a board of black women dedicated to your health

  Alliyah is fiercely passionate about health equity in its totality. As a black woman and future physician, Alliyah was constantly reminded of the health disparities throughout the American healthcare system, particularly in the black community. She dreams of a world where trauma associated with maternal health no longer exists. She also understands and champions the integrated care models that allow women to have access to as many resources as possible. 

A recent Georgetown University graduate and current Case Western Reserve University student, Alliyah has returned to her hometown to work closely with community members to address the urgent needs. Understanding the intersection of nutrition and mental health on overall health outcomes, Alliyah hopes that through Birth of a Nation, Cleveland residents will have access to affordable healthcare, food, and mental health resources. 

  Cara has dedicated her career to community through implementation science. A Cleveland native and two-time graduate from The Ohio State University, Cara believes in creating a world where nutrition and food are no longer seen as privileges. Through her extensive community engagement and research across Ohio she has created sustainable interventions equipping communities with the tools necessary to generate their own resources for healthy dietary behaviors. Her research has inculcated the need to not only fund research pertaining to social disparities but also motivated her to use her research to push for concrete change. She understands that research does not have to be static; the programming and policies she has fought for as a result of her research findings are just as important, if not more, than the actual research. Cara calls for us all to remember the people at the other end of long-term studies, using this novel information as motivation to create a better community.

A leader and mentor integral to the success of underserved youth in both the Cleveland and Columbus areas, Cara works intentionally and arduously to prepare young girls for the future. From her experience at the Ohio Department of Health, she has been able to foster genuine and long lasting relationships with community members, allowing her to advocate for their needs on a state level. Cara’s unwavering support and advocacy for young girls and women makes her a vital asset to Birth of a Nation.  

Danielle is a Management Consultant at Accenture, where she currently advises healthcare payers on large-scale transformation initiatives. A graduate of Georgetown University’s School of Nursing and Health Studies, Danielle’s experience spans the intersection of healthcare and community development. Prior to entering consulting, Danielle was an EMT for the Georgetown community where she led efforts to increase the presence of EMTs of color. An advocate for youth development, Danielle served as a member and mentor through both the Elijah Cummings Youth Program.

Serving on countless boards and planning committees, Danielle brings her knowledge of healthcare systems, passion for combating health disparities, and experience leading key strategic initiatives across the public and private sectors with her to Birth of a Nation, where she is excited to continue to build a more just and equitable healthcare system. 

Debra has devoted her entire career to public service in Cleveland. Originally from outside Dallas, Texas, at an early age she decided to become involved with politics and public policy. She spent the early years of her career in training and development of new professionals in the community along with working with Rites of Passage programs for her church.  A graduate of Texas Tech she worked arduously in advocating for underserved members of her community. 

Upon moving to Cleveland, she continued her commitment to direct service and community development including working in programming at Cleveland State University, after acquiring her Master’s Degree. This accomplishment again afforded the opportunity to work with young professionals and offer numerous mentorship opportunities to at risk youth. Debra has and continues to be a prominent member in the Cleveland community. Her experience working with clergy on advisory boards has allowed her to create and implement policies that benefit the most vulnerable in the church community.  Most recently she established Christmas in July on behalf of her church noting she was solely responsible for the management and marketing in an effort to raise funds and resources for at risk populations.  Additionally, her expertise in network marketing, direct service and overall commitment help to create a better Cleveland and will continue to be integral to Birth of a Nation’s success and sustainability. 

Lauren is a purposeful and diligent health equity advocate. Her work in public policy with Representative Marsha L. Fudge contributed to the necessary advancement of equity in Cleveland. A Cleveland native and graduate of George Washington University and Columbia University, Lauren’s consistent advocacy has served the most vulnerable members of the Cleveland, DC, Maryland, Virginia and New York City metropolitan areas. 

She is intentionally driven to eliminate health disparities among systemically marginalized populations, with equitable and anti-racist policy interventions. Her interests in maternal health, mental health and social policy have led to her tenures at The New York City Department of Public Health, The Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs and Black Girl Health. Her insight and extensive experience in policy analysis, qualitative research design and analysis, project management, and leadership prove to be valuable assets.