Annie Amspoker Board Vice President amspoker23@gmail.com

Lani Doser See bio under "Our Leaders"

Emily Reed I have always had a deep passion for working with women and children. I spent most of my life caring for women, children and their families through being a nanny, working in foster care and girl's adolescent treatment homes and serving women abroad in Africa, India and the Fiji Islands. In doing this work, I came across individuals and families in devastating situations searching for hope and wholeness. I found myself seeking health and well-being for myself, friends and family and the world at large. My love for social work, caring for and serving people has ultimately led me to the healthcare field. In the last few years my fascination with birth has allowed me to discover the art of doula work, nursing and midwifery. I am currently working towards DONA certification, pursuing my degree in nursing and hope to eventually become a midwife. I view doula work as a vital role in caring for women in a holistic way. I see birth as an empowering, transforming and beautiful experience. I believe in creating space and offering support for women to have a positive, safe and enriching journey through their birth process. It is my desire to support women in achieving the birth experience they most desire and hope for.

Hannah Clark I have found the Doula path relatively recently. I studied anthropology here in Portland and have spent the past few years working in international education. I first became passionate about supporting women and their partners through labor while working as a Spanish/ English medical interpreter in the Labor and Delivery ward of a small hospital. I was deeply inspired by the mother's strength and instantly committed to finding ways to help and encourage for them through this magical experience. I received my Doula training from Birthingway College of Midwifery in 2008 and am in the process of getting my certification. I am honored to be part of such amazing community of Doulas giving women the nurturing support they deserve. I do not have children of my own but have spent many years as a nanny and nurturing people of all ages. I believe in the power of a woman's body and honor each woman's individual choices and experience surrounding birth. I am thrilled to have landed here in Oregon once again after spending the past five years traveling and working around the world. I am fluent in Spanish from years living in Latin America and I also practice Reiki, yoga and mediation. My goal for the future is becoming a nurse-midwife and supporting women through labor here and overseas.

Jennifer Wright Co-Board President Hello. My name is Jennifer Wright, and I am very excited to be a part of PDX Doulas. As a doula, I believe it is truly an honor to be present during birth, an intimate, life-changing and life-creating event. Each birth is different and I am very grateful for the opportunity to learn and grow through each one. I love to see how uniquely women approach labor and birth, each one with different goals, different strengths, different needs. My goal as a doula is to fully support mother and partner in every way I can. I respect and honor all birth choices. In the spirit of providing the best care possible to women and their families during pregnancy and childbirth, I aspire to be a nurse-midwife, and intend to go to school locally at OHSU. Background and training: I recently finished a Master of Public Health (MPH), specializing in Maternal and Child Health, from the University of California, Berkeley (Cal). My research and work focused on improving the reproductive health of high need populations. I have a B.A. in Psychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara. I completed my DONA training and first few births in the Bay Area. Additionally, I am fluent in Spanish, and have lived in various parts of Latin America.

Maggie Black I know that you must be approaching the birth of the newest member of your family with delight and joy. You may also feel a sense of vulnerability in anticipation of the birth process itself. My role as a doula is to provide physical comfort and emotional support through your labor, and to facilitate a caring, safe environment where you and your partner feel empowered and at ease through your journey. I strongly believe that this birth experience is yours to define. There are so many possibilities for how you can approach and move through this birth, and they are all legitimate in their own way. I aim not to shape your ideal, but to support you and your birth choices. Together, I hope we can achieve a birth experience that you find fulfilling. I spent the first eighteen years of my life moving to a new country every three years. As a result, I find satisfaction working with people from a wide variety of cultural backgrounds. Those experiences have also given me the confidence to navigate situations where the language spoken isn't necessarily English. I am conversant in French and Italian, and understand some Russian, Spanish, Polish, and Czech. I am also comfortable supporting births where we don't share a common spoken language. I received my doula training through Mother Tree Birth in Portland, and am presently working toward completing the requirements for DONA certification. I am a graduate of Vassar College, where I studied political science and women's studies, and I presently attend Portland State University, where I am taking courses toward my eventual goal of attending medical school. I'm a massage enthusiast, an amateur photographer, and a formidable Trivial Pursuit player.

