Samantha Suffich has been the proud Chief Executive Officer of the Martin County Healthy Start Coalition since 2017. This role aligns perfectly with her passion for public health and empowering and advocating for women as they transition into early motherhood. As a mother, birth doula, childbirth educator, and Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC), she recognizes the challenges that accompany this season of life.

Samantha is a Martin County native and graduate of South Fork High School’s International Baccalaureate Program. She holds a Bachelor's degree with Magna Cum Laude Honors and a Masters degree in Health Education and Behavior from the University of Florida in addition to an undergraduate concentration in dance. As a Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES), Samantha has provided reproductive health education in schools and childbirth education in birth centers, executed worksite wellness programs, served the State of Florida as a Program Manager with the Florida Department of Health, and emotionally and physically supported women during childbirth as a birth doula.

Samantha is the mother of Emery and Nora born in 2015 and 2018, and Connor born in 2020. She is also married to Knight Suffich, a financial advisor with HBKS Wealth Advisors. After living in Tampa for six years, Samantha returned to raise her family in the sun and sand of Martin County. She feels a sense of pride for her community and is teaching her children to enjoy its natural beauty in our local parks and beaches. She is an avid Gator football & basketball fan and gives credit to the University of Florida’s Pride of the Sunshine Marching Band for her and Knight’s great love story, as well as the opportunity to perform in the halftime show at the 2006 and 2008 National Championship Football Games.

Samantha envisions a Martin County where every baby is born healthy, every mother is supported, and every father is involved. She strives to create a community where all expectant families have access to early and frequent compassionate prenatal care and as a result, babies are born full term and healthy. She believes we have a community with an abundance of resources to empower families to be educated parents living in safe homes with healthy relationships. As a breastfeeding advocate, she knows in order for moms and babies to have successfully established and exclusively breastfeeding relationships they need us to foster a society that eliminates challenges and supports their success. She hopes that every family encountering Healthy Start feels supported to be the best caregiver they can be so that every baby can meet their early childhood developmental milestones.

Aubrey Campbell, Chief Operating Officer, has been a dedicated member of the organization since 2010. A proud mother of two, June and Otis, Aubrey is an alumna of Florida International University, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts & Sciences, concentrating in Psychology. She furthered her education with a Master’s in Social Work from Florida State University and is currently a Registered Clinical Social Work Intern in Florida, diligently working towards her LCSW certification.

Aubrey’s passion for supporting mothers and babies has always been at the heart of her work. Her previous roles include serving as a program specialist with the Early Learning Coalition of Indian River, Martin, and Okeechobee counties, and as a provider recruitment specialist with the Treasure Coast Early Steps Program. The premature birth of her son Otis in 2018 deepened her commitment to the Coalition’s mission, especially after experiencing firsthand the vital support provided by the organization during her journey through post-partum depression.

Aubrey is profoundly grateful to be part of an organization that offers essential services to mothers and babies, helping families thrive in the community she cherishes.

Meet our Director of Clinical Services, Anastasia Anderson. She joined healthy Start in April 2022, months after a traumatic loss of her daughter, Aria at 5 months’ gestation. Anastasia’s passion sprung from her early years in Ghana, where she grew up to witness high rate of infant mortality due to lack of maternal education. Anastasia has dedicated her life to public health, nursing and in health inequalities.

After her bachelors of science degrees in Community Health and in Nursing from Seton Hall University, Anastasia is currently completing her Master’s degree in Public Health.

Anastasia is joining Healthy Start with over five years’ clinical experience in ICU, Maternity, NICU and the ER from Princeton Hospital in New Jersey. After her move to Florida, Anastasia translated her experiences with a position at the Martin County Health Department as the Health Equity and Florida Healthy Babies coordinator. At the Health Department, Anastasia partnered with Healthy Start, House of Hope, Cleveland Clinic, WIC and Florida Community Health to support and educate women about the importance of early entry into prenatal care and breastfeeding with a focus in minority women.

