Tickets available to the public Nov 24th!
〰️
Tickets available to the public Nov 24th! 〰️
The Doula Agency
Leaders Summit 2026
April 27-28, 2026 | VIP Day: April 29, 2026 | Atlanta, GA
Connect - Learn - Expand
Inviting all doula agency owners
Join this one-of-a-kind gathering where we come together to expand our businesses, foster meaningful connections, and lead our teams and communities with purpose and power.
Ready to rise as a leader, grow your agency, and make a lasting
impact in the communities you serve?
If you’re feeling called to:
Gather in-person with industry peers to discuss many aspects of the work we do.
Discuss common challenges & learn new solutions that result in growth.
Learn team building leadership skills that will help retain quality team members
Integrate revenue growing strategies and professional development to create a more thriving agency.
You’re in the right spot.
Pssst….Want to experience it before buying a ticket?
Watch and listen:
Kristin Revere, Gold Coast Doulas
“You are an awesome connector, Melissa!”
Kristen Lucas, South Austin, Tx, 2024 Best in Birth Winner
“I have never regretted a purchase I’ve made from Melissa Fernandez! She is an amazing teacher in so many ways, you don’t want to miss this!”
Summit Overview
The Doula Agency Leaders Summit isn’t your typical conference…
it’s an empowering gathering for visionaries, game-changers, and passionate agency owners ready to unlock their potential and inspire their teams.
Be ready to:
✅ Dive into hands-on learning that allows you to confidently support pregnant and postpartum clients with transformative results.
✅ Have collaborative conversations, mastering nuanced care techniques that foster deep, lasting change.
✅ Learn skills, see new perspectives that challenges and stretches you to step into the bold leader you envision, enhancing your overall confidence and professional success.
The Summit Experience
Details
Location: The Solarium, Decatur, GA—a beautiful and welcoming venue perfect for intimate networking and growth.
Date: April 27-28, 2025, with an exclusive VIP experience on April 29.
Purpose: Connect | Learn | Empower | Lead | Inspire
Not just another Summit...
This is the only annual in-person event designed
exclusively for doula agency owners.
with a focus on
✓Proven Lead Generation Tactics: Discover new client attraction strategies.
✓Effective Team Leadership: Learn techniques to build empowered, self-driven teams.
✓Streamlined Operations: Implement processes to simplify growth and daily operations.
✓Revenue Expansion: Maximize your profit streams and scale your services.
AND A UNIQUE structure
✓Showcase Your Expertise: Our collaborative conversations provide opportunities to share your wisdom and skills to your peers
✓Real-time Leadership Practice: Step into the Pod Leader role to build confidence and position yourself as an expert in your field amongst your peers!
ATTENDEE’S FAVORITE part?
You get to contribute to the conversation. At The Summit, we facilitate small-group discussions, aka ‘Pods’, bringing together peers in collaborative sessions and empowering everyone to share insights.
With our Pods, you’re not just attending—you’re helping shape the conversation, gain visibility, and connect deeply with peers in the industry.
Pod Discussions: Vision + Expertise
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Each Pod has a designated Leader, facilitating meaningful educatoin and discussions in a group setting. Topics include:
Team Leadership
Streamlined Systems & Processes for Agency Growth
Innovative Revenue Streams
Effective Client Communication
Designing Client-Centric Programs
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The Pod Leader will facilitate a discussion session of 45 min - 1hr.
They will offer education and prompts that foster growth.
This is where you get to grab the mic and speak amongst your peers! -
To showcase YOU & your wisdom/expertise.
We each have our specialities and experiences that make us leaders in our niche. Providing a space to amplify your voice and be positioned as a authority figure amongst your peers provides the opportunity to let your light shine.
This is the event where we truly get to see you.
What Summit Attendee’s are most excited about:
“Melissa's service is outstanding, she is always looking for innovative ways to serve her community. From her private podcast, digital products, programs and guidance are a complete support system for any maternity professional.
Don't hesitate to contact The Atlanta Postpartum Doula, as you'll always find amazing resources and a vision that will help get the best out of your strengths. Highly recommended!”
— Angie M., Google Review
An Annual event for us
As Agency Owners,
we’re craving connection.
With the unique and often challenging role we play, opportunities to connect meaningfully with peers have been few and far between.
Building our work largely in isolation or through brief online interactions, we’ve been missing the depth of in-person connection.
This Summit is our chance to come together
Not only to strengthen our bonds but, most importantly, to elevate our leadership and enhance birth, postpartum, and parenting outcomes within our communities.
The Summit Schedule
April 27-28 General Ticket | April 29 VIP Experience
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Monday, April 28
Day 1: Leading from the Inside Out
→ Focus: internal systems, operations, team leadership, culture, & contracts.
