Shantay Davies-Balch

Editor’s note: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that Shantay R. Davies-Balch launched the Black Mamas Matter Alliance.

The Fresno-based Black Wellness and Prosperity Center (BWPC) announced Monday that its president and CEO, Shantay R. Davies-Balch, has been selected as a recipient of the 2025 James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award.

The award, which acknowledges Californians whose work displays exceptional leadership, innovation, effectiveness, inclusiveness, timing and leadership capacity, is presented by The James Irvine Foundation each year. Davies-Balch is one of seven individuals selected to receive the recognition this year.

In addition to the award, the James Irvine Foundation will also present the BWPC with a $350,000 grant to support its continued work in Black health, specifically in maternal care and birth equity.

Davies-Balch launched the first Black Maternal Health Week in Fresno, a national effort led by the Black Mamas Matter Alliance. She began planning for the BWPC in 2017, aiming to address the critical health disparities for Black women and families in the Central Valley, focusing efforts on improving outcomes in infant mortality, preterm birth and maternal mortality prevention, according to the James Irvine foundation.

“I am honored to receive the 2025 James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award. This recognition strengthens BLACK Wellness & Prosperity Center’s efforts to address health disparities, train doulas, and advance culturally competent care,” Davies-Balch said. “Together, we are improving maternal and infant health outcomes for women and families in Fresno and beyond, ensuring they receive the support and respect they deserve.”

Davies-Balch launched the Black Doula Network in 2021, expanding care among Black women. Since her work began, the number of Black doulas serving in Fresno County has more than tripled.

Other 2025 award recipients include honorees from the Central California Environmental Justice Network, Los Angeles County Library, Food Sovereignty Lab and Traditional Ecological Knowledges Institute, Annenberg Inclusion Initiative and Hispanas Organized for Political Equality.