Anastasia is married to Father Christian Anderson at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Stuart and they have two boys, Kwame and Kwaku. When not working, Anastasia enjoys spending time with her family, friends and traveling.

Angela Aulisio, Director Of Operations, joined the Martin County Healthy Start Coalition in September 2022 as the Manager of Strategic Impact. She is thrilled to be part of the team and is passionate about health equity and increasing access to care for everyone.

Angela is a native Floridian from Lakeland, FL and has an older brother and 2 younger sisters. In 2014 she moved to the Treasure Coast from Tucson to be closer to family. Angela comes to us from Cleveland Clinic Martin Health, where she was the Community Engagement Coordinator for the past 5 years. Her favorite part of that experience was advocating for and serving individuals in our community to create sustainable change.

She received her BS in Business Administration with a concentration in Hotel & Resort Management from Florida Southern College and her Masters in Nonprofit Management from the University of Central Florida.

She is the dog mom to 2 rescues, Koal and Paisley, that keep her on her toes. She enjoys the arts and is particularly fond of dance and aerial art, having attended a performing & visual arts high school. She enjoys traveling, being in nature, paddle boarding, and snorkeling.

She is deeply honored to be part of a team that works diligently to create meaningful impact and to ensure that families thrive.

For Latisha Thomas McLeod, Director of Program Impact, Healthy Start intersects her passion for education and maternal healthcare outcome improvement. She excitedly joined the Healthy Start family in August 2023 bringing 15+ years’ of experience in data collection & analysis, research, and program evaluation. Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, Latisha graduated from Fordham University with a bachelor's degree in social science. Prior to joining Healthy Start, Latisha was Associate Director of Organizational Learning & Analytics for New Leaders Inc., and Data Analyst for Broward County Public Schools. In NYC, she used her analytical support skills to improve performance, quality, and process improvement efforts in hospitals, nursing homes, ambulatory sites, and community-based healthcare organizations across New York, Maryland, and Florida.

Latisha understands firsthand the importance of mothers to receive high-quality prenatal care. Less than two weeks after joining Healthy Start, she was admitted to the hospital at 36 weeks 4 days gestation with HELLP syndrome – a life-threatening rare pregnancy complication that is only known to be reversed via c-section. Though her baby girl was delivered perfectly healthy, Latisha suffered several complications from the emergency c-section and was hospitalized for 38 days. During that time, Healthy Start provided her and her family with various support such as resources, tools, and guidance to get her back home.

Latisha and her family relocated to the Treasure Coast in 2017. She has been married to her high school sweetheart husband since 2010 and they have two beautiful daughters. When not doing the work to support and improve the health of mothers and babies, Latisha enjoys food indulgences, family movie nights, relaxation, and – when time rarely allows it – leisurely reading.

Jill Taylor, Community Engagement Manager, found her passion in maternal and infant health while completing her internship at Healthy Start. She earned her Bachelors of Science with Summa Cum Laude honors in Health Education with a specialization in Community Health Promotion from the University of Florida. She is also a Certified Health Education Specialist and is pursuing her Masters in Public Health from Florida International University. She feels passionate about advocating for the families of Martin County, and ensures that no matter a family’s income, each mom and baby gets the support they need.

Jill was born in Denver, Colorado, but spent her formative years in Houston, Texas. Surrounded by culture from around the world while growing up, she places an emphasis on treating everyone with respect and providing information in ways that feel right to them. Jill feels passionate about educating parents on the importance of raising healthy families and looks forward to creating strong bonds and connections within Martin County.

Jill is the proud mom of 4 rescue animals, 2 dogs and 2 cats. She and her husband love traveling and trying out restaurants around the Treasure Coast. She’s a CrossFit and nutrition enthusiast and she loves coaching club volleyball, competing in CrossFit fitness competitions, and spending time outdoors.

Sheena Thomas, Director of Finance, is the newest member with Martin County Healthy Start Coalition. She is proud Wife to Laquana Thomas and bonus mom to 3 young men. She is proud alumna of Bethune Cookman University, where she obtained her bachelor's in education and Strayer University where she earned her MBA in Finance. With a consistent thirst for knowledge, she is currently working on becoming a Certified Public Accountant.

