First Annual Leaders In Black Maternal Health Awards Luncheon Program 2023

Health isn’t an industry. It’s our cause.

Health isn’t an industry. It’s our cause.

Kaiser Permanente exists to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve.

Kaiser Permanente exists to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve.

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1st Annual

Leaders in Black Maternal Health Awards

Prelude/Arrival | Violinist LStringz

Welcome

• Lashelle Stewart, Executive Director, Baltimore Healthy Start

• Terri Freeman- Executive Director, The Reginald F. Lewis Museum

Program Opening | Mistress of Ceremonies- Ashley Etienne

Remarks

• Dawn Moore, First Lady of Maryland

• Dr. Letitia Dzirasa, Health Commissioner Baltimore City

• Regina Webb, President, Baltimore Healthy Start Board of Director’s

Occasion | Maxine Reed-Vance, Deputy Director, Baltimore Healthy Start

Invocation | Reverend Angie Burden, Board Member Baltimore Healthy Start

Lift Every Voice and Sing | Yvette Artis

Lunch | Violinist LStringz

Spoken Word | OluButterfly Woods

Introduction of Keynote Speaker | Teneele Bailey

Keynote Address | Tonya Lewis Lee

Award Presentations

Leadership Award | Deborah Frazier

Advocacy Award | Delegate Jheanelle Wilkins

Visionary Award | Alma Roberts

Champion Award | Dr. Joia Crear Perry

WELCOME

I am thrilled to welcome you to Baltimore Healthy Start’s First Annual Leaders in Black Maternal Health Awards Luncheon! We know all too well that Disparities in maternal health are rooted in economic, racial and social discrimination that prevent women from accessible healthcare resulting in excessive preventable deaths. Black Maternal Health Week was created to address the social, political and economic constraints that create barriers to quality maternal care for Black women and to inspire activism in support of Black-led maternal health initiatives. We appreciate the work of so many who tirelessly fight to ensure that all women have equitable access to services, care and support in their birthing journey. We are honored to recognize exceptional leaders in the field of Black Maternal Health. Thanks to our event partner, the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History, our Board of Director, Staff, Sponsors, Guests, Talent, Planning Committee and all who have supported this event. We hope that you enjoy yourself and that you remain or become invigorated to join us in our mission to reduce infant and maternal morbidity and mortality.

Warm Regards,

BHS BOARD MEMBERS

Lashelle Stewart, MBA Executive Director Baltimore Healthy Start, Inc.

Black Mamas Matter created Black Maternal Health Week in 2018. The week is recognized from April 11-17 annually. According to the Black Mamas Matter Website, Black Maternal Health Week was created “to amplify the voices of Black Mamas and center the values and traditions of the reproductive and birth justice movements. Activities during BMHW are rooted in human rights, reproductive justice, and birth justice frameworks.”

Regina Webb, Board President

Bridget Blount, Treasurer

Whitney Kamirah, Secretary

Francine Childs, Ex Officio Member

Terrance Lindsey Heather Ross

Jessica Jackson Sarah Wallace

Angela Burden Robert Atlas

KEYNOTE

TONYA LEWIS LEE

Tonya Lewis Lee is a producer, film director, writer, entrepreneur, and women’s health advocate, delivering meaningful content that resonates with marginalized communities for over twenty years. Her work often explores the personal impact of social justice issues, health and wellness. Most recently, Lee co-directed and co-produced the documentary AFTERSHOCK, now streaming on Hulu, which examines the Black and Brown maternal mortality crisis in America. The film premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, winning the Special Jury Award for Impact for Change, and continues to garner rave reviews and notable press. As a film and television writer, producer, and director, her work has spanned family-friendly features like The Watsons Go to Birmingham as well as the episodic series She’s Gotta Have It, streaming on Netflix. Lee also produced Monster, which premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival and is streaming on Netflix. An acclaimed author, Lee created books, including Please, Baby, Please, that have entertained children and young adults throughout her career. In 2015, Tonya founded Movita Organics, a premium vitamin supplement brand, to continue the conversation with women about accessing healthy outcomes and provide them with a high-quality resource to aid their well-being and overall vitality. Lee has been featured in notable outlets including ABC’s Nightline, CBS Mornings, New York Magazine’s The Cut, ESSENCE, VOGUE, and more. She is the mother of two adult children and lives in New York City with her husband, Spike Lee.

