana Landsberg Lewis

Ilana
Landsberg-Lewis

Global Leader for Women, Founder, Grandmothers to Grandmothers
Canada & New York

Rev. Dr. Amariah H McIntosh

Rev. Dr. Amariah H.
McIntosh

Senior Pastor at Phillips Chapel CME Church, Director of Public Policy, Ohio Council of Churches
Ohio

LaShawnda Pittman

LaShawnDa
Pittman, PhD

Author, Associate Professor, University of Washington, American Ethnic Studies
Washington

Hugh Straley, MD

Hugh
Straley, MD

Retired Physician Executive, Former Medical Director of Group Health Cooperative & President
Washington

Maryanne Tagney

Maryanne
Tagney

Community Leader, Board Chair, Seattle Opera
Washington

Linda Zug

Linda
Zug

Community Leader, Artist
Massachusetts

Rev. Dr. Amariah H McIntosh

Rev. Dr. Amariah H.
McIntosh

Senior Pastor at Phillips Chapel CME Church, Director of Public Policy, Ohio Council of Churches Ohio

LaShawnda Pittman

LaShawnDa
Pittman, PhD

Author, Associate Professor, University of Washington, American Ethnic Studies Washington

Hugh Straley, MD

Hugh
Straley, MD

Retired Physician Executive, Former Medical Director of Group Health Cooperative & President Washington

Dorothy Mann, PhD​

Dorothy H.
Mann, PhD MPH

Retired Regional Health Administrator, Region X USPHS Washington

Dorothy Mann, PhD​

Dorothy H.
Mann, PhD MPH

Retired Regional Health Administrator, Region X USPHS Washington

Attend our 2-Part Webinar Series

EVERY GENERATION SAFE:
The Role of Grandparents in Secure Firearm Storage

Part Two 🔸 Thursday, October 15, 2026 – 4pm PT | 7pm ET

Don’t miss the 2nd webinar of this 2-part webinar series, scheduled for Thursday October 15th – 4pm PT | 7pm ET, where will explore what it takes to increase secure firearm storage nationwide and across all ages — from education and policy to consensus building and persuasive communication.
REGISTER TODAY
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