Dr. Burse is a certified woman owned, minority owned public health research, development, and practice company. Dr. Burse has been a servant in the field of public health for over twelve years. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences and Master’s in Health Education Health Promotion, both from Mississippi State University. She also holds a doctorate in Public Health from Jackson State University. Dr. Burse is dedicated to understanding the impact of systems on the health of communities. Her work is centered around health equity and social justice issues and improving maternal health outcomes for Black women. Dr. Burse is the Executive Producer of the short documentary, Laboring with Hope. The film highlights the issues of maternal morbidity and mortality among Black women. Laboring with Hope is being used as a call to action to implement, support, and uplift strategies that aim to improve maternal health and birth outcomes. Dr. Burse is currently a Leader in the 4th Cohort of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Culture of Health Leaders Program. In 2019, she was named one of Mississippi’s 50 Leading Business Women. In 2020, she received the Candace Award for Health from the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc., Central, MS Chapter. Dr. Burse’s work has been featured in a variety of settings, including Soledad O’Brien’s Disrupt and Dismantle series on BET, the Kelly Clarkson Show, and the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. She is married to Dr. Creston Burse, and they have two rambunctious boys, Chandler, and Cooper.
Barb Gleason is the Project Director for Bootheel Perinatal Network (BPN), a HRSA-funded RMOMS (Rural Maternity and Obstetrics Management Strategies) grant. For more than 20 years, she worked as a nurse home visitor and supervisor for Building Blocks/Nurse-Family Partnership, where she found that the words on her childhood report card came to life. So often identified as the child who talked too much and was a social butterfly. These traits have served her well over the years and made her job as a collaborator more fun than work. Her passion for helping connect people to resources comes from her experience as a teen mom trying to navigate the world of health and social service care. Barb is an executive council member for Bootheel Babies and Families, on the board for Network Against Sexual Violence (NASV), and a member of the VFW Auxiliary. Barb is the mother of two sons, both veterans, and the grandmother of 4. In addition to her passion for connecting people, she is the alpha of her rescue pack, which includes three dogs and two cats, and actively works.
Dr. William Greenfield is a Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and the Medical Director for Family Health at the Arkansas Department of Health. He received a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from Auburn University, a Doctor of Medicine from Meharry Medical College, and completed a residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Notable professional achievements include expanding access to health care through the development and implementation of tele-colposcopy programs for the Arkansas Department of Health. Dr. Greenfield has led statewide efforts to establish Arkansas’ maternal mortality review committee. Dr. Greenfield is a dedicated professional focused on improving health care through clinical excellence, education, advocacy, and innovation. He lives with his wife Tiffany, and children Alexandria, Pearson, and Victoria in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Dr. Allison L. Huebert is an obstetrician-gynecologist in Norman, Oklahoma and is affiliated with multiple hospitals in the area. She received her medical degree from University of Oklahoma College of Medicine and has been in practice for more than 20 years. She is currently enrolled in an MPH program because she seeks to be a catalyst for change to address the paucity of Native-specific medical data and infomration (i.e., perinatal health risks and prenatal care delivery methods).
Dr. Huebert is listening to the voices of Native Elders and blessed to have had many positive Native American influences in her life even from her younger years. Wilma Mankiller, the first female principal chief of the Cherokee Nation, is her role-model. Mankiller’s quote: “I want to be remembered as the person who helped us restore faith in ourselves” guides her work.
Dr. Huebert was born in Ada, Oklahoma and now lives in Claremore, Oklahoma. She and her huband Mike Huebert have 4 children and 3 grandchildren.
Prinscilla is the Founder and CEO of Delighted to Doula Birth Services, a non-profit organization in Dallas, Texas, aimed at improving health outcomes for black mothers during and after childbirth.
Prinscilla is the Founder and CEO of Delighted to Doula Birth Services, a non-profit organization in Dallas, Texas, aimed at improving health outcomes for black mothers during and after childbirth. Her passion for caregiving and community service is driven by her personal experiences as a wife, mother, and grandmother of all girls. She has made it her mission to educate families and equip them with the knowledge and tools they need for postpartum and infant care.
In three years, Prinscilla’s leadership has grown Delighted to Doula from an idea into a groundbreaking community-based postpartum doula program recognized by leaders in the non-profit community. Prinscilla was selected for the all-women social innovation incubator program through United Way, Bridge for Billions and continues to be a distinguished advocate for maternal mortality issues. She currently also serves as Advisor to the Inclusive, Diversity, and Equity Delegation at CAPPA and as a faculty member training new postpartum doulas.
Mary E. Schultheis is the Founder, President and CEO of Crescent City Family Services, Inc. She has worked for more than two decades in the field of maternal and child health. Her efforts have led to programs that respond to community needs; reflect in high infant and maternal mortality and morbidity concerns especially high-risk individuals and families in Jefferson Parish and across the State of Louisiana. She is a visionary, out on a mission ‘Where Family Comes First’ as the organization motto says. Recently, she has been Chair for National WIC Association Conference, member of planning committee for ROSE Conference and National Healthy Start Association. She has presented a webinar on “How to Successfully Recruit 300 Pregnant Moms”. She along with CCFS staff participated in the tri-regional maternal health conference - Dallas (HRSA region 6). In February 2022, Mrs. Schultheis has been recognized for her efforts in the Healthy Start newsletter. She continues to augment the vision and model the leadership necessary to address inequities in maternal child health. In her words, “It is an honor to be serving a community so impacted by Hurricane Katrina and so badly in need of what we offer. It is not about being the CEO of an organization. It’s always been about the opportunity to serve.” In the last three years, apart from continuing uninterrupted onsite WIC and Healthy Start curbside services during COVID-19, she started a food pantry that continues to address food insecurity concerns in Jefferson Parish.
She believes in working together and sharing knowledge support to achieve the collective goal of improving women’s health, family health and wellness and promoting system change. She has provided mentorship support to several students from Tulane school of Public Health & Tropical Medicine, LSU, Xavier University and even organizations like Greater Harlem Healthy Start. She adds, “Taking small steps can have substantial impacts. It will not only build stronger community ties but a coalition that would benefit each other and bring about a long-term sustainable change.”
Andrea Serano, B.S., CLC, IBCLC, serves as ROSE Program Director. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Maternal Child Health with an emphasis in Human Lactation from Union Institute and University. Her work in breastfeeding advocacy stems from her passion for addressing maternal and infant health issues, especially among communities of color. Breastfeeding is a preventative strategy for combating infant mortality and the health disparities that disproportionately affect African American families.
In addition, Ms. Serano is a Co-Founder and Treasurer for National Association of Professional and Peer Lactation Supporters of Color (NAPPLSC), board member for the Georgia Breastfeeding Coalition, and previously served on the Board of Directors for the United States Breastfeeding Committee (USBC). Andrea also serves as a member of the Center for Social Inclusion (CSI) National 2016 First Food Racial Equity cohort, where she co-facilitates trainings for communities and organizations. Lastly, Ms. Serano spends her weekends supporting families as a bedside Lactation Consultant at a metro Atlanta Baby Friendly Designated hospital.
Natasha Yokley is the Program Director of Joint Interdisciplinary Programs of TN AHEC and Maternal Health in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at Meharry Medical College. She also earned her Master’s in Public Health in 2000 at Meharry Medical College. She manages two grant programs including four AHEC Centers across the state of Tennessee and the maternal health project via the General Preventive Medicine and Public Health Residency Program. She serves as the chair of the Integrated Health Workforce Development Collaborative where she works with key stakeholders to increase health workforce across the state of Tennessee. Additionally, she’s a member of three advisory boards.