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American College of Nurse-Midwives, 409 12th Street SW, Suite 600, Washington D.C., DC (2025)

10/31/2025

This week our Midwife of the Week is Dr. Elikem Amable-Brumfield, DNP, CNM with over 15 years of experience. She currently works at the only free-standing birth center in Detroit, Michigan Birth Detroit. Elikem obtained her Bachelor of Science from Michigan State University. She then began working as a Nurse in Labor and Delivery at Henry Ford Hospital while she pursued her Masters of Science in Midwifery from the University of Michigan. From there she worked as a CNM at Henry Ford Health for 12 years before she transitioned to Birth Detroit full time. In 2025, she obtained her Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) from Frontier Nursing University. She has always been motivated by a deep desire to help women throughout their life journey, whether it was helping them through their first pap smear or walking with them during the highs and, at times, lows of pregnancy. Walking with women at different points in their lives is a calling that she could not ignore. As a midwife at Birth Detroit, she is taking a new path in helping change the face of what it means to birth safely in Detroit. Dr. Amable-Brumfield comes with a wealth of knowledge, experience, and a strong passion for empowering women and building healthy families one pregnancy at a time.

10/31/2025

2025 ACNM Outstanding Preceptor Award

The Outstanding Preceptor Award recognizes exemplary preceptors who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, dedication, and a deep commitment to educating future Certified Nurse-Midwives and Certified Midwives. These honorees have served as trusted mentors for multiple students, skillfully guiding them from classroom learning to clinical excellence.

Through their teaching, support, and example, these preceptors consistently uphold and promote the highest standards of midwifery education and practice. Their influence extends far beyond the clinical setting, shaping confident, compassionate, and capable midwives who will carry the profession forward.

We are proud to celebrate the 2025 ACNM Outstanding Preceptor Award recipients for their invaluable contributions to the education and mentorship of the next generation of midwives.

10/31/2025

2025 ACNM Excellence in Teaching Award

The Excellence in Teaching Award honors one outstanding educator from each ACME pre-accredited or accredited midwifery education program. These exceptional teachers embody the highest standards of midwifery education, inspiring their students to excel and demonstrating unwavering dedication to the next generation of midwives.

Each awardee has shown an extraordinary commitment to teaching, mentorship, and the advancement of midwifery education.

We proudly recognize and celebrate the 2025 ACNM Excellence in Teaching Award recipients for their lasting impact on their students, their programs, and the profession of midwifery.

10/30/2025

Dena Moes, CNM, is a midwife, educator, and author whose work empowers young people to take control of their reproductive and sexual health. In response to the overturning of Roe v. Wade, Dena wrote It’s Your Body: The Young Woman’s Guide to Empowered Sexual Health, a clear, accessible guide covering menstruation, contraception, STIs, consent, sexual pleasure, pregnancy options, and personal stories of abortion, adoption, and teen parenthood. Released in August 2024, the book nearly sold out its first print run within three months and will soon be published in Greek and Italian editions.

Moes’ mission is to break down barriers to reproductive autonomy—misinformation, abortion bans, and care deserts—through accessible education. She also created an accompanying viral TikTok campaign (), reaching millions of viewers and sparking thousands of conversations about reproductive health.

With nearly three decades of clinical experience, including hospital CNM services, a solo home birth practice, and leadership at a nonprofit feminist health center, Dena combines her deep clinical expertise with a commitment to public education. Her work as a writer and digital media creator has made vital reproductive health information available to young people nationwide, exemplifying the ACNM Media Award’s mission to recognize outstanding contributions to public understanding of midwifery and women’s health.

10/30/2025

Dr. Mavis Schorn is a visionary educator, researcher, and leader whose career has profoundly shaped midwifery practice, education, and policy. With more than two decades of service at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing and national leadership across midwifery organizations, she embodies the excellence and dedication honored by ACNM’s Distinguished Service Award.

A pivotal force in shaping national standards, Dr. Schorn has served in key leadership roles with the Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education and the U.S. Midwifery Education, Regulation, and Association Task Force, helping expand midwifery programs and strengthen professional pathways nationwide. In Tennessee, her service with the Department of Health and the Maternal Mortality Review and Prevention Team has directly advanced maternal safety and quality of care.

Dr. Schorn’s research and innovation have transformed clinical practice. Her pioneering work on the “somersault” maneuver for managing nuchal cords—now taught globally—has improved neonatal outcomes and informed major obstetric and midwifery textbooks. Her expertise in third-stage management and blood loss measurement has redefined evidence-based care in labor and delivery.

