PAC Members
The PAC is comprised of 150 members from across the commonwealth representing a variety of sectors including state and local government, non-profits, philanthropy, colleges and universities, hospital and healthcare systems, associations, and individuals with lived experience. Members work on priority teams focused on five key areas: increasing access to high-quality care, supporting behavioral health and substance use disorder needs, improving rural health and maternity care deserts, addressing community factors that influence health outcomes and expanding and diversifying the healthcare workforce.
If you are interested in joining the PAC, please use the Interest Form.
PAC Co-chairs
The PAC is led by three co-chairs. The first from state government, Sara Goulet, Special Advisor to the Secretary of DHS. The second appointed by state government leadership, Dr. Sharee Livingston. The third chair is nominated by the PAC, is a non-clinical member, and represents a community organization. Maria Montoro Edwards, President and CEO of Maternal and Family Health Services, serves as the third PAC co-chair.
Sara Goulet
Sara Goulet joined the Department of Human Services as a special advisor to the secretary in May 2021 after more than four years as a deputy press secretary for Gov. Tom Wolf. Sara works on maternal health initiatives, combining her health and public safety experience to find ways to support all Pennsylvanians, but especially our most vulnerable. She also works on the state’s integration of 9-8-8 crisis response, and initiatives to support parenting students.
Prior to joining the governor’s office, she served for five years as communications director/press secretary for the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry. Before joining state government, she worked in corporate communications for The Hershey Company, at various local advertising agencies, and in her own public relations firm, Goulet Communications.
Dr. Sharee Livingston
Dr. Livingston received a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, PA. She received her medical degree from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Livingston completed a rigorous Obstetrics and Gynecology residency at Penn State Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, PA. In 2006, she began practicing as an Ob/Gyn at UPMC Lititz. She is currently serving as the Ob/Gyn Department Chair. She is a member of the UPMC Lititz Board of Trustees. She is the highest volume female robotic surgeon in the county of Lancaster. Dr. Livingston is a Founding Board Member of “Patients R Waiting,” a non-profit organization that aims to eliminate health disparities by increasing diversity in medicine. Dr. Livingston is also a Co-Founder of the Diversifying Doulas Initiative and FLOW (For the Love of Women). Dr. Livingston was elected to Governor Shapiro’s Advisory Commission on Women and currently serves as the Chair of the Healthcare Subcommittee. Dr. Livingston Co-Founded and Co-Chairs the UPMC Health Equity NOW Committee. The mission of UPMC Health Equity NOW is to decrease maternal morbidity and mortality in racially and ethnically diverse populations delivering in UPMC birthing hospitals. Dr. Livingston has been the Medical Director of the Lebanon Valley Midwifery and Women’s Wellness birth center since 2013. She also serves as the lead physician collaborator for over 20 certified nurse midwives in Lancaster County.
Dr. Maria Montoro Edwards
Dr. Maria Montoro Edwards has served as President and CEO of Maternal and Family Health Services (MFHS) since October 2020. She works to build organizational capacity and ensure the sustainability and growth of MFHS initiatives. She leads with a focus on equity and inclusion as the organization meets changing community needs and is connecting with staff and community members throughout the MFHS service network to find new opportunities to have a positive impact on women, children, and families. She serves on the Pennsylvania Maternal Mortality Review Committee and the board of PA Alliance of Family Planning Councils. She also serves on the boards of Northeast Regional Cancer Institute, Telespond Senior Services and Northeast Pennsylvania Nonprofit Community Assistance Center. MFHS also coordinates the Northeast Regional Maternal Health Coalition.
PAC Lived Experience Team
Members of PAC’s Lived Experience Team bring a diverse range of pregnancy experiences that inspire their commitment to advancing meaningful change for birthing people across Pennsylvania. Their insights shape and ground the work of the PAC in everyday experiences of Pennsylvanians.
If you are interested in joining the PAC’s Lived Experience Team, please use the interest form.
Imani Davis
My name is Imani Davis and I am a lived experience Expert and mother of 3 children. I currently work as a Community Specialist with the Philadelphia Community Action Network (CAN) in efforts to reduce maternal morbidity, mortality and to reduce infant mortality rates and also work with Birth Bridge Philly. My personal experience involves birthing all three of my children in Philadelphia, where my prenatal and postpartum care has been affected by health insurance and transportation. I have had barriers due to childcare as well as transportation. I have also had maternal mental health conditions such as postpartum depression and anxiety. I would love to be able to share my experience and help others in their maternal health journey and improve outcomes.
