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
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 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. 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.
Dr. Karen Sheffield-Abdullah is an assistant professor, mindfulness coach, researcher, and national thought leader in the areas of health inequities within maternal morbidity & mortality, Black perinatal mental health, and women’s reproductive health. She incorporates holistic approaches such as mindfulness-based stress reduction as a modality to address stress and psychological distress for minoritized, underserved, and overlooked populations. Through her clinical practice, teaching, research, and service, Dr. Sheffield-Abdullah has demonstrated a commitment to advancing health equity through the utilization of holistic, integrative, multi-sector strategies to promote physical, mental, and emotional well-being for individuals and communities.
Her foundational work elevates the voices of Black perinatal people utilizing the lens of Superwoman Schema and network stress. Dr. Sheffield-Abdullah’s work examines and explores the unique lived experiences of stress and anxiety for Black perinatal people and the impact on their pregnancy outcomes. She is passionate about destigmatizing the conversations surrounding mental health within the Black community. She elevates and highlights the importance of these lived experiences in her pedagogy and mentorship of students across BSN, MSN, DNP and PhD programs.
She is equally passionate about developing strategies to reduce the long-term health effects of stress, psychological trauma, anxiety, and depression on women’s health and pregnancy outcomes. She has a particular interest in the development of culturally relevant interventions to reduce disparities in stress-related adverse outcomes during the perinatal period and to provide a platform to guide successful models for women’s health care provision that incorporate stress management and improve wellness across the lifespan
She has published in prestigious journals such as Health Equity, Health Affairs, the Journal of Perinatal and Neonatal Nursing, the Journal of Holistic Nursing, and Epigenetics. Dr. Sheffield-Abdullah’s thought leadership and research have elevated national conversations surrounding patient-provider communication with regards to mental health during the perinatal period and how to improve shared decision making.
Dr. Sheffield-Abdullah is currently or has been active in local and national communities with the shared vision of achieving health equity such as the North Carolina Maternal Mortality Review Committee. She serves as an advisor to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to develop strategies that will foster the fulfillment of the CDC mission to protect health through health promotion, prevention, and preparedness.
Dr. Sheffield-Abdullah’s internationally and nationally recognized work and expertise has been highlighted in a multitude of outlets such as The New York Times and Politico and media outlets like NPR’s All Things Considered. In April 2024, she served as a presenter for a Master Course on Reproductive Psychiatry for the American Psychiatric Association 2024 Annual Meeting. She also serves on the Maternal Mental Health Advisory Board for the American Psychological Association. She is currently a co-investigator on several research projects sponsored by PCORI, AHA, NIMHD, NIMH, and NICHD.
Dr. Sheffield-Abdullah has earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Physics and Mathematics from Connecticut College, a Master of Science in Nursing specializing in Nurse-Midwifery from Yale University School of Nursing, and a PhD in Nursing from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Nursing. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine. Notably, she served as director of her own nurse-midwifery practice in Connecticut for several years.
Karen Sheffield-Abdullah, PhD, RN, CNM, FACNM
Dr. Sonji Fatima (Daniel) Harold is a transformational leader, educator, author, and advocate whose life’s work is a testament to the power of resilience, purpose, and healing over adversity. Her journey is both deeply personal and profoundly impactful, shaped by experiences of loss, injustice, and a steadfast commitment to equity and healing. With an unwavering dedication to trauma-informed education, maternal and infant health advocacy, and social justice, Dr. Harold has devoted her life to empowering historically marginalized communities and uplifting the voices silenced by systemic neglect.
Her advocacy began with a personal tragedy that would forever change the trajectory of her life. Dr. Harold lost her son, Sabree Marquis Daniel, and his stepmother, Mrs. Renay Daniel, to domestic violence; a devastating event that became the cornerstone of her mission. In their memory, she founded S.A.B.R.E.E. Enrichment Academy, Incorporated, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with a powerful mission to Seize Abundance Because of Resilience, Empowerment, and Edification. S.A.B.R.E.E. operates under a holistic, healing-centered model of mentorship that disrupts intergenerational cycles of poverty, trauma, and educational inequity, beginning with early childhood intervention and extending through youth and adult development.
