January 2026 |
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Inside this edition:
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Welcome Our New Staff Members!
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Welcome Our Newest Board Members!
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Congratulations to Tolu Odebumni, MNPQC’s Board Chair-Elect
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Kunsche Award Nomination; Deadline 1/31
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Save the Date: 2026 Perinatal Improvement Summit
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January: National Stalking Awareness Month from SPARC
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Honoring Cesarean Section Day
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Welcome Our New Staff Members! |
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We ended 2025 with two exciting new additions to our team, Samantha Hildebrandt and Lauren Witty!
Samantha joins us as our new Community Engagement Coordinator, where she will lead outreach efforts, support meaningful patient and family participation, and help new and long-standing partners stay connected to MNPQC’s work. Samantha is a public health professional with a strong foundation in community engagement and health communication.
Lauren joins MNPQC as our new Program Coordinator. In this role, she will support ongoing quality initiatives, foster collaboration with partners, and design educational materials. Lauren is a dedicated public health professional with a passion for uniting data and community stories to strengthen healthcare processes.
We are thrilled to have both of them join our team! If you see any messages from them, please join us in giving them a warm welcome.
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Welcome Our Newest Board Members! |
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Help us give a warm welcome to MNPQC's newest Board Members: Yaneve Fonge, MD, MPH, Siri Fiebiger, MD, MPH, Tolu Odebunmi, MBBS, MPH, and Hannah Laniado, BS, BA, MS (ABT) (pictured from top to bottom).
Each of these leaders brings interdisciplinary expertise, deep-rooted passion, and a shared commitment to improving perinatal and infant outcomes for families across Minnesota. We're grateful for their leadership as we continue ensuring safe, respectful, and high-quality perinatal care is accessible to all Minnesota families.
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| MNPQC Board of Directors |
Congratulations to Tolu Odebumni, MNPQC’s Board Chair-Elect |
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We are honored to share that, following nomination and approval, Tolu Odebunmi, MBBS, MPH, has been selected as MNPQC’s 2026 Board Chair-Elect. With her leadership, passion, and determination, we know Tolu will make an incredible impact on our work and the community. Tolu is currently a Reproductive Psychiatrist at the Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota. In her work, she supports individuals and families, centering and amplifying their voices. She’s passionate about reducing gaps in perinatal mental care access and training future psychiatrists to care for families during reproductive transitions.
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Accepting Kunsche Award Nominations |
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MNPQC’s Kunsche Award is presented annually to any individual who has demonstrated exceptional dedication and made meaningful contributions toward our mission to improve maternal and infant health outcomes across Minnesota. This individual can include, but is not limited to, social workers, healthcare professionals, midwives, doulas, etc. For over 20 years, this prestigious award has honored individuals who embody our mission and drive meaningful progress in perinatal care. Deadline 1/31.
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| Submit Your Nominations Today! |
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**Save the Date: 2026 Perinatal Improvement Summit |
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Save the date for MNPQC’s annual 2026 Perinatal Improvement Summit, taking place on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, at the Minneapolis Marriott West! Mark your calendars, more details to come!
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January: National Stalking Awareness Month from SPARC |
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Each January, the Stalking Prevention, Awareness, and Resource Center (SPARC) leads efforts to recognize National Stalking Awareness Month (NSAM) and supports a wide range of professionals nationwide by sharing practical, accessible resources that strengthen the capacity of those working directly with individuals impacted by stalking. Explore SPARC's website for NSAM campaign materials, including a planning toolkit, ready-to-use social media content, and more. Together, these tools can help communities raise awareness, strengthen prevention strategies, and better support individuals affected by stalking. |
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Honoring Cesarean Section Day on January 14, 2026 |
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Cesarean Section (C-section) Day on January 14th honors the lives of people who are here today because of this surgical procedure and raises awareness about the important role of safe, evidence-based cesarean care in protecting maternal and infant health. In Minnesota, nearly one-third of infants born were delivered by C-section in 2023, according to the March of Dimes and the CDC. In response, MNPQC is sharing an all-inclusive, C-section resource page designed by the National Partnership for Women & Families, a nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy organization advancing policies and cultural changes that support women and families across the United States. |
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