Families benefiting from the work of PQCs.
HISTORY & OUR TEAM

History of the NNPQC

In 2016, state and national leaders from 48 states convened in Fort Worth, Texas, to share best practices for making measurable improvements in maternal and child health, marking the inception of the National Network of Perinatal Quality Collaboratives (NNPQC).

Since then, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has awarded funding to state-based Perinatal Quality Collaboratives (PQCs) and to NICHQ to drive improvements in perinatal and neonatal health. 

The National Network of Perinatal Quality Collaboratives (NNPQC) provides resources and expertise to nationwide state-based PQCs with the goal of deepening and accelerating best practices to improve the quality of care in hospitals. This is achieved by supporting the development of PQCs and enhancing their ability to make measurable improvements in maternal and child health outcomes.

As the coordinating center, NICHQ will enhance the coordination and communication of PQCs across the nation, advise state PQCs that are in the early stages of developing their collaboratives, and provide technical assistance focused on quality improvement (QI) methods that improve health outcomes for mothers and newborns, particularly within populations disproportionately affected by adverse perinatal outcomes.

Our Team

Our team is united by our commitment to promoting equitable outcomes for birthing people and babies across the nation.

Dr. Scott Berns is the president and CEO of NICHQ.

Scott D. Berns, MD, MPH, FAAP

President and CEO of NICHQ, NNPQC Principal Investigator

Stacey C. Penney is senior project director for NNPQC.

Stacey C. Penny, DrPH(c), MSW, MPH

Executive Project Director

Isabel Zuckoff is associate project director for NNPQC.

Isabel Zuckoff, MPH

Project Director

Callie Rowland is project manager for NNPQC.

Callie Rowland, MPH

Project Manager

Meera Menon is an associate director of research and evaluation for NNPQC.

Meera Menon, PhD

Associate Director of Research and Evaluation

Rinka Murakami is an analyst for NNPQC.

Rinka Murakami, MPH

Analyst

Jey Weisgerber is the director of communications and digital strategy for NNPQC.

Jey Weisgerber

Director of Communications and Digital Strategy

Domonique Davis is the communications and digital strategy manager for NNPQC.

Domonique Davis

Manager, Communications and Digital Strategy

Nathaniel Pickett is web and product manager for NNPQC.

Nathaniel Pickett, PhD

Web & Product Manager

Executive Committee

The NNPQC Executive Committee provides guidance and recommendations to the NNPQC with a goal of strengthening state PQC leadership, capacity, and functionality.

Our Executive Committee is comprised of national and state leaders in perinatal health who are either affiliated and working with state PQCs or represent a partner organization that supports other national perinatal improvement efforts. They include experts and representatives with specialized knowledge, skills, and experiences directly aligned with the mission of the NNPQC. The Executive Committee’s expertise spans the areas of maternal and infant health, equity and social determinants of health, quality improvement, public health, and lived experience.

Committee member Cristina Alonso is a consultant for American College of Nurse Midwives.

Cristina Alonso, DrPH, MPH, CPM

Consultant, American College of Nurse Midwives
Brenda Barker is the executive director at the Tennessee Initiative for Perinatal Quality Care.

Brenda Barker, MEd, MBA

Executive Director, Tennessee Initiative for Perinatal Quality Care
Ann Borders is the executive director and obstetric lead at NorthShore University HealthSystem and Evanston Hospital.

Ann Borders, MD, MSc, MPH

Executive Director and Obstetric Lead, NorthShore University HealthSystem and Evanston Hospital
Katie Breen is the vice president of programs at the Colorado Perinatal Care Quality Collaborative.

Katie Breen, MPH

Vice President of Programs, Colorado Perinatal Care Quality Collaborative
Dr. Veronica Gillispie-Bell is the medical director at LaPQC and PAMR.

Veronica Gillispie-Bell, MD, MAS

Medical Director, LaPQC and PAMR
Dr. Munish Gupta is a neonatologist at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

Munish Gupta, MD, MMSc

Neonatologist, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Rose L. Horton is a specialty director at AWHONN.

Rose L. Horton, MSM, NEA-BC, FAAN

Specialty Director, AWHONN
Sarah Johnson is a project manager at the Oklahoma Perinatal Quality Improvement Collaborative.

Sarah Johnson, BA

Project Manager, Oklahoma Perinatal Quality Improvement Collaborative
Beth McGovern is a director of quality of improvement at the March of Dimes in Arlington, Virginia.

Beth McGovern, DNP, MSN, RNC-OB, SSGBC-HC

Director of Quality Improvement, March of Dimes, Arlington, VA
Barbara Murphy is a quality and outcomes manager at Neonatal/Perinatal Services, Children's Wisconsin.

Barbara Murphy, MSN, RN

Quality and Outcomes Manager, Neonatal/Perinatal Services, Children’s Wisconsin
Divya Patel is an associate professor at the University of Texas System Population Health.

Divya Patel, PhD

Associate Professor, The University of Texas System Population Health
Dr. Stephanie Radke is a clinical associate professor at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.

Stephanie Radke, MD, MPH, FACOG

Clinical Associate Professor, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics
LaToshia Rouse is a patient and family lead at Birth Sisters Doula Services.

LaToshia Rouse, CD/PCD (DONA)

Patient and Family Engagement Lead, Birth Sisters Doula Services

Estefania Rubio, MD, MPH

Data Manager, Florida Perinatal Quality Collaborative
Dr. William Sappenfield is a professor and FPQC director at the USF College of Public Health.

William Sappenfield, MD, MPH

Professor and Former FPQC Director, USF College of Public Health
Shawna Shields is a project officer at CDC.

Shawna Shields, MPH

Project Officer, CDC
Dr. Jackie Wallace is a medical officer at CDC.

Jackie Wallace, MD, MPH

Medical Officer, CDC
Eileen Zeiger is an executive director at the Wisconsin Association for Perinatal Care and Perinatal Foundation.

Eileen Zeiger, MA

Executive Director, Wisconsin Association for Perinatal Care and the Perinatal Foundation