I founded Serenade Childbirth Services as a doula practice in 1998, when I became a certified labor and postpartum doula. After attending just over 100 births as a doula, I decided to become a midwife so that I would be better able to provide optimal care to my clients. I took private midwifery classes from senior midwife, Jan Perrone, from 2000 to 2003. I then served as a one-year apprenticeship in two homebirth practices, where I had the opportunity to expand my knowledge under the guidance of four different midwives. In February 2004, I finished my training by completing a seven-week clinical rotation at a high-volume birth center in Texas. To date, I have attended approximately 350 births, both in hospitals and at home. For the three years I worked at the Full Circle Center for Integrated Medicine, I provided health education services to pregnant women and their families, as well as coordinating the Comprehensive Perinatal Services Program. I am a certified La Leche League breastfeeding counselor and a member of the Humboldt County Breast Feeding Task Force. Additionally, I have been teaching holistic childbirth preparation classes since 2000 and also offer preconception counseling and early pregnancy classes. I maintain my certifications to perform Health Care Provider CPR and Neonatal Resuscitation and regularly engage in continuing education activities. I am a Certified Professional Midwife and a member of the California Association of Midwives and the Midwives Alliance of North America.

I am the mother of two children, my daughter, Adriana (born in 1998), and my son, David (born in 2005). Giving birth was the single most profound and transformative experience of my life. The process of giving birth allowed me to become more aware of my personal strength, as a woman, and most importantly, as a mother. It is my own experience of childbirth and motherhood that ignited my passion for midwifery and continues to inspire me today. It is my hope that other women may have birth experiences that are equally uplifting and joyful and my goal as a midwife is to facilitate this process for the families I serve. It is a tremendous honor to participate in one of the most sacred and intimate events in the life of a family.

I have been a semi-serious dancer for most of my life and I am an avid fan of Balkan folk music. I regularly serve as the medic at dance camps and seminars throughout northern California