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.
Brittany "Tru" Kellman, CPM
Founding & Executive Director
Tru is the founder of Jamaa Birth Village and serves as Executive Director & Lead Midwife. She is a mother, Certified Professional Midwife, Certified Doula & Doula trainer, Certified Lactation Counselor and Author of 2 books. Tru has seen hope restored, thriving pregnancies, healthier births and postpartum periods through her years as a birth advocate and provider. Tru believes in empowered, gentle and culturally engaged care and brings that to the St. Louis metro area. Tru is the first Black Certified Professional Midwife of Missouri and a multiple award winning provider.
Eboni Hooper-Boateng, CD
Breastfeeding Coordinator
Konjit Avent
Evaluation Coordiantor
Konjit Avent is the Evaluation Coordinator for the STL 360 Doula Initiative through Jamaa Birth Village & partners Generate Health STL. For over 20 years, she has served the St. Louis Metro-East area through behavioral health and wrap-around systems for children and families. 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.
Mrs. 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.
Simiya Sudduth
Senior Doula
Simiya Sudduth uses she/her and they/them pronouns. Simiya is a full spectrum doula, Traditional Usui Reiki Master and 200-hour yoga and meditation teacher with additional certification in prenatal yoga. As a yoga teacher, Simiya specializes in prenatal and postpartum yoga, meditation and mindfulness for pregnancy, birth and parenting. .
Simiya's approach to doula support is rooted in social justice, while being centered upon supporting the mind-body connection through encouraging self-care, mindfulness and holistic nutrition.
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.
Cushena Woods, CD
Certified Doula
Cushena Woods, CD is a Full Spectrum Doula with over 15 years of healthcare experience. Her dream is to make your GOALS for your pregnancy and delivery come true (within safe practices). "I want to help you advocate and feel empowered during your birthing experience."- Cushena
Angel Dunn, CD
Certified Doula
Angel Dunn, CD, is a culturally congruent Certified Doula through Tru's Community Doula Training © at Jamaa Birth Village. Angel serves the local Belleville, Illinois community and greater St. Louis region. She's a Registered Medical Assistant with 2 years of Pediatric and two years of OBGYN experience. "My birth philosophy is that birth is normal and a healthy process. Our bodies were designed for this! I’m here to encourage and empower you to birth YOUR way."- Angel
Jasmine Porter
Certified Doula
Jasmine Porter, CD, Having always been drawn to pregnant people and birth, and always been passionate about the healthy well-being of people, Jasmine Damara became a full spectrum doula through Tru's Community Doula Training© at Jamaa Birth Village. She practices yoga and meditation, and holds a plant-based lifestyle as a breastfeeding mama. When it comes to her doula work, Jasmine utilizes a holistic approach in which she aims to empower and balance others to help combat the disparities when it comes to pregnancy and birth.
Krystle Stith, 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.
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.”
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.