Rutgers School of Nursing Magazine - Summer 2026

inequities affecting many women and their families. I am incredibly proud to be spearheading this impactful work.” The Midwifery Education Project has supported professional development and compensation for midwife pre- ceptors, a state-of-the-art midwifery simulation center at Rutgers School of Nursing, and research on midwifery education, as well as providing more than $1 million in scholarships to mid- wifery students. A midwife for more than 25 years, Blumenfeld continues to practice at Capital Health in central New Jersey, where she provides care from pregnancy through childbirth and the postpartum period. She earned her doctor of nursing practice degree from Rutgers School of Nursing and is a proud alumna. Blumenfeld’s interest in midwifery began in Central and South Amer- ica, where she worked on commu- nity-based projects during and after college. The experience exposed her to the power of accessible, relation- ship-centered care and instilled a global perspective that continues to influence her work. “I met nurses and midwives who were doing amazing work, and I was really inspired,” she says. “I came home and went to nursing school with the intention of becoming a midwife.” As immediate past president and legislative chair of the New Jersey Affiliate of the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM), Blumenfeld encourages and empowers peers to help shape policy. That commitment was reflected in her presentation, “Midwifery Is Political: How Midwives Can and Should Engage,” at the 2026 ACNM Health Policy Summit in Wash- ington, D.C. “I would love to see a public mes- saging campaign about midwifery and the great work we do,” Blumenfeld says. “Inequities in maternal health continue in New Jersey and across the nation. While there is no one single solution, increased access to mid- wifery care is one way to move the needle and improve those outcomes.” Grateful for the opportunity to make a difference—and for the esteem of her patients, students, and col- leagues—Blumenfeld continues her collaborative work to improve mater- nal and reproductive health outcomes. As a champion for mothers and fami- lies, she remains focused on the work ahead. RN NURSING.RUTGERS.EDU 11