Shantrice Jones, MPH, CPH
President, DPH Liaison

shantrice.jones@gmail.com

• Public Health Professional, Researcher, Mom
• Project Manager of Community Engagement, Emory Centers for Training and Technical Assistance

“​​I am deeply honored to utilize my public health background and passion for helping families struggling with postpartum depression or anxiety. I am especially proud of our extensive work training and building the capacity of health care professionals to recognize the symptoms, screen, and diagnose so that families can get the help they need. The work we are doing through PSI-GA is literally changing lives — and it is extraordinary!”

Shontel Cargill, MS, LMFT
Board President-Elect

president@psiga.org

• Mom of an Angel, Survivor, Advocate
• Perinatal Mental Health Professional Regional Clinic Director, Thriveworks

“I humbly serve on the PSI-GA Board of Directors because I have a lifelong commitment of being a catalyst for change in maternal mental health as a survivor, advocate, and perinatal mental health professional. After experiencing the loss of my daughter, I turned my pain into passion and purpose to help mothers and families who have experienced loss, PMADs, birth trauma, infertlity, and are impacted by maternal mortality in the state of Georgia.”

Mica Whitfield, LMSW
Vice-President, Advocacy & Government Relations Liaison

mica@9to5.org

• Mom, Advocate, Survivor
• State Director, 9to5 Georgia

“I serve on the PSI-GA board because I want to make sure no one suffers in silence. My board service is for every woman that felt alone in her postpartum journey without the support and resources she needed to thrive.”

Paige L. Rohe, MPH
Vice President-Elect, Climb Out of the Darkness Co-Lead

robinprojectga@gmail.com

• Mommy, Birth Safety Champion, Mover and Shaker
• Director of Communications, National Association of Chronic Disease Directors

“After I had my daughter, I struggled with birth trauma based on our delivery experience, and Georgia PSI’s resources helped me to understand that I wasn’t alone, and that there were specialized resources to help me. I am very eager and grateful for the opportunity to give back to other mothers and birthing parents who need support, nurturing, and healing for their mental health after childbirth.”

Colin Gatewood
Treasurer & PSI Liaison

colingatewood@gmail.com

• Dad, thinker, eater
• Director of Asset/Liability Management, FHLBank Atlanta

“I joined the PSI board to help bring focus and attention to the issues surrounding maternal mental health in Georgia, which consistently ranks near the bottom of all national measures related to care and support of new and expectant mothers.”

Amanda Gorman
Treasurer-Elect, Board Development and Recruitment

amanda@findingyourvillagepod.com

• Mom, Wife, Survivor, Writer, Advocate
• Birth Educator and Podcast Host, Finding your Village

“I am thankful and honored to have the opportunity to be of service to birthing people and their families in Georgia. As a survivor of postpartum depression and anxiety, I know personally that the work that PSI GA does saves lives. I also acknowledge and lament that there is a large disparity in infant and maternal mortality rates and the rates of perinatal mood disorders affecting the BIPOC community, particularly in Georgia. I feel strongly about advocating for structural, institutional and personal changes to reduce those disparities and to save the lives of birthing people and children in our state.”

Clare Schexnyder
Secretary & Constituent Services

clare@ohbabyfitness.com

• Mom, Entrepreneur, Survivor, Community Organizer
• Founder and CEO, Oh Baby! Fitness

“Exercise, community and counseling saved my life when I had postpartum depression; I’m working with PSI GA to ensure all new and expectant Moms have access to the help and support they need.”

www.ohbabyfitness.com

Latha Nair-Erickson
Secretary-Elect, Climb Out of the Darkness Co-Lead

11LathaErickson@Gmail.Com

•  Relationship Cultivator, Mom, Advocate
•  Network Production Leader | Communications Specialist

“I am very excited to learn and grow in this role on the PSI-GA Board. Mental health is a real stigma in the Asian community and getting help is not an easy task. I hope to be an advocate and let women know there is support for women who feel isolated.”

Elise Blasingame
Corporate Support & Partnerships

elise.blasingame@uga.edu

• Advocate, Partner, Dog Mom
• Doctoral Student, School of Public and International Affairs, University of Georgia. Former Executive Director at HMHBGA.

“I look forward to working with the Board and volunteers of PSI to make a Georgia where there’s no stigma for women living with PMADs and where they can access the services and resources they need.”

Laytrina Clemons-Brown, MSN, RN
Scholarship Coordinator

Laytrina.Clemons-Brown@northside.com

• Mom, Wife, Family Survivor of Losses, Advocate, Nurse
• Nurse Manager in Women’s Services

“It is humbling to be a part of a community of leaders that puts advocacy, for those who cannot always stand for themselves, first. To take care of others is integral to our survival as humans.”

