The Jamaa Birth Village Cultural Heritage Center

Executive Leadership

Executive Leadership

Qiana Lewis

Qiana Lewis

Executive Leader & President

Director of Operations & Cultural Stewardship

Qiana Lewis is a nationally recognized reproductive justice leader, full-spectrum doula, healer, and movement strategist whose life’s work is rooted in the liberation, health, and well-being of Black people unapologetically and without compromise.

Born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, Qiana’s journey into birth work began at just 15 years old, when she supported her family member. What began as instinctive care grew into a lifelong calling. For decades, she has held space across the full spectrum of reproductive experiences.

With over two decades of experience spanning healthcare systems, marketing, and community-based care, Qiana brings a rare combination of executive leadership and grassroots grounding.

Having been a supporter of Jamaa Birth Village since its inception, Qiana now serves as Director of Operations and Cultural Stewardship, where she is honored to lead and steward the organization into its next chapter of growth, impact, and sustainability.

Her return home to St. Louis is both personal and political, an intentional yes and amen to her city, her roots, and her responsibility to the community that first shaped her life.

More about Qiana

MEET OUR BOARD of Directors

OMA 2024 Headshot

Okunsola M. Amadou

Folk Midwifeâ„¢ & Birth Priestessâ„¢, CPM (R), CLC, CD

BOARD PRESIDENT Emeritus

Sandra M. Thornhill, MPA

Sandra M. Thornhill

MPA, Womb Warrior, Policy Griot & Social Justice Doula

BOARD VICE PRESIDENT

Joy Korley, MPH, RN Board Secretary

Joy Korley

MPH, L & D Nurse, Doula

BOARD SECRETARY

Patricia Garcia CPM

patricia Garcia

CPM & LM

BOARD TREASURER

UmmSalammah Abdullah-Zaimah CPM

UmmSalammah Abdullah-Zaimah

CPM & RETIRED CNM

BOARD MEMBER

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OKUNSOLA M. AMADOU

Founder | President & CEO Emeritus

Brittany L. Conteh, professionally known as Okunsola M. Amadou, is the Founder & CEO Emeritus of Jamaa Birth Village, which was founded in 2015, in Ferguson, MO. Now Okunsola is a 24x time award winning Black Maternal Health pioneer, recognized in Missouri as the First Black Certified Professional Midwife and First Black Registered CPM Preceptor through the North American Registry of Midwives. A graduate of the Midwives College of Utah and the University of Iowa Museum Studies Program, Okunsola sustains the vision behind the Historic Jamaa Birth Village Cultural Heritage Center and the African Indigenous Midwifery Museum & African Indigenous Midwifery Library & Research Institute, located in Ferguson, MO.