Laura Sheperis (she/her/hers) graduated from SUNY Downstate and became a Certified Midwife (CM) in 2005. For six years she worked in full-scope midwifery practice in large urban hospitals in New York City and then accepted a position with Doctors Without Borders, where she worked in several countries in Africa, as well as in Jordan, Papua New Guinea, and Greece, providing clinical care, training, and managerial support to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) programs in resource-limited settings.

After a decade with the organization, Laura felt the call to again provide direct patient care and returned to clinical practice in the US, this time in the San Francisco Bay Area. She lives in Oakland and has worked with Planned Parenthood Northern California since July 2022. Laura has been active with ACNM since her years as a midwifery student to today. She was a member of the Government Affairs Committee (GAC) and more recently has been involved with the Committee of Midwives to Advance the CM Credential (CMAC) and the ACNM Midwives- PAC.

She played an active role on the board of the New York Affiliate from 2004-2011, serving in various capacities - from Student Representative to President. She understands the importance of the state affiliates to represent and be a resource for midwives throughout each state. After her move to California in 2019, Laura became involved in the Health Policy Committee of CNMA. She is interested in shifting her focus within the Association to serve in the role of CNMA Secretary to gain a broader knowledge of the Association as a whole, as well as to better understand the successes and challenges of midwives throughout our diverse state.