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Board of Directors
Mariah Alyce Brown
Mariah Alyce Brown is a Tuscaloosa, AL native who has always had a passion for women's health and education. Mariah is a Certified Lactation Counselor, Birth, and Postpartum Doula, as well as a licensed Cosmetologist. Mariah believes that Doula services should not be looked at as luxury services, but as a necessity to aid mothers in successful birthing and postpartum healing, both mentally and physically.
Yvette Quarles Chatman
Y'vette Chatman is the founder and president of the National Hook-Up of Black Women's Birmingham Chapter where she also serves as the National Grants and Fundraising chair. She is on the board of Black Star Academy and a member of the Literacy Council. She is also a member of East Lake's Urban Collective.
Jennifer Greer, PhD
Jennifer Greer is a retired Journalist, Teacher/Educational Liaison formerly working with UAB Graduate School. At UAB she taught professional development for scholarly writing, communications, and leadership for graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty.
Jen Harvard
Jen has held positions in government, private industry, and nonprofits. Before moving to Birmingham, Jen served as the Development Officer at the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, including on their Junior Board. She has extensive experience in event organizing and fundraising.
Kaleigh Beadlecomb, PA
Kaleigh Naylor is a Physician Assistant at UAB. Before training as a PA, she worked extensively as a certified doula and completed the bulk of requirements for midwifery. Kaleigh thus brings a unique perspective to our board, having this combination of a doula, midwifery, and allopathic medical training and experience.
Anne Pautler, CD (DONA)
Anne Pautler is a DONA certified birth doula. She worked as a BirthWell Partners volunteer doula from June 2013 until September 2016. We appreciate her calm support for families and her passion for BirthWell.
Dr. Zenoria Causey Pruitt, MS, MPH, PhD
Dr. Zenoria Cause Pruitt earned her MS in Cell Biology from Tuskegee University and a MPH and PhD in Epidemiology from Walden University. With over twenty years of experience in biomedical research and laboratory practice, she is currently employed by UAB as a Clinical Research Program Manager.
Anjanette Robinson, LPC-S, NCC
Anjanette Robinson is a Counselor, Birth Doula, and Postpartum Doula. She leads a variety of groups at her business: Building Successful Families, LLC. She is passionate about birth, and especially about supporting families during the 4th trimester: the early months after the baby is born.
Lydia Thurston, MA, DSc
Lydia Thurston is an Assistant Professor and Director of Clinical Education in the Department of Physical Therapy at Samford University. Her areas of expertise include pelvic floor rehabilitation, acute care pediatrics, orthopedics, burn rehabilitation, and health/wellness. She has published in the areas of orthopedics, oncology, and health behavior. Ms. Thurston lives with her husband and two children in Vestavia Hills, Alabama.
Adriana Valenzuela
Adriana Valenzuela is the Public Health Language Coordinator at Jefferson County Department of Health. She has extensive training and experience in cultural competency, public health, and interpreting. She has also completed a DONA approved birth doula workshop and occasionally attends births. We hope Adriana will help us reach the Spanish speaking community.
Dr. Beverly VonDer Pool, MD
Dr. Beverly VonDer Pool is a board-certified family physician who received her medical degree from the University of California at San Fransico and completed a family residency at the University of Washington, Providence Hospital Affiliated Program. Dr. VonDer Pool spent seven years in private practice and as a volunteer instructor for the University of Washington and nineteen years as an associate professor with obstetric privileges at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She currently practices family medicine at St. Vincent's East Family Medicine in Birmingham.
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