Payshia Edwards-Smith is a public health leader, reproductive and birth justice advocate, Certified Lactation Education Specialist, and Doula with more than a decade of experience advancing health equity in historically marginalized communities. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Management with a minor in Communication from California State University, San Bernardino, and a Master of Public Health in Urban Community Health from California State University, Los Angeles.

Throughout her career, Payshia has partnered with community-based organizations and statewide initiatives to strengthen perinatal and reproductive health systems. She provided education and advocacy through the African American Infant and Maternal Mortality Task Force in Los Angeles County and helped launch the Abundant Birth Project at Expecting Justice, delivering culturally concordant doula and lactation training in Black and Brown communities. As Program Director for the National Association to Advance Black Birth, she led national initiatives including the Black Birthing Bill of Rights, the Black Midwifery Scholarship, and the Birth Justice Incubator, expanding sustainability for Black birthworkers across the country.

Payshia also served as an original California Department of Health Care Services Co-Design member, helping shape the Medi-Cal doula benefit. In her current role, she leads Heluna Health’s Medi-Cal billing and administration department, building compliant, community-centered reimbursement systems that strengthen providers and expand access to care across California.