She has a track record of servicing her community and partnering with other Non-Profit Organizations as a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. Being a musician since elementary school, she has a strong passion for music of all genres. In her downtime, she uses it to spend time with her family and enjoy watching both WNBA and NBA basketball. Her goal with joining MCHS is to provide the financial guidance, recording and reporting needed to help the organization continued efforts in supporting healthy births and babies.

Margo Keane, Doula Program Manager, is a Treasure Coast native and Lincoln Park Academy alumna who has dedicated her career to serving the people of her beloved community! From an early age, she knew she wanted to help pregnant people and after four years of assisting midwives in Tallahassee, Gainesville, and here on the Treasure Coast, she graduated from The Florida School of Traditional Midwifery. Margo moved back home and, as a Florida Licensed Midwife, she cared for birthing families across three counties and helped guide them through their childbearing journeys.

Margo is so excited to start a new chapter of birth work and joins the Martin County Healthy Start family as their Doula Program Manager and Lead Doula! She brings with her almost a decade of birth experience and the numerous wonderful opportunities to see firsthand the difference a doula can make!

She understands how important it is to feel supported and respected during the birthing process and dreams of a day when there is a doula available for every pregnant person who wants one. Her goal is to build a robust team of community-based doulas with the same passion and commitment to serve the pregnant people of Martin County and their families!

When not working, Margo enjoys spending time with her family and fur babies in her 1950's "Old Florida" style home in Fort Pierce. She's excited about all things nerdy and will definitely talk your ear off about board games and Harry Potter!

Roxi's journey to the Martin County Healthy Start Coalition in 2022, alongside the acquired Madison’s Miracles program, showcases her diverse expertise and unwavering dedication to supporting families. With an AAS degree in ornamental horticulture and floral design, as well as extensive experience in administrative support from her tenure at Dart Container Sales Corporation (Solo Cup), Roxi brings a wealth of skills to her role as Client Intake Specialist.

During her time at Dart, Roxi not only provided crucial support to the VP of Sales & Marketing and multiple national account managers but also played a pivotal role on the Dart Foundation Committee, allocating grant funds towards educational needs in Broward and Palm Beach Counties. Her commitment to community service and educational initiatives underscores her deep-rooted values and dedication to making a positive impact.
As a certified postpartum and birth doula, Roxi's passion for supporting families shines through. Her experiences serving families in Martin County, New York State, and New Jersey have equipped her with a unique blend of skills and insights, which she seamlessly integrates into her role at Healthy Start. By combining her love for infants with her organizational talents and creativity, Roxi brings a compassionate and holistic approach to her work.

Rooted in the Finger Lakes of western New York State, Roxi's upbringing instilled in her a profound appreciation for nature and family values, which continue to influence her work and personal life. Having raised her own children in South Florida and now enjoying the joys of grandmotherhood, Roxi is intimately familiar with the rewards and challenges of parenting, further enriching her ability to connect with the families served by Healthy Start.
Outside of work, Roxi finds joy in creating memories with her family, relaxing at the beach, and exploring new places. Her gratitude for life and her deep love for her role as a mom and grandma are palpable, reflecting her positive outlook and zest for living.

Roxi is thrilled to be part of a team dedicated to ensuring all babies have a healthy start. Her passion, expertise, and commitment make her an invaluable asset to the coalition and the families it serves.

Eric Seibenick, Fatherhood Program Manager at the David Cardno Father Child & Resource Center, joined the Healthy Start Team in February 2023. He is the youngest of 10 children and brings over 20 years of wisdom mentoring youth and adults.

Eric received a Bachelor’s degree from Bowling Green State University and followed his dream of moving to Hawaii where he started his own landscaping company serving the hotel industry. He accepted a lateral move directing programs for disadvantaged youth at Hawaii Job Corps, Marimed Foundation, and foster children with EPIC `Ohana Youth Circle Program. During this journey, he received his Master’s degree in Education from Chaminade University. He believes his greatest success is raising two resilient, now adult children, with his wife Phyllis.

