Meet Our team
Shamiesha EBHOTEMEN, RN, CLE
Our Founder, and Executive Director Shamiesha Ebhotemen, RN, CLE; lives in Anaheim with her husband and 5 year-old daughter. She is the owner of NURSEMilk,LLC, where her mission is to educate, advocate, and empower families throughout their breastfeeding journey.
She is working to complete her mentorship hours at a large hospital in Orange County, to sit for the International Board Certified Lactation Consultant exam.
In her experience of completing those hours, Shamiesha saw there was a considerable lack of culturally competent care being provided to BIPOC families. Therefore, her response became…HERstory,Inc
Jemilla RENEE , Doula/Outreach Coordinator
Jemilla Renee is a certified birth and postpartum doula at MariMama Doula Services. She is a Holistic Synergist who strives to help expectant mothers optimize their childbearing experiences. With a bachelor’s degree in Psychology, she utilizes her background to integrate methods of Holistic Psychology. Jemilla's integrative approach helps expectant parents learn to adapt a Holistic mindset. Her most noteworthy slogan, “What the mind decides, the body is sure to follow,” captures the essence of embracing the human mind and body for the expectant mother. Jemilla has attended over 20 natural & unmedicated births and has helped over 25 mothers exclusively breastfeed for more than 1 year! Jemilla takes pride in helping mothers wake up their innate sensibilities and to overcome their most challenging fears relating to childbirth.
Hoda SHAWKY, (Board President), MSN, CPNP, PMHS, IBCLC
Hoda Shawky is a pediatric nurse practitioner certified in pediatric primary care behavioral health and lactation consulting. Having worked with children and families for over 15 years and raising two wonderful sons, she has learned first-hand the importance of adult wellness as the foundation for kids to thrive.
Currently she works as a consultant on equitable systems level approaches to strengthening early relationships as a means to promote the healthy social and emotional development of infants, toddlers, and children. During her free time, Hoda enjoys spending time with family out in nature to rejuvenate her mind and spirit.
Arissa PALMER , (Treasurer)
Arissa Palmer joined the staff of BreastfeedLA as the Executive Director in July 2015. Arissa has more than two decades of experience in public health, program planning, and development. In her current role, Arissa’s responsibilities include providing transformational leadership and strategic direction for the organization, leadership coaching and development, grant writing and fundraising for the organization.
Arissa has held numerous leadership positions both locally and nationally. From 2009 to 2015, Arissa taught numerous public health courses at University of Phoenix.
Prior to working for University of Phoenix, she served as Outreach Education Director for a federally qualified health center in the San Gabriel and Pomona Valley.
Arissa began her social justice career in Baltimore City where she worked as a health educator, program director, and program manager for various public health and reproductive justice organizations.
Arissa has served on numerous boards during her career and currently serves on the finance committee for the US Breastfeeding Committee and as a board member for HERStory. Arissa holds a Master's Degree in Health Science with an emphasis in Community Health from Towson University.
Nakeisha ROBINSON, MA, LFMT (Board Member At-Large)
Nakeisha Robinson, MA, LMFT is a clinical consultant and community health advocate leader focused on birth equity and perinatal mental health.
Her experience includes coalition building around improving the lives of mothers and babies through community-based doula services, breastfeeding initiatives, and access to perinatal mental health support.
In 2010, she recruited and trained trusted women from South Los Angeles and South Bay communities in LA County to become community-based doulas.
The partnership between SBCC Thrive LA and Health Connect One replicated the national community-based doula replication program. An experienced Cultural Humility practitioner and trainer with i.D.R.E.A.M for Racial Health Equity,
she presents regularly on maternal and child health and addresses maternity care providers including birth workers, perinatal mental health and breastfeeding support for Black birthing families. Deeply effective in multi-cultural settings, her didactic and experiential training and clinical supervision approach fosters and cultivates creativity and learning.
Mrs. Robinson has also garnered extensive experience supervising, managing, and training staff at all levels. As a mother of a blended family, with four adult children and two children in the home ages 9 and 6, she understands the challenges and benefits of the amazing motherhood experience.
She serves as the African American Infant and Maternal Mortality (AAIMM) Initiative Clinical Consultant with the LA County Department of Public Health Doula Program to address the Black/African American infant and maternal mortality crisis through increased access to doulas. She is also the President-elect for the BreastfeedLA board of directors.
Andrea FERNANDEZ-JACKSON, Esq. (Board Member At-Large)
Andrea is a mother of four with four unique birth stories. She has had an induced hospital birth, emergency c-section, home birth and a hypnobirth. Andrea has experienced both low and high forms of treatments and has extreme gratitude for all birth workers dedicated to honoring women and their birth stories. She has breastfed over 8 years and became very knowledgeable about all the joys and struggles that come with breastfeeding and being a new mother.
Professionally Andrea is an attorney and for the past seven years has dedicated her practice to representing employees who have been subjected to unlawful treatment in the workplace, including women who have suffered discrimination, retaliation and harassment based on their pregnancy, pregnancy leave and lactation accommodation requests.
Prior to that, she was an appellate attorney and represented mothers who had their children involuntarily removed from their care. She dealt with cases involving homelessness, mental illnesses, drug addiction, human trafficking and domestic violence. In all instances the common denominator was a lack of support and community.
Based on her personal and professional experience, Andrea has a vested interest in the advancement and achievement of equity in the birth/momma space in Orange County and beyond.
Dominique SANDERS (Board Member At-Large
Dominique Sanders is a Litigation Services Professional with a BS in Kinesiology. Driven by compassion & empathy, she takes pride in providing the best service possible. Dominique lives in Laguna Niguel with her husband & young daughter. As a new mama, she is stepping into her role with a new mindset & fresh goals. Growing & learning every day, Dominique has made it her purpose for those around her to feel SAFE, SEEN, & SUPPORTED!
Temenah COLEMAN, MA, SHRM-SCP (Board Member At-Large)
Temenah is a lifelong resident of Southern California and currently resides in Irvine with her partner and their daughter. By profession, Temenah has been in Human Resources for close to 15 years where her specialty is leadership and organizational development, organizational learning, and advocating for the advancement and engagement of employees of all levels. Temenah is enthusiastic about community involvement of Herstory, Inc because she believes that everyone, regardless of race, gender, socioeconomic status, religion and age deserves access to quality healthcare and education. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends and engaging in the arts via plays, concerts, and museums.
Get in touch.
All Rights Reserved © 2023 HERstory, Inc.