Staff and Board of Directors
Meet the dedicated individuals who lead and inspire our work. Our staff and board of directors are the heart of CARES, bringing a diverse range of skills, experiences, and perspectives to our mission. Their unwavering commitment ensures we can continue to make a tangible difference in our community.
Staff
Jess Hanlin and Ali Batwin
Co-Founders and Co-Executive Directors
Jess (on left) and Ali (on right)—two passionate postpartum doulas who are dedicated to supporting families and increasing access to care in this special season of life!
Kristen Gelinas
Fundraising Director
JESS HANLIN
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Postpartum Doula
Jess began this work after becoming a mother herself, recognizing the importance of support around all aspects of postpartum care, especially maternal mental health. Her own experience with postpartum depression and anxiety after the birth of her daughter was a ground-shaking and deeply humbling experience. Having a drastically more grounded and supported postpartum experience after her son’s birth drew her back in the field, interweaving the roles of postpartum doula and therapist, leading to a beautiful marriage of nurturing postpartum care and mood support in the home setting. Jess is a CAPPA-trained postpartum doula, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, postnatal and restorative yoga instructor, having completed advanced training in Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders. When not working, Jess enjoys spending time with her two children, soaking in the fresh air in the mountains, and hanging with her sweet pup, Ivy.
ALI BATWIN
Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC), Postpartum Doula
Ali feels passionately that all families deserve support and strives to bring doula work to families in Colorado and beyond. She was inspired to work in maternal and infant health from a young age as she watched her mother create nutrition programs for moms and babies in developing countries. She is a CLC with the Academy of Lactation Policy and Practice, a CAPPA-trained postpartum doula, a yoga instructor and family chef. Prior to her career in maternal health, Ali worked in media and managed several small film and marketing firms. She’s particularly passionate about cooking and baking and continuously studies postpartum healing recipes from various traditions and cultures. Ali also loves leading new moms in restorative and yin yoga private classes to promote relaxation and awareness. Ali speaks conversational Spanish and Mandarin Chinese and loves working with families of all cultures. When not working, she’s traveling, camping, foraging for wild mushrooms, or baking with her partner and his two kids!
Kristen brings over fifteen years of experience, including a decade at NYC's acclaimed High Line, to help mission-driven organizations thrive. Her passion lies in guiding innovative young nonprofits as they establish and grow their fundraising efforts, and supporting established organizations through pivotal transitions. Her expertise ensures that organizations develop strong strategic plans and robust revenue streams, which are crucial for making a lasting impact. Kristen typically remains involved with organizations until they are ready to bring this work in-house, ensuring a smooth transition by onboarding new staff and building internal capacity.
Sara Collins
MPH Practicum Student, Research Assistant
Sara is currently pursuing her Master's Degree in Public Health from Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) with an anticipated completion date of Spring 2026. As part of that program, she is working with us part time in a variety of roles , primarily as our main research assistant and data coordinator for our NIH-funded IMPROVE research project. She also serves as the Senior Resource and Referral Specialist for PROSPER within the Colorado Center for Women's Behavioral Health at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. As a native Coloradan, she is passionate about the perinatal period, and in serving as the primary point of contact for Colorado providers, facilitating access to psychiatric consultations and connecting them with community-based treatment and recovery support services.
Board of Directors
Elizabeth “Babette” Greenwell
Dr. Elizabeth “Babette” Greenwell, ScD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Community and Behavioral Health at the Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, with over 25 years of experience in the field of Maternal and Child Health (MCH). Her deep commitment to health equity and serving vulnerable populations aligns perfectly with Sanctuary CARES' mission, and she brings a wealth of experience from her time as a clinician, educator, and researcher. With a proven track record in strategic planning, fiscal responsibility, and grant writing, she supports CARES in long-term visioning and vital funding opportunities. Her work with diverse communities, including Spanish-speaking, Native American, and frontier populations, also enhances Sanctuary CARES' community engagement and ensures culturally competent program delivery.
Emma Stapp
Emma is a birth and postpartum doula with the Sanctuary team. She was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest and started her career working at a community-based agency for deaf women and child survivors of domestic abuse. She attended the Birthingway College of Midwifery, earned a Remote Emergency Medical Technician certification, and has taught parenting classes. Emma has been with CARES from the very beginning and is a huge supporter of our work.
Kelly Evans
Kelly is a doula and maternal health advocate based in Boulder, CO. She has built her career in health tech, with a focus on data integrations and data strategy in the startup space. As a board member, she’s proud to support Sanctuary Cares’ mission to create more accessible perinatal care.
Naomi Lopez
Naomi is a Registered Nurse and birth and postpartum doula who grew up with indigenous medicine native to Latin America. As a native Spanish speaker, she is committed to helping Sanctuary CARES serve more Spanish-speaking families, enhancing the organization's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts. With her healthcare background and data science expertise, Naomi is eager to support Sanctuary CARES by improving its data management, visualization, and business intelligence.
Sarah Hubbard
Sarah is a realtor in Boulder, CO with Compass as well as a Brand Strategy consultant going on 20+ years. Her expertise spans marketing, branding, strategic communications, nonprofit fundraising and partnerships as well as real estate investment. She is a past client of Sanctuary, an avid supporter of maternal and fetal health awareness and proud to serve on the Sanctuary Cares board since the organizations inception.
