AWHONN Insights Podcast

Dr. Kortney James opens the door on this discussion and allows listeners to learn how her life is intertwined with the research and scholarship she’s published as a nurse scientist. She explains how breastfeeding openly reshaped her family’s health trajectory and how intersectionality and culturally congruent care extend far beyond science and evidence-based care. Tune in to listen to her thoughts on how clinicians can serve populations based on their unique needs, the history and importance of midwifery, how to be an ally with purpose, and what you can learn from geographic diversity in nursing research in this global community.

Dr. Kortney James is a nurse scientist who leads research aimed to improve the accessibility, acceptability, and quality of reproductive health services for minoritized and marginalized populations. She is an Associate Health Policy Researcher at RAND Corporation in Santa Monica, CA, and the Associate Editor for Nursing for Women’s Health Journal. Dr. James was a pediatric nurse practitioner and obstetric nurse with a wide array of clinical experience over 15 years. She completed her PhD at Georgia State University, and postdoctoral training in the National Clinician Scholars Program in UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine.

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Have you been thinking about earning a doctorate but wondering if now is the right time, or which path is right for you? In this episode, Drs. Sharlene Maynor and Tiffany Montgomery break down the DNP and PhD pathways, why doctoral education matters, and how it can help you uncover root causes, solve practice gaps, and broaden your impact as a nurse. Whether you’re seriously considering a terminal degree or just starting to explore the idea, this conversation offers a practical roadmap to help you take the next step with confidence.

Dr. Sharlene Maynor is the Assistant Specialty Director of the Women's Health and Gender Related Nurse Practitioner program at Emory University. As a board-certified Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner with extensive expertise in maternal care including Gynecology, Antepartum, High-Risk Obstetrics, Labor and Delivery, and Postpartum services she is driven to empower women through meaningful connection, education, and compassionate, evidence-based care. She’s a passionate advocate and has advanced nursing education by establishing Dedicated Education Units and championing student success. Her academic journey spans from an Associate's degree in Nursing to a Doctor of Nursing Practice, reflecting resilience, cultural diversity, and excellence. Dr. Maynor’s leadership inspires growth, advances health equity, and shapes the future of women’s health nursing.

Dr. Tiffany Montgomery a 2026 AWHONN Fellow and the inaugural Maternal Program Manager at Parkland Health, overseeing the state-mandated Maternal Levels of Care quality improvement program, and maintains a career-long commitment to advancing patient safety, evidence-based practice, and equitable maternal health outcomes. She earned her PhD in Nursing in 2016 from the University of California, Los Angeles. During her studies, she served on the Nursing for Women’s Health Editorial Advisory Board, chaired the 2015 AWHONN Convention Host Committee, and represented AWHONN and Save the Children while advocating for frontline health workers in Jakarta, Indonesia.

The post DNP or PhD? Decoding the Doctoral Decision appeared first on AWHONN.

Dr. Maggie Runyon and The Birth Nurse, Mandy Irby, dove into research on obstetric violence culture to explore its multi-layered components and why it’s so challenging to change. They discovered countercultural archetypes that disrupt the culture of obstetrics. Are you ready to be critically reflective of your clinical practice? Listen to this episode to understand where you’re positioned and how you can expand to become an effective advocate for your patients and yourself.

Mandy Irby is a leading authority in transforming birth care culture through the prevention of birth-related trauma by co-creating The Embodied Trauma-Informed Care Framework. Since founding The Birth Nurse, she’s worked with state quality collaboratives, departments of health, and hospital teams to strengthen psychological safety in childbirth and improve family outcomes across generations. Her paradigm-shifting workshops, keynote speeches, and consultations drive the change to patient-centered care within a safe and ethical framework for nurses.

Maggie Runyon is a nurse, educator, writer, and speaker. She began her nursing career in 2009 and has since practiced in hospitals and communities around the country. In 2019, Maggie founded the non-profit Your BIRTH Partners with a mission to cultivate inclusive, collaborative birth care environments rooted in autonomy, respect, and equity. Maggie recently earned her PhD in Nursing and loves educating, mentoring, and learning alongside nurses. In 2025, she authored her first book, I Thought I Was Here to Help, which chronicles her early career journey and the lessons she has learned. Her advocacy focuses on improving perinatal care in hospital environments through trauma-informed care, affirming nurses’ agency, and community collaboration.

