About Ponderosa Midwives

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Becoming a midwife has been a long time dream of mine; blending my passions for biology with art. I studied Midwifery at UBC which brought me the honour of working with midwives and families in Vancouver, New Westminster, Nelson and then Kelowna. I was fortunate to have also joined UBC’s global placement, spending 6 weeks working with Midwives in Uganda, both on the labour and delivery floor and co-teaching emergency skills workshops.

What I love most about midwifery are the relationships made and being able to support families through the major life transition of welcoming a child into their lives. I love my colleagues here and am in awe of the families I work with every day.

When not busy in the birth world, you can find me enjoying time with my husband and our two beautiful boys.

I’ve been inspired to be a midwife since I was 14 years old when my psychologist mother (and mentor in life) brought me to a birth for a single mama she was supporting. Since that moment, I realized the impact that close, continuous care can have for someone, and I knew I found a calling that was meant for me.

I graduated from Laurentian University in 2007 and worked as a midwife in northern Ontario for a few years before moving to Kelowna and joining the team at Malachite when they officially opened their doors in 2010. I was honoured to be a part of that practice’s vision, and to have caught hundreds of their babies- and to have been involved with so many families over the years.

I have also worked in other countries in the world, such as the Philippines and Tanzania- maybe one day I hope to return to working abroad.

I have been off for the past few years while having and raising my own 2 babies, and I am now back to work with a new perspective :)

In my time off, I am usually cuddling with my littles, hiking, doing yoga, cooking or sleeping. I also run a grief loss support group for pets, as I feel very passionate about the entire cycle of life, and the impact this has on our lives.

I was born and raised on Vancouver Island and spent most of my adult life living in Kelowna and Calgary with my husband and two kids. When I was pregnant with my second child I knew I was looking for something different. I was fortunate to have found my way into midwifery care and the personalized and holistic approach unique to midwifery made a profound impact on me as a mother and sparked the passion to become a midwife myself. 

After completing the Mount Royal University Midwifery program in 2019, I had the opportunity to practice in the Calgary area serving both Indigenous and non-Indigenous families within the city and Tsuut’ina and Stoney Nakoda Nations. As immensely fulfilling as this was, family life was calling and we made the exciting decision to move back home to Kelowna in 2021.

On my off-call days, I enjoy spending time outdoors with my family, cooking, eating, and reading. We are thrilled to call the Okanagan home, and it is an honor to serve the families in this beautiful community.

 I spent much of my youth in the beautiful Okanagan, after which I lived in New Zealand for a decade where I trained and worked as a Registered Midwife. Returning to Canada in 2021, I completed UBC's Internationally Educated Midwives Bridging Program. I then  worked with Malachite Midwives and did some locuming in various B.C. communities. I am thrilled to  return to the Okanagan and join Ponderosa Midwives in June 2024.

I was inspired to become a midwife after being present for the birth of my niece and spending some time at a birth clinic in the Philippines. Since then, I’ve remained captivated by the marvel of childbirth and deeply moved by the remarkable women and families I’ve had the privilege of assisting along the way. 

Outside the realm of midwifery, you can find me outdoors camping, hiking and traveling.