MISTRESS OF CEREMONIES

ASHLEY ETIENNE

Ashley Etienne is one of the nation’s top communicators having served as a trusted strategic advisor to Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Characterized by leading news outlets as the “queen of the war room” and “Obama’s bad-news fixer,” for more than 15 years, Ashley has specialized in facilitating high-stakes communications strategies to address the most pressing policy, economic and social issues facing the nation. Her mastery of both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue, expansive media relationships and access to power-players across industries and advocacy make her an asset in mission critical settings.

Ashley most recently served as Deputy Assistant to President Biden and Communications Director for Vice President Harris. Before returning to the White House, she served on the Presidential Transition Team as the Director of Communications for Vice President Elect Kamala Harris and as Senior Advisor for Strategic Planning for Biden for President in 2020.

From 2017 to 2020, Ashley served as Communications Director and Senior Advisor to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the first woman and person of color to hold the position. There she led the integrated communications and legal strategy for the first impeachment and trial of President Trump and the communication strategy that resulted in the historic 2018 midterm victory for House Democrats and reelection of Pelosi as Speaker.

Ashley was appointed Special Assistant to President Obama and Communications Director for the U.S. Cabinet in 2014 and led strategic communications for the President’s signature My Brother’s Keeper initiative.

Prior to joining the Obama White House, Ashley held several positions in Congress including Deputy Communications Director for Leader Pelosi and Communications Director for the Oversight Committee under Ranking Member Elijah Cummings.

Ashley recently launched a strategic communications firm, Etienne & Saint and served as a Spring 2022 Fellow at Georgetown University’s Institute of Politics and Public Service. She holds a Master of Arts in Political Communications from John Hopkins University and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Sam Houston State University.

INVOCATION, BOARD MEMBER

REV. ANGELA T. BURDEN, MA, BSN, RN

Rev. Angela Burden is a native Baltimorean, graduating from Western High School, the University of Maryland School of Nursing, and St. Mary’s Seminary & University – Ecumenical Institute of Theology. She has worked for more than 35-years as a Public Health Nurse Leader with the Baltimore City Health Department (BCHD). During her tenure, she directed several maternal & child health programs and initiatives and served on various City-wide maternal and child health improvement boards.

After retirement in 2017 she began to focus on the intersection of faith and health – co-leading B’more for Healthy Babies’ Faith-based Initiative to assist faith communities in establishing and enhancing their MCH ministries. She also currently serves as a Contract Specialist engaged in eliminating health disparities in birth outcomes – serving as the Medical Records Abstractor for the Fetal & Infant Mortality Review Board and as a member of the Maternal Mortality Review Board, and the Citywide B’more for Healthy Babies core implementation team and their anti-racist work group.

She also serves on the Board of Directors for the Shepherd’s Clinic, Baltimore Healthy Start, and Journey Women’s Ministries. She is a published author, contributing to the book, 9-Weeks to Discovering, Becoming, & Being You. Rev. Burden has led several workshops and retreats on the topics of MCH, faith and health, and women’s empowerment.

Rev. Burden is married to Ronnie Burden, and they have two adult children, a special goddaughter, and two grandchildren.

The Montgomery County Babies Born Health Program (BBH) is an initiative developed in response to Montgomery County s high disparities in infant mortality rates BBH is a comprehensive program that delivers targeted services to pregnant Black/ African American individuals residing in the communities of Greater Silver Spring, Takoma Park, and Wheaton; which have some of the most adverse pregnancy outcomes in the County.

Potential clients who are Medicaid- eligible, and reside in the areas of Silver Spring (White Oak, Hillandale, Wheaton, and Aspen Hill), and Takoma Park may self-refer, be referred by their healthcare providers, other healthcare or social service agencies, community partners, or family/ friends. Other interested Montgomery County residents may be considered on a situational basis

A pregnancy isn t considered fulll- term until 39 weeks of pregnancy?

