Our Family
“Those who say it can’t be done are usually interrupted by others doing it.”
—James Baldwin
Board of Directors
Tiffani M. Simmons, Esq.
President and Executive Director
Tiffani Simmons, a dedicated attorney and devoted mother of two young children, was thrust into an unexpected journey when her son arrived prematurely amidst a harrowing battle with severe preeclampsia and HELLP syndrome. This profound experience fundamentally altered Tiffani's perspective, igniting within her an impassioned commitment to addressing the pressing issue of the Black maternal health crisis.
Faced with the daunting challenge of navigating her own physical and emotional recovery from a traumatic childbirth and near-death encounter, Tiffani recognized the critical need for comprehensive support systems tailored to the unique needs of Black parents. Motivated by her personal struggles and the realization that countless others faced similar ordeals without adequate resources, Tiffani resolved to be a catalyst for change.
From the trial of her own tribulations emerged Kindred 360, a beacon of hope and healing in the realm of Black maternal health advocacy. Rooted in Tiffani's firsthand experiences, Kindred 360 serves as a holistic sanctuary, bridging the gaps in medical care, emotional support, and community empowerment.
At its core, Kindred 360 embodies the ethos of a nurturing family—a circle of care where individuals find solace, guidance, and solidarity. Tiffani's vision transcends mere activism; it is a testament to her unwavering determination to ensure that no parent endures needless suffering and that every member of the Black community receives the support and compassion they deserve.
Deborah A. Discenza, MA
Vice President
Deb Discenza gave birth to her daughter at 30 weeks gestation in 2003. From day one she was thrust into advocating and never looked back. Whether it was her starting the award-winning Preemie Magazine in 2005 or co-writing The Preemie Parent’s Survival Guide to the NICU and launching PreemieWorld, she saw a huge void in parent education in and out of the NICU especially in underserved communities.
In 2020 she Co-Founded the Alliance for Black NICU Families, a non-profit providing racial and health equity in the form of a free wearable breast pump. In 2023 she founded and is the Executive Director of PreemieWorld Foundation, Inc., providing equitable access to patient education in the form of like-minded books and long term outcomes data for premature infants into the geriatric years. Also in 2023 she founded and is the Executive Director of the Books for Healing Partnership, Inc. going no where no one else can with patient education in the form of a children’s story to be used in all forms of healthcare.
When not doing all of that, Deb serves or has served on numerous boards and committees including the International Neonatal Consortium, the National Coalition for Infant Health and NICU Parent Network, International Children’s Advisory Network as well as the NICHD Neonatal Research Network’ Community Engagement Board and the Board of Directors for Kindred 360.
Joshua Gaston, BS
Secretary
Joshua Gaston is a passionate advocate and community leader dedicated to fighting for equity and justice. His journey of advocacy began in 2018 when he started his education at Oakwood University, a prestigious Historically Black University in Huntsville, AL, known for its legacy of producing influential leaders, such as U.S. Senate Chaplain Barry Black and motivational speaker Dr. Eric Thomas. However, Joshua’s life took a profound turn in 2022 when his daughter was born prematurely at 26 gestational weeks, making him a NICU dad.
During his daughter's challenging time in the NICU, Joshua confronted civil rights issues and healthcare inequities head-on. This period of intense struggle and advocacy revealed his inner strength and the power of his voice. Joshua's relentless fight ensured his daughter received the necessary care and ignited his commitment to advocating for the rights of others facing similar challenges.
Crushing the odds stacked against him, Joshua earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Church Leadership from Oakwood University in May 2024.
Now based in Atlanta, GA, Joshua is an active community advocate, lay pastor, and mentor. His work extends beyond his local community as he travels nationwide, organizing and educating to promote transformation and equity. Joshua's mission is clear: to be a voice for the voiceless and a light in the darkness.
Advisory Committee
Toshira Maldonado, M.Ed., CPE, CD
Toshira Maldonado embraces service and compassion at the core of her work. Serving pregnant people and new mothers in the community started while working as a temporary file clerk at the local Methodone Clinic in 1999. Her passion for birth work emerged while being a voice of advocacy and activism related to Black Maternal Health. Her career in Child Protective Services in conjunction with Community Birthwork over the last eight years fueled her desire to continue to address public policy related to family policing and how it both intersects and interferes with Reproductive Justice in BIPOC/Latinx communities.
Toshira is an active community organizer and is passionate about advocating for social change related to Birth Justice for Black and Brown women. She received a Master of Education with a minor discipline in Trauma and Building Resilience in vulnerable populations from Concordia University and an undergraduate Psychology degree from Thomas Edison State University. Toshira serves as the as the Executive Director of Most Beautiful W.O.M.B. Inc., a community-based organization dedicated to building Black Maternal Vitality and improvement of BIPOC family functioning.
As a fourth-generation birth worker, she prides herself in being formally trained by Commonsense Childbirth Institute as a Certified Outreach Perinatal Educator and a Community Doula. She trains and supports Birthworkers with her curriculum using models of cultural integration of indigenous and holistic practices related to the East and West African cultures. Through the lenses of cultural humility, health equity, and trauma-informed care she is committed to shaping change and providing a space for healing for those in her community and abroad who mirror the things she has survived. Toshira is a New Jersey Birth Justice Institute Fellow and a passionate Black Maternal Health Advocate. Among the greatest gifts in life, is her husband of 25 years and their five children.
