Biography

With a passion for maternal well-being and over a decade of experience as a dedicated birth worker, doula, and community advocate, Kazia Anderson has emerged as a compassionate force in women's health. Guided by a profound commitment to supporting and empowering mothers, she has seamlessly blended her healthcare expertise with her calling as a Midwife.

As the Doula Program Manager at Black Birth Justice and the Executive Director at Mama to Mama, Kazia has taken on leadership roles that amplify her impact in the maternal health space. In these positions, she has spearheaded initiatives focusing on justice and equity in childbirth, ensuring that every birthing person receives the care, respect, and support they deserve.

Throughout her career, Kazia has been a tireless advocate for the well-being of mothers and infants, fostering a supportive environment for families during the transformative journey of childbirth. Her journey in reproductive healthcare paved the way for a deeper understanding of the unique needs of expectant mothers, leading her to embrace the role of a Midwife with a genuine and nurturing approach.

As a seasoned birth worker, Kazia has not only attended countless births but has also played a pivotal role in advocating for the rights and choices of mothers within her community. Her dedication extends beyond the delivery room, as she actively engages in community initiatives and education programs to enhance maternal health and well-being.

Kazia finds great joy and fulfillment in serving the maternal population of her community, providing unwavering support during one of life's most transformative experiences. Her empathetic nature and extensive knowledge create a reassuring and empowering atmosphere for mothers under her care.

Biography

Alli Cuentos is a mama, daughter, sister, partner, creative, and birth and full spectrum doula. She is a founding member of Community Well, a holistic family support center in the Excelsior neighborhood of San Francisco. She is a Co-Founder of SisterWeb and currently serves as a Co-Executive Director. SisterWeb is a community-rooted organization providing free, culturally congruent doula care to Black families in San Francisco; in addition to cultivating a diverse workforce through training and partnering with healthcare providers to eliminate racism in healthcare.

Alli is a spiritual birth worker and has supported nearly 600 births, mentored dozens of new doulas, and taught hundreds of expectant families in Childbirth Education classes. Prior to finding her calling as a birth worker, Alli designed curriculum, coordinated early education programs serving immigrant families, as well as taught in public schools and preschool settings. She brings a holistic framework to organizational development and is passionate about using data and storytelling to elevate the power of community led solutions in the fight to end racism. When not having kitchen dance parties with her four kids and many pets, Alli can be found wandering in Glen Canyon, teaching mural design and dance classes, or looking up old pickup trucks online.

Biography

After completing her BA at the University of Illinois, a deeply fulfilling volunteer opportunity led Kai to work in the social service realm. Originally from Chicago, Kai spent 14 years in San Fransisco, working in the areas of literacy, governmental accountability, and foster youth advocacy. Now she resides in New Mexico and is the founding director of the Many Mothers Family Center, the only rapid response community center in the state of New Mexico dedicated to pregnant women, infants/toddlers 0-3 years old, and their families. She also is the Executive Director of Many Mothers.

Biography

In May 2019, after 20 years of public health practice as an epidemiologist, Dr. Melvin founded and currently serves as the chief executive officer of the Institute for the Advancement of Minority Health. The Institute was founded in response to the need for the development and implementation of public health interventions that include the voice of the community and place health equity at the forefront of decision-making. Throughout her career, she has managed millions of dollars in federal, state, and foundation funds for community-based public health programs designed to reduce health disparities among disadvantaged, marginalized, and minority communities in Mississippi.

The Institute currently addresses maternal and child health programs through its RMOMS program, Healthy Women/Healthy Families program, and Baby Depot. The Institute also has community-based programs that address disparities related to infectious diseases (i.e. HIV and COVID-19), men's health, chronic diseases, substance abuse, and mental health. The Institute has two locations in Jackson and Ridgeland MS. However, its initiatives are statewide.

Biography

Laura Powis, MPH, is an implementation specialist living in Washington, DC. She has over eight years of experience across a range of maternal and child health topics with an emphasis on community-rooted evidence, coaching and facilitation, evidence-based program development, evidence-informed policy implementation, community engagement, evaluation, implementation science, and curricula/training development and implementation.

Ms. Powis currently serves as the Senior Program Manager for Evidence-Based Policy & Practice at the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs (AMCHP). AMCHP is a national resource, partner, and advocate for state public health leaders who work and support state maternal and child health (MCH) programs and others working to improve the health of women, children, youth, families, and communities. In her role at AMCHP, she leads technical assistance activities which enhance the MCH workforce's capacity to identify, adopt, improve, and sustain evidence-informed policies and practices as well as apply evidence-based decision-making tools and processes. She leads the AMCHP Community-Rooted Evidence Workgroup and related research aiming to foster funded relationships between community-based organizations and state agencies through uplifting community-rooted evidence. She is also the Implementation Lead for the Improving Maternal and Child Health in Rural America State and Territory Policy Learning Collaborative. This partnership between AMCHP and the National Governor's Association works to reduce rural maternal mortality through policy innovations.

Ms. Powis also serves as a technical assistance provider and coach for the University of North Carolina's National MCH Workforce Development Center where she supports state MCH leaders to address MCH challenges using evidence-based decision making and implementation tools and processes.

She has a Bachelor of Science in Human Development from Cornell University and a Master of Public Health in Maternal and Child Health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she was a Health Resources and Services Administration trainee in the Maternal and Child Health Center of Excellence.

Biography

Margaret Master, MBA, MPH, CHES serves as the Interim Executive Director at Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies of Georgia. She takes on that role after several years working on maternal-child health research at Emory University Rollins School of Public Health (RSPH) including projects examining the causes of maternal mortality and morbidity, evaluating home visiting programs and conducting the Title V Needs Assessment with the Department of Public Health. Before moving to public health, Master worked in brand management and product development for the Clorox company. Originally from California, she has lived in Decatur, Georgia for 20 years with her husband and now three mostly grown daughters.

Biography

John Richards, MA is a research professor at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. He serves as executive director for the National Center for Education in Maternal and Child Health (NCEMCH), and lead for the Health Information Group within the university's Medical Center. He has spent his career developing evidence-based, implementation-focused tools, along with workforce development resources for the Title V community. He currently manages the Strengthen the Evidence for MCH Programs initiative, the MCH Navigator, the HealthCheck Training and Resource Center, and the Health Center Resource Clearinghouse. NCEMCH was established in 1982 at Georgetown University as a national resource to the MCH community. NCEMCH's multidisciplinary staff collaborates with a broad range of federal agencies, corporate and philanthropic partners, professional organizations, and academic institutions.

Biography

Kasey Rivas, MPH, serves as the Director of Strategic Partnerships at March of Dimes, where she leads the national Mom and Baby Action Network, a coalition seeking to advance maternal and infant health equity through meaningful collaborations. With a focus on maternal and infant health equity, Kasey has extensive experience in promoting equitable healthcare outcomes, designing innovative programs, and advocating for systemic change to address disparities in maternal and infant health. Kasey's work spans sectors with a focus on advancing maternal and infant health equity at the intersection of environmental, social, and economic justice.

March of Dimes serves at the backbone organization for the Mom and Baby Action Network, and is a leading nonprofit organization committed to ensuring that every pregnancy is healthy, regardless of circumstances. Through education, advocacy, research, and community support, the organization provides education and resources for families and communities, addresses the root causes of health inequities, and works to eliminate preventable maternal and infant mortality. Based in San Diego, Kasey contributes her expertise to advancing these critical efforts nationwide.

When not at work, Kasey enjoys spending time in nature and going on adventures with her husband Chris, son Brekken, and their two dogs, Ferdinand and Harley.