Omare Jimmerson is an advocate, a community educator, a program creator, a mentor, and a leader. Omare is the Executive Director of the OKBEI, and was previously the Deputy Director of Parks, Culture and Recreation at the City of Tulsa, where she ensured Tulsans were best served by various systems including education, healthcare and social services through the pandemic. Omare is the Co-Founder and previous Program Director of Strong Tomorrows, a school-based initiative for expectant and parenting students that provides guidance, support, and information. She is also on numerous nonprofit boards in Tulsa, and is currently the Board Chair for Reading Partners. She is proud of her Nigerian heritage being the first generation born in the States. Omare earned a Master’s degree in Public Health from the University of Oklahoma.

Shamika, a proud Tulsa native, has dedicated over 20 years to serving families in a variety of impactful roles. Her journey spans birth doula support, education with Tulsa Public Schools, and child welfare through the Department of Human Services. As an advocate for families, Shamika is deeply involved in her community, currently serving on two nonprofit boards in Tulsa. A significant milestone in her advocacy work was the successful proclamation of Community Doula Week in the City of Tulsa. As a Program Project Manager, she has been instrumental since the inception of the OKBEI doula program, supervising a full-time doula team and spearheading the development and implementation of various internal projects. Shamika is a proud alum of Langston University and holds multiple certifications, including Community-Based Doula from OKBEI, DONA Birth Doula, Postpartum Doula, and Childbirth Educator. Shamika is passionate about laboring parents in the community being seen, heard, and controlling their own birth experience.

Ashlee is an experienced birthworker and is certified in both birth and postpartum work. After having her own children, Ashlee became increasingly interested in birth and postpartum doula work, deciding to fully make the move to full-time in November of 2019. She has an overwhelming passion to help mothers go through and come out of the experience of pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum feeling empowered and proud of every decision they have made. Ashlee is a Doula every day to her friends and family in so many ways and is so excited to be able to extend that service to the women of the Tulsa area. Ashlee currently serves as both a community-based doula as well as supervisor of the Community-based Doula Hub Program.

As the Hospital Quality Improvement Officer for OKBEI, Hannah provides ongoing training and technical assistance to key hospitals in Tulsa County. A graduate of Oklahoma State University, she brings to OKBEI a decade of program management and process improvement experience in nonprofits and the public sector. Hannah also trained as a doula through OKBEI and serves on the policy committee for the Coalition of Oklahoma Breastfeeding Advocates.

Rebecca Cherms comes to OKBEI with a passion for reproductive rights, closing the gap in racial inequities, and criminal justice reform. Rebecca is a proud Tulsa native with a BS from Northeastern State University. In her role as Executive Assistant she uses her 20 years of customer service along with her 5 years of HR and Claims management in problem solving and assisting OKBEI in a multitude of ways.

Martyne is a committed advocate for birth autonomy, reproductive justice, and maternal mental health support. With an MA from the University of Oklahoma, she brings her extensive experience in university-level curriculum development and teaching to serve as the Curriculum and Training Manager. Martyne became increasingly interested in birthwork after the birth of her two children, deciding to make the jump from a traditional education setting to OKBEI. She is passionate about using her love of education to develop training programs that support equity for birthing people and their families.

DeShara is a wife, devoted mother of three, and a compassionate community-based doula, fervently guiding families through the transformative journey of pregnancy, childbirth, and early parenthood. With profound empathy and experience, she offers invaluable support, emphasizing the importance of strong support networks and self-care for navigating parenthood with confidence and resilience. Drawing from her own experiences and understanding of the Black woman's journey, she brings healing, joy, and empowerment to her work, expressing it through her role as Program Coordinator with Queens Village.

As the Community EngagementSpecialist, Megan is a proud and active ambassador for OKBEI’s mission and vision. She is a Tulsa native with a BS from Langston University. She previously worked as the Community Outreach Coordinator of Parks, Culture, and Recreation at the City of Tulsa, where she ensured that Tulsans were best served by various community engagement events involving healthcare and social services. She is very passionate about using her love, education, and networking resources to support and give back to her community!

Maggie is a native Tulsan committed to advocating for equitable access to quality healthcare and resources for all members of the community. She has a BS from The University of Tulsa and is a graduate of OKBEI’s Community-Based Doula Training. Before stepping into her current role as Training and Development Coordinator, Maggie served as a OKBEI hub doula as well as a doula for the Afghan community. She is passionate about supporting training programs that empower our team of doulas to deliver compassionate care.

