Bios
Certified Birth Doulas
Ame Shillington CD(DONA) has BA Psychology with Biochemistry and has her sites set on medical school. She bridges the fields of labor support and obstetrics with current medical journal knowledge and natural birth practices. Ame has two children, one born naturally and one born with an epidural and can speak frankly about the pros and cons of medical interventions in your birth plan. She also teaches Got Babied! New Infant Survival Course with Happiest Baby techniques. Don’t let her soapbox about her home country Canada. Ame’s Video Bio
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Amy Nevland Certified Teacher, CD(DONA) has a BS in Applied Learning and Development. She taught Literature and Writing and ESL for nearly five years until the birth of her children. (One hospital birth, two home births, all 3 all natural ) She completed her apprenticeship and certification through DONA with Get Babied! Amy believes deeply that a woman’s body was wonderfully created for the unique work of labor and delivery. Amy also teaches Childbirth Education for the collective. Amy’s Video Bio
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Tanya Phillips, CD (ICEA), IBCLC has a BA in Education and is bilingual in Spanish/English. She has attended over 120 births as a DONA Trained Doula and/or a midwife apprentice and has been working to empower birthing women since 1987. Having worked in several Austin hospitals, Tanya has good insight to navigating the medical birth setting while still holding true to your personal beliefs, desires, and preserving your birth plan. She has 2 daughters, her first a traditional hospital birth and the second born at home with a midwife, giving her unique perspective into both settings.Tanya’s Video Bio
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Cary Burtt CD(ICEA) is a DONA-trained with a BA in Women’s Studies from the U of Michigan and a MA in English from Hunter College. Cary abandoned the corporate world in favor of a career working with women in a nurturing environment. She recently relocated from New York City and is enjoying the slower pace of life and being a part of the amazing birth community in Austin. Cary believes that all women deserve to have the best birth experience, and she strives to create an atmosphere of warmth, respect, and support. Cary’s Video Bio
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
De’Andrea Jones CD(BAI) has been attending births and teaching the Bradley Method in Austin since 2008. After her own wonderful birth experience in 2006 she felt she needed to spread the word! Birth could be calm, joyous and a really great family bonding experience. She gained a certification in childbirth education and became a birth doula with Giving Austin Labor Support. From those early hospital experiences she gained insight on how to work well with medical staff and how to use intuition and flexibility to support a laboring family. In addition to being a mother and birth doula, De’Andrea is a student of technical and artistic welding and blacksmithing and is one heck of a backyard chicken and rabbit enthusiast.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Tif Greening CD(ICEA) is a DONA-trained Doula with a BA in Legal Studies from UMass Amherst. She has worked in a variety of fields from Government to Corporate but has found her passion in the world of birth. Tif is excited to work with women of all backgrounds who picture the birth of their baby in a variety of ways; from natural to medicated, and from home to hospital. Tif strives to enhance and protect the intimacy of birth between mom and dad; she strongly encourages sleeping, showering (pack your trunks dad!) and staying home as long as possible. When Tif’s not Doulaing she can be found in the 78704 with her awesome husband, sweet dogs and slightly smelly 13 year old son, Seamus, who is both proud and a little embarrassed that his mom is a Doula.
Apprentice Birth Doulas
Jenni Schramm IBCLC is the mother of 5 crazy amazing kids. She has experienced the spectrum of births; vaginal, c-section and most recently a VBAC and has had both medicated and unmedicated births. Her own experiences prompted her to pursue her doula certification through Birth Arts International. She strongly believes that her own experiences allow her to be truly empathetic to the laboring mom and feels she can be the voice of calm and understanding in varying situations. Jenni believes it is an honor and a privilege to be invited to participate in one of the most intimate experiences and hopes to be loving presence.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Yaara Bader started her birth doula training with DONA in 2009 in Los Angeles and is now finishing up the paperwork for her certification. She already has two successful VBACs under her belt as a Doula. She is originally from Israel, where she is a certified therapist in Shiatsu, Acupuncture and Herbal Chinese medicine. She also specialized in Chinese gynecology supporting IVF treatments. Yaara believes in the empowerment of women through birth and their right to choose for themselves. Her passion for the birthing world was ignited by the birth of her six year old son and intensified with the birth of her two year old daughter, both born at home in beach cities 8000 miles away from each other: Tel Aviv and Los Angeles.