The family bid Aloha to Hawaii, relocating to Florida where Eric served as a Child Protection Investigator for the Department of Child and Families. This led to developing the Father & Child Connection program with the Early Learning Coalition. A chance meeting with the Pastor of St. Bernadette took him on a trip to Israel and a new position of Family Faith Director at St. Bernadette.

2022 brought the good fortune of serving on the Fatherhood Advisory Board of David Cardno Father & Child program and returning to my passion of mentoring fathers. Building up families and fathers is my most rewarding life calling.

Eric has rescued and loved various dogs for the last 25 years. Currently, we’re down to one dog and now up to five cats. In his spare time, Eric enjoys gardening, remodeling, baking, and tinkering with things in his shop.

Michael Landrau, Fatherhood Educator joined Healthy Start March 2023. Michael grew up in a busy household as his Mother was single and cared for four children, Michael being the youngest, although he lost his place in 2002 when his sister was born. Michael understands the importance of an involved and reliable Dad.

Michael has worked with Youth and Families most of his career in different capacities including Church, Schools, Detention Centers, DCF, Workforce, Mental health, and through Soccer. Michael’s passion is seeing a healthy community and believes a healthy family is at the core.

Michael was born in Puerto Rico and moved to Florida in the summer of 2003. Michael is married to his High School sweetheart Leticia. Michael is a volunteer Youth Pastor at his church. He enjoys his free time with his wife, in church activities, sports, and occasional travel around the world.

With a diverse background spanning corporate training, psychology, and nonprofit management, Heidi Wilkerson brings a wealth of experience and passion to the realm of social services and community health. Beginning their career as an International Training Manager in the corporate sector, Heidi cultivated a keen understanding of organizational dynamics and global perspectives.

Driven by a commitment to understanding human behavior, Heidi pursued a degree in Psychology, delving deeper into the intricacies of mental health and social wellbeing. Transitioning to the nonprofit sector, they spent three impactful years providing essential mental health case management and maternal child health services, laying the foundation for their dedication to supporting vulnerable populations.

Elevating their role, Heidi assumed the position of Training and Quality Manager for a prominent funder, where they spearheaded comprehensive training initiatives. Certified as a Trainer for Healthy Start, Heidi played a pivotal role in enhancing the skills of field staff county-wide, ensuring the delivery of high-quality care to underserved communities. Their involvement in initiatives such as Medical Assisted Treatment collaboration for substance-abusing mothers underscored their commitment to holistic community health.
Recognizing the urgent need for addressing disparities in infant mortality rates, Heidi joined the Board for Black Infant Health Practice, advocating for minority populations and championing equitable healthcare practices. Engaging with a dedicated task force, they led efforts to bridge health inequities, advocating for unbiased treatment regardless of immigration or financial status.
Relocating to Port Saint Lucie, Heidi continued their mission as a social services counselor with the health department, collaborating with Martin County Healthy Start to expand their reach and impact.

Today, as the Home Visitation Program Manager, Heidi is steadfast in their goal to ensure that every baby is born healthy, nurturing healthy beginnings for both mothers and their children.
Heidi's multifaceted journey embodies a deep-seated commitment to social justice, community empowerment, and the holistic wellbeing of individuals and families. Through their leadership and dedication, they continue to drive positive change and advocate for a future where every child has the opportunity to thrive from the very start.

Karina Aguirre is a Florida native from Jupiter with an amazing and supportive family. At a young age Karina knew wanted to deliver babies, after doing tons of research she found midwifery and fell in love with home birth. Jumping straight into the birth world she started midwifery school at Heritage School of midwifery and started an apprenticeship with the incredible midwives at Abundant Life Birth CenterTreasure Coast. Karina stayed in the treasure coast area serving as a compassionate and dedicated midwife committed to providing personalized and holistic care to expectant mothers and their families. Karina has supported countless women through the journey of pregnancy, childbirth, and beyond. Known for her gentle demeanor and unwavering support, Karina creates a safe and nurturing environment where mothers feel empowered to make informed decisions about their care.

