From our leadership

We honor Dr. Shalon by building what should have been there for her: culturally safe care that listens, believes, and acts so every Black woman’s birth is treated as sacred.

The SHALON Method™ is our overarching framework. It connects every initiative and turns values into daily practice. Through SHALON Blueprint™ training, CommuniTEA 4 Change™, and Grandmothers Rallying Against Maternal Mortality Sisterhood, we help teams and communities see the person, respond with dignity, and follow through.

Join us to bring this work to your city, clinic, and faith community so safe and joyful birth becomes the norm.

Four Pillars

  • Storytelling: Real narratives that humanize data, build empathy, and drive accountability.

  • Empowerment: Rights‑based guidance, practical tools, and peer support for Black women before, during, and after birth.

  • Community Building: Healing‑centered spaces and warm pathways to care through programs like Grandmothers Rallying Against Maternal Mortality Sisterhood and CommuniTEA 4 Change™.

  • Education: The SHALON Method™ and SHALON Blueprint™ training translate respect into everyday practice and confront a range of biases — racial, gender, language and immigration, weight, disability, and LGBTQ+ related — replacing them with shared language, practical skills, and timely action.

Our founders

Wanda Irving, MPA

Co-Founder

President of the Board of Directors’

Chief Operating Officer

Forever Mom to Dr. Shalon

Wanda Irving is a nationally recognized voice for maternal justice and the co-founder, CEO, and Board Chair of Dr. Shalon’s Maternal Action Project (DSMAP).

After the preventable postpartum death of her daughter, CDC epidemiologist Dr. Shalon Irving, Wanda turned grief into a movement—building programs that listen to Black women, confront harmful blind spots in care, and turn respect into daily practice.

Wanda leads the SHALON Method™ and its SHALON Blueprint™ training, the CommuniTEA 4 Change™ convenings, and Grandmothers Rallying Against Maternal Mortality Sisterhood, while mobilizing partners across health systems, faith communities, and policy.

A seasoned nonprofit leader and strategist, Wanda has secured millions in resources for mission-driven organizations and has been featured by TEDMED, NPR, MSNBC, Good Morning America, and Health Affairs. Today, she speaks with love and urgency—so every Black woman is seen, heard, and safe, and every family can welcome new life with dignity.

Bianca Pryor, MS

Co-Founder

Board of Directors

Bianca Pryor’s lifelong fight for equity and inclusion became a mission of purpose in 2017, when she lost her best friend, Dr. Shalon Irving, after the birth of her daughter, Soleil. As Co-Founder of DSMAP alongside Wanda Irving, Bianca helped transform a heartfelt vision into a national nonprofit dedicated to maternal justice.

She spearheaded early strategy, launched DSMAP’s digital presence, secured seed funding, and deepened key relationships. She played a pivotal role in operationalizing the organization, guiding board development, leading research initiatives, and planning major events.

With a background in marketing and consumer behavior, Bianca blends strategic insight with storytelling, driving awareness, movement-building, and systemic change. She is also the visionary behind the Believe Her peer-support app.

A proud mother, Richmond native, and relentless advocate, Bianca brings love, clarity, and urgency to every conversation—ensuring the systems that failed her friend now protect Black women with dignity, respect, and safety