✨ [ABOUT THE LIVE PANEL] ✨
⚠️ Content Warning: This panel includes discussion of pregnancy and infant loss, which may be emotionally difficult or triggering. Please engage only as much as feels comfortable. You are welcome to listen quietly, step away, or take breaks at any time. Resources and support will be available after the panel for anyone who needs it.
Join a panel of experts and parents with lived experience to discuss:
Education and awareness around pregnancy and infant loss
The most common challenges and barriers grieving families face
How to support families in trauma-informed and compassionate ways
Where we go as a community and field from here
Together, we’re breaking silence, honoring every baby, and creating space for real, honest conversations that center lived experience and strengthen support for families navigating loss.
Date: Monday, October 27, 2025
Time: 3 pm PT | 4pm MT | 5pm CT | 6pm ET
Length: 75 minutes (includes panel + Q&A)
Who is the panel for? Parents, advocates, supporters, health providers, and mental health providers. Anyone and everyone is welcome.
Recording: If you are unable to join live, a recording will be sent out to everyone who registers.
MEET THE PANELISTS
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MEET THE PANELISTS ✨
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Director of Education of PUSH for Empowered Pregnancy, CEO of Aaliyah in Action, Mom to Aaliyah, born still in 2020
Liz is a nonprofit founder and stillbirth prevention advocate working in honor of her daughter, Aaliyah. After Aaliyah’s stillbirth, Liz’s paid family leave was revoked. This invalidation of her motherhood and daughter’s life propelled her to advocate for, and succeed with, gaining stronger paid family leave laws in Washington DC. Through her own nonprofit, Aaliyah in Action, Liz is focused on creating stronger bereavement support systems within hospitals and as a co-founder and Director of Education for PUSH Pregnancy she works on multiple stillbirth prevention initiatives. To further advance all of this work, Liz is currently pursuing a Masters in Public Health at George Washington University.
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Communications Director of PUSH for Empowered Pregnancy, Mom to Owen, born still in 2015
Ana Lepe Vick is a UCLA Psychology graduate, wife, and mother of three (always missing one) living in North Carolina. After the stillbirth of her middle son, Owen, in 2015 and two miscarriages before and after this devastating but preventable tragedy she became a maternal health advocate. Ana now serves as Communications Director and Co-Founder of PUSH for Empowered Pregnancy and is part of the Count the Kicks Influencer Advisory Board, leading outreach to Latinx/Spanish-speaking communities. She advocates to reduce preventable stillbirth and improve birth outcomes in honor of Owen and all babies gone too soon.
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NY Therapist for Grief & Birth Trauma, Owner of North Star Wellness & Therapy
Lauren is the owner and psychotherapist of North Star Wellness & Therapy, a practice dedicated to supporting mothers process and heal from their traumatic births and/ or pregnancy/infant loss(es). Lauren has both personal and professional experience with this sacred topic; Lauren worked at Columbia Presbyterian's NICU, lost her brother in the NICU, and had her own baby experience a NICU stay after surviving a placental abruption. Lauren is passionate about supporting mothers and families who have experienced the unique heartbreak of loosing their sons/daughters before or shortly after given birth. Lauren holds a specialization in Prolonged Grief treatment from Columbia University as well as a Perinatal Mental Health specialty from Postpartum Support International. It is an honor Lauren holds dear to her heart to support families in bringing their children's legacy and deep, unbreakable bond into their families forever future.
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Registered nurse, loss mom, Maternal health advocate, and founder of A Light After Nine, a nonprofit organization supporting families navigating pregnancy and infant loss
Rachell M. Dumas, MSN, RN is a maternal health advocate, registered nurse, and founder of A Light After Nine, a nonprofit organization supporting families navigating pregnancy and infant loss. After enduring nine pregnancy losses before giving birth to her son, Nazaire, Rachell turned her pain into purpose by creating safe spaces for others to heal and find hope. Through her advocacy, she empowers women and families to access mental health resources, foster community support, and reclaim their voices after loss. Rachell’s work reflects her belief that healing is not about moving on, but moving forward—with light, purpose, and community.
