On February 10th, The James Irvine Foundation announced the recipients of its 2025 Leadership Awards, honoring seven remarkable Californians and their organizations for addressing critical issues such as Indigenous science, food sovereignty, Latina civic leadership, environmental justice, Black maternal health, equity in library services, and representation in entertainment.
We are thrilled to share that our President and CEO, Shantay R. Davies-Balch, has been recognized as a 2025 Leadership Award recipient! This prestigious honor includes a $350,000 grant to support our mission of improving Black maternal health through advanced doula training and culturally competent care.
Shantay’s passion as a doula and her deep commitment to advocacy led her to establish BLACK Wellness & Prosperity Center (BWPC). Through BWPC, she has worked relentlessly to address health disparities in the Black community—reducing infant and maternal mortality, providing critical services, and ensuring families in need receive the care they deserve.
Her vision and dedication are transforming the future of maternal health, creating safer and healthier outcomes for all families.
Congratulations Shantay!
Learn more about Shantay's work and view her profile: irvineawards.org/award-recipient/shantay-davies-balch
To learn more about the Leadership Awards, please visit IrvineAwards.org.