I support women and families in every setting and under any circumstance. I offer unbiased, non-judgmental, and compassionate support to my clients and their families and find it a great honor to work as an advocate for women.
I was raised in Kalamazoo, Michigan. I am the eldest daughter in a big Irish Catholic family of nine children, which meant that postpartum support and infant care was my first real job. Thanks to my slightly unconventional upbringing, the sacred nature of pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period has resonated with me from a young age.
Before launching a career in birth work, I lived in New Mexico and was on track to become a sommelier (a certified wine expert). Wine is an incredible thing, but I found that studying and selling wine as a profession left me feeling unfulfilled. Around that time, I stumbled across an article that described the catastrophic maternal mortality rate in the United States. I was haunted by this: How is it possible that women living in one of the most advanced nations in the world are subject to such abuse and mistreatment during their pregnancies and births? Why has birth become so unnecessarily medicalized? How are postpartum mothers so neglected by our society? These questions stuck with me. As a feminist, I had always imagined that my career would involve fighting for women’s rights and it was then I knew exactly what I should focus on.
Shortly after, I moved to Virginia and began taking the steps needed to pursue my passion. Since then, I have completed certifications as a birth doula, postpartum doula, and placenta encapsulator. I am thrilled to have found a career that allows me to serve women and their families during one of the most intimate and powerful experiences of their lives.
It is my belief that women have the right to birth on their own terms no matter where or how they choose to give birth. I support women and families in every setting and under any circumstance. I offer unbiased, non-judgmental, and compassionate support to my clients and their families and find it a great honor to work as an advocate for women.
Foreign languages are a special interest of mine. I have studied both Spanish and French for over a decade. I am also learning Farsi, which is my husband’s native language. Learning foreign languages and living in other countries has given me the ability to connect with individuals in a more genuine way, as a student of their language and their culture. I am committed to using my knowledge of foreign languages and cultures in order to serve my clients and to ensure that all women, regardless of their place of birth or the language they speak, are treated with respect and dignity in their birthing place.
When I’m not working, I’m usually outside collecting herbs and exploring the Shenandoah Valley.
Women deserve the right to make their own choices regarding their bodies, their births, and their babies.