10/15/2026
Before there was a team of Certified Nurse Midwives at AFA, there was a vision, a little resistance, and two women determined to make it happen.
In 2009, at a time when there were no midwives practicing at Emerson Hospital, Sherri Perivolotis became AFA's first Certified Nurse Midwife, helping establish a new chapter in midwifery care at Emerson Health.
But her story began years before that.
Working as a labor and delivery nurse at Emerson Hospital, Sherri crossed paths with AFA's founder, Dr. Ingrid Balcomb. What began as a professional relationship would eventually help shape an entirely new chapter in our practice's history.
Sherri went on to pursue her master's degree in nurse-midwifery, taking the next step in a career dedicated to caring for women and their families.
But the road wasn't without its challenges.
At a time when introducing midwifery meant navigating resistance and uncertainty, Ingrid and Sherri believed in what they were building. They envisioned a model where physicians and midwives worked alongside one another, where women had more choices, and where compassionate, individualized care remained at the center of every decision.
Together, they laid the foundation for a program that would eventually grow into the team of Certified Nurse Midwives we know today. Their work also became part of a broader shift toward collaborative physician-midwife care, an approach that other practices would come to embrace in the years that followed.
Seventeen years later, that vision continues to shape the care we provide.
But perhaps the most remarkable part of Sherri's story isn't simply what she helped establish. It's the lives she's touched.
Today, we're honored to share a small piece of that story through the memories of Founder Dr. Ingrid Balcomb, a heartfelt testimonial from Heather, and messages of appreciation from a few of the staff members who have had the privilege of working alongside Sherri.
Because behind the history of a midwifery program is a woman whose kindness, knowledge, and dedication have left a lasting impression on so many.
Sherri, thank you for helping build something that continues to make a difference, for the countless moments of reassurance that women carry with them long after leaving our care, and for continuing to lead with the same passion that helped start it all.
Some legacies are written in history. Others live on in the people whose lives you've touched. Yours is in both.
And perhaps that's why stories like yours are so important to tell. Because when women have the courage to challenge what has always been done, they don't just change things for themselves. They help pave the way for generations of women to come, and for little girls who will one day grow up to make history of their own.
With love and appreciation,
Your AFA family. 💙
