2020 Mom State Policy Fellows

In 2020, 2020 Mom invited the following leaders to join our first cohort of State Policy Fellows. The program launched in June and will run through June 2021 when a second cohort begins.

The aim of the program is to assist backbone organizations in developing a foundation for regulatory and statutory policy change to close gaps in maternal mental health in their states.

GEORGIA

Shantrice Jones is the Project Manager of Community Engagement for the Emory Centers for Training and Technical Assistance. In this role, she contributes to developing the public health workforce through community development, coalition building, and strategic partnerships. Her current project management activities span from fostering state and local public health networking and best practices sharing for rural communities, promoting statewide collaborative efforts to reduce chronic diseases, and the expansion of diabetes prevention to Spanish speaking communities.

Shantrice has also worked as a Program Analyst for the United States Peace Corps; as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Guatemala, Central America; and as a Research and Evaluation Fellow with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

A native of Atlanta, GA, Shantrice graduated from Mercer University in Macon, GA with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a minor in Spanish. She obtained a Master of Public Health, specializing in Behavioral Sciences and Health Education from the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University. Shantrice is committed to raising awareness of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders and enjoys volunteering with the Georgia Chapter of Postpartum Support International. She is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated and a 2014 Fellow of New Leaders Council - Atlanta.

Elizabeth O’Brien, LPC PMH-C is a mental health clinician in Atlanta, GA where she specializes in maternal mental health and complex trauma. She works with individuals, couples and leads a new mom’s support group and a consolation group for other maternal mental health therapists. Elizabeth leads trainings locally and nationally with Postpartum Support International. In 2017 Elizabeth founded the Postpartum Support International -GA chapter as the president and remains on the board as an active member. She also serves as a state coordinator for PSI.

In addition to working as an entrepreneur, she likes to spend time with family/friends out in nature gardening, hiking, camping, kayaking and beekeeping.

Mica Whitfield is a women’s health advocate with more than a decade of experience in program development and grassroots advocacy. She is a fiercely passionate maternal health professional, working to improve the quality of life for women across the State. She currently serves as the Director of Programs for Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Georgia. There she manages several programs, grants, and advocacy initiatives for the organization. She coordinates prenatal education workshops across several perinatal regions in Georgia to ensure that women who are at higher risk for poor birth and postpartum outcomes get the critical information and access to resources they need.

In addition, she serves as the Vice President and Advocacy Chair for Postpartum Support International- Georgia Chapter. In this role, she has coordinated advocacy efforts to enshrine Maternal Mental Health Day in the Georgia Code and securing 1.05 million in appropriations to establish the State’s first Maternal Mental Health Telepsychiatry Line.

MICHIGAN

Carrie Kolehouse is a mother of two, and the Executive Director for MomsBloom, an organization that provides in-home, hands-on support from trained volunteers to postpartum mothers in West Michigan. Formerly the Director of Operations at Media Place Partners and Senior Marketing Manager for AHC+Hospitality prior, Carrie started her career in TV news as an Associate Producer and Reporter for WOODTV8 while she was attending Grand Valley State University.

Carrie's passion for supporting mothers of young babies was ignited by her own experience with postpartum depression, and the continually humbling experience of motherhood. She began serving as a MomsBloom volunteer in 2013, led the BloomAwards committee for two years, and served as Board Chair before accepting the Executive Director position.

Nancy Roberts is an Obstetrical Registered Nurse, Certified Breastfeeding Counselor, and Certified Childbirth Educator at Spectrum Health Hospital in Grand Rapids. For the past 25 years, she has been instrumental in the growth and development of the Postpartum Emotional Support Program, facilitating the Postpartum Depression Support Group and coordinating the inpatient screening program. She is the President for Postpartum Support Michigan and serves as the West Michigan Coordinator. Nancy also worked at the Pine Rest Mother and Baby Day Program for 6 years and taught psycho educational classes.

MONTANA

Stephanie Morton was born and raised in (very) rural Montana, spent nine years in Oregon, four in Washington, and is now back home in Montana. Her work has centered around supporting people in their passions, including their children. For the past two years she’s been able to do this in a small (but mighty!) statewide nonprofit, Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies- The Montana Coalition.

Brie Oliver is the Executive Director of Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies, The Montana Coalition, Inc. (HMHB), a statewide non-profit with a focus on improving the health, well-being and safety of children aged 0-3, including pregnancy. She brings deep experience working with pregnant women, young children and their families, and the systems that support them to the work of HMHB. She has received numerous commendations for her dedication to improving maternal and child health in Montana. Brie worked for more than a decade in the field as a public health home visiting nurse and lactation consultant, who most recently managed the maternal and child health program at Lewis and Clark Public Health, before she came to work at HMHB.

Brie was born and raised in Helena, Montana, graduated with honors from the College of Nursing at Montana State University, and is a proud mom of 3.