Katie Simper As a Doula, I support women during pregnancy by providing information and support so that they (and their partners) can trust the process of childbirth and be confident in their ability to meet the challenges of labor. During labor I use a variety of techniques to provide emotional support and physical comfort to the laboring woman as well as to partners and other family members who are present. My job is to ensure that women have the knowledge and confidence they need to have a safe and healthy birth and to create an experience that is meaningful to them (and their partners/family). I feel comfortable supporting families in all situations from unmedicated birth to births involving interventions. I look forward to supporting women of all backgrounds and beliefs. I am very passionate about the birthing experience, and I fully believe that every woman deserves a beautiful birth. I have had three children of my own and know that having a baby can be a very powerful and moving experience. It is life changing and I hope to help women achieve their own birth wishes. I am currently working toward my certfication with DONA. I just finished a perinatal educator class so that I can teach childbirth education. I am also furthering my education to assist my clients by taking classes in VBAC support, breastfeeding support, labor support, and birth planning. In my spare time I enjoy reading, sewing, gardening, and cooking. I am also a volunteer with Operation Special Delivery which is a group that provides doula support to women whose husbands are in the military and unable to attend their birth.

Carla Martinez Hello. My name is Carla Martinez. It would be an honor to support you through your birth experienI ace. I am a DONA trained certifying doula with an additional course through Birthing From Within. I have an AA degree in early childhood development and extensive experience with children from teaching to nannying. I have 3 years of training in Western Herbalism and this study has assisted clients in using native and cultivated herbs for maintaining and/or aiding health. I believe our bodies are perfectly equipped to birth. I place no limitations on you and feel that every person brings a richness of experience with them that aids their decisionmaking. My role is to encourage mothers in finding their voice. I will assist you in advocating for yourself and upholding your birth wishes. I can meet with clients at home or at the hospital according to your wishes. I encourage you to call me with questions or concerns at any time. I will meet with you prenatally to discuss your birth desires and clarify my role. I work with a team of doulas to back me up and you can meet with them prior to your birth. PDX Doulas charges a $25 application fee and I need a minimum of $25 to attend your birth. (Scholarships available for special situations.) My services include at least one prenatal and postpartum visit and of course, attending your birth. I do not have a refund policy. I will provide character references upon request. I have assisted with four births. Two births were especially challenging as they were fetal demises and greatly expanded my abilities to doula women. The other two births (one medicated and one unmedicated) were rapid deliveries. I am kind,compassionate and flexible. I look forward to birthing with you.

Bonnie Simmering, CD(DONA) Board Secretary e-mail: bjsimmering@hotmail.com I am married and have 6 children and am a native Oregonian. My husband and I are enjoying grandchildren being added to our family. I love the green of the northwest with all of its outdoor recreation. I love horseback riding, hiking, scuba diving and volunteering with the teen program at our church. I love everything about pregnancy and birth and have great memories of each of my children's births. I have been providing Doula Services to Clients since June of 2002. I have been certified with DONA since December of 2003. I believe birth is a unique experience that has life long memories associated with it. I believe women benefit immensely and have better birth outcomes when supported during labor and delivery. As a Doula I have a great passion to help women have the best birth experience possible. Experience: I have professional and/or personal experience with premature birth, cesarean birth, VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean), support women with back labor, non medicated natural childbirth as well as women who have chosen an epidural. I can bring to your birth my experiences with relaxation, visualization, water therapy, birth ball, message, and aromatherapy. For more information about me, visit my website: www.renchildbirth.com

Erica Godell Birth is an amazingly powerful and sacred event. It is not only a profound experience for the mother, but also for the baby, partner, or family unit. Long before I became a mother myself, I felt it was my calling to serve woman and families during pregnancy, labor, and after the miracle of birth. Each and every birth is a unique, beautiful life event. I believe in respecting all aspects of birth. I support the mother in her innate birthing abilities, her voice, and her emotional and physical needs in a kind and compassionate manner. I am thrilled and honored to be part of this wonderful birthing community and look forward to being of service. I am currently working on my birth doula certification through D.O.N.A. I am an active member of The Nursing Mother's Counsel of Oregon and provide volunteer peer counseling to nursing mothers in our community. I look forward to your birth and helping create lasting memories.

