WSPC Co-Leads
The WSPC is co-led by community and clinical representatives, working in partnership with the Department of Health to guide our work.
Vanessa Lovejoy-Guron, Community Co-Lead
Birthkeeper Department Dir. Hummingbird Indigenous Family Services
Jazmin Williams, Community Co-Lead
Founding Executive Director of BLKBRY
Dr. Rita Hsu, MD, Clinical Co-Lead
Confluence Health
Priority Area Leads
The WSPC has 7 priority areas, each lead by a Department of Health team member. The priority areas coordinate statewide efforts of the collaborative and implement activities aligned with the strategic goals.
Bat-Sheva Stein
Obstetric Care Quality
Dixie Weber
Perinatal Substance Use Disorder
Kate Lewandowski
Data and Evaluation
Patanjali de la Rocha
Community-Based Perinatal Care and Parent Support
Talia Horacek
Rural Perinatal Care
Tiffany Tibbs
Perinatal Mental Health
Core Team Members
The WSPC Core Team coordinates the day-to-day logistics of WSPC initiatives, meetings, and provides quality improvement technical assistance and support. We collaborate with leadership teams, community organizations, patients and families, and advisory workgroups.
Barbara Juarez, Executive Director, Northwest Washington Indian Health Board
Caroline Sedano, Perinatal Unit Supervisor, WA State Department of Health
Christina Seldon, Community Advocate
Christine Mickelson, Youth and Young Adult Integrated Services Supervisor, WA State Health Care Authority
De'Angela Anthony, Doula Advocate
Davinah Simmons, Full Spectrum Doula, Co-Founder, Hypha Advising
Debs Gardner, MMRP Coordinator, WA State Department of Health
Elexis Jackson, Director, WA Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics
Faith Zacherle (Tonasket), Director and Founder of XaXa Indigenous Birth Justice
Heather Weiher, First Steps and SUPP Program Specialist, WA State Health Care Authority
Jamie Lovato, Indigenous Birth Justice Doula, Spokane Tribal Network
Jenica Sandall, Director of Safety and Quality, Washington State Hospital Association
Jennifer Helseth, Health Systems Analyst, Department of Children, Youth, and Families
Jessica Whitehawk, Executive Director, Ttawaxt Birth Justice
Kali Archipley, Doula Advocate
Kat Wright, Perinatal Regional Nurse Coordinator
Katrina Rodriguez, Perinatal Project Manager, Northwest Washington Indian Health Board
Krystle Perez, Neonatologist, University of Washington
Lena Pierre, Doula Advocate
Melissa Sarikaya (Kundur), Health Care Services, WA State Health Care Authority
Meshell Orosco, Doula Advocate
MichaeLynn Kanichy, Co-Founder, Makah Birth House
Nakeia Munoz, Full Spectrum Indigenous Doula
Rebecca Penders, Perinatal Regional Nurse Coordinator
Steffen Burney, MHI Lead Epidemiologist, WA State Department of Health
Thamar Baker Sauveur, Founder, Vision for Katie Foundation, Doula Advocate
Trish Anderson, Senior Director of Safety and Quality, Washington State Hospital Association
Regional Nurse Coordinators
The Department of Health has two perinatal regional registered nurses (RNs) to coordinate and implement clinical quality improvement projects within birthing hospitals to improve pregnancy and newborn outcomes.
Kat Wright DNP, RNC-OB, C-EFM, C-ONQS
Perinatal Regional Nurse
MultiCare Yakima Memorial Hospital, Yakima
Rebecca Penders, PhD, RNC-OB, C-ONQS
Perinatal Regional Nurse
Providence Holy Family Hospital, Spokane
