What else?

I like to be busy! Enneagram 7 wing 6 here! Alongside my doula work, I am a medical professional. I spent 2 years studying medicine, the body, physiology and pharmacology at the CMR Institute. I achieved my MBA and I have 16 years of experience in healthcare pharmaceuticals and medical device consulting, training, and leadership. During this part of my career, I led teams consistently to top 10% national results and built long-term client relationships. I trained doctors and HCP’s on dissecting clinical trials and their statistical significance and relevancy. I even guided neurosurgeons through device implants.

Then, I became a mom myself!  After my own very short 6 week maternity leave at my Fortune 100 pharmaceutical company, I came back to work on a mission to change the experience I had to be better for the moms and birthers who would birth after me.  I designed, inspired, and successfully led a project to greatly improve parental leave policies and support- in fact more than doubling the leave time for all parents, guardians, and birthers.  

In 2017, I came home from my 4th trip to Africa after working in an orphanage in Uganda. My family had a new laptop waiting for me with a sticky note that said, “Write your book.” In 2018, I officially left the corporate world and founded Birth Story Media™ to provide multiple birth education resources to expecting parents and their loved ones.

In 2024, I opened Birth Story Boutique’s first location in Charlotte, NC.

The platform I was inspired to design is education through storytelling.

In addition to all of these serial career passions, I am a mom to two spirited, adventurous kids, Max and Jagger (my little CP warrior!). Whenever I have a break in doula clients, you can find my family and me vacationing in Montana and Florida.

I am a relentless activist for equality for all humans regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, age, and mental and physical abilities.

DISCLOSURES:

I BELIEVE THAT BLACK LIVES MATTER, INDIGENOUS LIVES MATTER, TRANS LIVES MATTER, PRONOUNS MATTER, AND THAT THE BODY IS DEEPLY POLITICAL. I ACKNOWLEDGE MY PRIVILEGES AS A WHITE, CIS-HETERO, ABLE BODIED WOMAN AND REMAIN COMMITTED TO LISTENING, REFLECTING AND EMBODYING THE WORK OF ANTIRACISM. I BELIEVE YOUR BODY DOES NOT NEED TO CHANGE IN SHAPE OR SIZE TO BECOME VALUABLE. I BELIEVE THAT YOGA, BREATHWORK, AND MOVEMENT HAVE THE CAPACITY TO HEAL AND CAN BE VITAL TO WELLNESS.

FIERCE ALLY FOR THE LGBTQIA+ COMMUNITY

WHILE NOVANT AND ATRIUM ARE LETTING IN BIRTH DOULAS; BIRTH DOULAS ARE CONSIDERED VISITORS AT ATRIUM. IF YOU ARE WITH ATRIUM PLEASE UNDERSTAND THEIR VISITOR POLICY BEFORE HIRING A DOULA, HERE IS THEIR POLICY.

NOVANT DOES NOT CONSIDER VENDOR CREDENTIALED BIRTH DOULAS VISITORS. SO, AT NOVANT A VENDOR BIRTH DOULA DOES NOT TAKE UP A VISITOR SPACE AND ARE WELCOME IN TRIAGE, THE PACU, AND THE OPERATING ROOM FOR CESAREANS.

AT ATRIUM, BIRTH DOULAS TAKE A VISITOR SPACE. IF YOU ARE WITH ATRIUM AND THEY CHANGE THEIR VISITOR POLICY BACK DOWN TO 1 VISITOR, YOU MAY HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN YOUR PARTNER AND YOUR BIRTH DOULA.

FOR THIS REASON, WE ALWAYS SUGGEST WORKING WITH NOVANT HEALTH, THE BIRTH CENTER, OR HAVING A HOMEBIRTH. 

I AM A CERTIFIED NOVANT BIRTH DOULA, BUT I IN NO WAY WORK FOR OR AM AFFILIATED WITH NOVANT. SOME OF THE DOULAS IN BIRTH STORY BOUTIQUE ARE VENDOR CREDENTIALED AND SOME CHOOSE NOT TO BE.

REFERRALS: IF YOU ARE SEEKING A LOW INTERVENTION BIRTH WE SUGGEST WORKING WITH THE FOLLOWING:

1. MIDWIVES AND OBGYNS AT PROVIDENCE OBGYN (THEY DELIVER AT NOVANT PRESBYTERIAN MAIN
2. MIDWIVES AT CARMEL OBGYN (THEY DELIVER AT NOVANT MATTHEWS)

3. MIDWIVES AT MINTVIEW OBGYN (THEY DELIVER AT NOVANT BALLANTYNE)

CESAREAN RATES FOR FIRST TIME BIRTHING PERSONS WITH A SINGLETON BABY IN A HEAD DOWN POSITION BY HOSPITAL:

Piedmont Medical - Declined to answer

2023-2024 Data

Lake Norman - 38.2%

Novant Presbyterian - 25.5%

Caromont 24.1%

Atrium Concord - 23.8%

Atrium Pineville - 23.3%

Novant Huntersville - 23.1%

Atrium Main - 22%

Novant Matthews - 22%

2022-2023 Data

Novant Presbyterian 21.4%
Novant Matthews 21.5%
Novant Huntersville 18.1%
Atrium Main 27%
Atrium University 26.3%
Atrium Pineville 23.9%
Lake Norman Regional 28.2%

DATA FROM RATINGS.LEAPFROGGROUP.ORG

NOW IMAGINE WHAT THE STATS ARE IF YOU THROW IN BREECH, HIGH RISK, AND MULTIPLES. 

MY BIRTH DOULA TEAM AND I  ATTEND BIRTHS IN CHARLOTTE, NC & SURROUNDING AREAS WITH SOME NOVANT AND ATRIUM LOCATIONS AS WELL AS HOMEBIRTHS AND THE BIRTH CENTER NATURAL BEGINNINGS. 

MY CESAREAN RATE REMAINS LESS THAN 10% & MY PROGRAM IS HOW EVERY BIRTH STORY BOUTIQUE DOULA IS TRAINED.