(You as the leader, how you run your house.)9:00 AM – Check-in + Mingle
9:30 PM – Welcome & Opening: Thriving in Leadership (Melissa)
10:00 AM Keynote Speaker - Anna Rodney
11:30 AM Workshop - Julia Riddle: SEO for Agency Owners
12:30 PM Lunch
1:15 PM – Pod Discussions Begin
1:15 - 1:55 PM Mentoring, Team Culture, & Onboarding (Hannah & Racheal)
2:00 - 2:40 PM Client Acquisition Strategies (Anna)
2:45 - 3:25 PM Retention Strategies for Longevity: Leading & Sustaining Your Team (Stacey)
3:30 PM – Break/Networking
3:45 - 4:45 PM: Building Strong Contracts & Policies (Ravae Sinclair)
5:00 PM – Closing & Reflections
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Tuesday, April 29
Day 2: Theme: Expanding with Vision & Impact
→ Focus: scaling, growth, money, PR, advocacy, legacy.
(You as the visionary, how your agency shows up in the world.)9:00 AM– Doors Open + Mingle
9:15 PM – Opening: Topic TBA (Melissa)
9:30 AM Panel: Leading at Different Scales: Small to large Team sizes → moderated by Melissa
10:45 AM Break
11:00 AM Workshop: Money, Wealth, and Expansion (TBA)
12:30 PM Lunch
1:15 PM – Pod Discussions Begin
1:15 - 1:55 PM Employee Model (Haley Parizo)
2:00 - 2:40 PM Advocacy & Cultural Competency in Agency Leadership (La Shondra)
2:45 - 3:25 PM Conflict Management (Kathryn Kenner)
3:30 PM – Break/Networking3:45 - 4:45 PM Workshop Host: PR & Visibility: Standing Out in a Crowded Market (Kristin Revere)
4:45 PM – Closing & Reflections
5:00 PM – Optional Social & Networking at nearby restaurant
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Wednesday, April 30 - VIP Day
Day 3: VIP Experience – The most transformative day you’ll experience all year.
A day for deep reflection, restoration, and transformation—an intimate space to integrate your Summit experience, explore deeper leadership themes, and align with your vision and legacy
Session schedule TBA9:30 AM -2 PM
Lodging is not included, but here’s guidance:
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1. The Wylie Hotel (Luxury)
An elegant boutique hotel with luxury accommodations and refined amenities, approximately 20 minutes by car from Decatur. Perfect for those seeking a high-end experience.2. Hampton Inn & Suites Atlanta Decatur/Emory (Mid-Range)
Located close to The Solarium, this modern hotel offers comfort and amenities near the venue.3. Super 8 by Wyndham Decatur/Downtown/Atlanta (Budget)
A simple but convenient stay about 15 minutes by car from The Solarium.Alternative Options
Consider browsing nearby Airbnb properties or local bed-and-breakfasts for a more personal stay. -
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is 25 minutes from The Solarium, with car rental options, rideshare (Uber, etc) and MARTA rail options.
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Within walking distance, explore Paolino Italian Restaurant for classic Italian dishes or unique dining or Universal Joint Decatur for a relaxed, American restaurant with burgers and great cocktails.
The area also features shops and cafes, while further out, you can enjoy Atlanta’s highlights like the Georgia Aquarium and the Atlanta Botanical Garden. -
A private Facebook group will help coordinate car rentals, housing splits, and other logistics with fellow attendees. Access immediately upon ticket purchase.
Let me know if you’d like more specific details on any of these!
Limited Tickets Available – Reserve Yours Now!
With just 75 tickets available, this event will sell out.
Don’t miss your chance to join a powerful network of like-minded leaders, gain new insights, and take your agency to new heights.
Meet the 2026 Summit Speakers
& Pod Leaders
Our selected Speakers and Pod Leaders will inspire, challenge, and equip you with the strategies to elevate your agency, refine your business structure, and unlock new levels of growth.
Meet Anna Rodney - 2026 Keynote Speaker
Anna Rodney is a nationally recognized mentor, doula agency owner, educator, and speaker dedicated to elevating the standard of perinatal support. As the founder of Chicago Family Doulas and Birth & Baby University, Anna has built the largest doula agencies in country, Supporting 1000's of families each year and mentoring her team of 320 doulas and 19 admin!
With over 14 years of experience training and mentoring doulas, she has guided thousands of professionals in developing the skills, confidence, and business strategies needed to thrive in this field. Anna is also a sought-after speaker, sharing her expertise at national conferences and community events, where she empowers both families and perinatal professionals with evidence-based knowledge and practical tools.
