Amy earned her BSN from Stevenson University. She worked as a Labor & Delivery nurse for 13 years at University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC). Currently she coordinates the Childbirth Education program, is the coordinator for the hospital for Baby Friendly, and co-chaired the OB Transitional Care program at UMMC. One of her passions is bringing equality and access to healthcare to women across the state. Through education and the OB Transitional Care program she is trying to improve many aspects of care for at-risk populations, including decreasing infant and maternal mortality.  Contact Amy at this link.

Annette was previously an active member of AWHONN Maryland Montgomery County Chapter. She has worked on labor and delivery at Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring for 28 years where she has been a charge nurse and safety nurse. Annette has been actively involved in several shared governance councils including Perinatal Patient Safety, Resource Council, and Maternal Child Shared Governance. She has also been involved in planning and coordinating Critical Events Team Training (CETT) drills. Annette is currently earning her baccalaureate degree in nursing from University of Maryland Global Campus. Contact Annette at this link.

Bassey is an enthusiastic advocate of all things related to birth, though her journey to nursing was not straightforward. Before graduating with her master’s in clinical Nurse Leadership from the University of Maryland School of Nursing in 2018, Bassey worked for a DC hedge fund for nearly 10 years before a brief stint at the Pentagon as an analyst in Space Management (logistical space, not NASA space). Her ability to maneuver through the ever-changing needs of a startup financial firm during the Great Recession and the unprecedented compliance climate that followed shortly after, allowed Bassey to crown herself a certified “Jane of All Trades.” However, her passion for birth work grew as she volunteered for organizations in DC that catered to women and children, and she wanted to use her problem-solving skills to save lives not budgets. After graduating nursing school Bassey worked as a Labor & Delivery nurse at the University of Maryland Medical Center in downtown Baltimore, and she now works in the medical device space. She is excited to use her life experience, her knowledge and her passion to make birth safer for all. Contact Stacey at this link.

Laura is an experienced nursing professional development specialist focused on perinatal nursing. Driven by evidence-based collaborative practice, Laura has a passion for educating healthcare providers of all experience levels. Her 12-year nursing career has included nurse externship, registered nurse in Labor and Delivery as well as Postpartum, assistant director of Labor and Delivery, and for the past 2 ½ years as a nursing professional development specialist at MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center. Laura currently serves as the co-chair of the MedStar Health Perinatal Nurse Practice Council, coordinator of the MedStar Health Perinatal Educators Collaborative, and chair of the Women and Newborns Center Education Council. Laura earned her BS in Psychology in 2003, BSN in 2012, and MSN in Nursing Education in 2021. Contact Laura at this link.

Cara earned her BSN from the University of Maryland School of Nursing. She has worked as a Mother-Baby Nurse for 4 years at the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC), where she staffs as a charge nurse and bedside nurse, caring for high- risk antepartum, postpartum mothers, and newborns in the newborn nursery. Cara serves on multiple committees including baby-friendly and peer mentoring and is a new instructor for Maryland Moms in Training. Her passions include providing quality care and education to pregnant women and new mothers, to ensure happy, health outcomes. Contact Cara at this link.

Naomi Cross is a Nursing Professional Development Specialist for the Women and Infants’ Unit at MedStar Harbor Hospital. Her early career gave her experience in labor and delivery, postpartum, newborn nursery, and pediatrics. Naomi received her BSN and MSN from Notre Dame of Maryland University and is passionate about Caring Science and how it can be applied to all aspects of nursing and nursing education. Fun fact: Naomi can be seen in the documentary film, The American Nurse.  She lives in Towson with her son, Nathan.

Tina earned her MSN from the University of Maryland School of Nursing, where she honed her skills for over a decade as a Labor & Delivery nurse at the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC). Her passion for women’s health extends into her current roles: coordinating the Maryland Moms in Training prenatal education outreach program, representing and educating for the Maryland Perinatal Education Consortium (MPEC), and as an adjunct professor in the University of Maryland School of Nursing’s graduate program. Tina’s love for science and education began earlier with her Masters in Teaching, where she shared her knowledge as a high school biology and chemistry teacher. Her current ambition is to transform women’s mental healthcare, reducing stigma and increasing access to support pre- & post-childbirth, and adolescence. Tina’s commitment to continuous learning ensures her patients receive the highest quality care and strengthens their trust in the healthcare system.

From Salisbury, Maryland, Jaimi is a highly engaged and dedicated obstetric nurse with over 24 years of experience in all aspects of perinatal nursing. She earned her BSN from Salisbury University in 1995 and began working in obstetrics the following year. Jaimi completed her MSN from Walden University in 2008, specializing in nursing education, and taught maternal-child nursing at the baccalaureate level for several years.  From 2010 to 2019, Jaimi held the role of clinical specialist for a Women’s and Children’s Division and is experienced in patient safety and quality improvement initiatives, evidence-based practice, perinatal risk assessment as well as staff education and development. She is actively involved in Maryland’s Perinatal/Neonatal Quality Collaborative, serving as a faculty advisor and steering committee member for the past eight years, and in 2016 was named the AIM-AWHONN Maryland State nurse leader. Jaimi is nationally certified in both Inpatient Obstetrics and Electronic Fetal Monitoring and has been an active AWHONN member for over 18 years. Jaimi currently works at the Birthing Center at Shore Regional Health in Easton, Maryland and is a regular presenter for Sidelines High-Risk Pregnancy and Support Network’s webinar series. Contact Jaimi at this link.

