Hermela Assefa, BA

Maternity Care Specialist

Hermela Assefa, BA, joined the Developing Brain Institute (DBI) as a Maternity Care Specialist on the Mommy&Me team in January 2023. Hermela was born in Ethiopia but grew up in the Washington, D.C. metro area. Prior to joining DBI, she graduated from Franklin and Marshall College with a degree in public health on the sociology track. Hermela is a trained birth doula who is committed to advancing maternal health outcomes globally. She completed a project focused on Black maternal health through which she was able to travel to London to compare maternal health outcomes in the U.S. and Britain. As a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention scholar, Hermela interned at the Henry Ford Health System working on a Nursing Moms project, improving access to lactation spaces throughout the hospital system. She enjoys working with underserved populations and has several years of experience empowering and equipping immigrant communities to thrive. Hermela also currently volunteers as Director of Operations with Habesha Health, a virtual health platform dedicated to addressing health disparities in the Ethiopian and Eritrean diaspora. Hermela is excited to bring her talents to the Mommy&Me project to improve birthing experiences and maternal mental health outcomes in Washington, D.C.