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What if emotional intelligence is the real secret to better leadership, stronger teams, and greater success? In this episode, Dr. Travis Bradberry breaks down how EQ shapes performance, communication, and workplace culture in healthcare. Learn how managing everyday emotional moments can help you lead more effectively, strengthen teamwork, and create a healthier work environment.

Dr. Travis Bradberry

Dr. Travis Bradberry is a world-renowned expert on emotional intelligence and the Chief People Scientist at LEADx. His bestselling books have sold more than 5 million copies, have been translated into 25 languages, and are available in 150 countries. Dr. Bradberry is a LinkedIn Top Voice, with 2.6 million followers on the platform. He has written for or been covered by USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Harvard Business Review, Bloomberg Businessweek, Fortune, Fast Company, and Forbes. His newest book is entitled, The New Emotional Intelligence.

The post The EQ Advantage: How Emotional Intelligence Drives Performance appeared first on AWHONN.

In this episode, we explore the power of advocacy in transforming health care as Rachell Dumas and Dr. Natasha Ramontal walk us through their personal stories and expert insights. They discuss how advocacy influences care at the individual, provider, and systems levels and provide practical strategies to empower nurses and patients to advocate for meaningful change that can result in better health outcomes.

Rachell Marie Dumas, MSN, RN, DNPc

Rachell Dumas is the Founder and CEO of HEARD, an AI-powered patient advocacy platform transforming how patients, caregivers, employers, and healthcare systems communicate and respond to safety concerns. After enduring nine pregnancy losses and later being misdiagnosed with idiopathic intracranial hypertension, Rachell underwent two brain surgeries that forever changed her perspective on health care. Those experiences inspired her to build HEARD, giving patients a real-time voice and helping ensure they are heard before preventable harm occurs.

A registered nurse with a background in critical care, surgery, case management, and nursing informatics, Rachell is passionate about combining clinical expertise with technology to improve patient outcomes. Her story and the mission behind HEARD has been featured by organizations including the Women’s Health, American Nurses Association, and shared on stages such as Atlanta Tech Week, where she speaks on the future of AI, patient advocacy, and healthcare innovation.

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Natasha Ramontal, DHSc, RN, BCPA

Dr. Natasha Ramontal is a Doctoral-trained Registered Nurse, Board-Certified Patient Advocate, digital health strategist, and founder of Medical Tourism RN, a global patient advocacy firm. Her diverse career includes emergency and home health nursing, health IT consulting, care management, nursing education, and population health, where she developed a population health course for nurses. Inspired by the unexpected loss of her older brother to an undiagnosed heart condition, she has dedicated her career to advancing patient advocacy and health equity. A renowned, sought-after speaker, Dr. Ramontal equips healthcare professionals with practical strategies to strengthen patient advocacy, leverage digital health innovations, improve healthcare navigation, and drive meaningful systems change that advances equitable, patient-centered care.

The post Advocacy in Action: Nurses Driving Change in Patient Outcomes appeared first on AWHONN.

Join the co-chairs of the Neonatal Morbidity and Mortality Task Force as they discuss the urgent need to improve neonatal outcomes nationwide. These key leaders from AWHONN and NANN will highlight their data-driven, evidence-based, and equity-centered recommendations as a call-to-action for greater collaboration.

Jill Beck, MSN, APRN, NNP-BC, C-NNIC, C-ELBW

Jill Beck is a neonatal nurse practitioner and podcast creator who believes the best neonatal care happens when clinicians, researchers, and families learn together. She serves as Creative Director and host of NANNcast, the official podcast of the National Association of Neonatal Nurses, a widely recognized platform highlighting innovation, research, and real-world experiences in neonatal care. Jill collaborates internationally through the International Neonatal Consortium to advance neonatal research education and promote nurse involvement in drug development. Her work centers on empowering nurses to engage in research, quality improvement, and evidence-based practice to improve outcomes for the most vulnerable patients.

