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Meet Our Team
The California Coalition for Black Birth Justice was co-founded in partnership with the UCSF California Preterm Birth Initiative. The Coalition is fiscally sponsored by the Public Health Institute.
Dana Sherrod, MPH (she/her)
Co-Founder & Executive Director
dsherrod@phi.org
Natalie Champion (she/her)
Operations & Strategic Partnerships Manager
natalie@cablackbirthjustice.com
Alexis Cobbins, MSW (she/her)
Coalition Co-Founder
San Francisco Human Services Agency
Asaiah Harville, IBCLC (she/her)
Associate Director, Clinical Strategies & Engagement
aharville@phi.org
Alimat (Ali) Adebiyi, DrPH, MPH (she/her)
Quality Improvement Manager
aadebiyi@phi.org
Esther Priscilla Ebuehi, MS (she/her)
Coalition Co-Founder & Ph.D student
Candice Charles, MPH (she/her)
Research & Evaluation Manager
ccharles@phi.org
Nasaura Miles, MHA (she/her)
Operations & Engagement Coordinator
nmiles@phi.org
Solaire Spellen, MPH (she/her)
Coalition Co-Founder & Head of Quality Improvement & Systems Change
Irth App
solaire@irthapp.com
2025 Coalition Strategic Advisors
Brittany Chambers Butcher, Ph.D., MPH
Assistant Professor
Department of Human Ecology
University of California, Davis
Janell Moore, MPH, LM, CPM
California Medical Board Licensed Midwife and a Certified Professional Midwife
Jasiri Midwifery
Mashariki Kudumu, MPH
Kudumu Partnerships for Equity and Justice
Raena Granberry
Director, Maternal and Reproductive Health
California Black Women's Health Project
Danesha "Dani" Wallace
Full Spectrum Community Doula/ Community Health Worker
Jadah Parks Chatterjee, RN, IBCLC
Registered Nurse, Lactation Consultant
Jyesha Wren, CNM, RN, MS, BA
Program Director and Midwife
BElovedBIRTH Black Centering
Alameda Health System
Onyemma Obiekea, MPH, JD
Former Policy Director
Black Women for Wellness
Sayida Peprah-Wilson, PsyD
Founder/ Executive Director
Diversity Uplifts
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Leslie McFarlane, LCM,CBE, CLEC
Birth Equity Lead Care Manager and Enhanced Care Management Program Manager
Global Communities
Pooja Mittal, DO
Chief Health Equity Officer
Health Net
Zaire Harris
Former PAC Director
Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California
2022- 2023 Coalition Strategic Advisors/Founding Mothers
Brandi Desjolais, Ed.D
Black Maternal Health Center of Excellence
Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science
Brittany Chambers Butcher, Ph.D., MPH
University of California, Davis
Mashariki Kudumu, MPH
Public Health & Birth Justice Professional
Monica R. McLemore, Ph.D., MPH, RN, FAAN
University of Washington
Nourbese Flint, MA
Planned Parenthood Federation of America
Pooja Mittal, DO
Health Net
Shantay Davies-Balch, MBA
BLACK Wellness and Prosperity Center
Zea Malawa, MD, MPH
Expecting Justice
San Francisco Department of Public Health
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