Thea Parkin
Education: Bachelor of Midwifery (UBC), BSc in Nutrition (UBC).
Moment I knew I wanted to be a Midwife: 23 years old. The UBC Midwifery program was being developed and on paper it sounded like the most amazing career on the planet– and it is!
Before I was a Midwife: I used to help UBC students (prospective, current and former) get stuff done.
Marella Falat
Education: Bachelor of Midwifery (UBC) BSc in Global Resource systems (UBC)
Moment I knew I wanted to be Midwife: I was applying to the Masters of public health program and the mother I was nannying for said “Why don’t you apply to midwifery? It would be perfect for you?” All the pieces I cared about: public health, families and babies and education come together in this profession.
Before I was a Midwife: Studying agriculture, First Nations studies in Chiapas Mexico, Cuba and Nepal. I also Nannied and taught Yoga.
Sarah Knowlden
Education: Bachelor of Midwifery (UBC), BA in Psychology (UBC), MA (Kingston, UK),
Moment I knew I wanted to be a Midwife: The midwifery care I received when I had my own three children made me realize there simply isn’t a better or more important job!
Before I was a Midwife: I worked in the corporate world, developing community-based sustainability strategies. I was also a volunteer doula.
Sonia Perez
Education: Bachelor of Midwifery (McMaster), BSc. Cellular, Molecular, Microbial biology (TRU).
I deliver care in Spanish, German, English, and French.
Moment I knew I wanted to be a Midwife: I was a doula for a time, and when a family member of mine chose a midwife, I also serendipitously met many midwives in the same time period. I often say, I followed the signs toward midwifery.
Before I was a Midwife:I was born in Mexico and raised in BC/Germany, so have taken on many adventurous jobs, from mosquito controller to bank teller. I completed my first degree with the intention of working in science and health care, but life took me elsewhere and I found work at BC Hydro. Some years in, I started as a doula, and when midwifery came calling, I made the leap from marketing to midwifery. It was the right time to return to health care, and I’m so glad I did!
Lena Rowat
Moving to Squamish- July 2022
Education: Bachelor of Midwifery ( Texas/Ryerson University), BA, African American Studies.
Moment I knew I wanted to be a Midwife: Attending births with my mother – a GP who supported home births & midwives.
Before I was a Midwife: I indulged a fascination with world culture and adventure by travelling, working, and studying across the globe. I developed a strong passion for wilderness pursuits in the local mountains, which is still where I can most often be found if not at the clinic or attending births.
Kara Giesbrecht
Locum until July 2022
Education: Bachelor of Midwifery (UBC), BA in Anthropology (UBC)
Moment I knew I wanted to be a midwife: I actually thought I wanted to be a nurse. When I was working on getting into nursing school, I discovered that midwives existed and I was sold – it was everything I thought I would get from nursing and more.
Before I was a midwife: I was a medical office administrator, a doula and volunteering with a variety of organizations – my favourite being a sexual health clinic!
Katie McCallum
On Maternity Leave unitl 2023
Education: Bachelor of Midwifery (UBC), Level II Dental Assisting (Discovery College)
Moment I knew I wanted to be a Midwife: I met a student midwife when my brother and his wife were expecting. It just seemed like the perfect combination of primary health care and relationship based continuity… and I was right, it is!
Before I was a Midwife: I spent 5 years working in dentistry, while juggling administrative work for midwifery clinics, teaching prenatal education and providing support for families as a doula.