Leseliey Welch is a public health strategist, social entrepreneur, and professional dreamer whose guiding value is Love. As a founder of Birth Detroit and Birth Center Equity, her work is grounded in making communities stronger, healthier, and more free – starting with ensuring all people have access to all safe birth options. Birth Detroit will open its first freestanding community birth center in spring 2024, and Birth Center Equity is a national effort to invest in Black, Indigenous, people of color-led birth centers at scale to make birth centers a real option in all communities.

She has two decades of leadership experience in city, state, and national health organizations, including having served as Deputy Director of Public Health for the City of Detroit.

Welch earned her degree in Women’s Studies, Masters in Public Health and Masters in Business Administration from the University of Michigan, and is an Aspen Institute Ascend Fellow.

Health, Motherhood, Women's Health, Healthcare, Michigan, Social Entrepreneurship, DEI Public Health,