About Melissa Harley, BA, AdvCD/BDT(DONA), CLC, LCCE, FACCE

Advanced Certified Birth Doula, DONA International
DONA Approved Birth Doula Trainer
Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator, Fellow
Certified Lactation Counselor
2025 Recipient of The Penny Simkin Award

Melissa Harley has spent more than two decades advancing the doula profession through direct support to families, comprehensive doula training, and dedicated leadership within DONA International. She is widely recognized for her commitment to high-quality, accessible continuing education and for the strong sense of community she brings to her work with doulas around the world.

Her service to DONA International is extensive. Melissa has served as President (2020), Immediate Past President (2021), President Elect (2019), Marketing and Public Relations Director (2015 to 2018), Southeastern US Regional Director, and Florida State Representative. She has also contributed her expertise across the Education, Grievance, Social Media, and Website Committees. In 2015, Melissa led the DONA International re-brand and organizational overhaul, striving to honor the rich history of DONA International while modernizing its look and feel. Today she leads the DONA Summit as Conference Coordinator and manages continuing education through the DONA Elevate webinar platform.

How it all started

Melissa’s entry into birth work began in the late 1990s. After witnessing the vaginal birth of her twin nieces in 2002, she followed her calling. She completed the DONA International birth doula workshop and earned her CD(DONA)certification in 2003. Her passion for teaching led her to become a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator (LCCE) in 2005 and join the Passion for Birth faculty.

In 2007 she became a DONA Approved Birth Doula Trainer, completing her trainer preparation under exceptional mentors including Penny Simkin herself. This experience blended her strengths in teaching, birth work, and mentorship and set the foundation for her long influence in the doula community.

Supporting doulas through training, continuing education, and collaboration

Melissa pictured here after training her 500th doula. Since, its almost 1500 doulas!

Supporting doulas remains at the center of Melissa’s work. She has trained more than 1400 doulas worldwide, offering engaging, interactive workshops that emphasize evidence-based practice, confidence building, and professionalism. Her dedication to ongoing learning is reflected in her leadership of the DONA Summit and DONA’s online education through DONA Elevate, where she develops programming designed to help doulas stay connected and supported long after their initial training.

In 2025 Melissa launched the CCDS Doula Collaboration Podcast, which features doulas she has trained along with other professionals in the birth and postpartum space. The podcast highlights diverse voices, professional insights, and the real work doulas are doing in their communities.

She continues to support families locally as well, having worked with more than 1500 couples as a doula and childbirth educator. Her classes reflect the Passion for Birth philosophy of creating engaging, meaningful learning experiences.

A major professional milestone: The Penny Simkin Award

In 2025, Melissa was honored with The Penny Simkin Award, one of the highest recognitions offered by DONA International. This award is named for DONA’s beloved founder Penny Simkin, whose lifelong work transformed childbirth support and helped establish doulas as an essential part of maternity care. Receiving this award places Melissa among a select group of professionals recognized for their exceptional contributions, leadership, and steadfast commitment to the doula profession.

For Melissa, this recognition carries deep meaning. She trained under Penny Simkin during her journey to become a DONA Approved Trainer, collaborated with her through DONA’s leadership, and has long modeled the type of advocacy, mentorship, and heart-centered service that Penny championed. The award honors Melissa’s decades of work uplifting doulas, strengthening educational pathways, and helping shape DONA’s future.

Writing and contributions

Melissa’s work extends into writing and media. She has contributed book and resource reviews to the Journal of Perinatal Education (JPE) and has published essays in both volumes of the Bearing Witness (Joyful Birth) anthology series. She has also written about indigenous birth for the Science and Sensibility blog of Lamaze International as well as many articles for the International Doula Magazine and DONA International Blog.

Over the years, Melissa has been interviewed, quoted and featured in news articles about the doula profession, DONA International, and the state of maternal healthcare; contributions have been used and/or quoted in publications such as Propublica, The New York Times, The Bump, and The Cherokee Phoenix.

Walking through the halls of congress as we discuss maternal health policies with lawmakers and staffers.

In addition, Melissa has appeared as a guest on the InJoy Birth & Parenting podcast, sharing insights on the future of DONA International, doula work, education, and professional development for birth workers.  She has also represented doulas, childbirth educators and DONA International on Capitol Hill as part of the Lamaze Advocacy Days and March for Moms events, speaking to legislators and policy-makers about the importance of doula-integration in overall maternal healthcare and it’s impact on improving the maternal mortality rate and reducing racial inequities and disparities in and around childbirth.

Philosophy and approach

Melissa’s philosophy centers on the physiologic process of birth, informed choice, and the inherent strength that families bring to their birthing experiences. She supports meaningful decision making and confidence building, helping families explore their options and shape a plan that reflects their unique needs and vision for birth.

This philosophy also guides her work training new doulas. Melissa believes that doulas thrive when they understand both the art and the evidence of birth support. She teaches from a place of respect, empowerment, and skill building. Her trainings focus on developing strong, grounded doulas who are prepared to offer inclusive, client-centered care, communicate effectively in a variety of settings, and honor each family’s autonomy. She emphasizes reflective practice, professional boundaries, cultural humility, and the importance of creating safe and supportive environments for every family. By mentoring doulas through this lens, Melissa helps shape thoughtful, knowledgeable professionals who carry forward the values that have guided her work for more than twenty years.

Life beyond birth work

Outside of her professional roles, Melissa enjoys life with her husband Ken and their two young adult children. As a proud family of Florida State University alumni, they can often be found at FSU events and tailgates.  Although her work takes her around the country, Tallahassee, Florida, will always be home.