Meet Your Midwives

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I'm the co-owner of MidValley Birthing Services and I'm so happy you have chosen to look into the option of using a midwife. I graduated from Knox College in 2007 with a Bachelor's Degree in Education. After the birth of my first son in 2010, I began apprenticing with a local midwife. I have been attending births as a primary midwife since 2011. After rigorous self study, and attending numerous classes and workshops, I received my Certified Professional Midwife credential from the North American Registry of Midwives, as well as my license from the State of Oregon as a Licensed Direct Entry Midwife in 2013. I completed the 90 hour education requirement and 1000 clinical hours required to sit for the IBCLC exam in 2016, and received my credential in 2017.

 I'm passionate about helping women meet their breastfeeding goals, and am happy to work with women regardless of where they gave birth. Providing midwifery care and prenatal education allows me to draw on my background in education. Giving families the most current research and evidence based information helps them make the best decisions for their families. I offer childbirth education classes, as well as placenta encapsulation. 

I regularly attend continuing education events, including Birth Emergency Skills Training workshops, Advanced Life Support in Obstetrics, Midwifery Today Conferences, regional midwifery conferences, and CPR and neonatal resuscitation training. I served on the Oregon Midwifery Council as the  MidValley regional representative from 2013-2020. I currently teach the Initial Legend Drugs and Devices course, required for midwives seeking licensure in Oregon. I have also presented on Anemia in Pregnancy, a MEAC accredited continuing education course for midwives across the country.

My husband and I have four children, all born at home. In my free time I love to read, sew, bake and spend time outside. 

I am a Certified Professional Midwife (and an Oregon Licensed Direct Entry Midwife), lifelong learner and homeschooling mom of five. Our five children were all born into the hands of midwives, the first in a hospital, the next two at freestanding birth centers, and the next two at home. My husband and I grew up in Baltimore, Maryland and briefly lived in Syracuse, New York, prior to settling in Oregon's MidValley. 

From 2001-2005, I worked as a WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counselor, teaching breastfeeding classes and helping moms one-on-one. Helping clients succeed with breastfeeding is important to me and I draw on this experience to help my clients to have better nursing experiences.Since 2010, I have been attending births and providing care, support, and education to women and their families. I attended the National Midwifery Institute, a 3-year midwifery distance learning program accredited by the U.S. Department of Education.  For my clinical training, I was able to apprentice at a freestanding birth center, birth clinic in Haiti, and a home birth midwifery practice. 

I started my own home birth practice in the spring of 2013, and merged with MidValley Birthing Services in 2016 and love it!I regularly attend continuing education events, including Birth Emergency Skills Training workshops, Advanced Life Support in Obstetrics, Midwifery Today Conferences, regional midwifery conferences, and CPR and neonatal resuscitation training. I am an active member of the Oregon Midwifery Council. 

When I'm not doing prenatal appointments, attending births, encapsulating a placenta (which is pretty relaxing), or doing postpartum care, my idea of fun is taking a class or workshop, playing a board game, reading a new book or discussing midwifery and women's health issues with friends (many of whom are fellow midwives and doulas). Around town, you'll see me at the farmer's market, the library or the grocery store (with a bunch of kids, it's hard to stay away).

 I graduated from Mercy In Action College of Midwifery in 2018, and became  a Certified Professional Midwife and was licensed in Oregon as a Direct Entry Midwife. My pathway to midwifery began in 2012 when I started babysitting for Liz, who was in midwifery school herself. One thing led to another, and after going with her to a Midwifery Today conference plus reading most of the books in her home library; I knew I had found my lifelong career that I would always feel passionate about. 

In 2014 I took a birth doula training, postpartum doula training, childbirth educator training, and placenta encapsulation training. By the end of the year, I began attending births as a doula and began my apprenticeship with Birth with Liz and MidValley Birthing Services in 2015. Throughout my clinical training I had the privilege to work with many midwives, both in home birth practices and birth centers.

I am currently working towards becoming a Certified Nurse Midwife(CNM). I’m in the nursing program at Chemeketa Community College, with the goal of continuing into a Nurse-Midwifery/Family Nurse Practitioner masters program. I felt drawn to continuing my education while I was apprenticing with MidValley Birthing Services, as I found that I felt really strongly about being able to offer things like antibiotics for a UTI in pregnancy or options for birth control for those wanting to space out their children. 

I have struggled with infertility and I am passionate about offering support and education on fertility to those who need it, and hope to incorporate that more into the practice once my scope of practice widens when I am a CNM.

I’ve been accruing animals over the years, someday I’ll have a small farm! When I’m not at work I’m often with the animals; maybe  feeding the chickens and ducks a watermelon, fighting for the keyboard with one of the cats, or out and about with a dog! In my free time I enjoy hiking, going to concerts, swimming, photography, reading, taking classes, visiting the coast, and spending as much time as I can outdoors!

I was raised in rural Southeast Alaska where I spent my summers working at a fishing lodge, hunting and hiking. My journey with midwifery began with a fascination for childbirth, a passion for relationship and connection, and the drive to bring empowerment and education to the birthing world.

My education began at the University of College Cork in their Bachelor of Midwifery program. In Ireland I gained experience working with women in the hospital, which tested my resolve for working in the midwifery world, because it was nothing like I pictured. However, I had several experiences learning how to advocate for women in that setting, and it became a testament to continue the work instead of leave. When COVID started everything halted, and I

moved home to be with my family while the world was unsure of everything.

At the beginning of 2021 I decided that my journey with midwifery was not over and I restarted my education with the National Midwifery Institute.

In the summer of 2021 I was accepted to participate in a preceptorship with MidValley Birthing Services and in September of 2021 I moved to Oregon. I passed my licensing exam in August of 2023, and began working with MidValley Birthing Services as a fully licensed midwife in September of 2023. Since being with this practice, I have been to quite a few home births, and find myself falling in love with midwifery more and more each day.

When I am not working with the birthing practice I enjoy getting outside with my dog and breathing in the fresh air at the top of a mountain where the view is priceless; I also enjoy throwing on a potter's wheel, long boat rides, horseback riding, reading and boardgames.