about me.
Shanti is often described by her peers as genuine, reliable, nurturing & supportive. These are also the qualities that make her a great doula. Her belief is that all women deserve a pregnancy & birthing experience rooted in education, advocacy, equity and holistic wellness. She is a certified full spectrum doula and childbirth educator through Birthing Advocacy Doula Trainings, a black owned organization. She is also a certified placenta specialist by Women's Choice Perinatal Services, also black owned. Shanti holds a Bachelor of Science in Maternal & Child Health Education from Howard University in Washington DC.
Shanti currently works as a Training Coordinator at the Maternity Care Coalition where she plans and facilitates sessions for doulas-in-training in the Greater Philadelphia Area. ​She has supported both hospital births and birth centers birth and assists both medicated and unmedicated births. When she isn’t working, Shanti is an avid traveller and loves the arts. She also enjoys being a dog mom, spending time with loved ones and staying active with yoga & dance. She is a fluent Spanish speaker and is currently learning French.

my story.
early years

I first became intrigued by pregnancy & childbirth at age 9, the same year I became an aunt. I remember the uncertainty & anticipation while her mom was in labor. I wasn’t allowed in the actual labor & delivery room but seeing the pictures later on made me wish I was. I became instantly curious & fascinated by the entire process that it took to grow & birth my niece.
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During the first year of her existence, I spent a lot of time taking care of her. This not only taught me responsibility at a young age, but also made me feel trusted & needed. I changed her diapers, fed her, bathed her and assisted in her social, cognitive & creative development. Little did I know at the time, Doula Shanti was developing. By the time I got to college, I had 2 nieces and 2 nephews total. I now have 4 of each.
education

During my time at Howard University, I majored in Maternal & Child Health Education. I slowly became obsessed with my coursework and enjoyed learning to the point where it didn’t feel like work. This was something that I needed and wanted to feel in my future profession but had no idea how to achieve that with my major. One day during my sophomore year, my college advisor mentioned how she was training to be a doula. I asked her what it was and the seed was planted. I did a little research, bought a book and even discovered that one of my favorite music artists, Erykah Badu is a doula. Still, I allowed my imposter syndrome to convince me to put that dream on a shelf. I told myself I would wait until I became a mother myself to pursue it.
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Shortly after graduating, I became a high school Spanish teacher. I later went on to also teach Health & Wellness and Yoga courses. Not only did it feel like work, but I was constantly burnt out while being underpaid and barely having time to enjoy life or pursue my passions. I didn’t think or speak much about birth work during my time as a teacher. So after almost 4 years and a global pandemic, I left the classroom. When Year 4 started, I began looking into affordable doula certification programs that highlighted minority experiences.
present day

That’s when I discovered BADT (Birthing Advocacy Doula Trainings). I enrolled and started the courses while I was still teaching. In December of 2021, shortly after a coworker asked me to be her doula, I decided to transition from the classroom. I decided to focus all of my energy on my coursework and first client.
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By March 2021 I had obtained a second client and assisted my first birth on Earth Day in a birth center. My first client gave birth in July 2022 at a hospital and I was there every step of the way. I have since completed both my doula and childbirth educator certification trainings. I have now supported many families postpartum as well as during labor. Although I am still not a mother yet, I find peace in knowing that when my time comes, I’ll have plenty of education and experience to help me feel empowered and better prepared. That is how I want every parent and family that I serve to feel.