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Maternal and infant health inequities remain a pressing challenge in the United States, disproportionately impacting historically marginalized communities. Today, Dr. Wendy Ellis, Director of GW's Equity Institute, led an insightful discussion as the moderator of the panel "Bridging Gaps in Maternal Health: Perspectives from Community, Research, and Policymaking" at the Urban Institute’s event, "Advancing Maternal Health Equity: How Can Research, Policy, and Advocacy Inform Solutions?"
The event, hosted in collaboration with Policies for Action (P4A), a research program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, connected experts from research, policy, and community advocacy to discuss how their collective work can help close disparities in maternal and infant health outcomes.
The "Bridging Gaps in Maternal Health" panel brought together a provider and advocate, a researcher, and a policymaker to explore how to connect research and maternal health outcomes with real-world solutions. Dr. Ellis set the tone for the discussion by emphasizing the need for community-driven solutions, asking, "How do we take the best evidence and work with the community to deliver solutions that work for women where they are and how they want it?"
Participants talked about how maternal health equity is about more than access; it is about ensuring that the accessible care is high quality and meets the real needs of the communities it serves. Quality of care matters just as much as availability; simply providing access to care is not enough.
The featured panelists were key leaders in the field, including:
- Melisa Byrd – Senior Deputy Director and Medicaid Director, Department of Health Care Finance
- Emily M. Johnston – Principal Research Associate, Health Policy Division, Urban Institute
- Aza Nedhari – Cofounder and Executive Director, Mamatoto Village
Another powerful panel at the event, "Turning Grief into Action: Black Fathers Seeking Solutions," featured two fathers who lost their partners during childbirth and have since become dedicated advocates for maternal health equity. Omari Maynard (The Ariah Foundation) and Bruce McIntyre III (saveArose Foundation), both featured in the Emmy-nominated film Aftershock, shared their experiences with medical bias, loss, and their mission to raise awareness about the stark disparities in maternal health. They emphasized the importance of community-led solutions and greater male engagement in addressing the maternal health crisis. The discussion, moderated by Nona Mitchell Richardson (Policies for Action), highlighted the urgent need for systemic change to prevent further tragedies.
The recording and presentation materials from the event will be made available for those who could not attend. You can access them here: Urban Institute Event Page.
The Urban Institute, in partnership with P4A, convened experts on February 27, 2025 to explore research, policy, and community-driven solutions for achieving maternal and infant health equity.
At the event, two fathers spoke on their experiences of losing their partners during childbirth and turning their grief into action, creating community-led solutions. Pictured from left to right: Omari Maynard, Cofounder, The Ariah Foundation & Partner of Shamony Benton Gibson; Wendy Ellis, Director, Equity Institute; Nona Mitchell Richardson, Founder, MitchRich Communications & Communications Lead, Policies for Action (moderator, panel 3); and Bruce McIntyre III, Founder, saveArose Foundation & Partner of Amber Rose Isaac.
Dr. Wendy Ellis speaking as she moderated the panel "Bridging Gaps in Maternal Health: Perspectives from Community, Research, and Policymaking".