I am a certified nurse-midwife (CNM), which is a registered nurse who earned a master's degree in nurse-midwifery, passed a national certifying exam given by the American College of Nurse-Midwives, and received a state license as a registered nurse-practitioner.

I worked as a labor and delivery nurse in hospital settings from 1984 - 1997, and at the same time worked as a community lay midwife.  In 1997, I entered a nurse-midwifery program through State University of New York at Stony Brook, graduating in December of 1998.  I passed my board exam in February of 1999, making me certified to care independently for normal healthy women and their newborns, including management of pregnancy, labor, delivery, postpartum, and well-woman care.  I am also licensed as an Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner in the State of Washington. 

My initial practice after graduating was a combined home/hospital birth practice in Sitka, Alaska.  In 2001, I moved with my family to Walla Walla, where I have delivered babies in both area hospitals.  In January of 2005, I purchased BirthWise Alternative Birthing Services from Gretchen Brauer-Rieke, renamed it "The Birth Place", and am delighted to be able to return to a combined home/hospital practice.

My family includes my husband, Duane, and seven children who range in ages from 7 to 22 years of age, six of whom were born at home.  We live on a small acreage in the woods along Mill Creek.