Jane Ellen Birdsong I am a recent member of PDX doulas and am working on my certification. I have a passion for working with mother's and their families and strongly believe that every woman/couple should bring a child into this world feeling empowered by their birth experience. My focus is to provide support and encouragement to each mother and family as they flow through this process. It is a privilege to play this role in a birth. I recognize that it is the mothersand partner who will leave as parents to this child and it is their story to tell. With this belief, I work with respect for each parent's choices and will do my best to support you in advocating for your decisions and wishes. With the understanding that births are a natural process, I also understand that the experience can be overwhelming, confusing and new to many parents. A huge part of coming out of your childbirth feeling good about your experience is feeling informed about the many choices you make along the way. I will help you advocate for yourself by giving you space and encouragement to ask questions of your providers to feel confident in your decisions. I have a background in Women and Gender Studies and Anthropology from the University of Oregon. I have spent time researching childbirth practices in Latin America and have spent time traveling to areas where I have researched. I currently work as a social worker, and case manager for families in need of community support. I believe in the role of parents and family and understand many of the challenges that families face. I work to be a part of a community that supports parents to build health families. I look forward to working with you.

Jena Novotny Pregnancy and birth is a joyous time for a woman and a new family. Every birth is unique and as your doula I will be able to help prepare, support and guide you and your partner through this journey. I find it an honor to help a birthing woman have an incredibly fulfilling and joyful experience whatever circumstances may arise. It's a pleasure to watch a new life enter the world and to witness an everlasting moment. I am a new doula by trade but for many years have been focused on the wonders of birth and the amazing wisdom of a woman's body. I first became interested in birth when I lived in New York City and worked for a wonderful midwife who focused her practice on water birth. She helped open my eyes to the different methods of birth and I became intrigued with doulas and what they have to offer. I was sold on the idea of a woman surrounded by continuous support throughout her labor! I received my doula training in March 2008 through DONA International and I am currently working toward certification as a birth doula. I am thrilled to be a part of PDX Doulas and working with the health care professionals at Oregon Health Science University. I truly enjoy working with and learning from a variety of families, nurses and fellow doulas. When I 'm not working as a doula, I am a wife, a mother of a two-year-old little girl, and enjoy running and playing outdoors.

Kari Ferguson My interest in childbirth began to take shape during my years working for the front office of Women's Health Center of Oregon. Since first learning about doulas, I have attended the labor doula workshop at Birthingway College of Midwifery, a seminar at Mother Tree, and have been inspired and encouraged by other doulas to pursue my dream. My philosophy about childbirth is that no woman should labor alone. Every birth is different, unique and beautiful. Each birth I attend will teach me something new. I am available to join laboring women at the time they desire extra support, either at home or in the birth setting. You may call me at anytime with questions and concerns, both before and after birth. I have two wonderful partners who will either attend births with me or function as my back-up. You will have the opportunity to meet them during the interview and prenatal meetings, where we will discuss birth plans and the kind of support you wish to have during your birth. References will be provided upon request. Since I am in the process of certification, my fee will be the minimal $50 charged by all PDX doula trainees. I am most certainly open to considering other options for those women with extreme financial difficulty. It is with great anticipation and honor that I look forward to being a part of your birth experience.

Gabrielle Zaffiro I am excited to be a continuing member of PDX Doulas. A few years ago I became interested in childbirth and women's health when my good friend mentioned his adamant support of natural childbirth. At the time, it did not occur to me that unmedicated, home births could even be safe. Since then, I have spent a lot of time reading about and discussing birth options-and childbirth has become a huge passion of mine. What makes me most proud to be a member of PDX Doulas is this program showcases how powerful and sacred birth is, and I am so glad to be a member of a group that respects this. I have attended both ALACE (Association of Labor Assistants and Childbirth Educators) and DONA (Doulas of North America) labor Doula workshops, and am seeking certification through DONA. As well as working on my labor Doula certification, I am also working on my postpartum Doula certification through Birthingway College of Midwifery. It is my hope to someday become a Direct-Entry Midwife. For now, I feel truly blessed for this opportunity to assist laboring mothers.