Through her teaching and mentorship, Anna continues to inspire a new generation of doulas while ensuring that families receive the highest level of care and support.
Anna will also be presenting on:
Meet Julia Riddle - Workshop Host
Owner & Lead Designer of Doula Design Co.
Julia Riddle is a former postpartum doula turned brand and web designer and the founder of Doula Design Co.
With over 200 custom brands and websites crafted for doulas and perinatal professionals, Julia blends deep industry insight with a signature 3-part approach: Sensory, Strategy, and SEO. The result? Beautiful, intuitive websites that capture attention, convert visitors, and call in aligned clients.
As a designer, marketing expert SEO strategist, she helps birth workers build magnetic brands that are not only visually powerful, but rooted in intention and built for sustainable business growth.
Clients trust her to bring clarity to what once felt cluttered, turning overwhelm into a brand that inspires connection, motivates action and strategically converts.
At Doula Design Co., Julia leads a team that speaks “birth business” fluently, offering creative support that feels like a conversation, not a transaction.
She’ll be leading the discussion on:
The CEO Shift: Leadership Energy Optimized (LEO), Contracts, and Protecting Your Birth Business
Meet Ravae Sinclair
Attorney, Agency Founder, Birth Worker Trainer, Credentialing Entity, Business Coach and more
Ravae Sinclair is a powerhouse in maternal health, business strategy, and birth work. As the CEO of Birth Connections, she leads a thriving multi-city boutique doula agency in Atlanta, North Dallas, Phoenix, and Washington D.C., providing birth and postpartum support, childbirth education, and lactation consulting. Birth Connections also serves as a business incubator for doulas, offering mentorship, coaching, and professional resources to help birth workers build sustainable careers.
She is the Deputy Director of the National Association to Advance Black Birth (NAABB), providing strategic leadership to advance Black maternal health, and the Lead Ambassador for the Atlanta Birth Center, strengthening community engagement and birth access.
Ravae is the founder of National Birth & Postpartum Professionals (NBPP), an association supporting birth workers with business tools, continuing education, and networking. With a background as a licensed attorney and former Public Defender, she brings a unique legal and policy perspective to maternal health and reproductive justice.
A sought-after speaker, mentor, and business strategist, Ravae specializes in financial sustainability for birth professionals, maternal health advocacy, and scaling birth businesses. She is a dynamic leader, creating impact in birth work and beyond.
Follow Ravae for insights on business, birth work, and maternal health leadership.
Panel: Leading at Different Scales (large teams):
Attendees will be able to differentiate the unique challenges faced when supporting a large team. Attendees will be able to understand how utilizing dynamic and creative systems can make managing a large team possible.
Attendees will be able to understand how the role of mentoring your team is critical as it supports their growth, prevents issues and allows for families to be better supported.
Client Acquisition Strategies:
Attendees will be able to identify unique ways to acquire clients Attendees will be able to understand how to best create and maintain relationships with providers and the community Attendees will be able to understand how to best create and maintain relationships with clients
Julia will be presenting on:
SEO for Doula Agency Owners:
3 Key Points Attendees will gain:
1. What SEO Actually Is (and Why It Matters for Doulas)
2. How to Attract Clients While You Sleep
3. Three SEO Must-Dos for Growth (Plus a Quick Guide to Google Search Console)
Meet Stacey R.
Stacey Ritter is the founder of Little Lilacs Birth Services and The Doula Collective, based in the Texas Hill Country. With a deep-rooted passion for supporting families and birth professionals, Stacey has dedicated her career to creating spaces of compassion, sustainability, and growth in the birth field.
Through Little Lilacs, Stacey has walked alongside countless families, offering guidance, care, and advocacy during some of life’s most transformative moments.
Her work expanded with The Doula Collective, where she mentors and equips doulas with the tools, resources, and community they need to thrive—not just in their practice, but in building sustainable, long-term careers.
Driven by faith, purpose, and a love for empowering others, Stacey’s mission is to change the narrative around birth work. She believes in equipping doulas to not only serve families well, but also to flourish themselves, ensuring the heart of birth work continues for generation
Stacey will be presenting on:
Panel: Leading at Different Scales (mid-size teams):
Attendees will learn how leadership and management practices evolve as you scale (what works when you’re leading a team of 2–3 doulas won’t be the same when you’re managing 10+ doulas)
Retention Strategies for Longevity: Leading & Sustaining Your Team;
Attendees will explore practical ways to build systems (scheduling, client onboarding, backups) that reduce burnout and make the work sustainable over years.
You’ll gain tools to foster longevity not just in business, but for yourself and your team (addressing boundaries, financial sustainability, and emotional resilience)
Meet Dr. Alexis Romeu
VIP Facilitator;
Details coming soon!
