DONA Summit in session with DONA Approved Trainer, Nicole Heidbreder

DONA International has exciting plans for the DONA International Leadership Summit in Houston, TX, USA, and you are invited. The first thing you should do is hold the dates October 3-5, 2019 on your calendar so that you know you are free to attend. Then read below for five great reasons that you will not want to miss this 2019 Summit Leadership opportunity.

Summit tracks for every doula

DONA International has designed three tracks for doulas in attendance.  Choose the track that describes you best and participate in sessions customized with your needs in mind:

  1. The Doulas as Leaders Track is designed to help all doulas from any organization, including DONA International, identify personal leadership skills, improve doula practices with your leadership strengths in mind and discover innovative ways to influence your community. How well are you leading yourself, your local community and your doula organization? This track will offer sessions to help you answer that question with confidence.
  2. The DONA Leaders Track is designed to increase confidence in current DONA leadership roles and within the doula profession.  The sessions will offer opportunities to develop skills to enhance the work within our organization as well as your local doula communities. Learning to maximize your influence while contributing to improving the organization is critical to everyone’s success. We invite DONA International Regional Directors, Ambassadors, Committee Chairs, and Committee Members to this track of learning. Join us and let’s level up together.
  3. The Trainers Track has been developed specifically for the DONA International Approved doula trainer. The included sessions offer cutting-edge educational training to enhance teaching skills with the goal of maximizing the skills of our DONA International trainer pool. Trainers can expect sessions that will lead to personal growth as well as tangible teaching techniques to add to their curriculum and training experiences. With a new education team coming soon, a new structure and new connections, the Trainers Track is not to be missed!

Keynote speaker Jennie Joseph and DONA doulas Cindy McMilan, Kina Norris and Iya Anike from SistasCaring4Sistas in Asheville, NC

Doulas are important

Every day, all around the world, doulas are in the news. It could not be a more exciting time to be a doula. Celebrities and royalty are talking about their positive experiences with doulas and, in the United States, approximately 13 states have or are currently working toward implementing doulas for Medicaid recipients. U.S. Congresswoman Gwen Moore, U.S. Congresswoman Deb Haaland, and U.S. Congresswoman Debbie Dingell introduce the Mamas First Act (H.R. 2751) which would expand access to doulas and midwives for millions of women on Medicaid on the federal level. DONA International’s President, Ravae S.M. Sinclair and its Legislative Action sub-committee members have been instrumental in drafting the language for this legislation-therefore leading the way for doulas and families.

Networking is valuable

Doulas are always busy working, but we often do our work alone, in isolation from our colleagues! Connecting and spending time with others who understand exactly what we do, who face many of the same challenges and successes is priceless. There is nothing better than attending an event with hundreds of people who completely understand your business and are willing to share their own secrets to success to help you be the best doula you can be. You will leave the DONA International Leadership Summit with new friends and connections from all around the world.

Learn and update skills and knowledge

DONA International continually curates the most exciting and expert voices in the field to present at our events. Hear from these amazing leaders in person on the topics that matter to today’s families and the perinatal professionals who support them.  Information on business skills, new evidence-based research and best practice and so much more are offered in easy to digest sessions that inform and educate doulas and other professionals.

DONA Approved Trainers Chia-Chi Chen and Marlo Robinson

Continuing education hours

Attending the DONA International Leadership Summit is both an efficient and effective way to obtain the contact hours you need for your postpartum and/or birth DONA International recertification. An added bonus is that DONA International contact hours are accepted by many perinatal organizations around the world, so you can plan to use them for your other continuing education needs as well.DONA International volunteers and staff work hard all year creating an amazing opportunity to network and learn with your peers. Doulas leave such an event revitalized and renewed about their commitment to support families during the childbearing year. If you are a regular to DONA International conferences, you can recall how great you have felt at the end of a conference. If you will be a first-time attendee, you will be so pleased that you decided to participate. Make this the year that you are included in the learning and fun at the DONA International Leadership Summit 2019. Early Bird Registration closes June 15th, so don’t hesitate to register now! Check out our Keynote Speaker lineup here.