Meet the PBAC Members
The MDPQC Parent and Baby Advisory Council (PBAC) includes health professionals, educators, and advocates specializing in maternal and child health, public health, and family support. Collectively, these members bring diverse experience in improving health outcomes, addressing disparities, and empowering communities through education, support, and innovative health services. Learn about the MDPQC PBAC members below.
Dr. Marilyn Berchie-Gialamas is the Health Director and Founder of Trinity Wellness, an emerging medical concierge in Howard County, Maryland, offering prenatal and maternal health services and education to clients enrolled with Baltimore Healthy Start. She is also a nurse educator and researcher at Morgan State University focusing on racial disparities in material health and the role of doulas. Her goal is to promote equity in healthcare and nursing education.
Amanda Burgess is a public health advocate with 10 years of experience working across disciplines to bring people together and create change. As a mother of two, she is passionate about combining her love of science and storytelling to share her experience and advance equitable access to maternal health information, services, and supplies in Maryland. Professionally, she has served as a technical advocacy resource for 30+ local partners in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. She has also been a facilitator of a community of more than 1,200 members of the international sexual and reproductive health community for bold conversations on how to shift and share power in global health, and the lead coordinator of more than 400 academic and clinical maternal health researchers. She holds a Master of Public Health from the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis and a Bachelor of Science degree from Purdue University.
Ebony Ford, a mother of two former micropreemies, founded Miracle Mamas, a nonprofit supporting parents and caregivers of premature and medically fragile children. Through three weekly support groups, she has mentored over 130 families. Ms. Ford holds a bachelor’s in psychology and a Certificate in Pastoral Counseling from Liberty University. She is pursuing a master’s in forensic psychology at Southern New Hampshire University. She serves on the Maryland Maternal Mortality Review Board and the Johns Hopkins Maternal Health Research Advisory Council, dedicated to improving birth experiences in Maryland.
Emily Frost, a Baltimore-based public health professional, specializes in maternal and infant health and program evaluation. She is as an Evaluation Manager at March of Dimes, focusing on community-based maternal and infant health initiatives in the United States and serves as a Birth Doula in the Baltimore area. She has a Master of Public Health from Emory University and is a Certified Doula through DONA International. Ms. Frost is passionate about supporting and amplifying the voices of women in all contexts.
Dr. Joi Gaddy Egbuniwe, a Columbia, MD native, has ten years of experience helping pregnant and postpartum patients manage pain. She recent founded T[her]apy: The Center for Perinatal Wellness and Physical Therapy, an integrative practice focusing on perinatal care. Services include chiropractic care, physical therapy, pelvic floor rehabilitation, lactation support, breech presentation techniques, childbirth education, doula support and nutrition services aimed at improving maternal and birth outcomes. Dr. Egbuniwe is a board-certified expert in perinatal chiropractic and physical therapy, committed to holistic health approaches. Her work emphasizes empowering parents through therapy and education to achieve better perinatal and maternal health outcomes.
Janelle Joyce Pelsey, BSHS, CAP, CHW, IMH-E®, is a maternal and child health professional, mother, and military spouse. Currently serving as an Engagement Specialist with the Maryland Department of Health’s Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program, she specializes in culturally responsive health communication and community engagement focused on maternal and child health equity. With bilingual capabilities in Spanish and English, Janelle develops outreach materials that address health disparities among diverse populations. As an Infant Family Associate (IMH-E®) and Certified Community Health Worker, she advocates for relationship-focused, culturally sensitive practices that promote healthy child development. Janelle holds a Bachelor of Science in Health Studies and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Management and Leadership and a graduate certificate in Early Childhood Administration, Management, and Leadership. She also serves on the Anne Arundel County Commission for Women and contributes to various maternal health advocacy organizations with her commitment to advancing health equity and amplifying family voices.
Emily Luyo's passion for teaching began in the healthcare field. With a degree in Health Education, she has worked for Johns Hopkins Health Plans for 17 years as a community health educator. Ms. Luyo is dedicated to improving the health and well-being of individuals and communities, knowledgeable about health issues, and skilled at communicating complex information in accessible ways. In her current role, she works in various settings, including schools, community organizations, and healthcare facilities. She has created and implemented health education programs, conducted outreach to raise awareness about health issues, and provided support and resources to help individuals make healthier choices.
Mavhu Farai Wakatama Hargrove (Mbuya Mavhu) is a first generation Zimbabwean-American poet, writer, postpartum doula, and educator. She was born in the United States, then moved moved to Zimbabwe at age 3 where she stayed until after the birth of her first child. Mbuya Mavhu now lives in Maryland with her husband and three children. She has provided “bana chimbusa” (traditional marital skills training) and postpartum doula services in her family and community for 15 years and has recently begun offering professional postpartum doula services. Mbuya Mavhu co-created the NOURISH doula curriculum for the Black Women’s Health Imperative, a pilot program at Morgan State University, bringing preconception education and full spectrum doula training to female students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Mbuya Mavhu has also been an educator and administrator at NationHouse, an African-centered school in Washington, D.C., for 21 years where she developed the current NationHouse literature course for students aged 5 to 18.
Rebecca “Becky” Smith, MPH, BSN, RN, is the Sr. Administrator of Maternal Child Health Programs for the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). She has worked with Montgomery County for 25 years helping to increase access to care for pregnant, postpartum, and parenting families. Becky had her first public health job as Peace Corps Volunteer in Guatemala, working as a teen health educator. After her time in Guatemala, Becky earned her master’s degree in public health and went to work in the maternal child health field in Columbus, Ohio at the Columbus Health Department. She was then the Executive Director of the Central Ohio Lamaze Childbirth and Parenting Association, before joining the Montgomery County DHHS in Maryland. Becky has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a master’s degree in public health, and said she has been dedicated to the health of moms and babies for as long as she can remember.
Rony Ngamliya Ndam is a child and maternal mental health advocate dedicated to advancing equity and access for families across Maryland. She serves as the Child and Family Program Manager at the Mental Health Association of Maryland, where she oversees Healthy New Moms and co-leads the statewide campaign Children’s Mental Health Matters, connecting families and providers to resources that support early intervention and reduce stigma. Rony earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and has over five years of experience in mental health research, education, and advocacy, including community-based work as a Facilitator and Consultant with the Strengthening Families Program.
Dr. Efia Dalili is an independent scholar, choreographer, and birth worker living in Baltimore, Maryland. She studies folk health systems, traditional African dance and visual arts. She leads BB-Penda, the Baltimore Birthing Project.
Chrystal R. Mincey is a professional doula, notary public, and technical and professional communicator resides in Fort Washington, Maryland. She is registered in the National Provider Identifier (NPI) database as a doula, offering emotional, physical, and informational support to mothers during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum.
Pam Bowman is the mother of three grown children and the grandmother of seven. She has been married for 45 years and enjoys participating in community service activities. In 2003, Pam founded the Shop with a Cop program in partnership with the Anne Arundel County Police Department. The program continues to serve the community, and this year, it supported 50 at-risk children with a holiday shopping experience and lunch. Pam serves as the Mother/Baby Clinical Coordinator at UM BWMC and is also the Perinatal and Infant Loss Resource Nurse. She is deeply committed to providing compassionate care to families experiencing loss. Pam is a co-writer of her hospital’s Gold Safe Sleep designation through the Kids for Cribs program.
Download the PBAC At-a-Glance Brochure to learn more.