Lactation Team
Jenni Schramm, IBCLC completed her training and education in lactation at UC San Diego. She began her career as a Breastfeeding Peer Counselor with WIC in Williamson county and is now in private practice. Her interest in helping other mothers succeed in breastfeeding began in 1999 when she found herself needing a lactation consultant. As the mother of 5 children she has had to tackle several breastfeeding speedbumps. Her experiences and the support she received makes her passionate about educating moms and helping them reach their breastfeeding goals. ~ Call the Lactation Support Hotline for appointments.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Tanya Phillips, IBCLC has been a Board Certified Lactation Consultant since 1999. She is bilingual and has worked with pregnant and breastfeeding moms since 1987. After serving as a Peer Counselor & Breastfeeding Educator with WIC, Moms Place, and the Seton Network of hospitals she became a board certified Lactation Consultant and opened a private practice in SW Austin. She works on-call supporting Get Babied clients and operates the Get Babied Store with Medela pump sales and rentals, as well a baby carriers, books and more! Call the Lactation Support Hotline.Massage
Stephanie Scott LMT, CD(DONA, TOLABOR) who is currently on sabbatical, never wanted kids until her husband finally talked her into it 2 ½ years ago. Now this former office worker is much happier in the crazy, wonderful world of mama-hood and birth work. Sometimes she wonders how she could have ever done anything else. Steph is a DONA-certified birth doula and co-founder of Get Babied Doula Collective. She’s a massage therapist specializing in pregnancy massage, and begins training next month as a certified infant massage instructor. When she’s not helping pregnant women feel wonderful, Steph spends her time eating queso and singing Tom Waits songs. Steph’ Video Bio
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Hannah Ford LMT, MTI is a mother of two who loves using bodywork to relax, relieve, and support families on the journey from preconception through parenthood! She is a graduate of Austin’s Lauterstein-Conway Massage School, where she now teaches hands-on classes as a member of the faculty. Hannah is trained in the Arvigo Techniques of Maya Abdominal Therapy; bodywork for the childbearing year, including specific therapeutic techniques for pregnancy, labor, and postpartum; as well as Swedish, deep, sports, and shiatsu massage modalities. Hannah also offers postnatal outcall massages, couples massage, and chair massage for events.
Instructors
Leo Ramirez is a Stanford Computer Systems Engineering alumnus. He is a social entrepreneur with exceptionally diverse experience launching and managing non-profits, leading multi-disciplinary teams and building solid relationships with civic and corporate leaders. Leo is a new dad who loves the birth experience, and wants to help others be great husbands, dads and coaches. He teaches “Cliffs Notes for Dads” at the Get Babied! Doula Collective.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Victoria O’Neal is a professional educator who has worked with children and adults since 2000. With a BA in Latin American Studies and Sociology and a M.Ed in Curriculum and Instruction, she currently supports math education in Austin ISD. Victoria is passionate about education and would love to share what she knows with you. She teaches Cloth Diapering 101 and Baby-led Weaning and Homemade Baby Food.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Noelle Forestal is an apprentice doula, postpartum doula, and instructor with Get Babied. A California native and a versatile singer/songwriter, Noelle is a certified Level 1 Music Together® director and teaches music classes for babies and toddlers, as well as beginning bellydance for preconception, prenatal, and postpartum moms. She is also a certified American Heart Association instructor and teaches family CPR/First Aid in the Get Baby-Safe! class. Noelle is devoted to healing the world through music and the arts. She is honored to often be the first teacher in a child’s life outside the family and considers her work with parents and children as a sacred and blessed calling.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Liz Shri, LMT and RYT, is a 47-year old first time mama who gave birth to her bundle of joy in 2007 at the ripe, “advanced” age of 43. She has practiced hatha yoga for over 20 years, has been teaching for over ten. Liz is a designated Anusara Inspired ™ instructor, with extensive training in Yoga Therapeutics. Liz is certified in Prenatal and Postnatal Yoga. She is a licensed massage therapist, and is also certified in Bodywork for the Childbearing Year. She created, out of her own experience, a series for enhancing fertility with hatha yoga, which she has led since 2009. Liz was awarded “Best Fertility Expert” in the Austin Birth Awards, 2011.