The baby's organs, including the brain and lungs, are still developing unti the last weeks of pregnancy

Services Offered by Babies Born Healthy Babies Born Healthy

Home Visiting Care Coordination

Prenata Educat on Childbirth Education

Parenting and Caregiver Support

Breastfeed ng Services

Nutr tion Education

L nks to Community and Social Services

Transportation Assistance for Prenata Care

Baby Gear and Care Products (for active clients)

Have Access to: Registered Nurses

Community Hea th Workers

Lactation Consultants

Menta Hea th support

To set up a referral call, scan here:

For more information about the Babies Born Healthy Program, contact our office at 240-777-3118. Referrals can be faxed to 240-777-3054

Follow us on Social Media!

County Babies Born Healthy Program

@babiesbornhealthymoco

AWARDEES

FLORENCE BUTLER, LILLIAN ARMSTRONG SERVICE AWARD

Florence Renee Butler was born on December 25, 1966 in Baltimore, Maryland. She received her high school diploma at Lake Clifton Senior High School in 1984. She studied Computer Science/Math at Coppin State University in 1985. She studied Teachers Education at Baltimore City Community College in 1986. She received her Phlebotomy certification at Sojourner Douglas College in 1997. Presently she has her Certified Nursing Assistant license, Blood Pressure Certification, and her Medicine Tech Aide certification.

Florence is a Certified Nursing Assistant with 27 years working in a fast-paced environment handling confidential paperwork. She has administered medicine and provided quality patient care. She has extensive clinical and triage experience focusing on infant, child, maternal and reproductive health. She is a resourceful community service professional skilled in outreach and relationship development. She provides client support, advocacy, and case management services to diverse populations.

Florence is an accomplished perinatal Health Advocate at Baltimore Healthy Start. Florence presented at the National Healthy Start Conference, The American Public Health Conference and the Association of Maternal Health Programs. In addition, she presented testimony in 2000 in support of the initial CHWbill Senate Bill 650 and again in 2014 in support of the current CHW legislation. Florence served as Vice President and then President of the Community Outreach Workers Association of Maryland (COWAM).

Along with working at Baltimore Healthy Start, Florence is presently doing Care Coordination work at Total Health Care Clinic. She enrolls pregnant and infant clients for Baltimore Healthy Start. She completes outside referral forms and schedules DYAD appointments so the same doctor can see mom and baby at the same time.

Florence is the proud mother of one daughter, and two lovely grandchildren. One grandson and one granddaughter. She still resides in Baltimore, Maryland where she is interested in using her knowledge to support the community in any way she can.

Babies Born Hea thy is made possib e thanks to

Montgomery

AWARDEES

DEBORAH FRAZIER, LEADERSHIP AWARD

utilization of affordable health care for New Orleans citizens post the Hurricane Katrina disaster of 2005.

She is a highly sought-after trainer and speaker who has been featured in national and international publications including Essence and Ms. Magazine. In 2020, Dr. Crear-Perry was honored by USA Today in its “Women of the Century” series and featured on ABC Nightline’s Hear Her Voice.

Dr. Crear-Perry has twice addressed the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to elevate the cause of gender diversity and urge a human rights framework toward addressing maternal mortality. A proud recipient of both the Congressional Black Caucus Healthcare Heroes award and the Maternal Health Task Force at Harvard University Global Visionary Award for Commitment to Advancing Women’s Health, Dr. Crear-Perry’s most notable efforts include the removal of race as a risk factor for illnesses including premature birth.

Previously, she served as the Executive Director of the Birthing Project, Director of Women’s and Children’s Services at Jefferson Community Healthcare Center and as the Director of Clinical Services for the City of New Orleans Health Department. In that role, she was responsible for four facilities that provided health care for the homeless, pediatric, WIC, and gynecologic services within the New Orleans clinical service area.

Dr. Crear-Perry has been celebrated for her work improving the availability and

Maternal

Dr. Crear-Perry testified before the House Energy and Commerce Committee as the Democratic witness in support of the only Maternal Health Bill signed into law under the Trump administration. She has received funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) to work with the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) and develop a Standard for Respectful Maternity Care. She also serves on the National Quality Forum Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Committee and the Joint Commission Perinatal Safety Project Technical Advisory Panel.