Jenny Miller, CD (DONA), CMT Board President Hello Birthing Mamas, Papas, Partners and Families! I am Jenny Miller, a Certified Birth Doula with DONA (Doulas of North America) and a Certified Massage Therapist in the State of Montana. I believe pregnancy and birth are normal, healthy passages in life. Each birth is truly unique, exceptional and humbling, unlike any other, no matter how a babies enters the world. Every mother or couple deserves to be mothered, loved, empowered and cared for through this amazing journey. I have experience in home birth, medicated and un-medicated hospital birth, water birth and free standing birth centers, vaginal birth after cesarean, premature birth, adoption and teen birth, both planned and unexpected cesarean birth and recently non-English speaking birth. My background includes studying homebirth midwifery in Ashland at the International School of Traditional Midwifery and thereafter with the Ancient Art Midwifery Institute. I am currently attending Oregon Health and Science University for my BSN in Nursing to be followed by a graduate degree in Nurse Midwifery. Originally I am from Missoula, Montana were I was devoted to the birthing community. I have volunteered with the local hospitals, teen pregnancy centers, the Public Health System and was an active board member of the Missoula Birth Network. I am confident in a woman's innate ability to surrender to the birth process and let her instincts guide her towards a gentle delivery when given the best environment and support. My goal as a birth doula is to effectively support a mother and father or partner throughout labor and birth by providing information, respect, privacy, physical comfort and encouragement in a nurturing, loving way. By doing so, I hope to help a mother or couple have the most positive, rewarding and memorable birth experience possible. Birth Blessings, Jenny

Stephanie Fitting I believe in the wisdom of a woman's body to birth her baby the best way it can. I will support mama and partner with every choice they make. Birth is awe-inspiring, as is the amazing strength that flows through women. I am dedicated to providing physical and emotional support, information, and advocacy to laboring women and their partners. I am thrilled to be a part of PDX Doulas. I have a B.A. in Biology from Goucher College in Baltimore, Maryland. Now I am an aspiring nurse-midwife, and in my search for schools I discovered doulas. It was a new concept to me at the time, but I knew instantly that it was in my future. Here I am, a doula, eager to help you have a positive birth experience!

I changed career paths from being a pharmacist to a BS in Sociology/Women's Studies/Human Sexuality from the University of Oregon. I have supported women in many areas including Planned Parenthood as a clinic assistant and educator, an internship with Sexual Assault Support Services that included answering a crisis line from both home and office, and now childbirth. I have devoted my life to helping women have the birth of their choice and my future path includes midwifery My philosophy is for your birth choices to be honored. I encourage childbirth education including informed consent regarding all interventions. I assist women and their families in the realization of birth goals. I meet with you twice during the prenatal period. We develop a birth plan, answer any questions or fears and decide on how I can best serve you. I will meet you at either home or hospital/birth center according to your wishes. I will stay until the end of the birth and usually one to two hours postpartum. In the event I cannot attend your birth or the birth becomes long (more than 24hrs), I do work with a backup, Kelly Siebold. You may call me at any time with questions or concerns. I will meet with you at least once postpartum. Membership to other professional organizations: Birth Support Network, DONA and Lane County Birth Network. I have also taken photos/jennm.jpg" alt="" /> Jenn Misner, CD (DONA) My path to becoming a doula started in Pharmacy school and I supported my teen sistean intensive class in breastfeeding focusing on the first months and attended a Midwifery Today Conference in March, 2007 for 5 days.

Nicole Bendotoff With a background in organic farming, I have become quite intimate with the natural cycles of the earth. From this experience, my transition into work as a doula and eventually a midwife, feels very natural. I am very excited to be working with women as a doula and will be starting midwifery school at Birthingway College of Midwifery in March. As a doula I will provide continuous emotional, physical and educational support for women through their labor and birth process. This may include massage, positioning, encouragement, and gathering information. I can offer a calm and grounding presence and honor the type of birth a woman wants. I also provide support for partners through this experience and in no way take away their important role. I would be happy to share my knowledge and practice of yoga and massage with clients, and I have conversational Spanish skills. Nicole Bendotoff nicolealyce at gmail.com

Sarah Young My name is Sarah Young and I am so excited to have recently become involved with PDX Doulas. I believe that each and every birth is a unique and intimate experience. My goal is to support and encourage each mother and her family through the journey of birth. After sharing the birth experience with some close friends, and seeing the strength that women possess in this very special time, I realized that I really loved this environment and wanted to make a career out of giving emotional and physical support to mothers during their birth journey, no matter what path they may choose. Therefore after 14 years banking, I quickly made necessary changes so that I could share the birth experience with many more mothers. I completed my birth doula training through DONA in 2008 and am currently working towards my birth doula certification. My future goals include becoming certified as a postpartum doula, this will allow me to help each mother in the important weeks after giving birth as well. I was raised very close to the Hispanic community here in Oregon and find great satisfaction working with mothers whose first language is Spanish. I spend many hours a month volunteering in my community, much of which includes working with teens to help them cope with the trials that life feeds them each day. My husband of five years and I share seven nephews and nieces that we adore and love to spend time with. We also enjoy traveling, music and cycling around the beautiful city of Portland that we love to call home