At the heart of S.A.B.R.E.E.'s mission is the belief that education, mentorship, and emotional resilience are transformative forces capable of rewriting life trajectories. Through life skills training, academic support, community engagement, and trauma-informed care, Dr. Harold’s vision for S.A.B.R.E.E. transcends traditional mentorship by addressing not just educational gaps, but the emotional and spiritual restoration necessary for true healing. As part of her visionary leadership, Dr. Harold is committed to spearheading national and global initiatives that champion equitable, healing-centered care for infants, young children, and families within historically marginalized communities.
Dr. Harold also serves as an Advisory Board Member for The Skylar Project, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting NICU and bereaved families. Her lived experience as a mother who has endured profound loss informs her compassionate and strategic approach to maternal and infant health disparities. Through her role, she champions trauma-informed care, bereavement support, and community-based healing initiatives designed to provide solace and strength to families facing unimaginable challenges.
As a distinguished author and thought leader, Dr. Harold is the acclaimed author of six transformative books that blend scholarly insight, spiritual depth, and personal testimony. Her literary works span critical issues including:
Trauma and Resilience – Offering healing-centered approaches to both post- and pre-traumatic stress, Dr. Harold’s writings provide strategic tools for recovery and emotional restoration.
Educational Equity – Illuminating pathways to bridge opportunity gaps for historically marginalized students, her work emphasizes access to quality education as a catalyst for social change.
Transformative Leadership and Language – Exploring the power of intentional language and servant leadership, Dr. Harold’s writings inspire leaders to speak life, inspire change, and lead with empathy.
Navigating Grief and Loss – Drawing from her own journey through profound loss, she offers hope, healing, and strategic guidance for those enduring the heartache of separation and death.
Her books are not merely narratives. They are roadmaps for healing and strategic blueprints for transformation, empowering individuals and institutions to build a more just and compassionate world. She has also written a scholarly journal article for the Global Newborn Society’s medical journal.
Lastly, in terms of triumph over adversity and a life of purpose, Dr. Harold’s powerful advocacy is deeply rooted in her own journey of overcoming unimaginable adversity. She lost her father to violence at the age of seven, endured a childhood marked by abuse, survived years of poverty, and faced the heart-shattering loss of her son. Yet, it is her refusal to be defined by trauma that sets her apart. Through resilience, faith, and an unyielding commitment to social justice, she transformed profound grief into generational impact.
Dr. Harold earned her Doctorate in Instructional Leadership and has emerged as a leading voice in education, advocacy, and emotional resilience. Her work continues to change lives, foster healing-centered initiatives, and ignite brave conversations that challenge injustice and create pathways to hope.
Dr. Sonji Fatima Harold
Latoya Blueford is a child-loss-survivor, former NICU-mother, Certified Pregnancy and Infant Loss Advocate, Postpartum-Doula, Legislative Advocate, former Rape-crisis Advocate through Lifelines Counseling Services, PreemieWorld Foundation board member, Hope for Healing Partnership advisory board member, member of the NICU Parent Network, and a member of the AngelEye Health Parent & Family Collaborative, and Family Centered Care Task Force Executive Council Member. Her life's work is to walk the NICU and bereavement journey with families offering a display of hope and reassurance that no matter what the final outcome is, they are not alone and given the proper resources and support they will overcome any obstacle. Her goal is to bring awareness to NICU postpartum care by giving the world a glimpse inside this world. A NICU mother is still a postpartum mother but with a critical baby, a devastating reality. It is her mission to develop and implement new ways to improve conditions, heal, and help NICU and bereaved families therapeutically process trauma.
Latoya Blueford
Ashley O’Neil is a writer and speaker who channels her experiences into healing, having navigated the challenges of being a NICU/preemie mother, a widow, and a loss mama. Throughout her healing journey, she found her calling: to uplift NICU families by offering hope, encouragement, and essential resources. With over a decade of nursing experience and five years as a family nurse practitioner, Ashley's first published work is titled "It’s a NICU World." She candidly discusses the highs and lows of being a NICU mom on her podcast, “Ask a NICU Mama.” Her ultimate mission is to demonstrate that even in the darkest times, there is always a glimmer of hope; sometimes, we just need to seek it out.