Natalie is a graduate from Oklahoma State University and has an Associate Degree in Dietetic Technology from Oklahoma State University in Okmulgee. She has over 10 years of experience working with women who are pregnant, going through childbirth and postpartum needs as a Nutrition Assistant for Women Infant and Children (WIC. As a Certified Lactation Specialist, she looks forward to this experience to continue serving women in her community as a Certified Doula.

Jennifer grew up in Sand Springs, Oklahoma and earned her BS in Psychology from Oklahoma Christian University. After working abroad for 11 years as an educator and mentor, she returned to Oklahoma to continue teaching and serving. Jennifer is a full-time community-based doula with OKBEI and eager to give back to her community as she serves Natives in the Tulsa area. She is diligently striving to advocate and promote the value of others while being intentionally aware of cultural differences, disparities and global perspectives. She is inspired daily by her husband and two sons.

Kiawanna was born in Tulsa Oklahoma, raised in Des Moines Iowa. She is a Wife, Mother, Healer and Wombman to seven boys and men. They have provided her with 18 years of joyous alignment of healthy experiences, love, grace and all things possible. She has worked with women in all phases of their lives from family planning and fertility to postpartum for many years. Kiawanna's goal is to cultivate self love and appreciation for who women are and what they can DO. Kiawanna finished high school in Des Moines a year early and has an associates in accounting with a bachelors degree in business. She serves as an advocate for O.P.Q.I.C to assist with maternal communications in the hospitals. Her stars align for the future of the Feminine.

Brittany Stewart is a wife, mom, Community-Based Doula at OKBEI, and Labor & Delivery nursing student, with strong ties to family and church. Proud to be born and raised in Tulsa, Brittany’s self-described “soft spot” for the people of North Tulsa drives her to serve the African American community and teen moms with her caring Doula services. Brittany’s time at OKBEI has allowed her to grow as an educator, co-facilitating the Community-Based Doula Training program to raise up the next generation of Doulas. Brittany has turned a traumatic experience she had into motivation to help women of color advocate for themselves. The feeling of not being heard motivates her to help others be heard in this very vulnerable time.

Kaytlin has an Associate degree in Human and Social Services. She’s always had a passion for serving others and decided her heart was truly with birth work after the delivery of her daughter. Kaytlin believed her birthing experience was such a beautiful journey that led her to become a Community-Based Doula. She has been sober since 2017 and serves the Justice Involved, Navigating Substance recovery or current use community. She is dedicated to serving her community with love, compassion and true understanding. Kaytlin loves everything nature, meditation, cooking, collecting crystals, and spending time with her daughter and husband.

LaChelle is a certified Community-Based Doula deeply dedicated to holistic practices. She completed her training in the TBEI Community-Based Doula Training Cohort 8 and demonstrated active engagement in ReproduceU, a policy advocacy-driven cohort focused on enhancing reproductive health outcomes. Embracing the role of a doula as a profound calling, she wholeheartedly aims to provide clients with essential education and support during this sacred time, regarding it as a significant honor that demands utmost reverence. She considers herself blessed by the opportunity to be an agent of the change she aspires to see and to embody this change daily. She is a native of Tulsa, a wife, mom, LaLa, and a growing herbal business owner.

LaEbony is a dedicated mother, wife, and Chicago native who has successfully owned her own cosmetology business. After training as a Community-Based Doula in cohort 7 with OKBEI, she discovered her passion for birth work and now supports teen parents on their journey through pregnancy and birth with OKBEI. Her commitment to empowering families reflects her deep belief in the importance of compassionate care during this transformative time.

Sophie, an Oklahoma native, is driven by a passion for understanding and addressing health disparities, ensuring that all individuals have access to quality healthcare and feel safe and supported within healthcare settings. After graduating from the University of the Pacific in Stockton, CA with a B.S. in Biology and minors in English and Sustainability, Sophie returned to Tulsa as a Tulsa Service Year Fellow. Sophie is excited to deepen her involvement in the Tulsa community, with her ultimate career goal being to attend medical school and specialize in primary care or women’s health. As the Certification Coordinator for the Community-Based Doula Program, Sophie recognizes the crucial role doulas play in healthcare settings by offering support and creating safe spaces for expectant mothers and their families. She is committed to supporting this vital work throughout her medical career.