Judith began her nursing journey with an associate degree in nursing over 35 years ago. Since then, she has worked in labor and delivery across various tertiary facilities as well as community-based settings. Since 2002 she has worked at the University of Maryland Medical Center labor and delivery unit, where she is a Senior Clinical Nurse l (SCNl) and a permanent charge/resource nurse. Judith also works at the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) as the Clinical Coordinator for maternal, newborn, and women’s health in the Family and Community Health department. She developed a passion for teaching through precepting over the years and decided to head back to school where she obtained an MSN degree with a concentration in education at Stevenson University. As an experienced clinician and clinical instructor, Judith has previous experience teaching in maternal, newborn and women’s health nursing for Howard Community College, UMSON, and Johns Hopkins School of Nursing. She has filled in at Bowie State University as an OB lecturer and taught two semesters of the Foundation of Nursing Lab at Bowie State. Judith has been a member of AWHONN for several years and has participated in some of the annual conferences which never fail to inspire and rekindle her nursing spirit. Contact Judith at this link.

Sherrie began her nursing career as a diploma nurse, in Pennsylvania, then earned her BSN, MSN and MHA through the University of St. Francis, Joliet, IL. Her passion has always been in obstetrics. Sherrie has worked at the bedside and progressed into leadership as assistant nurse manager, nurse manager and education specialist in the field of obstetrics. She has worked in Pennsylvania and Maryland. Sherrie became an AWHONN member in 1987, when the organization was NAACOG, after passing her NCC certification exam – Inpatient Obstetrics.  She is active as an AWHONN Fetal Heart Monitoring instructor for both Intermediate and Advanced courses. She is also an OPS Instructor. Sherrie is past secretary/treasurer and section leader for Maryland. Contact Sherrie at this link.

Stacie, a veteran of the U.S. Navy, is a new member to our team but not to AWHONN. She recently moved from Pennsylvania where she was the co-coordinator for the South-Central Chapter. She most recently was a member of the 2023 National Planning Committee and will be on the same committee for the 2024 convention. She has been a presenter, moderator, poster presenter and a corresponding member for the annual conventions. She has been active at the state level and looks forward to bringing her experiences to Maryland. Stacie has her MSN from Widener University and currently is pursuing her MBA for Grand Canyon University. She currently is a nurse manager in Pennsylvania and is a certified lactation counselor. She attended the Sigma Academy for Nurse Leadership Academy for Practice. Her passion is helping families with special needs children and adults navigate the challenges that they are faced. Contact Stacey at this link.

Dina is the Nursing Director for the Maternal Newborn Center at MedStar Montgomery Medical Center. Her responsibilities include operational and strategic oversight for Labor and Delivery, Post-Partum, and a level two Special Care Nursery. Dina earned her BSN from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and an MSN from Grand Canyon University. She is currently working toward her MBA. She is Nationally Certified in Inpatient Obstetrics and Electronic Fetal Monitoring. Under her leadership, the Maternal Newborn Center achieved significant improvements in Cesarean Birth Performance Metric to exceed national benchmark performance. Dina has been actively involved in shared governance councils including Nurse Practice and Perinatal Nursing councils at the system level for MedStar Health. She has recently agreed to become the co-chair of the Perinatal Nursing Council at the system level. She is also the chair of the Directors Council at the hospital level. With more than 17 years of experience, she has an extensive background in Maternal and Infant services. 

Aastasshia is a compassionate healthcare professional with an unyielding commitment to improving the lives of underserved communities. With a solid educational foundation—earning her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Howard University and a Master of Science in Nursing from Walden University—she has forged a remarkable path in the field of healthcare. Currently serving as the Maternal and Child Health Director at CCI Health Services, Aastasshia is on the forefront of addressing critical issues in healthcare. Her mission: to bridge the gap in maternal and infant health disparities. By providing exceptional care and support, she strives to enhance positive prenatal health outcomes among underinsured and uninsured patients in the community. Aastasshia’s dedication and expertise make her a shining example in her field, leading the charge to create a healthier future for mothers and children. Her work is not just a profession; it’s a passion, a calling, and a testament to the positive impact one person can make in healthcare. Contact Aastasshia at this link.

Mikala Harrison – Social Media Intern

I am a Senior attending Salisbury University in the Bachelors Of Science In Nursing Traditional Pathway. I grew up on the Eastern Shore Of Maryland and graduated from Colonel Richardson High School. Women’s health and neonatal care is a field I have dreamed of being a part of since I was a little girl. My dream job would be to one day become a NICU nurse and travel. I look forward to furthering my education and being a part of the AWHONN team

Phoebe Chan – Newsletter Intern

My name is Phoebe Chan and I am a 3rd semester BSN student at the University of Maryland School of Nursing in Baltimore. I have always had an interest in maternal and infant health, which started when I was around four years old. I am very excited to be the newsletter intern! Attending the Maryland Section Conference last year was a wonderful experience. Not only was I exposed to and educated on many factors/situations that are a part of the obstetrics specialty, but I was also introduced to new technologies, local interventions, ongoing research, updated practice guidelines, and places of improvement within Maryland to ensure that mothers and babies are provided with increased opportunity to thrive. 

MaryClare Callahan – Legislative Intern

My name is MaryClare Callahan, I am so excited to be a Legislative Intern with AWHONN! I am entering my final semester in Notre Dame of Maryland University’s traditional nursing program. I fell in love with obstetric nursing during my summer nurse externship at Medstar Georgetown University Hospital working in their Labor & Delivery and Mother/Baby unit. And I am a proud member of the MGUH clinical scholars program. As part of that program, I will be completing my senior practicum on Labor & Delivery and be a full time RN on the unit after I graduate.