Meet the Board

Ramona’s mission is to empower girls and women caught in the vicious cycle of sex trafficking through her abilities as a fitness professional to help heal their bodies, minds, and spirits. She was a high school competitive gymnast, an NFL professional cheerleader for the LA Raiders for 10 years, and an Assistant Choreographer with the Oakland Raiders for three years. Ramona’s 20 plus years of exercise experience also includes fitness protocols she developed for her A-list actors including Jessica Alba and Halle Berry for their movie roles.

Ramona’s signature workout the 3-2-1 Training Method teaches strength training, cardio and core. Along with nutrition education the young women graduating as 3-2-1 Trainers are equipped with many skills they can use in the real world as certified fitness professionals.

I’ve always believed that if you have been blessed enough to have a relatively safe upbringing you personally owe it to those that have not.

Known as a collaborative leader, Denise has been a key player with Fortune 500 companies and high-profile brands in strategic planning, business development, branding, comprehensive communications, and events in the sports, entertainment, fashion, and philanthropic sectors. An Economics graduate of UCLA, Denise has held senior executive roles in such renowned organizations as World of Children, L Brands (Victoria’s Secret et al.), The Walt Disney Company, Magic Johnson Enterprises, Magic Johnson Foundation, the Los Angeles Raiders, and IBM. Being a part of 3-2-1 Empower’s mission and vision and setting out to help young girls is especially inspiring work for Denise and imperative for the future of children.

Keya Ahrestani
Director

Keya is a senior at Penn State majoring in Psychology with five minors, including Women’s and Gender Studies and Health Policy. She serves as the External Development Director of the Liberal Arts Ambassadors and has been actively involved in advocacy through organizations like Sisters on the Runway and the Penn State Reproductive Justice Project. An avid traveler, she has studied abroad in Mexico and interned with the Cape Town Women’s Legal Centre. Passionate about women’s rights, Keya aspires to work internationally, particularly supporting women and girls in India—the country her mother originates from and where her father grew up—through 3-2-1 Empower.

With three decades of experience in public and media relations, Dawn brings her expertise and deep-rooted passion for consumer healthcare, traditional pharma, health & wellness, advocacy, and consumer public relations to the table. Her extensive background allows her to contribute significantly to the development and execution of diverse integrated media and marketing communication strategies for clients. Dawn’s strengths lie in providing creative and strategic counsel, devising comprehensive plans, and orchestrating national and grassroots media campaigns that yield tangible outcomes. She offers valuable guidance to clients in the consumer, pharma, and biotech sectors, including notable organizations like Astellas C3 Prize, Amgen Breakaway from Cancer, AmorePacific, Allergan (BOTOX, Juvederm, Vivite), Nu Skin Enterprises, Remington Products Company, and The Coca-Cola Company, among others. Dawn earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Speech Communications from Ithaca College, New York, where she also pursued a double-minor degree in psychology and creative writing. Her well-rounded education enriches her ability to deliver exceptional results for her clients.

Dawn Maniglia
Director

Savita Iyer
Director, Secretary

Savita is a journalist and writer whose articles and essays have appeared in multiple publications, including SELF, Teen Vogue, Vogue India, Yahoo Lifestyle, and Refinery 29 UK. She has lived in and worked from Switzerland, India, and The Netherlands. She currently lives in State College, Pennsylvania, where she serves as the senior editor of Penn State University’s alumni magazine, The Penn Stater. Born in Calcutta, India, and raised in Geneva, Switzerland, Savita maintains close ties with India and is passionate about helping the girls and women in her country of origin. Deeply committed to civil rights and social justice, she has served on the board of the State College chapter of the NAACP and is currently on the board of the Osaze’s Heart Community Scholarship, which honors the legacy of Osaze Osagie, a 20-year old Black man fatally shot in 2019 by a State College police officer serving a mental health warrant.

As a Fitness Trainer and Nutritionist with almost a decade of experience, Nisha has trained clients in weight-training, functional training, and outdoor activities. Nisha take pride in being a Master Trainer of 3-2-1 Empower by Ramona Braganza since 2015. Through this program, Nisha has had the privilege of training and empowering girls rescued from human trafficking, helping them pursue careers as Fitness Trainers. Additionally, Nisha is a passionate motorcycle rider with over a decade of experience, and Nisha now shares her expertise by training others to become independent riders.

Nisha