Biography

Dr.Polito began her nursing career in 1984 and obtained an MSN from Case Western Reserve University. She is a graduate of CNEP class 15 and obtained a DNP in Clinical Leadership from the University of Kentucky. Being committed to innovation and excellence in evidence-based practice spanning all populations and communities, she has served a variety of populations during her midwifery career, including rural, private practices, and an urban academic setting. Dr. Polito is dedicated to making more midwives and is currently course faculty and Clinical Bound Team Leader at Frontier Nursing University after transitioning out of clinical practice as Director of the University of Kentucky Midwife Clinic. While there, she established a successful group prenatal care program for women in recovery from substance use during pregnancy. Dr. Polito holds multiple advocacy and leadership positions in the region. She has served in the Kentucky Board of Nursing’s Certified Professional Midwife Advisory Council and is currently the Vice President of the Kentucky Affiliate of ACNM after serving two terms as Treasurer. Dr. Polito built and manages the affiliate’s website. She is also Kentucky’s Team Leader for the Institute for Medicaid Innovation’s Midwifery Learning Collaborative, a 3-year initiative to promote and improve state-wide midwifery practice. Dr. Polito is the Nurse-Midwife Representative to the Board of Directors of the Kentucky Association of Nurse Practitioners and Nurse Midwives and represents the Kentucky Nurses Association on the Kentucky Medicaid Nursing Services TAC. Dr. Polito strongly believes in the birth center model of midwifery care for healthy, low-risk families and is active politically in Kentucky to advocate for removing barriers to their development. She is an ongoing activist for midwifery and advanced practice nursing in Kentucky and advocates for reimbursement equality. Being actively engaged in the political arena, Dr. Polito understands the importance of a nursing and midwifery presence in policy and legislative endeavors. Dr. Polito and her husband, Rob, own HomeWell Care Services in Lexington and Louisville, Kentucky, Columbus, Indiana, and Melbourne, Florida, providing in-home, basic companion care. They developed their company to marry their two unique backgrounds in healthcare and the business of long-term care. They are parents of five children who are all grown and leading successful lives of their own.