About Lesley,
The main job of any OBGYN or Midwife is to ensure the health of mothers and babies, but birth in the United States is still a business. Lesley Rathbun has spent the last 30 years advocating for women’s health while becoming a well-known figure in the fields of birth center entrepreneurship and legislation in the United States.
As a Certified Nurse Midwife, Family Nurse Practitioner, and Fellow of the American College of Nurse-Midwives, she has dedicated her career to expanding access, elevating standards, and shaping the future of maternal health.
In 2007, Lesley founded Charleston Birth Place, the first and only freestanding birth center in Charleston, South Carolina. Under her leadership, the center became CABC-accredited from its inception, providing full-scope midwifery care and employing a team of nurse-midwives who continue to serve families in the region.
Her influence extends far beyond Charleston. From 2011 to 2017, Lesley served as President of the American Association of Birth Centers (AABC), presiding over national conferences, guiding policy discussions, and testifying on behalf of midwives and birth centers in legislative hearings. Her voice has helped shape regulations and improve access for military families and consumers across the nation.
Lesley’s career reflects a blend of hands-on clinical practice, academic teaching, and national advocacy. She has served as a preceptor for midwifery students and family medicine residents, trained nursing students in simulation and maternity care at Case Western Reserve University, and contributed to numerous publications, including research on physiologic labor, hydrotherapy, and birth outcomes.
Her contributions have been recognized widely, including honors such as Charlie Magazine’s 50 Most Progressive People, the Center for Women’s Brave Women Award, and being named one of the Post & Courier’s 20 to Know Change Makers. In addition, she is a Notable Alumni of Case Western Reserve University’s MSN program, where she earned dual certification as a Family Nurse Practitioner and Certified Nurse Midwife with a 4.0 GPA.
Throughout her career, Lesley has been a steadfast advocate for advancing midwifery care, serving on multiple state and national committees, from the CDC/ACOG Maternal Mortality Committee to the South Carolina Maternal Morbidity and Mortality Review Committee. Her ability to build coalitions — uniting physicians, midwives, legislators, and consumer groups — has left a lasting impact on policy and practice.
Today, Lesley continues her work as a consultant, educator, and advocate, drawing on decades of experience to help midwives, practices, and birth centers achieve sustainable success. Her career reflects not only technical expertise and leadership, but also a passionate commitment to ensuring that every family has access to safe, collaborative, and compassionate care.
See Lesley Rathbun’s CV