Caitlin Palmer
I am a mother of two young toddlers, Ella and Walter. Due to having an increased risk for postpartum related mental health struggles, I sought out a women’s behavioral health specialist for proactive treatment prior to becoming pregnant.
After having my second baby, I developed severe postpartum anxiety and struggled to navigate the health care system. I found it difficult to find specialized resources for maternal mental health, even with access to OB and mental health care. Eventually, I was able to establish regular care for my mental health.
I previously worked for 7 years under the Wolf Administration in PA, in public policy and leadership, dedicating much time to maternal and child health matters. I’ve also held policy roles for the University of Pennsylvania and a national Mental Health nonprofit. I would love to return to the space in a more personal capacity, and share my story and input to expand access to quality perinatal care for all birthing individuals and their families in Pennsylvania.
Domonique Howell
Domonique Howell is from Philadelphia PA. She is a mother, has cerebral palsy, is a full-time wheelchair user, and a disability & family advocate. Currently she works as an independent living specialist and a certified peer specialist for Liberty Resources Inc., a center for independent living in Philadelphia. She is also the developer and founder of Momma Chronicles Too (founded in 2014), a support and advocacy group for mothers with disabilities and women guardians who have disabled children. She is currently a councilmember for the Pennsylvania Developmental Disabilities Council, and an organizing member of the grassroots organizations ADAPT and Disabled in Action.
Sabera Rahman
I live in the Pittsburgh area and am a mother and community member with lived experience navigating prenatal care in the U.S. healthcare system. Through my pregnancy, I became aware of how standard prenatal guidance often does not reflect cultural context, family responsibilities, or the realities of daily life. These experiences shaped how I understand gaps between clinical care and patient experience. I am interested in contributing my perspective to support perinatal efforts that are informed by real-world experiences and patient voices.
Jessica Pontious
I live in Ridgway, Elk County, with my husband Zack and young child, Sonny. Originally from the suburbs of Pittsburgh, we moved to Ridgway during COVID, where we renovated a 100-year-old home and became active in the community. I work as an SEO Manager and also serve as a Board Member for the Ridgway Public Library. When I became pregnant in 2024, the closure of nearby labor and delivery services highlighted the urgent gaps in rural maternal healthcare—an experience that inspired me to advocate for restoring and improving maternal care access in Elk County and across rural Pennsylvania.
Former PAC Lived Experience Team Members
Thank you to our Lived Experience Team Members for your commitment and partnership. You have provided valuable feedback and ideas that have shaped the work of the PAC and grounded the efforts in the real-life experiences of Pennsylvanians.
Daquetta Claybrook
While I was pregnant, I faced many roadblocks with getting information on doulas or midwives. I also had a hard time finding prenatal care that would accept my insurance plan. I didn’t have great resources to guide me on selecting a prenatal care provider that I felt most comfortable with. Towards the end of my pregnancy, I felt very depressed, and I expressed this several times with my doctor. I wrote to her about it and she didn’t refer me to any specialist or someone to talk to. I felt like my cries were ignored. During my delivery there was so many complications, and I feel that I could have been better cared for especially with the high death rates of African American females during labor and delivery. During postpartum I had high anxiety and heart complications. I have a plethora of experiences during and after my pregnancy.
Cambria King
As a mother who delivered three children while in methadone treatment, I experienced firsthand how stigma and institutional gaps in care can harm families. After giving birth, I was separated and excluded from participating in my newborn daughter’s care—not due to any safety risk, but because there was no program in place to support bonding for parents on MOUD. That experience was devastating. I knew it wasn’t just my story—it was a systemic failure.
In response, I advocated for change where I delivered to ensure that patients receiving methadone or other forms of MOUD could stay with their infants and receive compassionate, evidence-based care.
I saw how stigma alone can drive inequity—even in the best-resourced settings. Since then, I’ve continued to elevate patient voice through statewide advocacy, including founding the PA Methadone Advocacy Group. I believe in the power of lived experience to shape policy, and I’m committed to building a perinatal system that centers dignity, connection, and equity.
Rebecca Fox Starr
I experienced severe postpartum depression and anxiety following the birth of my second child in 2013, a journey that profoundly shaped my life and work. Out of this lived experience, I have dedicated myself to improving maternal mental healthcare by advocating for better screening, increasing access to care, and working to enhance support for parents worldwide. As an author, clinician, and speaker, I hope to break the stigma and create meaningful change for families.