About Us
Rooted in Community. Committed to Birth Justice.
The Mahoning Valley Doula Collective was founded by two local doulas, April Surles and LeAnn Frost, in response to a growing need for accessible, community centered birth support across the Valley. After years of working with families and witnessing gaps in care, we recognized that doulas could not only support individual births, but also strengthen the health of entire communities.
We exist to support birth workers, build strong networks of care, and increase access to doula support for families who need it most. Our collective creates space for connection, mentorship, shared resources, and collaboration among doulas serving the Mahoning Valley.
At the heart of our work is a commitment to addressing inequities in maternal and infant health outcomes, particularly within the Black community. By supporting doulas, strengthening community based care, and building relationships across systems, we aim to be part of the long, steady work of reducing preventable maternal and infant mortality. This is about more than birth work. It is about showing up for families, for each other, and for the future of our community.
LeAnne Frost
LeAnne Frost is the owner and founder of Tippy’s Touch Doula Services in Youngstown, Ohio, and a dedicated community birth worker serving families across the Mahoning Valley. She is also a co facilitator for Mahoning County Queens Village, where she supports maternal wellness and community based programming for families.
As a co founder of the Mahoning Valley Doula Collective, LeAnne is passionate about building strong networks of support for doulas and expanding access to compassionate, culturally responsive birth care for families in the Valley.
April Surles
Founder of Yakundi and Creator of Yakundi Doula Training, April Surles is a missionary, doula, and student midwife with seventeen years of experience supporting families through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. Her work is rooted in birth justice and increasing access to compassionate, culturally responsive care for at risk women and children.
April previously worked in child welfare services and holds a Master’s degree in Health Education and Promotion from Cleveland State University, with undergraduate studies in psychology and gender studies at Youngstown State University. Originally from the Philadelphia area , she is deeply committed to strengthening community based birth work in the Mahoning Valley and abroad .