When Professor Nataki Hill witnessed her first birth at just ten years old, she was captivated. “I’ve always loved birth,” she says. “And I’ve always been outspoken.”
That combination of curiosity, compassion, and courage would one day lead her to a calling she describes as divinely aligned: supporting mothers and families through one of life’s most powerful experiences.
Today, Professor Hill serves as an adjunct instructor for Germanna’s new doula training program, where she’s helping shape the next generation of birth professionals. But her journey to the classroom—and to the doula field itself—was anything but traditional.
“When I graduated from high school, I went to Tidewater Community College,” Professor Hill recalls, noting that she only enrolled to appease her parents. “Since my heart wasn’t in it, I didn’t finish. And then my childhood best friend asked me to go to medical assistant school with her, so I did that at Tidewater Tech.”
For years, Professor Hill worked as a medical assistant in a doctor’s office, a career she would hold for 15 years. Yet, deep down, she knew she was meant for something more hands-on and heart centered.
“After I matured a bit, I decided it was time to go to college for myself,” she says. She went back to Tidewater Community College, earning her associate degree in administrative assistance, then went on to complete a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies at Norfolk State University. Professor Hill later earned her MBA in human resource management with a concentration in organizational change from Strayer University.
Still, the pull toward healthcare remained.
In 2023, Professor Hill became state certified as a doula, dedicating herself fully to supporting women and families through pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. “I currently work in a midwife’s office, so I’m constantly surrounded by birth,” she says. “I teach mothers and families what to expect during pregnancy, labor and delivery, and postpartum.”
A commonly misunderstood profession, Professor Hill explains that doulas provide non-clinical emotional, physical, and educational support to birthing individuals and their families. “We’re there to advocate for the mom,” she says. “We offer prenatal visits, childbirth education, lactation support, comfort measures during labor, and connect families with resources like WIC, food assistance, car seats, breast bumps, and mental health support.”
Doulas often form lasting bonds with their clients, accompanying them through one of life’s most vulnerable—and transformative—chapters. Professor Hill recalls one client who had suffered multiple miscarriages before a successful pregnancy. “She’s now 32 weeks,” Professor Hill says, underscoring how doula care can support someone even before conception. “It’s always rewarding to have a healthy baby.”
Professor Hill also emphasizes that a doula’s work doesn’t end at delivery. “Most incidents and deaths occur postpartum,” she says, highlighting the importance of continued care after birth. “That’s why many doula services now include six postpartum visits—to ensure families are fully supported. Previously, insurance companies covered only four.”
In her classroom at Germanna, Professor Hill blends her real-world experience with hands-on teaching.
“When I’m teaching, I give my students practical skills. I bring them with me to births to shadow, so that when they’re in a hospital alone, they know what to do and how to react.”
Her goal is to ensure her students graduate not just prepared—but empowered.
Outside the classroom, Professor Hill is the founder and president of the Doula Association of Virginia, where she advocates for doulas’ access to hospitals and equitable treatment within healthcare systems. She also pushes for the profession’s continued evolution. “There’s a push for doulas to take on more clinical tasks, like taking blood pressure to help spot preeclampsia and other pregnancy complications early on,” she explains. “It’s all about increasing safety and expanding the kind of wraparound support families need.”
Professor Hill notes another significant trend: more nurses are seeking to become doulas. “Meshing the two disciplines will take innovation and collaboration,” she says. “We want to embrace growth in the field while ensuring we don’t lose our traditional doulas and the uniquely holistic support they provide.”
Despite the emotional intensity of her work, burnout isn’t something she fears. “What could burn others out fuels me,” Professor Hill says. “Seeing the disparities in maternal health, especially among women of color, keeps me going. It makes me want to fight for better care.”
And while Professor Hill wears many titles—doula, educator, advocate—her favorite one is grandmother. “My grandson is three,” she says proudly. “He is my heart.”
For Professor Hill, every birth represents more than just a new beginning—it’s a moment of connection, empowerment, and hope.