Meet our Doulas
Our team
Birth Doula
Leslie Griffith
Leslie (she/her) is a lawyer, writer, and parent: a combination that makes her a tireless advocate, a versatile communicator, and a well of empathy for birthing clients. She has loved geeking out about pregnancy and birth since her own kids arrived, and she has been passionate about reproductive justice since before that. She has experience supporting cesarean and vaginal births, VBACs, inductions, and birth after prior trauma or loss. Leslie is committed to providing sensitive, practical, and affirming support to people of all different backgrounds and family structures.
Birth Doula
Elyse Barrick, CD(DONA)
As a lover of both birth and nature, Elyse (she/her) brings a unique blend of empathy and expertise to her role as a birth doula. She loves providing evidence-based resources to help her clients make empowered decisions, while also providing a warm, compassionate presence through pregnancy, labor, birth, and beyond. Outside of birth work, Elyse enjoys exploring the outdoors, doing yoga, and spending time with her family on endless adventures both locally and around the world.
Elyse is a Certified Birth Doula through DONA International, has completed additional training as a volunteer doula with Birth Partners at UNC Medical Center, and is currently taking the Body Ready Method (BRM) Professional training to continue to expand her support for pregnant and birthing people. She has experience supporting a variety of births and families, including medicated and unmedicated births, vaginal, cesarean, induction, and vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC).
Birth Doula
Babette Stirland
Always fascinated with pregnancy and birth — and having had two very different births herself — Babette (she/her) found her passion in doula work. For Babette, holding space for birthing persons and their families during such a vulnerable and intimate life experience is an honor like no other. Babette came to doula work as a “third act” after a 10-year radio broadcasting career, followed by 30 years counseling international students and their host families.
Babette has trained with the Birth Partners Volunteer Doula Program at UNC Medical Center, DONA International, and Spinning Babies. She is currently taking Body Ready Method Professional training as way to grow and deepen her skill set. She has experience with prenatal and postpartum support as well as labor and delivery. She is experienced with unmedicated birth, induction, VBAC, twins, loss support and is operating room trained for cesarean support. Babette is a long-time mentor of doulas and has won both “Mentor of the Year” and “Doula of the Year” at UNC Birth Partners. She brings a deep sense of calm, wisdom, and years of experience to each birth.
When not attending births, Babette can be found practicing yoga, crafting, and gardening in Chatham County. She lives with her husband of 44 years and two naughty rescue terriers. Babette loves to travel, especially when it means visiting her adult kids and their spouses.
Birth Doula
Jess Cannon
Jess (she/her) has been passionate about doula care ever since receiving incredible doula support during her own pregnancies and births. Those experiences opened her eyes to how powerful and transformative birth can be, especially when you have the right support. Her goal is to help every client have the most empowered birth experience possible. Jess views doula work as not just a professional role, but MOST importantly a privilege to witness and support people through a profound human experience. She will listen to your goals and desires, join you in your moments of vulnerability, and remind you of your strength. She aims to not only support her birthing client, but also their partner and/or loved ones present for birth. She is the eldest of 3 and eternally identifies with that "big sister energy".
Through working with the UNC Birth Partners program, Jess has experience in unmedicated birth, induction, labor and birth with an epidural, VBAC, birth after loss, and cesarean birth with OR training at UNC Hospital. She is thrilled to start working with private clients and being able to provide more in-depth support throughout pregnancy and the birth process.
Jess lives in Chapel Hill with her husband and two young children. She loves camping in the mountains, growing her amateur skills in sewing, gardening, & baking, and has guilty pleasure for questionable reality TV.
Perinatal Health Coach
Kelly Turlington
Kelley brings a unique role to our collective as both a trained doula and a perinatal health coach. She has been supporting families since 2018, beginning as a volunteer with Birth Partners at UNC Medical Center. She completed birth and postpartum doula training with DONA International and has pursued advanced studies in women’s herbal medicine, fertility, and pregnancy wellness with teachers such as Aviva Romm, Lianne Moccia, and Camille Freeman.
While doulas provide essential support during pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period, Kelley’s work as a health coach extends the continuum of care. She partners with families to explore nutritional support, movement, stress management, and emotional well-being, helping families make small, sustainable changes that build confidence and resilience. Her coaching style is collaborative and client-led, with an emphasis on trust, connection, and consistent follow-up.
Families working with Kelley gain not only guidance around birth preparation and postpartum recovery, but also ongoing support in navigating lifestyle changes, managing common pregnancy discomforts, and accessing resources. As the collective’s health coach, she complements doula care by offering a broader, holistic approach that supports parents before, during, and after pregnancy—helping families feel grounded, informed, and cared for every step of the way.
Kelley is a holistic perinatal health practitioner, blending her work as a doula, health coach, herbalist, and educator to support families before, during, and after pregnancy
Back-up Birth Doula
Marie Jones
Marie (she/her) has been awed by birth and the strength of birthing people for as long as she can remember. In undergrad, she had the opportunity to intern with a midwifery team and saw the power of accompaniment and empathetic support during labor and birth and it stuck with her. In 2023, she became trained as a birth doula through UNC Birth Partners. For Marie, having the opportunity to support birthing people and their families through labor, birth, and the postpartum period is truly an honor. Marie is passionate about advocating for clients and understanding their unique needs and wants. She is committed to non-judgemental support, while making sure you have evidence based information to inform your decision making. Marie has experience with cesarean births, VBACs, twins, supporting loss, epidurals, unmedicated births, inductions of labor, and NICU stays. Marie loves going on walks around the beautiful Triangle and is always happy to meet for a walk.