Bridget Cross, LCSW, PMH-C
PSI State Coordinator Liaison

bridget@bridgetcrossLCSW.com

• Clinical Social Worker, Advocate, Mom
• Psychotherapist in private practice in Savannah, GA

“PSI has been a lifeline to me both personally and professionally since I became a mom. I became a maternal mental health clinician to offer that support outward in the Savannah community, where moms and families struggle profoundly. I’m so honored to join the PSI-GA board and to advocate for our coastal Georgia mamas and for improved maternal health across the state.”

Angela Deportage, MSN-ED, BSN, RN
Peer Support Group Lead

angiede@gmail.com

• Professional Nurse, Educator, Advocate, Mentor, Author, Wife & Mother
• Clinical Specialty Educator, Women’s Services, Eastside Medical Center/ Tristar Division

“Over my many years in nursing,  I have seen the devastating effects health inequities play on a community’s mental and physical health.  As a Labor &  Delivery nurse,  I have seen how those issues directly affect prenatal and postpartum health. I want to be an advocate & mentor for those communities.”

Kris Favers, Ed.S
Community Outreach & Events Lead

kfavers@gmail.com

• Community Advocate for Postpartum
• Marketing Coordinator for Amerigroup Community Care serving families who qualify for Medicaid in the State of Georgia, Member of Atlanta Healthy Start Consortium’s strategy team.

“My reason for serving on the board is to be a resource for moms with postpartum. I want to be able to collaborate with other agencies to bring a wealth of resources to moms and their families.”

Ashley S. Lingerfelt, MS, LPC, PMH-C
Mental Health Provider Liaison

ashley@playtimetherapy.org

• Mother, Clinician, Advocate
• Clinical Director, Playtime Therapy of Georgia, LLC

“Advocating for better care for birthing families is a necessity. By bringing awareness to the intersection of infant and perinatal mental health, we can change the futures of families within our state. I’m honored to be a part of an organization that puts families first from the very beginning.”

Keisha Reaves
Training Coordinator

Keisha@keishareaves.com

• Entrepreneur, Mom, Runner
• Clinical Director & Owner of Push Thru Therapy

“Black maternal mental health is a huge passion of mine and I wanted to be a part of an organization whose mission is to educate our community about the postpartum experience for mothers. PSI does incredible work to help the entire family and also connect them with resources. I believe in the work that PSI does and I’m excited to be a part to assist in driving the mission of helping mothers.”

www.keishareaves.com

Jose Rodríguez, MD, MBA, FAAP
Provider & Hospital Liaison

jose.rodriguez@wellstar.org

• Wellstar Pediatrician/Asthma Champion
• Clinical Professor in Pediatrics at Medical College of Georgia, Adjunct at Morehouse School of Medicine
• Faculty Graduate Medical Education at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital
• Faculty American Academy of Pediatrics Substance Use ECHO Project

“All children need available parents in all sense of the word, especially the first 1000 days of life when children are most sensitive and parents are at most risk” 

Jennifer Rutledge Pettie, JD, MPH (ON LEAVE)

jennifer.rutledge.jd.mph@gmail.com

• Legal epidemiologist, Associate Vice Chancellor for Healthcare Policy with the Board of Regents for the University System of Georgia

“As a public health professional, I appreciate that maternal health and mental health are very much linked to morbidity and mortality. For this reason, I am personally committed to improving access to care to women in need – in spite of socioeconomic factors and challenges that too often act as barriers.”

Angie Seech, PhD
Grants and Foundation Support Lead

angieseechphd@gmail.com

• Mother, Brain Enthusiast, Mental Health Advocate, Educator
• Owner and Educator at Mommy Brain EDU and Full-Time Clinical Mental Health Counseling Student

“I am passionate about maternal mental health and helping individuals to understand the changes that take place in the brain during and after pregnancy. Sometimes, these changes, along with the often-turbulent transition to motherhood, lead to PMADS. I am honored and excited to serve on this board with other passionate and talented individuals to work towards a community where families are supported during this time.”

Shlonda B Smith, IBCLC
Volunteer Coordinator

Shlsmith17@gmail.com

• Wife, Mom, Survivor, Advocate
• State Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Breastfeeding Coordinator

“I am ecstatic about the opportunity to represent, serve, and advocate for the many families of Georgia impacted by perinatal mood and anxiety disorders with PSI-GA. With our collective voices, expertise, and networks, I have high expectations that we can contribute to the improved well-being of Georgia’s families.”