Dr. Stephanie Mitchell Expands Birth Rights Across Alabama

Townsend Nissan proudly presents the 2026 Black History Makers of Alabama, a celebration of excellence, impact, and legacy.

This special initiative is brought to you by Townsquare Media Tuscaloosa, 92.9 WTUG, Praise 93.3, 105.1 The Block, and The Tuscaloosa Thread, alongside our valued community partners, the Tuscaloosa Branch of the NAACP and the Tuscaloosa County–West Alabama Chapter of the NPHC, united in honoring the individuals who shape our community and inspire the next generation.

Stillman College proudly highlights the dedication of its aspiring journalists through this article, authored by Cai Jones, a passionate Journalism student. This piece stems from a collaboration between Townsquare Media Tuscaloosa and the Department of English, Journalism, and Media Communications, showcasing the skill and talent within its community.

2026 Black History Maker of Alabama - Dr. Stephanie Mitchell

Dr. Stephanie Mitchell, DNP, CNM, CPM, is a trailblazing midwife, scholar, and advocate whose work is reshaping maternal healthcare in Alabama. As the first midwife to open a freestanding birthing center in the state, she has challenged and navigated some of the strictest midwifery and birthing center laws in the United States to make expanded birth options a reality for families.

Mitchell is the Founder of Birth Sanctuary Gainesville (501c3), a midwifery-led birth center under development in Sumter County, Alabama. She also serves as a Certified Nurse Midwife at Indian Health Services Pine Ridge Hospital in Pine Ridge, South Dakota, and at WAWC (formerly West Alabama Women’s Center) in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

In 2022, she became the first Black Certified Professional Midwife licensed in Alabama, further expanding access to out-of-hospital birth options across the state. Her academic and clinical credentials reflect a deep commitment to excellence. Also, she earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice and Master of Science in Nursing from Frontier Nursing University. Her DNP capstone focused on establishing Intermittent Auscultation as the standard of care for low-risk individuals in labor. She is credited with developing and implementing the “Intermittent Auscultation Checklist” to help hospitals identify low-risk laboring patients. She also holds a BSN from Curry College and has served as a labor and delivery nurse and pediatric nurse throughout her 17-year nursing career.

Her publications include The First-Time Parent’s Childbirth Handbook: A Step-By-Step Guide for Building Your Birth Plan (Rockridge Press, 2021), peer-reviewed articles in the Journal of Midwifery & Women’s Health, and contributions to Advances in Family Practice Nursing. Her scholarship examines shared decision-making in birth settings, cannabis use in pregnancy, and the historical fragmentation of midwifery care in the United States. She also co-authored research on the history of midwifery education at Tuskegee, highlighting the legacy of Black midwives in the South.

In 2024, Dr. Mitchell was recognized with the “This is Alabama Women Who Shaped the State” award and serves as an active fellow with the Women’s Foundation of Alabama. Yet, beyond titles and accolades, she is a wife and mother of four who balances scholarship, advocacy, and family life with intention and humor.

Mitchell doesn’t see Black history as static but lived daily. “Black history, to me, is not confined to a month, a textbook, or a highlight reel of famous names. It is living, breathing, and carried forward through my work as a midwife and my daily experience as a Black mother raising Black children.”

Mitchell views her work as part of a generational lineage of Black midwives who served communities long before formal recognition or regulation. Her advocacy for autonomy, collaborative care, and equitable maternal outcomes reflects that ancestral memory in motion.

Ultimately, Mitchell embodies what it means to be a Black History Maker of Alabama. Through perseverance, scholarship, and community-centered care, she is honoring the past while actively shaping the future of maternal health in the state. Her work ensures that Black history is not only remembered, but it’s also continued.

Townsquare Media Tuscaloosa thanks Townsend Nissan for supporting our yearly Black History Makers of Alabama spotlight. Be sure to visit them at 2620 Skyland E Blvd, Tuscaloosa, AL 35405.

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