Crystal D. Charley is a nationally recognized advocate and movement leader with deep experience at the intersection of Black maternal health, housing justice, and civic engagement.

In addition to her work with NJBEFA, Crystal is the founder of Melanin and Maternal Wellness, a New Jersey-based organization focused on improving birth outcomes and decreasing health disparities in Black maternal and infant health by providing culturally congruent perinatal doula services, lactation support services, childbirth education, advocacy, and linkage to community-aligned resources that support maternal wellness. Crystal also serves as Second Vice President of the NAACP New Jersey State Conference, Chair of the Women in NAACP Committee, and as a Certified Shafia Monroe Consulting Full Circle Doula Birth Companion and Childbirth Educator.

Prior to joining NJBEFA, Crystal managed policy at Fair Share Housing Center, one of New Jersey’s leading housing justice organizations, advancing policies focused on equity, affordability, tenant protections, and dismantling systemic barriers to opportunity across the state.

Kérène Kabambi serves as Program Officer at the New Jersey Birth Equity Funders Alliance (NJBEFA), where she leads strategic grantmaking initiatives to advance birth justice and reduce maternal health disparities for Black, Indigenous, and Latine communities. She manages a diverse portfolio of grassroots organizations led by and serving people of color, oversees capacity-building programming, and facilitates community leadership initiatives — working closely with community leaders to ensure funding decisions reflect the needs and priorities of those most impacted by maternal health inequities.

Prior to joining the Alliance, Kérène managed a grant portfolio focused on trauma-informed and community-centered programs at a New Jersey-based foundation. There, she also led the foundation's biweekly newsletter, overseeing content creation, conducting subject matter expert interviews, and researching maternal-child health policy. She holds a bachelor's degree in sociology from Princeton University.

Joíní James is a health professional and dynamic Project Manager with a bachelor’s degree in public health from Montclair State University. Joíní specializes in maternal health, with a proven track record of leading projects to success and developing comprehensive health education curriculums.

They have spent over five years in the maternal health sector where their efforts are concentrated on building sustainable doula reimbursement models, championing community solutions for maternal equity, and leveraging technology to enhance health education. They are also the proud owner and founder of The Resting Garden serving NJ/NY, which was founded to support community solutions for Black maternal mortality through holistic health education.