As an educator, Dr. Schorn has mentored generations of midwives, creating groundbreaking interprofessional learning models through initiatives like the Shade Tree Clinic and the Vanderbilt Program for Interprofessional Learning. Her success in securing more than $19 million in grants has expanded access to education for students from disadvantaged backgrounds and strengthened faculty development nationwide.

A Fellow of ACNM, the American Academy of Nursing, and the National Academies of Practice, Dr. Schorn’s influence is felt across clinical, academic, and policy spheres. Her mentorship, innovation, and enduring commitment to equity and excellence have left an indelible mark on midwifery and maternal health.

10/30/2025

For over eight years, Amy Kohl has served as ACNM’s Director of Advocacy and Government Affairs with exceptional dedication, vision, and strategic skill—elevating the voice of midwifery and advancing the profession’s presence in national health policy. Through her tireless leadership, midwifery now holds a seat at key federal tables where it was once absent.

Amy’s deep policy expertise and ability to forge strong relationships across federal agencies and Capitol Hill have earned her recognition as a trusted and influential advocate for midwives nationwide. Her groundbreaking achievement—securing $44 million in federal funding for midwifery education through the congressional appropriations process—has had transformative, lasting impact. These investments, along with $20 million in Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students dedicated to midwifery, have strengthened the educational pipeline and laid the foundation for the Midwives for MOMS Act.
Her impact extends beyond Washington. Amy has been an invaluable ally to ACNM affiliates across the country, advancing full practice authority and Certified Midwife licensure. She has also developed vital advocacy tools on hospital privileging, abortion care, and scope of practice, empowering midwives and local leaders to drive change in their own states.

Amy Kohl exemplifies the spirit of the ACNM Public Policy Award. Her steadfast advocacy, collaborative leadership, and unwavering commitment to elevating midwifery at every level of policy have transformed the profession’s visibility, influence, and future.

10/30/2025

For more than 40 years, Dr. Brent Davidson has been a steadfast advocate for midwifery and a champion of collaborative, patient-centered care. His visionary leadership transformed maternal health within the Henry Ford Health System (HFHS), where he was instrumental in introducing midwifery in 1991—a milestone that reshaped perinatal care across Metro Detroit.

Dr. Davidson’s commitment to evidence-based, personalized care has always aligned with the midwifery model. His deep respect for midwives and his collaborative spirit fostered unprecedented integration between disciplines, advancing mutual trust and professional growth among physicians and midwives alike.

Recognizing midwifery’s value early on, Dr. Davidson encouraged and facilitated the establishment of HFHS’s first midwifery practice, helping navigate institutional systems and build administrative support. That early advocacy laid the foundation for a sustainable, respected practice that has flourished for more than three decades.

His leadership was equally pivotal during the creation of Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital. As OB/GYN department lead, Dr. Davidson ensured midwifery was included in every phase of planning, championing a fully collaborative labor, delivery, recovery, and postpartum model. The hospital’s Birth Center, opened in 2008, stands today as a thriving practice of 17 nurse-midwives—an enduring testament to his foresight and dedication.

Through decades of service, Dr. Davidson has exemplified partnership, humility, and shared purpose, embodying the essence of collaboration that strengthens the profession and enhances care for families. His legacy is one of respect, innovation, and unwavering support for midwifery’s essential role in improving maternal and newborn outcomes.

10/30/2025

Kaprice S. Welsh, CNM, MSN, MPH, is a nationally recognized midwife, equity strategist, and doctoral scholar at Emory University whose 30-year career has transformed maternal health through justice-centered leadership and systems change. Practicing at the intersection of midwifery, public health, and equity, she has led groundbreaking efforts to dismantle structural racism and improve outcomes for birthing people, especially those most marginalized.

In Georgia, Kaprice helped shape the state’s inaugural Maternal Mortality Review Committee and chaired the Georgia Perinatal Quality Collaborative’s first Health Equity Committee, leading development of the Respectful Maternity Care Readiness Assessment Toolkit, now adopted nationally. As Co-Chair of the March of Dimes’ Dismantling Racism Workgroup, she helped launch the Doula Friendly Hospital Initiative to integrate doulas into clinical teams.

Nationally, she served on ACOG’s Health Equity and Reflective Care Committee and co-created an implicit bias training video now used across the country. Through the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s Birth Equity Lab, she co-developed the pioneering Respectful Care Simulation Experience with Black birthing people and hospital staff, redefining how equity is taught in care settings.

