Feben Aseffa is an Ontario Registered Midwife (currently inactive) with a Master of Health Management. With a focus in health equity, racial justice and risk management, she led a research study, Experiences of Racism Among BIPOC Midwives and Students in the Midwifery Education and Profession, which was a precursor to organization-wide commitments and action towards racial justice in midwifery. She has catalyzed the establishment of the HEQHR department, formation of the AOM Racial Equity Committee, addition of a racial justice pillar in the AOM Strategic Plan and much more. 
Feben is also Chair of the Canadian Alliance of Racialized Midwives and a member of the Black Health Matters COVID-19 Advisory Committee, and the BORN External Health Equity Advisory Group.
 

Lwam Mehari is a committed advocate for racial equity, health-care equity, and human rights. She holds a Master of Public Health and an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Bioethics and English. Lwam has participated in community-based initiatives to dismantle systemic racism and engage with government leaders, policy makers, health-care providers, and academic institutions. At the AOM, Lwam supported the Experiences of Racism Among BIPOC Midwives and Students in the Midwifery Education and Profession research study and continues to support midwives through advocacy and by developing resources to address racism and inequity. She is dedicated to achieving justice for equity-seeking groups in midwifery and the healthcare system.

Mahdia Abidi comes to us with expertise in resource development, technical writing and communications, policy research and development, and community engagement and outreach. She supported the successful implementation of a national program in Sydney, Australia, focused on improving the mental health and quality of life for underprivileged and racialized communities. Her experience as an Afghan woman and former refugee, alongside her Master of Public Health and Bachelor of Commerce with Honours, have fueled her dedication to human rights-oriented endeavors.

Nicole Waithe is a Registered Midwife (inactive) whose role as Policy Analyst in the Health-Care Equity, Quality and Human Rights Department (HEQHR) comes with a wealth of experience. She graduated from Ryerson University (now known as Toronto Metropolitan University) with a Bachelor of Health Sciences (Midwifery) in 2007, was in active practice in Toronto for close to 17 years and a practice partner for over 11 years. An advocate for racial justice and human rights, she has also occupied various leadership and multi-disciplinary roles in midwifery which focused on equity deserving groups such as teen parents and racialized midwives. She was part of Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children’s collaborative Young Pregnancy Program and has served on several committees, including the AOM’s Racial Equity Committee (REC) and Midwifery Sustainability Project Steering Committee (MSP-SC). Nicole has also been a dedicated preceptor of clinical teaching, with a focus on struggling learners and racialized students, and has lent her experience to the Canadian Midwifery Regulators Council (CMRC) by contributing to content creation and evaluation of the Canadian Midwifery Registration Exam (CMRE). Through education and the promotion of racial equity, Nicole is driven to bridge the gap between the frontline and the bureaucracy that affects midwives, their clients and underserved communities.