Dr. Crear-Perry currently serves as a Principal at Health Equity Cypher and on the Board of Trustees for Black Mamas Matter Alliance, Community Catalyst, National Clinical Training Center for Family Planning and the UCSF PTBi. She is an Adjunct Professor at Tulane School of Public Health.

After completing undergraduate studies at Princeton University and Xavier University, Dr. Crear-Perry received her M.D. from Louisiana State University and completed her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Tulane University’s School of Medicine. She was also recognized as a Fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

She is married to Dr. Andre Perry and has three children: Jade, Carlos, and Robeson. Her love is her family; health equity is her passion; maternal and child health are her callings.

Deborah Frazier currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer for the National Healthy Start Association. Ms. Frazier has a stellar national reputation having spent 30 years of her professional career in the field of maternal and child health. She is a past member of the HHS Secretary’s Committee on Infant Mortality (SACIM), and the former Director of the Division of Child and Adolescent Health for the State of Arkansas. Ms. Frazier has a long and very rich history with Healthy Start and the Association serving as grantee evaluator, technical advisor to projects, Project Director for New Orleans Healthy Start, founding member of the Association and past board member. In her role as Co-Chair of the Association’s Development Committee, she was responsible for securing funding critical to the growth and expansion of the organization – establishing regional conferences, the Healthy Start Leadership Institute and the Partnership Grant with AMCHP and CityMatCH. Ms. Frazier has lent her expertise and knowledge as a consultant to numerous national organizations including The American Academy of Obstetricians and Gynecologists developing and implementing their National Fetal and Infant Mortality Review Program (NFIMR), the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) to evaluate community-based programs and to the National School Health Workgroup to develop national standards and policies for school health programs. She has provided consultation to community-based programs across the country involving the development of strategic plans, needs assessments and designing programs and services for those in need.

2023 Leaders in Black Maternal Health Awards | 11

AWARDEES

MAXINE REED -VANCE, BALTIMORE HEALTHY START GURU AWARD

Maxine Reed-Vance serves as Deputy Director/Director of Clinical Affairs and Quality Assurance at Baltimore City Healthy Start. Ms. Reed-Vance has worked with Baltimore Healthy Start since the program’s inception in 1993. She has over 30 years of experience in obstetrical nursing and has worked in institutions such as the Johns Hopkins hospital, the Jefferson Davis Hospital (now Lyndon B. Johnson) in Houston, and the University of Texas Medical Center in Galveston. She has over ten years of teaching experience at the College level. Ms. Reed-Vance has completed all the course work toward a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Nursing Research. She has participated in applied research carried out by staff at the Baltimore Healthy Start including research on depression screening; the examination of Chlamydia and Bacterial Vaginosis prevalence among program enrollees; childhood safety among program participants; substance abuse and pregnancy outcomes; and inter-pregnancy intervals, homebased family planning services, and contraceptive use patterns. Ms. Reed-Vance served as the Principal Investigator for the Baltimore site, one of five NICHD funded sites, examining the role of stress and resilience in pregnancy outcome.

She is a member of Sigma Theta Tau Nation Nurses Honor Society and Chi Eta Phi Nursing Sorority. She has held membership in the American Nurses Association and the National League for Nursing and the Nurses Association of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She is a Johnson and Johnson Fellow (2006). She currently serves as one of the 73 Innovator Advisor for the Center for Medicaid and Medicare Innovation. Ms. Reed-Vance is an ordained minister. She is co-author of several journal articles including Prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae among pregnant women in a community outreach program in Baltimore, MD. ISSTDR 14th Ann. Meet., Berlin, Internat. J. STD & AIDS. 12 (suppl 2): 95, 2001. Spiritual and Religious Resources in African American Women: Protection from Depressive Symptoms After Childbirth. Clinical Psychological Science Volume 3 Issue 2, 2015. Explaining Racial and Ethnic Inequalities in Postpartum Allostatic Load: Results from a multisite study of low to middle income women. SSM Population Health, Volume 2. December, 2016. pp 850-858.

AWARDEES

Alma Roberts is a passionate nonprofit executive, visionary, innovative leader, and community activist who recently retired with nearly fifty years of experience in the areas of health systems design, program management, fund development, and new business development. She remains a recognized national leader in maternal and child health with successes implementing community health and economic development strategies in vulnerable communities.