Now as a home visitor Karina is excited about switching roles serving the community in a different way with a deep understanding of the physiological and emotional aspects of childbirth, offering personalized guidance and support tailored to each woman's unique needs. While still committed to providing compassionate care that honors the sacred journey of bringing new life into the world.

Sellian Cruz, Intake Specialist, joined Martin County Healthy Start Coalition, Inc. in late June
2022. Being a South Florida native, Sellian is thrilled to find a new chapter of work servicing families on the Treasure Coast.

Being a servant and of service takes passion, dedication, and commitment, which are some of the values Sellian holds close. She is passionate about working with families of Martin County by assisting with their needs. She believes connecting families with resources is essential for building healthy families. Also, being a mother, she considers "community" vital when raising children. Being a part of the Healthy Start organization and seeing the heart it has for families is why she accepted to join the team.

Sellian is married and a mother of two. She truly loves spending quality time with her family, and some other "F" words that are important to her are faith, friends, and food. Lastly, creating new memories is what she loves to do best.

Sellian is excited about being part of Healthy Start’s impact on the community and ensuring that mommas and babies are afforded the opportunity of a healthy start.

Idalia joined Martin County Healthy Start Coalition after enrolling in one of its home visitation programs, Nurse Family Partnership. As a first-time expecting mother, she found the education and support from the program vital for a healthy and happy pregnancy. The guidance she receives from her nurse has prepared her for the most important stage in her life, motherhood. In a few weeks, she and her partner will welcome their son with the help of a Healthy Start doula.

Prior to Healthy Start, Idalia worked in the non-profit sector building community programs that foster economic and professional development. She brings over 15 years of experience working with diverse communities across the country. She received her Bachelor's degree in Cultural Anthropology and Mexican-American Studies from the University of California, Los Angeles and a Master's in Business Administration from Florida Atlantic University.
Born in a Zapotec community in Mexico, and raised in the multicultural metropolis of Los Angeles, Idalia learned to navigate in between different cultures, languages and practices. She believes in building healthy communities through access and equity to services. Idalia is looking forward to connecting expecting and new mothers to programs/services in the Treasure Coast community.

I was born and raised in Santiago-Chile. I am the youngest of three girls raised by a single mother. She was a teacher and my role model. I graduated from the University of Chile with a bachelor’s in fine arts. I met my husband in my country. He is from California and of Cuban descent. We fell in love, got married and we have two children. This year we will be married for 24 years. We love to travel and camp with our children. We love the beach and nature.

I moved to the USA in 2000. I struggled with the language, the culture, and the weather. I enrolled in ESOL classes and got my first job as a teacher's aide at an elementary school, then I became pregnant with my daughter. It was a difficult time because I did not have a good support system in place, the language was a barrier, I did not know what to expect and I felt alone. I dedicated the first year of my daughter's life to learning how to raise her. When she turned a year old, I started to work with Healthy Families as a Family Support Worker. I worked there for almost 14 years. I learned so many tools to work with my daughter and my clients. I was able to relate to their struggles as an immigrant, learning a new culture, and a new language, and not having an adequate support system. I fell in love with the programs that could help pregnant women and their children. It is not an easy job, but with the right support, you can thrive in motherhood and enjoy it. I wanted to get more tools to help my clients, so I decided to become a behavioral Health Case Manager. I am now a Florida board-certified behavioral health case manager. I have over 19 years’ experience and know the community and resources well.

When I was offered the opportunity to work in Healthy Start, I did not hesitate and now I have the privilege of being part of this wonderful program.

Greetings! My name is Claudia Worley and I come from Freetown, Sierra Leone, West Africa, where I spent my childhood. I completed my secondary and post-secondary education in Freetown, after which I attended and graduated from Nursing and Midwifery school at The School of Nursing in Sierra Leone. Because of my love of the profession, I furthered my nursing education in the United Kingdom (UK), with a degree course in public health and prescribing nurse.