Cheryl Bellamy, DNP, APRN, CNM, CNS-C, C-EFM, FAWHONN 

Dr. Cheryl Bellamy is a Perinatal Clinical Nurse Specialist at Henry Ford Hospital, in Detroit, Michigan, bringing nearly three decades of clinical expertise in labor and delivery, postpartum care, high-risk antepartum, normal newborn care, and women's health. She’s a recognized leader in advancing maternal and newborn care through high-impact education and advocacy on a national and global scale. Dr. Bellamy’s clinical work focuses on comprehensive care for diverse populations, including multidisciplinary care planning for high-risk pregnancies, maternal-infant education, addressing health disparities, and research on respectful care and labor support. She’s a deeply active member of the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetrics, and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN), where she served as the 2024 National President, and is currently co-chair of the National Neonatal Morbidity and Mortality Taskforce. Cheryl enjoys spending time with her beloved family and friends, learning about different cultures, dancing, live music, giving back to her community, and traveling.

Taryn M. Edwards, MSN, APRN, NNP-BC

Taryn Edwards is the current President of the National Association of Neonatal Nurses. She has more than 22 years of neonatal nursing experience and currently works as a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner. She has served in numerous leadership roles at both the local and national levels within NANN. Her professional interests include caring for the surgical neonate, promoting human milk and breastfeeding, improving quality of care, and understanding the environmental impacts on maternal and child health.

The post From Data to Action: Collaborating to Address Neonatal Morbidity and Mortality appeared first on AWHONN.

Maternal hemorrhage remains one of the leading causes of severe maternal morbidity and mortality while the solutions continue to evolve. In this episode, Randi Boike and Devonee Germain explore emerging trends and innovations shaping hemorrhage care today, including the growing use of tranexamic acid, new technologies like vacuum-induced hemorrhage control devices, the role of antenatal anemia in prevention, and how simulation training can strengthen team preparedness. Listen in to gather practical insights for nurses and leaders seeking to improve outcomes through evidence-based care, prevention, and teamwork.

Devonee Germain, RN

Devonee Germain has been building her nursing career in labor and delivery, advancing her expertise in multiple areas of maternal and newborn care for the past five years. Throughout her tenure, she’s gained valuable knowledge and skills in postpartum care, triage, and transition nursing that have allowed her to exercise her passion and provide compassionate, patient-centered care throughout every stage of the birth experience. Most recently, Devonee was promoted to a Postpartum Patient Care Supervisor position, which expands her role into leadership and team support. She’s excited about this new opportunity to increase her advocacy for patients, support for families, and excel her growth as a nurse leader.

Randi Boike, BA, RN, C-MNN, C-OB, C-EFM

Randi Boike is a Senior Clinical Educator with Laborie Medical Technologies in the Southeast region. Randi has spent her extensive nursing career working in all areas of maternal child health. Her diversified background includes being a staff nurse in small community hospital birthing units as well as being a Clinical Specialist in large Level 4 maternity centers. She has cared for high-risk obstetric patients in the home setting and served as a coordinator and member of maternal transport teams performing ground, fixed wing, and helicopter transfers.

When Randi left the bedside, she established herself as a nurse leader. She was involved with opening the 2nd OB Hemorrhage center in the country. She has opened OBED units, and cross-trained nurses for OB ICU departments. When Dr. Jerome Adams served as the 20th Surgeon General of the United States, Randi was selected to be an advisor to assist in exploring the growing crisis of severe maternal morbidity.

Randi found her niche and favorite role as a perinatal consultant. Teaching classes, leading OB drills mock scenarios, and mentoring other nurses have been among her favorite opportunities.

Randi is an active AWHONN member and has been a Florida chapter co-chair in both Broward and Palm Beach/Treasure Coast chapters.

