Sherieda Stewart

Sherieda Stewart is a doctorally prepared nurse practitioner (DNP) with nearly 20 years of experience. She currently serves as a Forensic Nurse Examiner. 

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Sherieda is passionate about quality healthcare, process improvement, and ensuring equitable, culturally sensitive care for all. This passion led her to provide care at community clinics in Los Angeles' Skid Row neighborhood and the San Fernando Valley.

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Driven by her commitment to serving the underserved, Sherieda co-founded Maternity Matters Education and Coaching, Inc. The organization provides advocacy and support to women during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. 

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In addition to her clinical work, Sherieda actively volunteers her time. She partners with LA County DCFS to provide holiday gifts to families in need. She also founded a marriage and family support group for African American couples.

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Sherieda lives with her husband and their four young children (ages 4 and under). Together they have also lovingly fostered over 12 additional children ranging from infants to age 6. 

As a mother, Sherieda finds the experience so joyful, exciting, yet nerve-wracking and a sleep stealer. She would happily do it all over again and again.

Her concerns over maternal mortality, especially among black women, led her to advocate strongly for her own care during pregnancy.  Armed with several research articles her conversation with her OB at her initial appointment started with her statement:

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“I’ve been waiting for a long time to be pregnant and have a child.  This should be a happy time. I should not be afraid to die during pregnancy or childbirth, but I find that I am scared and that’s not like me to be afraid of the unknown. Studies have shown black women are dying at an alarming rate during pregnancy and/or childbirth.  THAT WILL NOT BE ME.  I’d like to work together to make sure we have a healthy baby and healthy mama.  Can we do that?”

Her provider responded ‘Yes’.

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Sherieda is grateful for that response but knew if No had been the provider's response, she would have walked out and kept searching for the provider who could hear her and meet her where she was emotionally.

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Although her path into motherhood was not what she planned, she is still humbled and grateful for the journey because she has healthy babies and she is a healthy happy mama. Moreover,  she is committed to ensuring other women have advocates and support too.

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Sherieda’s passionate support for improving maternal health outcomes also stems from being a healthcare provider; knowing how to navigate the ins and outs of our very complex healthcare system; yet she fully understands that she still needed a dedicated advocate with her during her pregnancy, birth and even more so during the postpartum period.  The trials, challenges and disappointments that she endured are what compel her to be a strong support and advocate for the women who need it and may not know where to look or know that they deserve these services. 

When not working or caring for her family, Sherieda looks forward to taking big vacations with her littles.  She finds fulfillment in empowering women and reducing health disparities through her clinical work and Maternity Matters.