Over the course of her health care career, Ms. Roberts established and managed HMO subsidiaries for Kaiser Permanente, Prudential Insurance, Grady Health System, and the Detroit Medical Center. She has been at the forefront of advancing the principles and practices of health equity for vulnerable women, children, families, and communities. In 2014, she concluded an eight plus year tenure as CEO of Baltimore Healthy Start, Inc., one of the oldest maternal and child health nonprofits in Maryland. While there, she spearheaded the expansion of programs and services for the then 2,000 women and families served by the organization. She was responsible for launching expansive fundraising efforts and for implementing an advocacy and public awareness campaign, Cradle of Hope: Campaign for Healthy Babies, that reached nearly 10 million Marylanders with messages around prevention of maternal and infant loss. During that time, she also served as Board Chair for the National Healthy Start Association that represents all the Healthy Start projects across the nation. She is a native of Baltimore, Maryland and received her bachelor’s degree from Morgan State University and Master of Public Health from University of Michigan. She is a Lifetime

Fellow in the American College of Health Care Executives, a Weinberg Foundation Fellow, an Associated Black Charities Leaders 2000 Plus graduate, and a Johnson and Johnson Fellow.

Ms. Roberts now spends fulltime as a second generation abstract expressionist artist who at the age of 62, literally picked up a paint brush and began producing what has been described as “fully formed, energetic abstract paintings. Ms. Roberts has had numerous exhibits of her artwork including a successful solo exhibition at the Baltimore City Hall Galleries, and part of a group exhibit a Thurgood Marshall/BWI Airport International Concourse Gallery. She also has one of her compositions (A Vessel Full of Power, 2017) in the permanent collection of the James E. Lewis Museum at her undergraduate Alma Mater, Morgan State University.

She currently serves on several boards and advisory committees including as a Commissioner on the Baltimore Public Art Commission, as a member of the Board of the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African-American History and Culture, and on the Community Development Entity Board of Arctaris Impact Investors that establishes economic development initiatives in vulnerable communities throughout the country.

DELEGATE JHEANELLE WILKINS, ADVOCATE AWARD

Wellness Day and Walk and Walk

Wellness

“Delegate Jheanelle Wilkins proudly represents the 20th Legislative District in the Maryland House of Delegates. Born in Kingston, Jamaica, she is dedicated to policy change that makes a difference in people’s lives. Delegate Wilkins serves as the Parliamentarian of the Maryland House of Delegates, responsible for upholding efficient, fair, and orderly procedures as the House conducts the business of the State. She is a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, which takes the lead on education, revenue, financial resources, and election law legislation. Within the Ways and Means Committee, she is Chair of the Subcommittee on Election Law, leading the House in passing election policy and expanding voter access, including Maryland’s permanent mail-in ballot list, voting access for incarcerated individuals, and expansion of early voting sites. Delegate Wilkins has championed and successfully passed legislation dealing with racial profiling and justice reform, maternal health, and increasing educational outcomes for all students. Delegate Wilkins serves as the Parliamentarian of the Maryland House of Delegates, responsible for upholding efficient, fair, and orderly procedures as the House conducts the business of the State. Delegate Wilkins was recently elected to Vice Chair of the Maryland Legislative Black Caucus, the largest Black Caucus in the nation.

Prior to being sworn into the House of Delegates, Delegate Wilkins was publicly elected as the District 20 representative to the Montgomery Democratic Party, where she mobilized thousands of voters and led countywide voter registration efforts. Professionally, she works full time as the Director of State and Local Government Affairs at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights coalition. At The Leadership Conference, she has played lead roles in advocating for federal immigration reform, promoting educational equity, advancing criminal justice reform and protecting voting rights. Through her advocacy career, she has impacted federal and state policy across the nation.

Delegate Wilkins earned her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of Delaware and a Master of Public Administration in Social Policy from the American University. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.”

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Terrainia Hughes Terell Henson Lechadora Miles Kamira Armstrong

Exceptional Community Health Worker

Cheryl Gambrill

Teneele Bruce Maxine Reed-Vance

ARMSTRONG Forever in our hearts