Jamaa Birth Village Team
Jamaa Birth Village is a dynamic maternal health organization with a small & mighty core staff. Meet the Women who make Jamaa the warm, serene, community-care space that it is.
Okunsola M. Amadou, CPM
Founder & CEO
Okunsola M. Amadou, a Fulani-American Midwife, is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Jamaa Birth Village. Previously known as "Tru", Okunsola is an initiated Olokun and Egbe Priestess in the Isese religion, where she is currently studying as an Iyalorisha. During Okunsola's rites of passage, she received her traditional face markings, representing her nobility and position of royalty in her lineage.
She founded Jamaa Birth Village in 2015, in her Ferguson, MO living room, starting the St. Louis Black Doula movement and growing the St. Louis Black Doula community from 5 to 200+ in 5-years through her Community Doula Training, the city's first Black written, created and taught community-based doula training. In 2018, Okunsola created the St. Louis Doulas of Color Collective, which now boasts a thriving membership of 40+ Black Doulas and is home to Missouri’s first BIPOC Doula directory.
Jamaa Care Team
Okunsola M. Amadou, CPM
Founder & midwife
As the first Black Certified Professional Midwife in Missouri, Okunsola's legacy includes being a 2-time teen mom at the ages of 14 & 18 and saving herself from hospital harm and mistreatment by leaving the public health system after two unnecessary c-sections, and having a VBAC2C with her 3rd son at home.
Okunsola is a Iya Agbebi which is the Yoruba word for “Mother Midwife” and a Certified Professional Midwife. She provides traditional community-based Midwifery care with a focus on well-being for the whole person, integrating evidence based medicine, plant medicine & spiritual healing modalities into her care practices. She is a graduate of the Midwives College of Utah in 2019 and was awarded Alumni of the year in 2020 for her extraordinary work in community based Midwifery Care in the St. Louis region. She enjoys integrating joy, healing, and wraparound care into every woman and family that she serves.
Eboni Hooper-Boateng, CD
Breastfeeding Coordinator
Dr. Nikki Nienhaus
Chiropractor
Dr. Nikki graduated from Logan University with her Doctor of Chiropractic degree in 2016. She has chosen to practice using a range of gentle, low-force techniques including instrument adjusting (Activator) and Logan Basic technique, as well as Cranial Sacral Therapy (CST), Reiki, and muscle release work. While in school she also studied acupuncture, as well as received training in Webster technique. Dr. Nikki has also had extensive education in identifying tongue and lip tie restrictions in newborns and young children, and correcting the resulting imbalances in the body so that the breastfeeding relationship can be preserved for as long as possible. A mother, wife, and long-time supporter of Jamaa Birth Village, Dr. Nikki enjoys providing holistic chiropractic care for the many families that she serves.
Wednesday Brown
Massage & Mental Health therapists
Wednesday Brown, like Wednesday from the Addams Family 🙂 I've been a Licensed Massage Therapist for almost 2 years and I specialize in Swedish, Deep Touch, Reiki, Sound Bowl and of course Prenatal. This is my calling and I absolutely love what I do. I look forward to helping you on your journey while you are creating New Life. Much Love and Gratitude.
We're growing...
CHW & Mental Health Counselor Coming soon!
Jamaa Birth Village Team Doulas
Jamaa Birth Village provides Doula care services for BIPOC pregnant people who are both low-risk and high-risk, for both medicated and unmedicated births, at any birthing location such as home, birth center or hospital. We currently offer sliding scale and pro-bono services via Doula care scholarships for low-income and unemployed people. Insurance is accepted for those receiving Missouri Medicaid via Healthy Blue or those with FSA accounts via private insurance.
Benetta Ward
Senior Certified Doula
Benetta Marie Ward, MPH Benetta is an initiated Ifa Priestess and a St. Louis native who has a background and passion in Health Education and Maternal and Child Health. She is a graduate of the greatest HBCU in the Midwest, Lincoln University- Missouri with a Bachelors in Health & Wellness in 2012. She later earned her Masters in Public Health from the University of South Florida- Tampa in 2014. She received her Perinatal Doula certification through Jamaa Birth Village in 2016. Her personal belief and birth philosophy is the power of informed choice and honoring birth as a sacred journey and she is dedicated and honored to travel that journey through being a doula and also helping support Jamaa Birth Village as being a vital pillar in the community.
Asia Jacobs
Certified Doula
Asia Jacobs, CD, is a mother, full spectrum doula, an approved provider for perinatal mood anxiety disorder (PMAD), facilitates parenting education and substance use disorder classes. She is nurturing, kind, loveable, and enjoys spending time with family / friends, trying / learning new things and cooking.
