Advancing Black Maternal Health: Solutions, Innovation, and Community Impact

Description

Join us for a powerful panel on advancing Black maternal health. Expert panelists will explore systemic barriers, innovative solutions—including AI and simulation training—and community-driven initiatives transforming care for Black mothers. Gain actionable insights, evidence-based strategies, and practical takeaways to support equitable maternal health. Ideal for healthcare professionals, advocates, and anyone committed to improving outcomes for Black mothers.

Panelist

Janet A. Williams, DNP,MSM, CNM, FACNM, FADLN 

Dr. Janet A. Williams, MSM, CNM, FACNM, is a board-certified nurse-midwife with more than 24 years of experience, helping over 900 babies arrive safely earthside. She earned a Doctorate from Wilkes University and Master’s in Midwifery from SUNY Downstate. A Fellow of the American College of Nurse-Midwives, and the Academy of Diversity Leaders in Nursing, she has served as a clinical instructor for Columbia University and sits on the Board of Directors for the BQLI Area Health Education Center.

CEO of Transitions Women’s Health Consulting and is member of Chi Eta Phi Sorority, Inc., where she is the National Chairperson of the Maternal Health Committee. She also is a member of the National Black Nurses Association’s Maternal Health Equity Committee. Dr. J created the “B.L.A.C.K. Mothers Interrupted®” framework, which has positioned her as” The Conversation Starter, for advancing dialogue on respectful, equitable care. She is also the author of 2 books, Transitions: The 4th Trimester Journal and Transitions: A Midwife’s Pregnancy Journal.

Evelyn Addo-Wallace, DNP, MPH, WHNP-BC

Evelyn Addo-Wallace, DNP, MPH, WHNP-BC, is a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner, nurse leader, and health equity advocate with over a decade of experience advancing equitable maternal and reproductive healthcare. Her clinical and leadership work is grounded in addressing structural drivers of health disparities that disproportionately impact Black women and birthing people across the lifespan.

Dr. Addo-Wallace has maintained an active women’s health practice while holding senior leadership roles, including Director of Advanced Practice Nursing and Medical Director at a large federally qualified health center (FQHC) in New York City. In these roles, she led interprofessional teams committed to community-centered, anti-racist care and improved access to high-quality health services. She also served as Program Director for New York State’s first Nurse Practitioner Fellowship, a workforce development initiative designed to prepare new clinicians to deliver high-impact care in underserved communities.

Her scholarship focuses on health equity and provider-level interventions to improve outcomes for Black women. She earned her BSN, MSN, and MPH from Columbia University and completed her DNP at Georgetown University, where her doctoral project examined evidence-based breast cancer screening for Black women. Dr. Addo-Wallace is an Assistant Professor and currently serves in the inaugural role of Assistant Director of DNP Scholarly Projects at Georgetown University’s Berkley School of Nursing. 

Sarah Marie-Merci Naje

Sarah is currently a third year nursing student at Notre Dame of Maryland University in Baltimore, Maryland. Since her freshman year, she has been conducting research and producing projects on the racial disparities that exist in neonatal and maternal healthcare as a junior research fellow with the Karson Institute for Race, Peace, and Social Justice at Loyola Maryland. Her university honored her work with an award during the school's research day. She hopes that this extensive project will contribute to meaningful clinical practices, research initiatives that increase diversity and promote equitable access to healthcare. This past summer, she worked as a summer intern at Dartmouth Cancer Center in their neuro-oncology labs, where she gained valuable experience in translational research. In addition, she has been a CNA for the past four years with experience in geriatric and dementia care. Being a CNA has strengthened her clinical skills and compassion for vulnerable populations. After graduation, She plans to begin her career as a NICU nurse. Ultimately, she aspires to be a neonatal physician and continue advancing equity through clinical research. 

Kandis Mclean, DNP, FNP-BC, MSN-ed, C-EFM, CHSE, RNC-OB, NEA-BC

Dr. Kandis Mclean is currently Director of Simulation and Artificial Intelligence for Monroe University in the Bronx and a practicing family nurse practitioner. She is pursuing her second doctoral degree in nursing research at Adelphi University with a focused dissertation on phenomenological studies on the lived experiences of partner survivors for maternal mortality. She has over a decade of experience as a labor and delivery room nurse for high-risk populations and is an active member of the NY State Maternal Mortality Committee for the NY Department of Health. She utilizes simulation to address diversity, equity, and inclusion in maternal care. Her publications have focused on access to equitable care for women of color. In efforts to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality, she travels internationally to teach obstetrical teams best practices for obstetrical complications and how to work collaboratively. She is also a current consultant for the National League of Nursing and Maternal Mortality Program for the Department of Health in New York State. She possesses her Doctorate in Nursing Leadership and holds a Master of Science in nursing education and family nursing practice. Her current research focuses on perinatal mood disorders, substance use, and using simulation to improve the gaps in maternal care delivery as impacted by social determinants.