In the UK, I worked with the elderly and also as an ENT nurse. Upon completion of the public health course, I worked as a Health Visitor visiting mom's during the prenatal and postpartum period, up until the child turns five.

We immigrated to the United States from the UK in 2001 because my husband’s job moved us to Stuart, Florida. During the past 15 years, I completed my IBCLC training and worked as a Lactation Consultant at the Department Of Health in Martin County. I've always worked collaboratively with Healthy Start and Cleveland Clinic to help promote health and wellness in the community with an emphasis on breastfeeding. We also plan World Breastfeeding Month yearly.

I am married to my childhood sweetheart, Cecil, and we have two adult children, a son and a daughter. Our son, Edwin got married last year, and he and his beautiful wife Caroline are expecting their first child. They live in Philadelphia. Our daughter, Amanda lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Over the past fifteen years, I have worked for the VNA as a home health career, counselor at the PACE Center for Girls, as a counselor at the Hibiscus Children’s Center, and in the Health Department as a Health Educator and Lactation consultant.

I developed a passion for public health , when I completed my field work during my Midwifery practicals. During the time spent with the mothers and babies, my passion for public health helped me make a difference in the lives of these mothers and babies which in turn was gratifying to me. This passion led me to pursue and complete a course in public health at East London University, thereafter making a huge impact in the lives of mothers and babies I worked with.

Having worked at WIC as a Lactation Consultant and Health Educator also allowed me to continue with my counseling skills and role as a Lactation consultant thereby helping mom's achieve their breastfeeding goals.

I have recently been accepted at the University of West Florida as a junior to complete a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Health. In my free time, I love to read, workout and do Zumba.

It is an honor to be part of the Healthy Start team which I have worked closely with in making a difference in the lives of families in Martin County.

Angie Borges has been a registered nurse serving the community since 2014. Her experience involves home health services as a medical home health registered nurse, years in the hospital setting including medical-surgical floor, step-down surgical floor and postpartum/labor and delivery unit. Since 2021, Angie has had the pleasure of working with low -income, high-risk families through Nurse Family Partnership. Through this wonderful program, she assists new mothers-to-be during pregnancy, and parents as they prepare to enter their new role as mom and dad. Once babies are born, she assists in assessing and promoting healthy child growth and development through assessment and educational support. Angie works with parents through infancy and toddlerhood, assisting parents in navigating the unknowns of this new chapter in their lives.

Serving an underprivileged community, working with teen pregnancy, low income-immigrant population and overall high risk cases and helping this client population achieve healthy outcomes is where her passion truly lies. Making a difference in such a vulnerable, special period of a new family’s life gives Angie a great sense of purpose. Going into a home as a stranger and eventually managing to touch their lives, one home and one family at a time, continues to be her ongoing motivation as a medical professional in our community.

Telindalee was fortunate to have a nurse-midwife who delivered her 3 children, and suggested she consider joining the Maternal Health field as a Childbirth Educator, which she did in 2001, and is still passionate about educating clients to this day. She first came to the role of supporting new families in their homes as they welcomed a new baby when she became a postpartum doula. Years later, after going to nursing school in Houston Texas, she was a birth assistant at a community birthing center. Later she moved to the Treasure Coast and spent time trying out other nursing avenues in the hospital including the ER and Med-Surg. While completing her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (through the University of Texas at Arlington) and attending a community health nursing class, she learned about Nurse-Family Partnership and joined the Treasure Coast NFP/Martin County Healthy Start team as a Nurse Home Visitor in 2018. “There is something amazing about supporting families on their journey into parenthood as I walk beside them from pregnancy until their child is 2 years old”. On her days off, she is always seeking for balance between being active and busy with her home, family (3 -now adult children and husband, Bryan) travel, social life, and having time for nature and stillness. “I feel so grateful to wake up every day in the Treasure Coast of Florida and get to serve our community and individual families through Nurse-Family Partnership”.