Carolyn Saunders, RM

I am a recent graduate of the University of British Columbia midwifery program and I am delighted to be the newest member of Pacific Midwifery Practice. My interest in midwifery began during my teenage years when I was exposed to the homebirth movement in Ottawa, Ontario. I share my passion for midwifery with my sister, who graduated from the Ontario midwifery program in the spring of 2005 and practices in the Ottawa Valley. In addition to my midwifery training, I have completed a Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology and Biology. Anthropology has given me an understanding of the cultural diversity of our province and an appreciation of the rewards of working with women from different social, economic and cultural backgrounds. I have a great respect and appreciation for biological processes that was enhanced while studying birds in northern Canada in the summers of 2002 and 2003.

In 2003-2004 I was involved in a project whose aim was to facilitate better communication between health care providers and their clients. Through this work I developed a strong commitment to empowering women to make their own health care decisions. It is my philosophy that a woman should leave midwifery care feeling empowered by her birth experience, feeling that she has done her very best, and feeling greater confidence in her own body. I hope that I can help women accomplish these goals.

In my free time I can often be found riding my bike, strolling through the Vancouver Art Gallery, or curled up on the couch with a good movie. I was married in May 2004 to my long-time partner Adam; we live near Commercial Drive in Vancouver. I look forward to helping women achieve the birth experience of their choice.

Shannon Norberg, RM

I attended my first birth in 1994, a defining moment for the rest of my life. I have always been passionate about women's health issues and our bodies' amazing abilities to create health from within. Following the path of becoming a midwife has been a natural evolution of this passion. I am reminded daily of the uniqueness and beauty that accompanies the creation of each new life and family, and the importance of honouring and respecting the process.

I have been blessed to have mentored and worked with amazing and inspirational midwives over the past eight years and would like to take this space to thank my teachers. My birth-related studies have taken me to Thailand and the Philippines, where I learned to view maternal and child health from a global perspective. My midwifery training was through the Seattle Midwifery School as well as a number of related courses in BC, Washington and overseas.

Born and raised in the Lower Mainland, I find that the ocean and mountains are never far from my heart. My 'other life' finds me playing in snow, water or mud, depending on what kind of day it is. I appreciate being able to live and work in such a vibrant and international community. My work with the Midwives Association of BC over the past number of years has focused on growing midwifery across the province and increasing available services for those most in need.

Alison Humphrey, RM

I am originally from Sudbury, Ontario but am thrilled that my partner’s job has brought us to Vancouver, and pleased and excited to be joining the team at Pacific Midwifery.

I became a registered midwife in 2005, a graduate of the Midwifery Education Program at Laurentian University. I spent 2 1/2 years working as a full-time midwife at the Midwives Collective of Toronto, a busy downtown practice with a strong commitment to continuity of care, homebirth, and teaching of new midwives. Previously, I earned a degree in Women’s Studies from the University of Toronto. I speak English and French.

One of the things I enjoy most about being a midwife is the opportunity to be a teacher. Teaching families about pregnancy, labour and the newborn/postpartum periods, and learning from their experience, makes being a midwife one of the greatest jobs in the world. I have also been a formal prenatal class educator since 2004, teaching a regular series of prenatal classes as well as a homebirth class for children. I’ve done outreach teaching with under-serviced communities including young mothers, and with participants of a local food bank.

I’m looking forward to meeting you, and working with you and your family.