Meet Nichole Joy*
Nichole is a Podcaster, Author, Energy Healing Practitioner, Mentor, and Digital Course Creator.
She helps spiritual-minded, heart-centered entrepreneurs build their businesses EASILY and efficiently as F (nobody has time for overcomplicated perfectionism), with a strategy that works on their terms.
When she's not out here doula-ing entrepreneurs, you can usually find her having a kitchen dance party with her three kiddos (ages 11, 8 & 6).
Nichole may be a 2026 VIP Facilitator. TBA!
Your Summit Hosts:
Meet Melissa Fernandez
As a retired Cirque du Soleil acrobat, NCAA Hall of Fame athlete, Certified Postpartum Doula, and Level 3 Expansion Principle Practitioner, I’m on a mission to Revolutionize Postpartum care in America.
I lead the #1 postpartum agency in greater Atlanta and have built digital events and programs to bring my vision into reality.
Combining intuitive, values-based strategies with a focus on excellence, I craft informative, community driven spaces for families and birth workers to activate their most expansive version to come forward.
Meet Ashlee Kuchar
Certified Postpartum Doula &
APPD Postpartum Coordinator
A crucial contributor to the success of The APPD Agency and our most sought-after postpartum doula for clients, Ashlee is an invaluable player in our team.
As a a co-architect of APPD’s programs and a mastermind of our agency’s operations. Ashlee’s keen eye and efficiency keep us running smoothly.
She'll be ensuring the event goes smoothly, leading pod discussions as needed, and answering any questions you may have.
Meet Abby Haines
Certified Postpartum Doula &
APPD Admin Assistant
Another crucial contributor and doula, Abby is the heart of APPD’s administrative support.
She plays a vital role in lead generation, doula mentorship, community outreach, and fostering partnerships that enhance our agency's support network.
She'll also be ensuring the event goes smoothly, leading pod discussions as needed, and answering any questions you may have.
Frequently Asked Questions
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This is for you if...
You're the owner of and operating a legal, doula agency with a team of 2 to 250+
You’re an aspiring agency owner or just starting out (here’s a special bundle just for you—)
You want to add more depth to your current skill set as an agency owner
You want learn the latest industry standards and innovations
You want to meet other doula agency owners in person!
If you’re serious about building a sustainable, thriving agency, then yes—whether you’re brand new or running a team of 200+, you’ll get what you need.
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You bet! We have a mix of team sizes and all contribute to the growth of our industry. Be in the room to spearhead the charge with your expert wisdom.
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You don’t want to have an incredibly fun time hanging out and learning with doula agency owners from all over the world
You’re not open to collaborative conversations
You don’t want other agency owners to succeed in business
You feel competitive with other doula agency owners
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Yes!
We will record all sessions so you can still access the content shared at The Summit -
Due to the high demand and limited seats, tickets are non-refundable.
However, you may transfer your ticket to another person. Reach out to us if you need assistance.
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Yes!
We have a 6-month Mastermind for integration of content learned at The Summit, high-level trainings, and community connection with peers you met at The Summit.
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Lodging is not included, but we will have an exclusive Facebook group to connect with other attendees for room-sharing, Air bnb'ing, and carpooling.
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You get two tickets to attend, specifically for co-owners w/ a 10% discount to encourage both owners attending together!
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VIPs get access to an exclusive day on April 29, including a spa experience, a private catered lunch, a mastermind session, and more TBA!
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Yes!
Connect with agency owners, industry leaders, and our local supporters. -
Not sure yet! If you’d like that as an option, express your interest at:
melissa@theatlantappd.com
Choose your experience
Each ticket includes:
Full access to Day 1 & 2
Pre-Summit Call - Virtually connect w/ peers before the summit
NO Virtual Ticket for 2026: Includes LIVE feed of Day 1 & 2 presentations + discussions; Will be on a private Zoom call or Live Facebook video so you can actively participate in the conversation; Replays of the recordings will be sent to everyone who purchases any kind of ticket!
VIP Ticket: Keeping it a secret until November… 👀
Popular
General Admission
$347
Co-owners Pass
$625
Go together - save 10%
VIP Experience:
VIP Single Ticket
$597
only 12 10 LEFT
Co-Owners VIP
$1,075
5 left
Virtual
$297
VIP Ticket + 6-mon Mastermind
$3,579+
12 spots available
IN CASE YOU WERE CURIOUS.
What they are saying about working with Melissa
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What they are saying about working with Melissa •
Ready to join us for an unforgettable Summit?
Secure your spot and be part of a transformative experience with like-minded leaders dedicated to elevating ourselves and the doula industry.