Kathleen Vandegiessen, CNM, MN

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Kathleen Vandegiessen, CNM, MN, founder of North Houston Birth Center since 2005.

A Certified Nurse Midwife since 1994, Kathleen Vandegiessen has been a CNM for nearly three decades, indicating her expertise in providing healthcare and support to pregnant women during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. She has a Masters in Nursing since 1995 and she has been a Registered Nurse for 25 years. She worked as a staff midwife at Baylor College of Medicine for 4 years.

She started a Midwifery service at a small community hospital for 6 years. She started a free-standing Midwifery service at North Houston Birth Center in 2005. Kathleen Vandegiessen’s dedication to full-scope midwifery means she provides a wide range of healthcare services to expectant mothers, from prenatal care to delivery and postpartum care.

Her extensive experience, education, and career achievements suggest a passion for women’s healthcare and a significant contribution to the field of midwifery.

Website: www.made4birth.com
Instagram & Facebook @Made4Birth
The Made For Birth Podcast: https://themadeforbirthpodcast.buzzsprout.com/ (Also found on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart, etc.)

Book links:

Autographed copy :
Amazon Print copy: https://a.co/d/g570t7W
Amazon EBook: https://a.co/d/8Df9wQP

 

Kathleen Vandegiessen, CNM, MN

 

Katherine Stephens, doula, & Jackie Griggs, CNM

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Katherine Stephens is a doula, childbirth educator, and the warm-but-unfiltered voice behind the Made for Birth podcast. Based in Southwest Louisiana, she’s dedicated to supporting women through pregnancy, birth after cesarean, and postpartum with compassion, clarity, and a whole lot of truth-telling.

She’s a homeschool mom of six—ages six months to nine years—which means she brings a very real, very lived-in perspective to the families she supports. Katherine has been through inductions, cesareans, medicated and unmedicated births herself, and she pulls from that experience to guide moms with both heart and authority.

Jackie Griggs, is a certified nurse midwife who practices at Birth Center of Beaumont in Beaumont, Tx. Shes been a nurse midwife for 25 years and still loves her work as much as ever. Shes also the mom of 5 grown sons and 3 small grandkids. She is active with the American Association of Birth Centers and wants to make it easier for more women to use birth centers. She got to help Katherine with her birth this year in May.

Website: www.made4birth.com
Instagram & Facebook @Made4Birth
The Made For Birth Podcast: https://themadeforbirthpodcast.buzzsprout.com/ (Also found on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart, etc.)

Book links:

Autographed copy :
Amazon Print copy: https://a.co/d/g570t7W
Amazon EBook: https://a.co/d/8Df9wQP

 

Katherine Stephens, doula, & Jackie Griggs, CNM

 

Rachel Jones, student midwife and doula, nerds.org

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Rachel Jones is a student midwife and doula, homeschool consultant and founder of the cool nerds.org. Rachel is a Memphis native with a B.A. in African and American Studies and a minor in Philosophy, as well as an M.A.T. in Instruction and Curriculum Design from the University of Memphis.

As a lifelong learner and passionate educator, she brings a wealth of knowledge to her role as an educator, herbalist, doula and student midwife. Rachel is committed to nurturing healthy individuals from birth through adulthood and is rooted in the belief that healed people heal people. Rachel is dedicated to supporting families in establishing strong, thriving individuals who build strong, thriving communities.

 

Rachel Jones, student midwife and doula, nerds.org

 

Georganne Chapin, MPhil, JD, Executive Director of Intact America

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Georganne Chapin, MPhil, JD, Executive Director of Intact America, author of award winning memoir, “This Penis Business: A Social Activist’s Memoir.”

In addition to her executive positions, Georganne taught health law and bioethics at Pace University School of Law, and bioethics to doctoral-level nursing students at Dominican College. Her opinion pieces have appeared in the New York Daily News, HuffPost, The New York Post, and Minneapolis Star Tribune, and she has been interviewed by The New York Times, the Economist, the Guardian MSNBC, NBC10 (Philadelphia), WPSU radio, AskMen.com, SheKnows, First Time Parent, Mel Magazine, and South China Morning Post. Fluent in Spanish, Georganne also has been interviewed by Telemundo, Univision, and La Voz con Mariel Fiori.

Numerous podcasters have featured Georganne on their shows, which include Armchair Expert’s Flightless Bird, The Holistic OBGYN, Chicana Chisme, Sex Out Loud, Depths of Motherhood, The Baby Pro Podcast, Curiosity with Jon and Mike, The Mountaintop Podcast, and Informed Consent, among others.

Georganne earned a BA in Anthropology from Barnard College and an MPhil in Sociomedical Sciences from Columbia University. While chief executive of Hudson Health Plan, she earned a JD from Pace University School of Law, with certificates in Health Law and International Law.

A life-long art collector, Georganne lives near Woodstock in New York’s Hudson Valley. She invites listeners to learn more about keeping baby boys intact at IntactAmerica.org.

 

Georganne Chapin, MPhil, JD, Executive Director of Intact America

 

Jackie Griggs, CNM, & Erin Sing, CNM

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Jackie Griggs, CNM, is a Certified Nurse Midwife who has been practicing in the Houston/Beaumont area for the past 35 years. She is a mom of 5 grown sons, 3 born at home with the help of midwives. – Two grandchildren and a new grand baby just recently. She has helped mainly with home and birth center births, but has worked in the hospital some as well. She is the owner of a birth center in Beaumont, – Birth Center of Beaumont – and also helps with home births in the Houston area. She has been on the Board of Directors of the American Association of Birth Centers, until just recently, and still is a very big advocate for midwifery care at a birth center or home, for the women of this country. She is also focused on training new midwifery students and helping to increase the number of birth centers in Texas and the United States

Erin Sing is a the program director for the Texas Tech Nurse Midwifery program, which is primarily a distance program, and a midwife in Houston, TX. She has also held various volunteer roles in the American College of Nurse Midwives (ACNM) and the state affiliate of ACNM, known at the Consortium of Texas Certified Nurse Midwives.

 

Jackie Griggs, CNM, & Erin Sing, CNM

 

Raima Giusti, founder of Nesting Healing Hummingbirds

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My journey as a doula and entrepreneur began from a very personal place. When I became a mother in my twenties, my pregnancy came as a surprise. I didn’t know much, so I turned to books—but what truly guided me were the women in my family. Many of them had natural births, some even at home, and their stories gave me confidence. I wasn’t afraid, because I felt held—by the women who came before me and by the men in my family who protected that space.

Her mission is simple: to make every family feel seen, heard, and understood—to help every mother and partner trust their inner wisdom, and to remind them that even far from home, they can still find their tribe. For her, entrepreneurship is not just about business. It’s about transforming my own story, my talents, and my passion into meaningful service. With every family I support, I’m giving back what I once received—and planting seeds of resilience, belonging, and love for generations to come.

Also, on the show with Spanish interpretation is Natalie Guzman. She walks this path in service to the BIPOC community, honoring their ancestral ways and offering care that is culturally rooted, spiritually grounded, and deeply loving. As a Spanish-speaking, vegan mama who homeschools her vibrant 7-year-old son, het life is a weaving of motherhood, activism, earth-honoring living, and community building.

Birth is her obsession, her devotion, her offering. She’s here to protect its mystery, celebrate its power, and help us all remember: birth is ceremony. She is also the co-founder of Aliento de Nacimiento – A school of traditional birth arts.

You can also find her @sweetsurrenderdoula on Instagram

 

Raima Giusti, founder of Nesting Healing Hummingbirds

 

Rowan TwoSisters

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Rowan TwoSisters is a Certified Professional Midwife, Licensed Massage Therapist, and Author who founded Preggers Can Be Choosers to revolutionize reproductive care. She specializes in scar tissue remediation and breech release techniques, currently practicing at Full Circle Family Services, The Knox Birth Center, and teaching at The Institute for Massage and Health. Her debut novel is available at hellagoode.com (yes, with an ‘e’!).

Websites: preggerscanbechoosers.com & hellagoode.com

 

Rowan TwoSisters

 

Dr. Valerie Akinwande, Pelvic Floor PT

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Dr. Valerie Akinwande is the founder of WomansDPT, a telehealth and mobile (concierge) pelvic floor practice. She earned Doctorate in Physical Therapy, a Master of Science in Biology and Biochemistry, and a Bachelor’s in Biology. Dr. Akinwande also taught for several years as a college professor and is a certified clinical instructor. She continues to teach, as a Lead Women’s Health Educator for the Pelapy YouTube Channel and in group class settings (pregnancy, postpartum, menstrual cycle, and menopause) around the Houston area.

She began working in pelvic floor rehabilitation after having her first child over 10 years ago. Dr. Akinwande is certified in both Pelvic Health and Obstetrics from the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) and is a Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist (PCES).

She is a wife and mother of three elementary-aged children, all born via unmedicated (natural) vaginal births. So, she is personally familiar with the challenges that women face during pregnancy and postpartum.

Dr. Akinwande is passionate about educating and empowering women to thrive through pregnancy, postpartum, and every life transition in their most intimate areas.

Website: www.womansdpt.com | YouTube channel: PELAPY – YouTube

Dr. Valerie Akinwande, Pelvic Floor PT

 

Dr. Lauren Pasqua

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Dr. Lauren Pasqua is a licensed psychologist, certified perinatal mental health specialist, and mom of three with deep expertise in perinatal and infant mental health. She completed a two-year fellowship in infant and early childhood mental health, where she focused on attachment, early development, and family systems. Today, she leads the Center for Postpartum & Family Health in Houston & The Woodlands, where she and her team support new moms, families trying to conceive or coping with pregnancy loss, and parents navigating the emotional transition to parenthood.

Dr. Pasqua brings over 15 years of experience working with families and is passionate about bridging the gap between mental health and maternal care. She helps parents move beyond the “baby blues” with trauma-informed support, identity-centered therapy, and a proactive approach to postpartum planning.

She’s also the creator of Regulated, Responsive Parenting™, a science-based framework designed to help parents tune into their child’s needs without losing themselves in the process.

Dr. Lauren Pasqua

 

BIRTH Fair Leadership Team

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BIRTH Fair Leadership Team: Christine Diaz, JacQue Colson-Smith, Jackie Griggs, Melina Laverde, Natalie Guzman, Monisha Holley-Cherry, Julie Jordan, Randy Holmes, and Monica Salaz.
They’ll preview the 21st Annual BIRTH Fair—Saturday, October 4, 10:30 AM–4:00 PM at United Way, 50 Waugh Drive—a free event with speakers, vendors, family activities, and community resources. Don’t miss it!.

BIRTH Fair Leadership Team