Chantell Brown, MBA
Chantell Brown is a seasoned leader with over 25 years of experience spanning non-profit, education, and healthcare sectors. With a solid foundation in business administration and a keen understanding of market dynamics, Chantell has consistently delivered exceptional results while nurturing cultures of excellence and collaboration.
As the Health Center Director at a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), Chantell leads efforts to provide essential healthcare services to underserved communities. At Sun River Health, she oversees initiatives aimed at expanding access to care, particularly for marginalized populations, including Black mothers. Chantell's role involves coordinating telehealth and virtual care programs, ensuring that patients have convenient and efficient ways to receive medical attention. Her commitment to addressing disparities in Black maternal health extends beyond her administrative duties, as she actively engages in advocacy and leadership within the healthcare community, driven by a profound sense of responsibility to improve outcomes for all members of the community.
As a mother, I am driven by the deep-seated desire to ensure that every Black woman has access to the same level of quality maternal care that I would want for myself and my loved ones. As a sister, I cannot stand idly by while systemic inequities continue to jeopardize the lives of Black mothers and their babies, motivating me to advocate fiercely for change. As an aunt, I am committed to creating a world where every Black child grows up with their mother, free from the preventable tragedies that too often plague our communities due to disparities in maternal health care.
Beyond her professional endeavors, Chantell is passionate about giving back to the community and is actively involved in various volunteer work and professional affiliations.
Beverly Young Thompson
Beverly Young Thompson is a dedicated advocate for maternal health, driven by a profound passion rooted in her own experiences as a woman of color. Her journey into maternal health advocacy was ignited by a deep understanding of the risks faced by many mothers, particularly those from marginalized communities, throughout the prenatal stages and into postpartum.
With a heart fueled by empathy and a commitment to making a difference, Beverly has worked tirelessly with diverse women over the years, listening to their stories and drawing inspiration from their resilience. Their narratives have become the cornerstone of her advocacy, propelling her to do more to ensure that every mother receives the support and resources she needs from the outset of her prenatal care.
Beverly's aspirations extend beyond mere advocacy; she seeks to revolutionize the maternal healthcare landscape, striving for equity and fairness irrespective of socioeconomic or racial backgrounds. Her vision is one where all women, regardless of their circumstances, are treated with dignity and provided equal access to quality care.
Through her unwavering dedication, Beverly endeavors to be the steadfast support that mothers deserve. Her work is not just a profession but a calling, driven by the belief that every mother deserves the opportunity to thrive, and she will stop at nothing to make that a reality.
Erica L. Shoemate, MPA
Erica Shoemate is a Best-Selling Author, Tech Policy Leader, National Security Policy Expert, storyteller, blogger, and philanthropist dedicated to serving as a Maternal and Infant Health Ambassador in partnership with the March of Dimes. Her 2021 best-selling book, "Special Delivery – From Pregnancy to Toddlerhood (A Little Perspective)," details her journey and the expertise she developed at the FBI and across the U.S. Intelligence Community to save her own baby’s life in 2017. As a result, she is now a Maternal Health Strategist and Policy Advocate, as well as an active mom blogger, sharing the story of her miracle daughter to provide hope and inspiration to others.
She previously co-founded the pilot initiative Melanated Mamas Perinatal Circle of Hope, partnering with a Women’s Behavioral Health team to create a unique and safe space for Black and Brown women experiencing high-risk pregnancies or caring for medically complex babies who have spent time in the NICU, Pediatric ICU, or Cardiac ICU.
Erica’s philanthropic efforts focus on Maternal Health, Women’s and Reproductive Health, and Clean Beauty Advocacy. Her expertise and passion center on supporting moms and babies with complex medical diagnoses and promoting clean, safe beauty products, inspired by her own challenging pregnancy and motherhood journey. She endured a grueling [xxx]-day NICU stay in two different hospitals and states and navigated the cardiac ICU, which gave her an intimate understanding of the neonatal intensive care unit.
Her advocacy efforts have included being featured with her daughter in the March of Dimes 2019-2020 national campaign initiative, "It’s Not Fine," to raise awareness of the maternal and infant health crisis in the U.S. [Name] and her family served as the 2020 Ambassador Family for the March for Babies National Capital Region, rallying family and friends across the DMV to raise funds supporting research, educational resources, workshops, NICU family support centers, newborn testing, and prenatal healthcare. Most recently, she served as the 2022 March for Babies National Capital Region Ambassador for Health Equity and Unity, highlighting the critical need to address congenital birth defects and complex fetal care.
Erica continues her policy and advocacy work by serving on INOVA Children’s Hospital NICU Advisory Council and previously Nemours Children’s Hospital of the Delaware Valley. She collaborates closely with clinical experts as a patient experience champion, helping other families navigate extended neonatal and pediatric hospitalizations and educating them on their healthcare rights with a focus on a value-based healthcare model. She has presented at numerous conferences, including the Hand to Hold NICU Mental Health Conference, the 16th Annual Mohsen Ziai Pediatric Conference hosted by INOVA Children’s Hospital, the DMV Perinatal Mental Health Symposium, the National Maternal Health Innovation Symposium, and the Maryland Academy of Family Physicians Annual Summit.
Her work in maternal and mental health has been featured on various podcasts and social media outlets. Erica is an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (AKA), where she has previously served on her chapter's Executive Board. A native of Memphis, TN, she currently resides in Alexandria, VA, with her husband and miracle daughter.