Nonprofit CEO/Executive Director of the Year: Kimberly Costello | Doula Foundation of Mid-America Inc.

Kimberly Costello’s three-decade dedication to improving maternal and child health was inspired by her own family.She says both parents experienced a difficult childhood and foray into parenting.

“Even though we had very limited resources ourselves, they served faithfully through our small rural church and school to support families facing poverty and hardship,” she says. “Honestly, most of my childhood memories include my parents and family helping someone in need.”

As a Missouri State University student, Costello was introduced to the world of nonprofit leadership through an internship at the United Way Ozarks Region.

“I immediately knew I’d found my calling to dedicate my life to supporting children and families in need,” she says.

Costello, CEO of the Doula Foundation of Mid-America Inc. since 2017, says the internship left her awestruck by how nonprofits collaborated on behalf of the community good.

“I am 1,000% a proponent of true intentional collaboration,” she says. “We do not have enough resources in our community to duplicate services or reinvent the wheel.
“We truly need to reach out to each other.”

Costello says she leads with gratitude and encouragement and looks for strengths in others. She has mentored and trained more than 75 interns, nonprofit professionals, emerging leaders and young executives who now serve in leadership roles.

She has taken a lead in numerous initiatives and works with a broad network of hospitals, health departments, educational institutions and community groups.

“If we work together, we create healthier families, which creates a healthier community,” she says.
Under her leadership, the foundation created an academy to train birth and postpartum doulas. She also serves as president of Missouri Doula Association.

She says despite feeling “honestly very humbled” by the honor, the value of her work is reflected in the lives that are changed.

“I’m OK with never receiving the credit for something if our community benefits and our families benefit,” she says.