Nakeitra L. Burse, DrPH, CHES 

Founder/Executive Director

Dr. Burse is dedicated to understanding the impact of systems on the health of communities. Her work is centered around health equity and social justice issues and improving maternal health outcomes for Black women. She has been a vocal advocate for policies in Mississippi to improve health outcomes. Dr. Burse has experience in a variety of sectors including nonprofit, private, academia and government.

Dr. Burse is also the Executive Producer of the documentary, Laboring with Hope. The film highlights the issues of maternal morbidity and mortality among Black women. Laboring with Hope is being used as a call to action to implement, support, and uplift strategies that aim to improve maternal health and birth outcomes. This work has been featured in a variety of settings, including Soledad O’Brien’s Disrupt and Dismantle series on BET, the Kelly Clarkson Show, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, and other local and national media outlets.

Dr. Burse is married to Dr. Creston Burse and they have two very active boys, Chandler and Cooper. For fun, Dr. Burse loves to travel and explore the world and go to professional sporting events with her family. Dr. Burse is in her “sports mom” era, spending most weekends on the baseball field cheering on “The Burse Boys.”