Abigail Evilsizor, CD
Certified Doula
Abby Evilsizor, CD (she/her) is a full-spectrum doula trained by Tru's Community Doula Training© at Jamaa Birth Village in April 2021. Apart from being a doula, she is a Licensed Master Social Worker and currently works as a bilingual therapist for children and youth. Her approach to doula care is rooted in the Social Work Core Values: service, social justice, dignity and worth of an individual, importance of human relationships, integrity and competence. As a Hispanic woman herself, bilingual in English and Spanish, Abby looks forward to supporting her fellow Latinx community.”
Krystle Patterson, CD
Certified Doula
Doula Krystle, CD, I am a nurse, mother and Certified Full Spectrum Doula. As a mother I know first hand the tears and triumph that come along with pregnancy and childbirth. I pride myself on the care and compassion I am able to give to others. I believe pregnancy and childbirth are not medical conditions that require treatment, yet it is a natural, joyous and momentous occasion that requires patience, understanding and guidance. I look forward to joining you on your joyous journey.
Carmen Shelton
Certified Doula
Carmen believes that birth is the most sacred and natural journey a mama can embark upon, and this journey should be treated as such. Providing holistic care that focuses on the balance and well-being of a mama's mind, body and soul is at the center of her practice as a birth worker. Carmen is continuously expanding her knowledge and education to cater to all mamas and their families.
Carnycia Holliman
Certified Doula
Carnycia Holliman, I am Certified and trained as a Full Spectrum Doula through Jamaa Birth Village and through The Black Wombman Doula Course. My mission as a Doula is to help create a space where women, especially women of color feel safe, confident, heard and supported, I want to help moms realize their strengths and abilities. My intention and goal is that you make the transition into becoming a mama as smoothly and therapeutic as possible. I will do my best to help you create the birth that you envision having. As your Doula, my goal is to support your choices, answer your questions, respect your birth without judgement or expectation and help provide you with the right tools to help you and your family navigate and have a positive birth experience. I am attuned to Reiki 1 & 2. I enjoy the practice of yoga and herbalism and love to incorporate all of these in my Doula work. It would be an honor to work with you and your family on this beautiful journey.
Adrianne Blakemore
Certified Doula
As ACE the doula I will provide support to mothers and their family unit to add, sharpen, and repair their tools in their toolbox when bringing a baby into this world. My mission is to create a brave space for mothers to be vulnerable, to relax, and to release their journey into motherhood. My mission for families is to be a coach and an anchor in providing care to mother and the unborn child.
Jamaa Core Team
Natalie Macklin
Chief Financial Officer
Natalie Macklin is the Chief Financial Officer at Jamaa Birth Village. Professionally she holds dual degrees in Business Administration (Finance) and Accounting. She has held an Accounting position since 2007 and enjoys everything! Natalie has a heart for babies and children. She is looking forward to Jamaa Birth Village's growth, community involvement and impact on families daily lives.
Diamond Spencer
Office Manager
Diamond Spencer is the office Manager at Jamaa Birth Village. Diamond is a Yayi Nkisi Malongo in the Brama con Brama lineage of Palo Mayombe, an independent scholar and Traditional Usui Reiki Practitioner. As Office Manager, she ensures the smooth operation of Jamaa Birth Village with her knowledge of office management and efficient handling of client intake, scheduling and office procedures. Prior to joining Jamaa Birth Village, Diamond was a law clerk at a criminal defense law firm and taught high school English in New Orleans. Diamond is humbled at the opportunity to serve Jamaa Birth Village families.
Konjit Avent
Evaluation Coordinator
Konjt (Egbeyemi) Avent is the Evaluation Coordinator for the STL 360 Doula Initiative at Jamaa Birth Village. For over 20 years, she has served the St. Louis Metro-East area through behavioral health and wrap-around systems for children and families. Konjit is an aborisha and lay practitioner of the Lucumi tradition and is an initiated priestess of Isese- Elegbe. As a Katherine Dunham Scholar, Konjit combines her cultural arts background and evaluation skills to help make St. Louis a Safer Childbirth City through Jamaa Birth Village's culturally congruent maternal health models of care and training components.
Eleanor Dansberry
Administrative Coordinator
Mrs. Eleanor Dansberry is the Administrative Coordinator for the STL 360 Doula Initiative with Jamaa Birth Village.By nature Eleanor is warm and welcoming and treats everyone with the utmost respect. Eleanor has worked as an Outreach Coordinator for free mammogram programs for uninsured and underinsured women, predominantly Black women, and brings her community outreach expertise to support newer Doulas in the St. Louis region. Eleanor also enjoys spending time with family, reading, traveling and learning new and exciting things. If you have questions about Doula training registration please contact Eleanor directly: Eleanor @ JamaaBirthVillage.org.