REACHE is the Regional Association of Childbirth Educators of Puget Sound. The REACHE board meets monthly to plan and organize an annual conference on topics of interest to childbirth educators and other professionals in the birth community.
The purpose of the REACHE board is to further the quality of childbirth education by providing regular educational opportunities for childbirth educators, regardless of their affiliation, and to stimulate interest in the educational needs of new and expectant parents.
Current Board Members:
Catherine Berglund, MPH. Catherine Berglund, MPH. Catherine is a childbirth instructor for both King County Public Health and Overlake Hospital. She teaches in both English and in Spanish. She recently completed a graduate degree at UW in Maternal & Child Health, enjoys keeping abreast of evidence-based practices, and is fascinated by birth in various cultures. Catherine is the mother of one delightful 5-year-old son.
Barbara Decker has been a childbirth educator for 38 years, a doula for 15 years, and a HypnoBirthing practioner for seven years, and a doula trainer for 6 years. Before moving to Edmonds, Barb taught on Cape Cod Massachusetts. While there she formed an organization of childbirth educators, doulas, midwives and nurse managers from the local hospitals called "Childbirth with Choices". She is married, has two sons, five "step" children and six grandchildren. Barb likes to knit, kayak, ski, and teach.
Kim James is an ICEA and Lamaze International certified childbirth educator teaching at Parent Trust for Washington Children/Great Starts where she sits on the Education Committee. Kim owns and operates www.DoulaMatch.net, and is a DONA International and PALS Doulas certified birth doula as well as a DONA-approved birth doula trainer working at the Simkin Center for Allied Birth Vocations/Bastyr University. She also volunteers her time on the Lamaze International membership committee. Her daughters are 6 and 12 years old.
Laurie Levy is a certified childbirth educator, birth doula, licensed massage therapist. Laurie also holds a teaching certificate and a Masters degree in Counseling and has been teaching human anatomy and physiology, including a cadaver lab component, for over 12 years. Her website is laurielevy.net. Laurie lives in Seattle with her three energetic red-headed boys, her wonderful husband and a bevy of animals.
Joy MacTavish is an ICEA certified childbirth educator teaching at Great Starts Birth and Family Education. Joy owns and operates www.SoundDoula.com, and is a DONA International and PALS Doulas certified birth doula and a NAPS certified postpartum doula. She serves on the NAPS Board as the Continuing Education Chair and volunteers her time with UWMC Doula Care Program and Open Arms Perinatal Services. She recently completed a Master of Arts in Cultural Studies degree and looks forward to bringing her research and analysis skills to her birth and parenting work.
Tracy McPhillips is a certified childbirth educator and works for Great Starts Birth and Family Education. She spends as much time with her two children as she can because they will grow up too fast. She also enjoys chatting with her husband, reading historical fiction and research, and learning from everyone she meets.
Sharon Muza, President. Owner of New Moon Birth, a local doula and Lamaze childbirth education practice. Sharon is a certified birth doula with DONA, PALS and a DONA Approved Birth Doula Trainer as well as a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator. Sharon is on the faculty at Bastyr University where she teaches the Birth Doula Skills Workshop at the Simkin Center. She also serves on the board of PALS Doulas and is a co-leader of ICAN Seattle (International Cesarean Awareness Network). Sharon lives in Ballard with her family. Sharon is a national speaker on advanced doula and childbirth education topics, in many locations around the country.
Melissa Shaffer is a childbirth educator at Swedish Medical Center, the prenatal educator for Seattle Indian Health board, a labor support doula, and the lead instructor for the childbirth educator training at Seattle Midwifery School. She is the mother of three children.
Debra Shelden owns and operates MotherWise Doula Services providing comprehensive support during the childbearing year. She is a PALS Doulas and DONA certified birth doula as well as a postpartum doula, childbirth educator and lactation specialist. She is a certified a Happiest Baby on the Block educator. Debra lives with husband of 30 years (!) and is the proud mother of 2 wonderful young men.
Teri Shilling is director of Passion for Birth, an international childbirth educator training program. She is a DONA-approved birth doula trainer, a lactation consultant (IBCLC), a Lamaze certified childbirth educator and is on the faculty at the Seattle Midwifery School. She is creator of The Idea Box for Creative and Interactive Childbirth Educators. She lives with her husband and two children in Mt. Vernon.
Sara Temba is a registered nurse working at a delightful maternity unit in the Seattle area. Her education also includes a biology degree and certificate in midwifery from the Seattle Midwifery School. She is a member of AWHONN, the national organization for obstetric nurses. Her passions include evidence based care in the maternity setting and obstetric care in the developing world. She joined the REACHE board because she wants to help bring together the many people who help mothers bring their babies into the world. She loves what she does and loves the people she gets to work with each day. She lives in Seattle with her fantastic husband and spends most of her free time chasing around their two-year-old daughter.
Alisha H. Wilkes is a registered nurse with a bachelors of science in nursing. Currently working as a labor and delivery nurse she considers herself a collector of birth wisdom. She has practiced as a certified birth doula for 9 ½ years and is trained as a prenatal yoga instructor and lactation educator. Alisha is a wife of 18 years and the mother of two teenage daughters.
Joining the Board:
Do you have a passion for pregnancy, childbirth, and early parenting?
Would you love to be a part of this exciting community and be a REACHE board member?
Membership on the board is a four year commitment. During that time, you are expected to attend monthly meetings, and take on one of the tasks of conference planning and management. In exchange, you attend the annual conference free of charge. For information, email: board@reache.info