Savanna’s mentors remark that she will “provide excellent and compassionate care for patients” and underscore her commitment to trauma-informed and equitable reproductive health care.

Savanna Smirnow is a dedicated nurse studying midwifery at U-M. Savanna has previously worked as a nursing supervisor caring for twins with cerebral palsy and a postpartum nurse at Hutzel Women’s Hospital in Detroit, where she became passionate about health education and supporting women of color in pregnancy. She is particularly passionate about providing education concerning pregnancy and women’s health to women with lower socioeconomic statuses, who often have additional risk factors outside of their control.

Savanna is currently earning her post-master’s Doctor of Nursing with a focus on respectful maternity care and health equity, along with a certificate in nursing education. With the support of CEW+ fellowship funds, Savanna has also gained global clinic experience as a midwife, traveling to the United Arab Emirates to learn from midwives and other providers at Kanad Hospital in Al Ainlearn. There, Savanna participated in the antepartum, intrapartum, and postpartum care of Arabic women and visited women socially in the villages to learn more about their culture and experiences. Going forward, Savanna hopes to use what she has learned about the Arabic culture and the Muslim religion to better support her patients in Michigan.

Savanna’s mentors remark that she will “provide excellent and compassionate care for patients” and underscore her commitment to trauma-informed and equitable reproductive health care. Savanna hopes to continue her career at Hutzel Women’s Hospital to “make even more of a difference as a provider and give women of color the pregnancy care that is more than deserved.” She is grateful to her family for their support as she works toward this mission.

CEW+ applauds Savanna’s commitment to providing excellent pregnancy care for women of color and names her a Simson Family Graduate Student Fellow.