Meet DONA Summit Keynote Speakers – A Simply Amazing Lineup!

For families who are in the exciting but vulnerable phase of their lives that spans pregnancy, childbirth, and early parenting, our care systems are unreliable and often inadequate. In the United States, we are excellent at responding to emergencies. But in every geographic corridor of the country and every segment of society, avoidable suffering occurs because the system of care is not currently designed to deliver on a broader set of goals beyond emergency response.

This keynote session is about how we can design a system that ensures every person can start or grow their family with dignity by accessing childbirth care that is safe, supportive, and empowering.

Dr. Neel Shah, MD, MPP, FACOG, is an Assistant Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology at Harvard Medical School, and Director of the Delivery Decisions Initiative at Harvard’s Ariadne Labs.

As an obstetrician-gynecologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, Dr. Shah cares for patients at critical life moments that range from childbirth to primary care to surgery. As a scientist and social entrepreneur, he is a globally recognized expert in designing, testing, and spreading solutions that improve healthcare.

Dr. Shah is listed among the “40 of the smartest people in health care” by the Becker’s Hospital Review and has been profiled by the New York Times, CNN, and other outlets. He is senior author of the book Understanding Value-Based Healthcare (McGraw-Hill), which Don Berwick has called “an instant classic” and Atul Gawande called “a masterful primer for all clinicians.” Prior to joining the Harvard faculty, Dr. Shah founded Costs of Care, a global NGO that curates insights from clinicians to help delivery systems provide better care. In 2017, Dr. Shah co-founded the March for Moms Association, a coalition of 20 leading organizations, to increase public and private investment in the well-being of mothers.

Penny Simkin

The Winds of Change in Maternity Care.  What is DONA’s  Role?

Jennie Joseph is a well-respected health advocate for women and newborn babies. A British-trained midwife, Jennie has become one of the world’s most respected midwives and authorities on women’s health: healthy pregnancies, healthy deliveries, and healthy babies. She’s become a true advocate for systematic reform that puts women and babies first in healthcare; before profit, convenience, and the numerous reasons America trails other developed nations in healthy births. Jennie’s common sense approach has won her the attention of global news media and brought her invitations to speak all over the world.

Jennie is the founder and executive director of Commonsense Childbirth Inc. She moved to the United States in 1989 and began a journey that has culminated in the formation of an innovative maternal child healthcare system, markedly improving birth outcomes for thousands of women and children.

Jennie firmly believes in patient-centered, woman-centered care and works tirelessly to support the systems, providers, and agencies charged with delivering that type of care. “Until women and their loved ones feel that they have enough knowledge and agency to be part of the decisions around their care and until they have access to the education and support that they are lacking, they will continue to be at risk.”-Jennie Joseph. 

Building Your Brand to Captivate Your Clients

In Hilary’s Keynote Presentation, “Building Your Brand to Captivate Your Clients,” you’ll learn branding strategies you can implement to attract your ideal clients so you can grow your business doing work you love.

After 15 years marketing movies from  Disney, Pixar, Marvel and  Dreamworks, and helping launch multi-million franchises for global brands, Hilary Hartling made the leap from the corporate world to become a brand strategist for Visionary Entrepreneurs. Hilary helps entrepreneurs elevate their brands to captivate their clients and grow businesses they love.

A nationally-known speaker, strategist, master facilitator, and public health leader, Natalie S. Burke leads CommonHealth ACTION–whose mission is to develop people and organizations to produce health through equitable policies, programs, and practices. Natalie believes that to alter our collective health destiny, we must change our language; challenge deeply held beliefs about equity in our society, and accept the role we each play in the production of the public’s health.

In this session, ProPublica’s Nina Martin will discuss her Lost Mothers project (with NPR) on maternal mortality and severe complications in the U.S.  The speaker will offer ideas for how doulas can help women and family members advocate for themselves and their loved ones and improve their short- and long-term health.

The session will draw upon two years of reporting in which Ms. Martin and her team gathered the stories of nearly 5,000 women and conducted interviews with scores of birth workers, clinicians, and researchers. A key focus will be on the role that doulas can play in addressing stark disparities in outcomes for black mothers and babies and educating women about emerging risks.

I invite you to explore the Summit website, look for keynote interviews in upcoming weeks and say hello to me in Fort Lauderdale, in late July! I can’t wait. The DONA Summit is a can’t-miss opportunity for doulas to come together and experience leading-edge continuing education and professional development.