We interviewed more than 60 people for a series about Medicaid reimbursement for doulas, but we couldn’t fit everything they shared with us in a few articles.

We created this site to publish additional information that doulas may find useful. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at info@doulaseriesfootnotes.com.

Our work is funded by the O’Brien Fellowship in Public Service Journalism at Marquette University in Milwaukee. The Lily, a publication of The Washington Post that elevates critical stories about women and gender, agreed to publish our series. To learn more about The Lily, you can subscribe to Lily Lines, a twice-weekly newsletter, and follow them on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.


Who’s behind this series

Ashley Nguyen is a journalist and a 2020-2021 fellow with the O’Brien Fellowship in Public Service Journalism program at Marquette University. Formerly a multiplatform editor at The Washington Post, Ashley helped launch The Lily in 2017. From 2012 to 2014, she was a Peace Corps volunteer in the Kyrgyz Republic. Ashley has a master’s degree in public health from the University of Washington and a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Temple University in Philadelphia, where she started her career as a reporter for Philly.com. You can occasionally find her on Twitter: @smashleynguyen


Rachel Ryan is a graduate student intern and program assistant for the O’Brien Fellowship in Public Service Journalism program at Marquette University. Previously, she worked as a marketing coordinator for the Experimental Aircraft Association. Rachel has a bachelor’s degree in communication from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh and is currently pursuing her master’s degree in digital communication strategies. In her free time, she writes, produces and sings her own original music and occasionally produces audio news pieces.


Sarah Lipo is a student intern for the O’Brien Fellowship in Public Service Journalism program at Marquette University. She will graduate in May 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and social welfare and justice, and a minor in political science. Previously, she has worked as an intern at Neighborhood News Service and the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation. In her free time, she enjoys long walks and finding new coffee shops.