Leseliey Welch

Leseliey Welch, MPH, MBA, is a public health strategist, social entrepreneur, and writer with a career focused on birth equity and community-centered care. Welch earned an undergraduate degree in women's studies, a Master of Public Health with a certificate in women's and reproductive health, and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Michigan. Her work in maternal health began at King Edward Hospital in Durban, South Africa, where she observed the impact of global health inequities on access to care and outcomes. This experience influenced her dedication to improving birth outcomes for Black families and communities of color.

Welch has held leadership roles in city, state, and national health organizations. She served as interim executive director of Birthing Project USA, deputy director of public health for the City of Detroit, and contributed to the development of Michigan's first comprehensive LGBTQ health center. Welch's tenure at the Detroit Health Department, from Healthy Start project coordinator to deputy director, provided her with a systems-level perspective on structural barriers in maternal and child health. Her work emphasizes the influence of policy, funding, and infrastructure on family health outcomes.

Welch is co-founder of Birth Detroit, Detroit's first freestanding community birth center, and Birth Center Equity, an organization supporting the growth and sustainability of birth centers led by Black and Indigenous people and people of color nationwide. Birth Center Equity operates as a values-based network, demonstrating the effectiveness of funding community-led maternal health solutions through a national strategy. Welch also initiated National Birth Center Week and the collective impact initiative Beloved Birth 50 by 50. Her advocacy is informed by evidence that midwifery care improves birth outcomes, including lower cesarean rates, fewer preterm births, higher breastfeeding rates, and more respectful care, while highlighting the need for increased resources for midwives and birth centers in Black communities.

Welch has taught at the university level for more than 15 years, contributing to the development of Wayne State University's Bachelor of Science in Public Health program and creating courses on health equity for undergraduate and graduate public health students, medical students, and residents. She has also lectured in the Women's and Gender Studies Department at the University of Michigan, developing practicum courses on women's leadership, nonprofit management, community engagement, and feminist practice. Welch is an Aspen Institute Ascend Fellow and has served as a keynote speaker at the National Association of Birth Centers annual meeting plenary session. She is recognized for her expertise in maternal health, birth justice, and health equity, combining public health scholarship with community organizing in her work.