About us

Everything we do comes from love, knowledge, and respect for our bodies, our communities, and our ancestral traditions. We support women in their sexual and reproductive journeys, guide girls and adolescents as they learn to understand and care for themselves, and offer healing that honors both science and culture. This work has transformed lives throughout our more than 17 years of experience.

Vision

For women and adolescents to make conscious, free, and informed decisions about their health and care options, supported by the community environment and health services.

Our objectives

Reduce the barriers faced by different sectors of population, especially Indigenous women and adolescents, in accessing information, prevention, and health care.

Provide sexual and reproductive health care that is dignified, accessible, safe, and culturally sensitive through the Professional Midwifery model.

Provide education and training in rights and health as tools for empowerment and strategies for change, both individually and collectively, aimed at women, adolescents, and other key social actors.

Train Professional Midwives capable of practicing autonomously in community and institutional settings, establishing collaboration and dialogue with other health professionals.

Achieve recognition and acceptance of Professional Midwifery as an appropriate model for women’s sexual and reproductive health care.

Strengthen the impact of programs and strategies through partnerships and research collaborations with governments, academic institutions, civil society organizations, and international agencies.

Our Team

Lisel Lifshitz

Executive Director

Holds a PhD in Public Policies with research on the public repercussions of menstruation for women in Michoacan. She has a 30-year professional career in the private sector, in public administration and in civil society. She was a Board member at Mujeres Aliadas for 10 years, before becoming the Executive Director.

Ana Briseida Magaña

Community Program Director

I studied Community Management and Local Government at the Intercultural Indigenous University of Michoacán. At Mujeres Aliadas, I’ve come to understand how deeply human rights are still denied. Violence persists against women, the LGBTI community, Indigenous peoples, and those who dare to challenge rigid social norms.

Erandi Núñez

Professional Midwifery School Director

Master in Psychopedagogy and Teaching of Middle and Higher Level from UNICLA with research on "The Integrative Theme" and master degree in History Teaching at the IIH- UMSNH. She has 14 years experience as a teacher of the 3 different school levels, as well as in postgraduate studies. She is from Erongaricuaro, Michoacán. Mujeres Aliadas came into her life 10 years ago when attended her first delivery.

Guadalupe Blanco

Clinical Director

I trained as a Physician Surgeon Midwife at UMSNH and as a Perinatal Educator at Universidad Anáhuac. I have been training, working, and collaborating with traditional and autonomous midwives since 2005. I have worked in midwifery in various communities in Chiapas and Mexico City, in organizations, birth centers, and also as an independent midwife. I believe midwifery transforms women, babies, and families, but also transforms those who practice it.

Elena Pascual

Professional Midwife

She became a Professional Midwife at the Professional Midwife School CASA in San Miguel Allende. She is native to the municipality of Las Margaritas, Chiapas. Bilingual, and speaker of the indigenous language Chu'j. Specialist in the care of women of reproductive age, prenatal care, birth and postpartum care. She also provides birth preparation classes to women and families

Samantha Martínez

Professional Midwife

I am a Professional Midwife graduated from the Mujeres Aliadas School, committed to women’s processes, accompanying adolescence, reproductive age, pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and menopause, as well as gynecological processes with respect for women. My calling to midwifery was so that all women could experience a loving, warm pregnancy and birth while respecting their rights and without violence.

Margarita Ascencio

Community Engagement Liaison

She is a born community leader and native to the indigenous community of Puacuaro Michoacan. Her mother language is Purepecha and she speaks Spanish fluently. She has worked for over twenty years as an activist inside the indigenous communities of the regio and as a community promoter and through the organizing and programming of sexual and reproductive health & rights presentations.

Elizabeth Medina

Administrative Director

Graduated in Accounting from the UMSNH, has worked professionally in private Administration, in joint projects with the Federal and State Governments, managing subsidies for primary agricultures in Michoacan’s countryside. She’s also worked as an Accounting and Tax Advisor for Individuals and Corporations. She loves Mujeres Aliadas’ Project and admires the work and dedication of each of its members. She is very proud of being part of the team.

Sharhéni Maciel

Communications Director

Intercultural communicator graduated from the Indigenous Intercultural University of Michoacan (UIIM). She is from the indigenous community of Cheran, Michoacan. She is a menstrual activist, a women, girls and adolescents activist and a sexual and reproductive rights promoter. She is convinced of the importance of community work for the well-being of indigenous peoples through conversations, workshops and meetings with an intercultural approach.

Esmeralda García

General Management Assistant

I am from the state of Morelos and trained in professional midwifery at Mujeres Aliadas (class of 2018–2021). I am the mother of two girls who were born at home with midwives in Erongarícuaro. I currently work as a workshop facilitator in the Community Program and as Assistant to the General Management at Mujeres Aliadas.

María Herlinda Basilio

Professional Midwife

I am from a town called San Andrés Tzirondaro, Michoacan and trained as a professional midwife at the Mujeres Aliadas (class of 2019 to 2022). I am the mother of a boy and work in the community program as a community midwife. Together with the team, we carry out health campaigns in different communities.

Richard Ferguson

Co-Founder of Mujeres Aliadas, Board Member since 2010. Has a Masters Degree in Public Health, with over 30 years experience at the local, state, national and international levels. He´s been Director of Strategic Planning for Health Services in Cook County, Illinois; Chief, Health Research and Surveillance, Illinois Department of Public Health; and has worked as a successful independent contractor for 15 years in epidemiology, health care analytics, and systems analysis.