The Benefits & Needs of Birth Workers | Addressing Maternal Health & Mortality Series: Session 1

Jaylyn Woods
Green Thumb Counseling

Jaylyn Woods is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), National Certified Counselor (NCC), and Certified Birth Doula in Texas and Louisiana. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication with a minor in Spanish and a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.

Jaylyn has served a multitude of different populations throughout her tenure as a therapist. Her experience includes working with a diverse age population ranging from elderly individuals, families, individuals with substance misuse issues, adolescents, and everything in between. Jaylyn has focused on a variety of issues such as anxiety, depression, trauma, and life transitions. Her counseling approach is based on the individual needs of each person she works with.

Jaylyn believes in creating a safe and supportive environment that empowers individuals to reach their goals to contribute to their overall quality of life. She became a part of the birthing world after almost losing her best friend to negligence and also seeing the disproportionate rates of maternal mortality. Just like she believes in creating a safe space and advocating for counseling clients the same goes for her birthing moms.

Angelica Williams
Angelica Williams Doula Services

Angelica Williams is a Southeast Louisiana–based birth worker. Originally from Lafayette and now based in New Orleans, she is a community doula with Angelica Williams Doula Services and the Birthmark Doula Collective, and the Founder and Executive Director of Yemaya’s Village Inc.

Angelica is a Phase 2 student midwife enrolled in the Da Roots Traditional Midwifery Program, apprenticing with both Devotion Midwifery and Saige Birth Center. She began her doula work in 2018 and trained with Community Birth Companion (2021) and SistaMidwife Productions (2023).

Her calling has always been rooted in community—especially serving people who share her lived experiences. Angelica is deeply committed to affirming young birthing people and reminding them that home birth is normal, safe, and powerful—even for a first birth. She believes our bodies are wise, capable, and made for this.

Tamika L. Jones
Timeless Love Journey Doula

Tamika L. Jones holds a bachelor’s degree in Nutrition and brings over 20 years of experience in the field, including extensive work in maternal and infant health. As a community birth doula and childbirth educator, she is deeply passionate about improving maternal health outcomes.

Tamika is dedicated to creating positive change in Louisiana through advocacy and efforts to reduce maternal and infant mortality.

Joi Silvie, RMA
Beautiful Butterfly Birthing & Wellness Services, LLC

Joi Silvie is a one-year certified doula and has been attending births since 2005. She is following in the footsteps of her grandmother, whom she hopes to make proud. Joi is originally from Shreveport and currently lives in Baton Rouge. She is a Registered Medical Assistant. She is a mother of two teenage boys and auntie to two nieces and one nephew. As a doula, Joi serves Baton Rouge and the surrounding areas.