Let’s Join forces.
Our team
FOUNDER + LEAD
Elisabeth Bolaza, PH.D, MPH
Dr. Elisabeth Bolaza (she/her) is an interdisciplinary reproductive anthropologist, author, and perinatal health researcher. She brings radical, anti-oppressive, feminist perspectives to her work to advance perinatal health and reproductive justice. As a survivor of obstetric violence, her work challenges perinatal care paradigms and calls for a very different vision of reproductive wellbeing, one that prioritizes pleasure and joy as indispensable features of health. Dr. Bolaza conducted the first-ever rigorous mixed methods study of pleasurable birth experiences, The Birth Pleasure Study, and developed from that work the Pleasure-Forward Model. Her first book, Pleasure in Birth: Wellness, Praxis, and Reproductive Justice, is projected for publication in 2025 (Routledge). She has worked with organizations such as the ACLU of Northern California, the Public Health Institute, and YouthAlive! on data-driven, community-engaged advocacy and research. She is also a transformative communication coach who brings over 20 years of experience to her teaching, educational programs, and personal development work. Dr. Bolaza earned her doctorate in human sexuality with a focus on policy advocacy and leadership at the California Institute of Integral Studies, guided by esteemed sexual and reproductive anthropologists Drs. Michelle Marzullo, Robbie Davis-Floyd, and Dána-ain Davis. She completed her master’s in public health at UC Berkeley with a focus on health and social behavior and a bachelor’s in biology at UCLA. Elisabeth and her husband of 15 years delight in their two vibrant daughters, the first born in hospital and the second at home in Oakland, California.
PARTNER, RESEARCHER, DOULA SERVICES & TRAINING, COACHING
Danielle Schell, MPH
Danielle Schell (she/they) brings over 16 years of experience as a birth worker, parenting coach, and entrepreneur, supporting over 550 pregnancies and 30 losses as a full-spectrum doula. Passionate about inclusive care, Danielle co-founded Fern + Foster Family Wellness, a community space in Tacoma, Washington, dedicated to supporting growing families of all kinds with programming from preconception to toddlerhood. In 2023, Danielle earned a Master of Public Health degree from the University of California, Berkeley, where she honed her research and analytical skills to complement her extensive experience in maternal and reproductive health. Her work bridges lived experience with evidence-based strategies, advancing equity and access in women's health. When not working on consulting projects, Danielle facilitates a monthly pregnancy loss support group, provides birth and postpartum doula services, and raises two spirited children with her partner of over a decade in Richmond, CA. Her holistic approach to care and community engagement continues to drive her commitment to creating systems and spaces where all families can thrive.