Her research and leadership through CORAL and the Better Maternal Outcomes Lab have elevated community voices in designing equitable systems, while her co-development of Moms’ Heart Matters—a digital therapeutic for postpartum hypertension and mental health—brings innovation to underserved populations.

Now a T32-funded PhD student at Emory, Kaprice continues to advance implementation science and digital health strategies to improve care for pregnant and postpartum people with opioid use disorder. A visionary leader and community convener, she embodies the spirit of ACNM’s Health Equity Award—turning insight into action and transforming maternal health for generations to come.

10/30/2025

Dr. Shannon Pirrie is honored with the American College of Nurse-Midwives' Excellence in Leadership and Innovation Award for her transformative impact on midwifery education, clinical practice, and professional leadership. In just a decade since becoming a Certified Nurse-Midwife, Dr. Pirrie has established herself as a highly skilled clinician, inspiring educator, and visionary leader whose work embodies the values of excellence, equity, and innovation.

As Assistant Professor and Specialty Director of the Nurse-Midwifery Education Program at the University of Colorado College of Nursing, Dr. Pirrie has led significant advancements in midwifery education. Under her leadership, the program has doubled in size and strengthened its reputation as one of the nation’s leading midwifery training programs.

Dr. Pirrie directs the Rural Midwifery Expansion Program, funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration, where she developed a rural training track to prepare midwives for practice in underserved communities. Her efforts have improved access to high-quality maternity care in rural Colorado and beyond.

As a clinician, Dr. Pirrie provides full-scope midwifery care. She has led multiple quality improvement initiatives, enhancing oral health screening, collaboration with obstetric partners, and continuity of care, while creating pathways for financially accessible prenatal imaging and mental health resources.

Her dedication extends globally through her ongoing work in rural Guatemala, where she mentors nurses and skilled birth attendants at the Trifinio Clinic. Through on-site and remote education, she strengthens local midwifery capacity and promotes culturally responsive maternal care.
Dr. Pirrie’s influence also extends through her service to ACNM, where she has contributed to local and national initiatives, including leadership within the Colorado Affiliate and the Directors of Midwifery Education.

10/30/2025

Dr. Saraswathi Vedam is an unparalleled leader, visionary, and advocate whose lifelong work has transformed the landscape of midwifery and maternal health. Her unwavering dedication to justice, collaboration, and equity-centered care has reshaped how we understand, measure, and deliver high-quality maternity care around the world.

As the founder of the Birth Place Lab, Dr. Vedam built a groundbreaking coalition of researchers, community leaders, clinicians, policymakers, legal scholars, and health system experts. Together, they have created a truly transdisciplinary space to advance care models rooted in respect, autonomy, and equity. Under her leadership, the Lab developed validated patient-reported experience metrics that illuminate how the experience of care is a vital indicator of quality, safety, and equity. These tools—now used globally—measure respect, autonomy, mistreatment, and access to equitable care, giving voice to the lived experiences of birthing people and driving change across health systems.

Among her many contributions, Dr. Vedam’s Access and Integration of Midwives Mapping Study (AIMMS) stands as a landmark achievement. This nationally recognized research linked perinatal outcomes to the degree of midwifery integration across the United States, creating an evidence base that continues to shape policy, funding, and advocacy. Cited by scholars, journalists, and civic leaders alike, the AIMMS study is a cornerstone for advancing midwifery access and integration nationwide.

Dr. Vedam’s legacy is profound and far-reaching. Her research, mentorship, and advocacy have shaped generations of practitioners and transformed global understanding of what respectful, high-quality maternity care can and should be. Her vision ensures that every person has the right to give birth safely, with dignity, and in partnership with those who serve them.
For her lifelong dedication, transformative leadership, and immeasurable impact on the field of midwifery, we are honored to recognize Dr. Saraswathi Vedam with the American College of Nurse-Midwives's, Lifetime Visionary Award.

10/29/2025

Last week, the American College of Nurse-Midwives joined an amicus brief alongside the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and other leading health care organizations in the case "Planned Parenthood v. Kennedy."

This case challenges a provision of H.R. 1 that would defund key reproductive health providers making them ineligible for Medicaid reimbursement.

Why does this matter? Because access to comprehensive reproductive care is essential for all people, regardless of income or ZIP code. Defunding trusted providers limits care options, deepens inequities, and undermines public health.

As midwives, we believe everyone deserves access to safe, evidence-based, and respectful care. ACNM will continue to advocate for policies that protect patients’ right to choose their provider and access essential services through Medicaid.

American College of Nurse-Midwives

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Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm