Where’s My Midwife? is a grassroots organization seeking to increase access to midwives in hospitals, freestanding birth centers, and at home through education and advocacy.
ABOUT US
Kirsti Kreutzer is a wife and mother, a filmmaker, and an ALACE trained doula. She received a B.A. in Radio, Television, Motion Pictures from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1995, and spent the following 12 years working in the industry as everything from a production assistant to a boom operator to a casting agent to an actress. After the birth of her daughter, Katherine, in 2005 she decided she had to spread the word about midwives. In 2007, she made 2 short films about birth-related issues and co-produced the play “Birth” as a part of an international movement called BOLD (“Birth” On Labor Day). She spent 2008 raising funds and awareness for the North Carolina Friends of Midwives by co-producing events with UNCW's Women's Studies and Resource Center, including a booksigning event with Jennifer Block, author of Pushed and a screening of Ricki Lake's The Business of Being Born. This year, Kirsti worked with the Women's Studies and Resource Center and the Lower Cape Fear YWCA to organize Women In Labor Daze, a weeklong festival celebrating mothers. kirsti@wheresmymidwife.org
Sylvia Santaballa is a mother, wife, ToLabor (formerly ALACE) trained doula, and birth advocate. She received a B.A. in Spanish from the University of Virginia and her MA and PhD from Brown University. She worked as a professor of Spanish and Latin American literature at various universities, including Brown University, the University of Pennsylvania, and UNCW. After giving birth to her daughter, Clara, in 1999, she became passionate about helping mothers breastfeed. She became a La Leche League Leader in 2000. Following the birth of her son, Haze, in 2004 she began to assist friends during their births. This led to her interest in learning more about assisting women and families as a labor assistant and doula. She has apprenticed to be a midwife, and now continues to help families as a doula. She is passionate about advocating for women, babies, and midwives. She is one of the founding members of Where’s My Midwife? sylvia@wheresmymidwife.org
Maria Radonicich is a passionate advocate of the Midwives Model of Care. She is mother to two - a boy and a girl. Her family moved to Wilmington, NC when her son was four months old. In planning her second pregnancy Maria sought a midwife. She met with one of the midwives in a local practice and was excited about the prospect of giving birth to a child with her assistance. Weeks after that meeting, that midwife lost her job, leaving Wilmington with only one other midwife. Terrified of the thought of giving birth without the invaluable experience and care only a midwife can provide, Maria looked for a way to get involved. She found Where’s My Midwife? and has been committed to making sure the women of her community have the option of having a midwife provide their care. Maria now lives in rural Ontario, Canada and has brought her drive and enthusiasm with her. maria@wheresmymidwife.org
Gaby Merediz's background in Communication and Art, which she studied at Vanderbilt University, has helped to brand and promote the WMM? movement by designing its logo. After having her first child with the midwives at Carolina OB/GYN, Gaby found a new inspiration and a purpose to life. Throughout her pregnancy, labor, and postpartum, she found a passion for natural birth and breastfeeding that was largely a result of the care she received from her midwives. Gaby believes that every woman should feel as empowered and inspired by the most important event in their lives, and for her, that would not have happened had she not used midwives for her care. Gaby created the WMM? logo shortly after finding out about the disbanding of Carolina OB/GYN's midwifery program, because she felt that the movement would unite behind a beautiful image that people would want to show off.
Bari Hobbs has always been a woman's advocate and knows how intimidating medical care can be. She moved to Wilmington in 2003 after recieving her bachelors at UNCG in Communication. She graduated with her Masters in Liberal Studies from UNCW in 2005. After graduation she set out to make a difference in this community through public relations and grant writing. With the economy in the state it is and a mortgage to pay, volunteering was tough. Luckily in the beginning of 2010 she was brought in by an old friend to use her skills and experience to aid 'Where's My Midwife?' and help spread the word about women's needs in this community. She feels honored that she is part of such a great organization and looks forward to continuing to grow with such amazing women. bari@wheresmymidwife.org
Alison Rogers has been a midwifery enthusiast and supporter for as long as she can remember. In the addition to being a dedicated mother and a full time ICU nurse at New Hanover Regional Hospital, she is expecting her second child in July. After moving to the Wilmington area in July 2009, she sought a midwife for her second pregnancy and realized that the area provided limited midwifery support and patient-centered OBGYN care. Along with her experience in event planning and her drive to see change, she became an active member of 'Where's My Midwife?' and quickly accepted the Events chair position with the hopes of providing the women of our community the wonderful midwifery care she has experienced. alison@wheresmymidwife.org