Birthways Consulting, LLC, is registered in the State of Michigan and offers expertise for numerous agencies, including public, private and government. My focus is maternal and child healthcare and advocacy projects, community-based programs, and tribal health. I am skilled in facilitation, conducting group processes, particularly strategic planning, consortia development, focus groups, and staff training using culturally competent models. I am a skilled trainer and project coordinator. I have experience in conducting qualitative research, developing data collection tools, data management and analysis, and research dissemination. I have extensive expertise in public speaking and professional writing, including grant applications, position papers, and organizational policies. My consulting work is informed by over 4 decades of providing healthcare services at the community level.

The Healthy Native Babies Project is collaboration between the Healthy Native Babies Project Workgroup and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), National Institutes of Health (NIH).I am an original member of the Workgroup and the Expert Consultant for the Bemidji Area- Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin- designated by the Indian Health Service. As a key consultant, curriculum designer, and trainer for the NIH project I have expertise in public education and training, community building, resource development, grant writing, and multidisciplinary collaboration with healthcare providers, community stakeholders, service organizations, and the federal government. I am a relentless advocate for policy change in healthcare towards humanization of systems, social justice, reduction of health disparities, and increased equitable access to care, services and facilities for all.

The Midwives Alliance of North America (MANA) is a professional midwifery association uniquely positioned to unite and strengthen all midwives through dedication to innovative education, professional development, and recognized autonomous practice. MANA is committed to enabling transformative research, promoting an evidence-based Midwifery Model of Care, addressing health disparities, and achieving optimal outcomes through normal physiologic birth and healthcare across the lifespan.As the former Executive Director I maximized the efficiency of MANA’s activities and resources by providing management and leadership in planning, organizing, coordinating and implementing programs and policies. I worked cooperatively with the Board of Directors to establish and implement organizational goals and priorities. I ensured that the Board was kept up-to-date on the organization as well as external partners, opportunities/challenges in the profession. I worked with the Treasurer and Finance Team to manage organizational resources, provided leadership for organizational programs, and ensured ongoing and efficient oversight for consultants, staff, and volunteers.

As an entrepreneur and business owner/operator, I have nearly four decades of experience and ex-pertise in management and operations of all aspects of a 501 (c)(3) organization. I have developed and promoted community-based maternal and child health programs targeting underserved populations, particularly in Hispanic and Native American communities. As a midwife I have provided direct healthcare services for nearly thirty-five years that are holistic and culturally competent, including primary maternity and newborn care, family planning, and a modicum of child, adolescent, elder and family services. I have facilitated consultation, collaboration, and referral with larger healthcare networks for my clients, such as physicians, nurse practitioners, nutritionists, nurses, social workers, educators, and hospital staff. I trained and mentored several aspiring midwives.

As an expert consultant for Inter-Tribal Healthy Start Project, Maajataag Mnobmadzid, I trained clinic staff and community health workers to increase their capacity to provide healthcare and risk-reduction services to American Indian mothers, teens, infants and families. I provided training and mentoring, directed marketing campaigns, provided oversight for public awareness and education projects, conducted community-based participatory research (CBPR), and served as a spokesperson and networker for the ITC Healthy Start Project at tribal, regional and national venues.

I co-designed a plan and implemented the creation of a freestanding birth center. I was a co-manager of business operations and fundraising. I provided direct services as a clinical practitioner and midwife. And I was a preceptor and mentor for student midwives.

I provided direct services as a clinician and nurse-midwife, and health education and disease pre-vention training for staff. I conducted public health outreach and provided community-based healthcare to migrant camps in 5 Northern Michigan counties.