Sarah Kuehl Hello Mamas and Families. My name is Sarah Frost. For as long as I can remember I have been drawn to women and the miracle of birth. I am currently working towards my doula certification. I have been trained in this field through the esteemed D.O.N.A. International and hope to continue on to become a postpartum doula. I am in school now working on prerequisites to attend midwifery school next year. In addition to being a certifying doula, I am a Certified Massage Therapist and would love to use my skills if that is something you are interested in. My philosophy towards birth is that every birth is very special and unique and deserves the utmost respect. I provide woman-centered care that assists in upholding the rights and desires of the birthing mother and her family. I have a deep faith in a woman's immense strength and capability to bring her baby into the world. Her body is made perfectly to do this job. My doula care consists of 2-3 prenatal visits to learn more about you and what you dream of for your birth. I will, if desired, help you develop a birth plan. I promise to respect any decisions that you make about your birth. I will provide continuous non-medical care for you during your labor and delivery. After your little one is born, I will meet with you postpartum to ensure that mamababy are doing well and that help with breastfeeding is attained. I work with a partner who will meet with you as well to ensure that you always have someone available for you. Birth is a wonderous, life-changing event and I hope to help in making it a positive and beautiful experience. I look forward to meeting with you to see if I am the right doula for you.

Liz Burbank My passion for birth began when I watched my mother give birth to my two younger brothers. I was amazed by her strength and beauty in those moments and a seed was planted in my heart. Now, 10 years later, as a DONA certified doula, I am still amazed by the mothers at every birth I attend. I believe in a woman's strength and her ability to birth. It is my goal, as a doula, to help create a safe, nurturing environment where a laboring woman feels informed, cared for, and supported in her decisions. If a partner is present, it is my pleasure to help create a safe environment where he or she can participate in the birth without the pressure of being the only labor partner around. In my relationship with mothers, I offer informational support, help with a birth plan and birth story, and continuous support through the entire labor and birth. Birth is a wonderful right-of-passage for women and it is my intention to help them pass through feeling empowered and enlightened by the experience. I am a recent transplant to Portland, having trained and practiced in Seattle until 2007 and I am thrilled to be a part of PDX Doulas. I look forward to serving women and their partners and families here in Portland for years to come.

Patricia (Trish) Woodbury Board Member Email: allforyoudoula@live.com My desire and role as a birth doula is to provide continuous comfort and reassurance while helping women discover the strength they possess during labor. I am passionate about each woman experiencing birth in her own very personal and unique way and helping her and her family through the wonderful birthing process. As a postpartum doula my intention is to help the whole family adjust to the early days after the new baby arrives. I have been a lay doula for over 25 years and have attended numerous births including, home and hospital, non-medicated and medicated, multiples, preterm and cesarean. I have worked alongside midwives, obstetricians and obstetric nurses After realizing how great the need is for support and nurturing of mothers and families during labor and postpartum, I decided to become a DONA certified doula and follow my passion as a full time birth and postpartum assistant. I am a transplant to the North West from Southern California and love the rain, green trees and waterfalls so prevalent here. I have had the privilege of giving birth to three seriously humorous children.

Stephanie Horace Hello. I am a DONA trained doula and currently work at OHSU in its perinatal center. I am surrounded by pregnancy and love it! I believe that being a fully informed birther decreases fear and tension during the labor process. I am seeking certification as both a birth doula (through DONA) and a childbirth educator (through ICEA). After reading the 'Baby Catcher' by P. Vincent, I was inspired to provide caring, calm birth support. As your doula, I will use my past Bachelor's degree from PSU in Community Health to enrich my new career aiding birthing women through childbirth education and birth doula care. I hope to birth with you soon.

