About Us

The Academy of Childbirth Educators and Doulas, Inc., ACED, is a community-based non-for-profit Doula Certification Program started by The Academy of Certified Birth Educators and Labor Support Professionals, ACBE. ACBE was founded in 1985 by Certified Childbirth Educators and Advanced Certified Doulas, Linda Herrick and Sally Riley.

Linda and Sally are dedicated to training and providing continuing education opportunities for birth doulas, childbirth educators, and healthcare professionals.  They have trained throughout the United States as well as Japan for both civilian and military doulas. They offer birth doula training and certification with an emphasis on community-based doula programs.

ACED’s current course offerings include Birth Doula Workshops, breastfeeding education, TENS In Labor and Birth workshops, CEU’s towards childbirth educator certification, and Perinatal Community Health Worker workshops.

Our Directors

Linda Herrick

RN, BSN, CCE, CBE, AdvCD/BDT(DONA)

Linda Herrick is an obstetrical and neonatal nurse as well as a community outreach educator and internationally recognized speaker.  She has over 40 years of experience in prenatal education, including program and curriculum development. Linda is a certified childbirth educator, certified breastfeeding educator, advanced certified birth doula through DONA International. She has been involved with DONA International since its inception in 1992 and co-founded ACBE with Sally Riley in 1985. Linda is also the founder of the Military Birth Resource Network and co-founder of Doulas of Greater Kansas City.

Sally Riley

BS EDU & PSY, CCE, CBE, AdvCD/BDT(DONA)

Sally Riley co-founded ACBE with Linda Herrick in 1985 and has over 40 years of experience as a certified childbirth educator, certified breastfeeding educator, and practicing birth doula.  She is an advanced certified birth doula through DONA International and presents numerous seminars annually throughout the United States. Sally teaches childbirth classes in the Kansas City area and co-founded Doulas of Greater Kansas City. She is passionate about mental health awareness and birth equity, and served as the president of the Pregnancy and Postpartum Resource Center in Kansas City. Sally serves on the board of the Fetal Infant Mortality Review (FIMR).