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Nurse, loss mom, uterine rupture and birth trauma survivor, podcast host of “Beyond The Birth Story,” and nonprofit founder of The Kayde Foundation
Alexa Conlon is a nurse, loss mom, uterine rupture and birth trauma survivor, podcast host & non profit founder + coordinator for Perinatal Loss Support Services. She is dedicated to advocating for other loss parents and normalizing having the conversation around loss.
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Stephanie Lee, MSN, RN, CCRN is a mother of 3, 1 stillbirth in 2021. She has been featured in the ProPublica Film, Before a Breath. Stephanie is a Critical Care, Trauma, & Emergency Nurse Leader.
MEET THE MODERATORS
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MEET THE MODERATORS ✨
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Outreach Director of PUSH for Empowered Pregnancy, Trauma Therapist, Mom to Aleksei, born still in 2004
Marjorie Vail is a Trauma Therapist, Stillbirth Awareness Advocate, and Maternal Health Advocate based in Brooklyn, NY. Following the stillbirth of her first-born son due to Velamentous Cord Insertion, she has dedicated her work to raising awareness and improving standards of maternal care. Marjorie serves as Director of Outreach for Push for Empowered Pregnancy, where she fosters collaborations with medical professionals and partner organizations to advance stillbirth prevention. She is currently a doctoral candidate in Mental Health Counseling at Pace University.
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Adjunct NYU, Forbes Health Advisor, Co-Founder Trauma Informed Maternal Health Network
Olivia Verhulst is a Licensed Psychotherapist, Perinatal Mental Health Certified Clinician, Wellness Consultant, Clinical Supervisor, Media & News/TV Contributor, Forbes Health Advisor, Certified Parental Leave Coach, and Adjunct Professor at NYU. She is certified to provide telehealth in New York, New Jersey and Florida, and currently works for a thriving group practice in Manhattan called Let’s Talk Psychological Wellness P.C. specializing in complex trauma + maternal mental health.
Olivia is the proud co-founder of the Trauma-Informed Maternal Health Network. She seeks to aim curiosity, compassion and light on the parts that elicit shame in people that keep them suffering in silence.
TIERS OF SUPPORT
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TIERS OF SUPPORT ✨
Every contribution, big or small, helps us honor babies, support families, and advance awareness. If you’d like to support this important conversation, we’ve created 3 payment tiers plus a complimentary option:
🫶 Remembrance — $15
🌿 Equity Access— FREE
💜 Supporter — $35
💗 65 Hearts — $65
Fifty percent of proceeds will be donated to Aaliyah in Action, an organization that provides thoughtfully curated self-care packages and support for those experiencing perinatal, neonatal, or infant loss. If you know someone facing loss and would prefer to donate directly to Aaliyah in Action to directly sponsor a self-care package in their name, click HERE. The remaining proceeds will be shared between the host organizations to further their advocacy, education, and community support initiatives.
HOST ORGANIZATIONS
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HOST ORGANIZATIONS ✨
💜 Maternal Trauma Support
Maternal Trauma Support is the umbrella organization of The Trauma-Informed Maternal Health Directory, a one-of-a-kind nationwide directory that connects women & birthing people navigating infertility, pregnancy, new parenthood, and perinatal loss to trauma-informed maternal health and mental health providers. MTS also offers free monthly Sunday Series workshops, a support network for perinatal providers, and customized trainings and consultations on Trauma-Informed Care.
💜 PUSH for Empowered Pregnancy
PUSH for Empowered Pregnancy is founded and run by bereaved parents turned stillbirth prevention advocates. PUSH partners with parents, providers, and policymakers to address the systemic flaws that lead to preventable stillbirths. Through education, advocacy, and community, the organization has made significant progress in addressing major flaws in the US healthcare system to end preventable stillbirth.
Watch the short film PUSH & sign our petition to help save lives: http://stillnessisanillness.com/
* By signing up for this panel, you give permission to be added to Maternal Trauma Support and PUSH for Empowered Pregnancy's email lists. We hope you will wish to stay connected and informed about our efforts and future programs but you may unsubscribe at any time.