NACPM is pleased to announce our new Executive Director - Cassaundra Jah, CPM, PhD.
Cassaundra comes to us as an experienced executive leader, who has served at the at the National College of Midwifery (NCM), non-profit midwifery college for the last nine years. Cassaundra was chosen after a rigorous national search advocacy process and stood out for her commitment to centering social justice, midwifery education, research, strategic planning, and an enthusiasm for collaborative & diverse teams.
During her time at NCM, she played a vital role in increasing annual student enrollment and helped NCM become the largest direct-entry midwifery college in the country. Leading a multifunctional cross-cultural team, she crafted and executed the migration from a community-based didactic learning model to distance education delivery. She describes her approach as both an art and a science, which is built on an ethos of creating relationships that can be leveraged toward actionable changes that move midwifery towards its rightful autonomy.
Dr. Jah also brings diverse executive leadership experiences. She currently serves as the Vice President of Midwifery Education Accreditation Council (MEAC) and served in various capacities to uplift and protect CPM practice in New Mexico by serving on the State Licensed Midwifery Board, the New Mexico Birth Justice Coalition, and the New Mexico Midwives Association. Cassaundra also brings over a decade of diverse clinical experience with community-based practices in New Mexico, Virginia and Texas.
Of her new role, Dr. Jah says "I am thrilled to join NACPM's team, feel passionate about the organization's mission, and look forward to meeting the membership. In this existential moment in history, when midwifery preservation is a human rights issue, we all need to consider the foundation of values we embrace to grow midwifery as the primary birthcare system in the US. We have a moral imperative to create a movement that addresses health disparities, sustainability and provides an equitable future for the profession and care of childbearing people nationwide. I'm excited to provide leadership to this influential collective of CPM voices and connect even more of the community to this organization's strategic and forward-thinking work. During this critical time, NACPM needs creative problem solvers to join us in exploring how to take meaningful action in service of equitable, sustainable, and, ultimately, more accessible midwifery care."
NACPM Board President Kiki Jordan offered these comments: "Welcoming Cassaundra as our new Executive Director is an exciting milestone for NACPM. Her appointment brings promise to our organization and the broader CPM community. We trust that with her experience in supporting midwifery education, she will bring valuable insight, expertise, and a commitment to the future of Certified Professional Midwifery. Cassuandra’s innovative approach will contribute significantly to the growth and advancement of our mission. We look forward to building NACPM's next chapter under her leadership."
NACPM wholeheartedly welcomes Dr. Cassaundra Jah and we look forward to building on a legacy of dedicated CPMs and midwifery advocates as we continue to grow, shape and protect the CPM workforce in the United States. Please look out for our Fall annual meeting announcement for an opportunity to meet and greet Dr. Cassaundra Jah, CPM!