Joan Bryant, CD (DONA), ICCE, CLE While working in corporate America and doing volunteer work with new mothers, I was introduced to the concept of a Doula. Although I'd not heard the term before, I knew instantly that was the path I would follow. My own experiences during the births of my two daughters in the 1970's, (one with support, one without), provide me with the real understanding of the value of labor support. After completing my DONA training in 1996, I began serving women in my community as a volunteer doula. Over the years, and 200+ births, my knowledge continues grow, and I continue to be awed by the power and strength of women. I continued my education and expanded my knowledge by becoming a Certified Childbirth Educator and Breastfeeding Educator. In the spring of 2006, I moved to Portland where I continue to teach childbirth preparation/breastfeeding classes, and provide labor support and postpartum care to families in this wonderful community. Joan Bryant, CD (DONA), ICCE, CLE

Kai Lantz When my older sister invited me to attend the birth of her second child, I was excited but unaware of what a life changing experience it would be for ME. It was the most beautiful, natural and spiritual process I had ever witnessed. I was in awe and feverishly began exploring my options for being a part of the birth process as my career. I explored midwifery and doula care and realized that being a doula was my calling. I wanted to support women through labor without needing to focus on clinical care. I am in the process of certifying through DONA International as a doula. I am also in the process of becoming a Lamaze certified childbirth educator.

Ada Lunoak Greetings! My name is Ada Lunoak, and I feel honored to be a member PDX Doulas. A Portland native, I was raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, where I completed my BA in Women's History at UC Berkeley. My background includes working in community health clinics, in education, and with families affected by childhood illness. I am passionate about supporting women and families through transformative events in their lives. I began my training as a doula through midwife Elizabeth Davis' Heart and Hands intensives. These intensives opened my life to the world of birth-work, and I knew that I had found my home. Other workshops quickly followed, including a postpartum doula training in San Francisco and a childbirth educator training at Birthingway College of Midwifery. I am now in the process of becoming a certified birth doula through DONA International. I am fascinated by the physiology of pregnancy and childbirth, and I am in love with the magic of birth - the birth of babies, of mothers, and of families. I believe that when we trust in the process of birth, we trust in ourselves, and we can experience phenomenal transformation and beauty. I feel deeply privileged to call myself a doula. I love being presentfor women and their families as they journey through pregnancy, childbirth and parenthood. It is an honor to witness this process, and to gently welcome new life into our world.

Rhea Taylor Board Treasurer Email: rhealistic11@yahoo.com Ask me for strength and I will lend not only my hand, but also my heart. -Unknown I am a new member to PDX Doulas, and am excited to attend the birth of your baby! I have a passion for the miracle of birth, and am awed by the inner strength that blossoms through women in labor. As strong and naturally capable as a laboring woman is, her efforts are focused, making support from others essential in helping create a safe and productive environment that accommodates her needs. Every birth is unique, as you are, and I support the path that you choose for you and your baby's birth experience. As your doula, I am dedicated to providing continuous support through the labor process, and to help create a welcoming space for the arrival of your baby. I received training through Mother Tree Birth Services in Portland, OR, and am currently completing requirements for certification through DONA International. A student at Portland State University, I aspire to contribute to the research and progress of Health Sciences. I am conversational in Spanish. In my free time I enjoy riding my bicycle, swimming, and going to the beach.

Elizabeth Morales, CD(DONA) Hello there! My name is Elizabeth, and I am so happy that you are interested in PDX Doulas. I am very excited to be a part of this special organization, and am looking forward to serving so many strong, beautiful pregnant mamas and families during one of the most sacred times in life: the birth of a new baby. The thought of giving birth can be somewhat overwhelming, and maybe even a little scary at times, for both pregnant moms and their partners. My goal as a doula is to be a source of support, encouragement, and comfort to families during this time, contributing to a positive, nurturing environment in the birth room. Every birth is unique and beautiful in it's own way, which is why I strive to attend each birth with an open mind and heart. I respect and honor all birth choices, always remaining focused on the individual goals of each woman I serve. Background and training: I have a B.A. in Sociology with a specialization in Social Work from Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana. I have been serving victims of domestic violence, homeless women and families, and at-risk youth in various capacities since 2004. During this time, I discovered that I am most passionate about serving pregnant women and new mothers, which led me to doula work, and my eventual goal of attending OHSU to become a nurse-midwife. In the fall of 2006, I attended a DONA Birth Doula training, became certified in early 2007, and began attending births in a variety of settings. I have had the privilege of attending births in homes, hospitals, and a free-standing birth center; furthermore, I have experience with medicated, unmedicated, and water births. I also had the honor of attending Heart & Hands Midwifery Intensives with Elizabeth Davis in the spring of 2007.

