We’d love to see you at our biennial Regional Rally — a Women for Madison premiere event!

DATE: Thursday, April 16, 2026
TIME: 4:30-7:00 p.m.
LOCATION: YWCA, 6 N 5th St, Richmond, VA 23219

Meet our Fire Side Chat speakers

Rupa Murthy is the CEO of YWCA Richmond, a $6M agency with 80 employees dedicated to eliminating racism and empowering women. She leads strategy for the organization and helped launch the Sprout School, a public‑private preschool model centered on racial integration. Under her leadership, YWCA Richmond has expanded services for survivors of violence, particularly those affected by both poverty and racism, while advancing public awareness, investment, and policy for gender and racial equity.

Previously, she led the effort to build the Virginia Treatment Center for Children at VCU, securing a $60M investment to expand access to mental health care. She also served in Governor Mark Warner’s administration, where she developed minority outreach strategies that increased diversity on Virginia’s boards and commissions and helped launch the nation’s first state‑led trade mission to India.

Elizabeth Martin was a Marketing major in the class of ‘85, who followed that up with an MBA from University of Richmond. She’s retired from a career in corporate Human Resources, specializing in leading the Total Rewards  team. She’s served in senior HR positions at Circuit City, LandAmerica and McGuireWoods before shifting to a role as a consultant. 

She has been an active JMU and community volunteer for many years, including serving as the President of the Alumni Board of Directors and serving as a Founder and later Chair of Women for Madison’s EAC. She’s been locally involved in Greater Richmond SCAN and CASA, her church, St. Francis - Manchester, and the Catholic Community Foundation. 

In her retirement, she’s enjoyed playing tennis, learning Mahjong, and traveling - most recently finishing a 32 game tour visiting all NHL arenas. 

Varna Swartz Redlich is a leader in Admissions and Enrollment Management and an experienced Special Education Teacher. She passionately advocates for families of students with disabilities, providing expert guidance and support. As a soccer coach, Varna also empowers young female athletes to approach the pitch with confidence, skill, and joy.

Featured Amethyst Circle Alumni 

Karlee Tomlinson is a James Madison University alumna and young professional working in small business sales. During her time at JMU, she was actively involved in leadership and service initiatives that strengthened her passion for empowering women to step into spaces that challenge and grow them.

As a first-generation college Alumna, Karlee has always been passionate about creating opportunities for herself and others to grow, lead, and make an impact.

Today, she is passionate about encouraging others around her to embrace discomfort as a catalyst for growth, advocate for themselves, and redefine leadership in a way that feels authentic.