Green Team

  • Kate Blake

    Education: Bachelor of Midwifery (UBC), Health Sciences (McMaster), BA in Sociology (Queen’s)

    Moment I knew I wanted to be a Midwife: I was born wanting to be a midwife! I started catching babies over 25 years ago and there is nothing else I could imagine doing.

    Before I was a Midwife: I traveled internationally and learned with midwives in Guatemala, Togo and the Netherlands.

  • Alison Humphrey

    Education: Midwifery degree (Laurentian University), BA (UofT)

    Moment I knew I wanted to be a Midwife: 10 years old, voraciously reading books about pregnancy and birth.

    Before I was a Midwife: I lived in Toronto, worked as a youth employment counsellor and volunteered as a doula at June’s Center for Teenagers (formerly Jessie’s).

  • Holly Parker

    Education: Midwifery Bsc with Hons (City University, London, UK), American & Canadian Studies BA (University of Nottingham, UK), Midwifery Practice Msc ongoing (UK)

    Moment I knew I wanted to be a Midwife: after trying other things and realising I wanted a vocation with human connection and life-long learning. I love that midwifery encompasses many spheres – biology, physiology, psychology, holistic care…and places value on intuition.

    Before I was a Midwife: I spent my teens and early 20s involved in high level and international rowing. After that, I organized conferences and Strategy courses at a Business School, and had lots of great holidays.

  • Ruth Comfort

    Education: Bachelor of Midwifery (UBC); Master of Public Administration (UVIC)

    Moment I knew I wanted to be a Midwife: April 2001, upon learning about the UBC Midwifery Program. I had always wanted to work in health care, and getting to work with expectant parents and newborns in a relational model seemed like a dream come true.

    Before I was a Midwife: I became a midwife in my early 20’s so there’s not much to report on there! But since becoming a midwife, I have also worked in health policy, administration and investigation, and have had two children of my own.

  • Olivia Johnston

    Education: Bachelor of Midwifery (McMaster) BSc Biology (UPEI)

    Moment I knew I wanted to be a Midwife: I’ve always had an interest in healthcare and feminism, and the lack of available options and services in my home province of PEI sparked my interest in midwifery. One day I hope to return home to provide midwifery care!

    Before I was a Midwife: I grew up on the East Coast and spent my childhood and young adulthood enjoying small town PEI life, before moving to Ontario and eventually catching babies there for several years.

  • Elie Rushton

    Education: Bachelor of Midwifery (UBC), Master of Public Health (SFU), BSC (UVic)

    Moment I knew I wanted to be a Midwife: I’ve always loved babies! When my aunt and uncle had their two kids with midwives, and I learned how midwives get to take care of families and babies, I was hooked and never looked back!

    Before I was a Midwife: I worked in women’s health research, working on projects that aim to improve access to reproductive and sexual health for women. I also taught yoga for many years and travelled as much as I could.