Priscilla Walker, CLD (Birthingway) Hi I'm Priscilla. I am a Certified Labor Doula. I received my training and certification with Birthingway College of Midwifery in Portland, Oregon. I continue to expand my knowledge of childbirth through their continuing education classes. My doula experience so far has taken me through medicated births, epidural births, induced births, high-risk births, a cesarean section and a post-partum experience where I spent time in the NICU with a mother and her sick infant. All of these have enriched my life and developed my skills and awareness of the need for doulas in childbirth. I am a volunteer doula with Operation Special Delivery (CAPPA/OSD). This is an organization, which pairs military mothers-to-be with trained doulas. I am also on the volunteer Guild of St Vincent Hospital. Personally, I have been married to Jeff for almost 29 years. I had 3 great birth experiences of my own, the memories of which are the great momentum behind my passion to be a doula! Brett, my firstborn, and his wife Kathleen are expecting a baby, our first grandchild. Amy, newly married, is an RN with an interest in Labor and Delivery! Rachel is my "baby" and off to college studying Sign Language Interpretation. My other "baby" is my Golden Lab, Dylan, and he is a Certified Therapy Dog. He and I visit oncology patients. I am now embarking on my new adventure as an "empty nester" after 25 1/2 years as a "stay-at-home" mom!! Prior to that I attended Oregon State University and I worked for 5 years as a Medical Assistant for an Internal Medicine/Pediatric Clinic in the Cedar Hills area of Portland. Doula is a Greek word meaning "woman's servant". I look forward with great joy to be able to serve the birthing women of Portland!

Shari Saldana See bio under "Our Leaders"

Susan Bejarano See bio under "Our Leaders"

Mandy Iraha My name is Mandy Iraha. I am a new doula but have spent my life helping others. Becoming a doula is simply a transition in my life's mission. Believing that a woman's body is perfectly designed to give birth and that she can do that best with constant companionship and support, it is my desire to be your helper. I would consider it an honor to be that soothing and nurturing presence for you and your family as you welcome your little one to the world. Since early in life I have had a desire to work with birthing moms. When I first read an article on doulas I knew that this was what I was meant to be. In 2006 I did my doula training at Seattle Midwifery School and attended my first birth in 2007. Currently I am working towards DONA Certification and am delighted to be with PDX Doulas. In my personal life I have been happily married to my husband of four years. We have 3 lovely cats who are my constant companions at home. In addition, I have passions for writing, cooking, church and music.

Erica Matteson CD(DONA) PCD(DONA) Erica Matteson is a postpartum doula through DONA. She is a former PDX Doulas volunteer. She is the founder of Renaissance Doulas in 2001, a group of independent doulas providing birth and postpartum doula support. She has been supporting women for 16 years in various roles. Currently she is a PDX Doulas Board Member overseeing our trainings and is becoming a doula trainer and childbirth educator. Her key responsibility is to oversee PDX Doulas trainings and evaluate them. For more information about Erica, visit her website: www.renchildbirth.com

Tami Canales, CD(DONA) Board President Email: laboroflovedoula@live.com It's my heart's desire to make a difference in women's lives. As a doula, I am honored to witness one of the most intimate and life changing experiences in a woman's life. I believe that each birth journey is unique and that in order for a woman to surrender to the instinctual nature of birth that she must feel safe and supported. Birth isn't something that just happens to us we are empowered by becoming conscious, active participants. Each woman needs to be encouraged and reassured in such a way that she is empowered and able to recognize her own strength. A woman always has a reason for her choices and I affirm her innate ability to know what she needs to do to take care of herself and her baby. I believe in being fully present and available in the moment to surround a birthing woman with loving acceptance free from judgment and expectations. As a mother of three (a singleton and one set of twins) and a grandmother of three I have had the opportunity to personally experience birth under a wide variety of circumstances: induction, epidural, high risk, natural multiple breech birth, emergency cesarean and birth in a nontraditional setting with hospital transport. I received my DONA International training in 2007 and was certified as a Birth Doula in 2008. I have also completed advanced training through a 6 month internship with Mother Tree Birth Services. Just as each birth is unique so is each doula. She uses her own individual style, skills, strengths and life experience to provide a nurturing space. I have an intuitive, calm nature which allows me to be a supportive, patient and calming presence for families. Whether or not this is your first child each birth is has its own course. I would be privileged to be part of your birth support team as you make this once in a lifetime journey. "There is a power that comes to women when they give birth. They don't ask for it, it simply invades them. Accumulates like clouds on the horizon and passes through, carrying the child with it." -Sheryl Feldman