Averjill Lacey CD,CEO, The Corporate Doula

With over two decades of leadership experience in employer benefits within national hospital systems and consulting for Fortune 100 companies, Averjill brings a wealth of knowledge to the doula landscape. Averjill, The Corporate Doula® is a dedicated doula with extensive fertility, birth, and postpartum care training. Compassion, cultural sensitivity, evidence-based care, and advocacy form the foundation of her approach to both her bedside doula care and the co-creation of the healthcare facility focused Doula Friendly® Initiative. Alongside her advocacy for hospital integration of doula care, Averjill is deeply committed to improving maternal and infant health at the community level. She participates in Medicaid doula program development, engages with faith communities, and contributes to state and regional grant-funded doula initiatives.

Averjill specializes in program assessment, strategy and policy development, and project implementation. Those valuing her expertise have been seeking to integrate doula services successfully as an employer, healthcare facility, or organization. Leveraging her professional background in healthcare delivery, she assists clients in identifying and addressing barriers to effective policy development and execution.

Driven by a profound sense of purpose, Averjill is dedicated to positively impacting families and providers within birthing spaces each day.

Session

Impactful Collaboration, Doula Integration Strategies: A Global Perspective

This panel discussion will explore impactful strategies for integrating doulas into hospital settings through a global lens, highlighting real-world successes and challenges. Drawing from case studies in Kenya’s Lwala community and analyses from several facilities participating in the Doula Friendly® Initiative of over 100 clinical and nonclinical providers in the US, participants will examine how collaboration between doulas and healthcare teams enhances the birthing experience, strengthens patient advocacy, and fosters trust between hospitals, doulas, and communities.

Through engaging discussions, videos, and interactive technology, attendees will explore strategies to overcome barriers and foster seamless collaboration between doulas and healthcare teams. The session will also provide practical advocacy strategies for sustainable doula inclusion, including workforce development and policy initiatives that ensure equitable access to doula care. Designed to be interactive and thought-provoking, this special session will equip doulas and healthcare professionals with the tools to advance respectful, patient-centered perinatal care across diverse settings.