Liz Friedman MFA has served as a Commissioner since 2017, appointed by Speaker Robert DeLeo because of her ongoing commitment to perinatal women’s health and her effective advocacy on behalf of the MA Pregnant Workers Fairness amongst other critical bills. Commissioner Friedman brings more than 30 years of expertise in advocacy including serving on the MA PPD Commission since its inception in 2011 and launching a national coalition for perinatal mental health. She is currently on the Advisory Boards of MA PPD Fund and It Takes A Village and is an associate at Effie’s Grace, focused on maternal-child health policy. She Co-founded MotherWoman, a reproductive justice organization in Western MA and is currently Co-Founder and Co-President, with Annette Cycon, of GPS Group Peer Support, a national organization leading communities, non-profits and state-entities in implementation of trauma-responsive and culturally co-created support groups across a spectrum of lived experiences including parenthood, incarceration, addiction/recovery, and those targeted by immigration discrimination. Currently she is launching the COVID-19 Emergency Support Program across the U.S. and internationally. In 2010, she received the Ted Women’s Award for her outstanding work on behalf of mothers and was highlighted in two award-winning documentaries on perinatal mental health, “Dark Side of the Full Moon” (2016) and “Not Carol” (2019).  Commissioner Friedman has never been more excited than in her work on the MCSW. She says, “ We have the opportunity to unite ALL women in the Commonwealth towards a collective voice as we share our experiences and partner with legislators in advocating for equity for each one of us. Now is the time. Come join us!”