Randi never tires of sharing her knowledge and passion. She has been a speaker at numerous professional symposiums across the country. She has shared her expertise with hospital staff and conference attendees to provide the highest quality of patient care. Her passion is obvious, and she can make the most complicated concepts easy to understand with her dynamic teaching style. Her enthusiasm and energy are contagious.

The post Emerging Conversations in Maternal Hemorrhage Care appeared first on AWHONN.

Nurses are the backbone of healthcare, yet many silently battle addiction behind the scenes. In this raw, heartfelt episode, Shari Benson — a nurse in long-term recovery — bravely opens up about her experiences from addiction to advocacy. She explains her powerful decision to speak openly about her recovery, the ripple effects of her vulnerability, and her mission to break the stigma. Tune in now and find the courage to break the silence. You are never alone; help is within reach.

Shari Jill Benson

Shari has spent more than 22 years building a meaningful career in nursing driven by her deep commitment to helping others. Throughout her journey, she has supported individuals during some of their most vulnerable moments, which strengthens her compassion and dedication to care. In parallel, Shari celebrates over 11 years in recovery, a transformative experience that has reshaped her purpose. Today, she actively serves the recovery community, offering guidance, support, and hope to those seeking a new way of life. Shari’s story reflects perseverance, healing, and a lasting passion for helping others thrive and reclaim their lives.

The post How One Nurse Conquered Addiction and Found Strength Through Recovery appeared first on AWHONN.

Unlock the hidden long-term impacts of preterm birth that most health care providers overlook. Dr. Michelle Kelly breaks down the surprising health challenges preterm infants face decades later — from respiratory decline to hypertension, mental health issues, and more. If you’re a nurse, parent, or health care professional, understanding these connections can transform how you care for and advocate for your tiniest patients.

Michelle M. Kelly, PhD, CRNP, CNE, FAANP, FAAN

Dr. Michelle Kelly is Professor and Co-Director of the Mid-Atlantic Center for Children’s Health and the Environment at Villanova University’s M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing. Her research centers on preterm birth outcomes, exploring the link between preterm birth and future health complicated by environmental exposures, poverty, and toxic stress. She is a dual-certified pediatric and neonatal nurse practitioner with over 25 years of experience providing care to children of all ages, in a variety of settings. Dr. Kelly is also a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing and the American Association of Nurse Practitioners.

The post Preterm Birth and Health Risks in Adulthood appeared first on AWHONN.

Bienvenidos! Join us on AWHONN Insights for our first bilingual episode shining a light on the nursing workforce in Puerto Rico. Drs. Danielle Jones, Angela Lober, and Noemy Diaz-Ramos discuss research after the COVID-19 pandemic that focused on a committed, yet overly stressed nursing workforce in Puerto Rico as well as AWHONN’s new initiative to build representation among the U.S. territories and understand their nursing workforce needs through community-led efforts. Listen to how a collaboration with the University of Puerto Rico unfolded that centers the voices of Puerto Rico nurses and informs AWHONN on methods to support their professional development goals.

Noemy Díaz-Ramos, EdD, RN, MSN

Dr. Noemy Díaz-Ramos currently serves as a Professor and Researcher at the University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, and as Interim Associate Dean of Research at the School of Nursing. She is a psychiatric and mental health nurse with a primary focus on qualitative research, while also integrating quantitative and mixed-methods approaches. Her work centers on trauma-informed and culturally responsive research related to interpersonal violence, mental health, education, and underserved populations. She has published in peer-reviewed journals and collaborates in national and international research initiatives.

Angela Lober, PhD, MPH, RN, IBCLC

Dr. Angela Lober is Director of Research and Grants at AWHONN, where she advances nursing science to improve outcomes for women and families. A registered nurse and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, she has delivered evidence-based care since 2001. With a PhD and experience as a Clinical Associate Professor, she is an active researcher and dedicated educator. Angela is a committed advocate for maternal-child health, engaging in professional and community efforts to support families. Through mentorship, scholarship, and advocacy, she works to strengthen the nursing profession and promote equitable care.

The post Voces de la Isla: Advancing Birth Equity in Puerto Rico – Spanish appeared first on AWHONN.