Postpartum Doulas/Antepartum Doulas/Night Nannies
Ame Shillington CD(DONA) teaches the New Infant Survival Course and Happiest Baby techniques. She has two children who are lovely now at ages 3 and 5, but were difficult infants and trained Ame on the job to be an expert in infant care. Ame has attended over 40 births and has supported many of these families in their postpartum period. She has studied infant first aid and CPR, and has completed breastfeeding support for doulas training in addition to breastfeeding both of her children. Special passions include organizing your house and life with her mad spreadsheet skillz, cooking nutritious freezable meals in bulk, “sleep training”, babywearing, and soothing any baby who is un-soothable.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Tanya Phillips, CD (ICEA), IBCLC has a BA in Education and is bilingual in Spanish/English. She has attended over 120 births as a DONA Trained Doula and/or a midwife apprentice and has been working to empower birthing women since 1987. Having worked in several Austin hospitals, Tanya has good insight to navigating the medical birth setting while still holding true to your personal beliefs, desires, and preserving your birth plan. She has 2 daughters, her first a traditional hospital birth and the second one born at home with a midwife, giving her unique perspective into both settings.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Jenniclair Schramm, IBCLC completed her training and education in lactation at UC San Diego. As the mother of 5 children she has had to tackle several breastfeeding as well as parenting speedbumps. Her experiences and the support she received makes her passionate about educating moms and helping them reach their parenting goals. She is passionate about helping moms transition into this new season of life and wants to support moms achieve their own goals for their family, knowing how difficult it can be if they are going against the current.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Tif Greening CD(ICEA) has a BA in Legal Studies from UMass Amherst. She has worked with infants to teenagers on and off for almost 20 years. She has firsthand experience with breastfeeding, cloth diapering (even washing your own) and potty training. Her passion in the house is in the kitchen where she believes the family comes together to digest not only nutritious meals but also their day. Tif is currently finishing a Dr. Sears LEAN (Lifestyle, Exercise, Attitude, Nutrition) certification which is preparing her to teach healthy living from pre-pregnancy to postpartum. As a postpartum Doula Tif is great at helping around the house, organizing, laundry, cooking, encouraging a healthy diet, snuggling sweet babies and helping mom and dad get some well deserved sleep.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Noelle Forestal is a postpartum doula and an apprentice birth doula. Noelle is an American Red Cross certified babysitter and she has almost 25 years of nanny experience. She also teaches various parent/child classes including Music Together® for babies and toddlers. She is a first aid & CPR certified AHA instructor for adults, children, and infants. Her formal education is mostly in music and the arts. She loves babies and she loves being able to help parents adjust to their new lives and enjoy the journey. She considers her work with parents and children as a sacred and blessed calling.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
De’Andrea Jones CD(BAI), certified Bradley Method Educator and mother to a wonderful girl born in 2006. She has first hand knowledge on baby wearing, cloth diapering, breastfeeding and amazing baby soothing techniques. De’Andrea works as a professional organizer, enjoys preparing wonderful healthy food and runs a rather tight ship with her chickens, child and crazy red headed musician man at her central Austin home. Let her experience help you relax and feel connected during your postpartum days.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Julie Mcconnell, RN has 15+ years experience working directly with women as they begin the phase of motherhood. Her extensive background includes teaching Lamaze childbirth classes, assisting breastfeeding mothers as a certified lactation consultant and providing postpartum and newborn care as a registered nurse. She has a passion for empowering women with knowledge and skills to enter this important time of their lives with confidence and calm. Julie also enjoys easing the stress of the postpartum period by providing much needed practical assistance with basic household duties. In addition, Julie has devoted herself to raising her own two daughters, Jessi and Maggie.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Judy Roberts, RN is a veteran of the worlds of pregnancy, birth and new motherhood. She has had six children of her own; one born in the hospital, two in a birth center with a midwife, and three at home with a midwife. She breastfed all six of her own babies and has been passionate about helping others succeed in doing so since overcoming her own varied struggles with feeding issues. She was the nurse-manager at a freestanding birthing center for five years, during which she reveled in caring for women from early pregnancy through delivery and early postpartum and new baby care. She delights in spoiling new moms and helping them transition into their new, precious role as ‘Mommy’!
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Kristi Berry is originally from New Orleans and relocated to Austin after Katrina. She is a mother of four (blended family), and had 2 C-sections. She breast fed one of her children, with little success which is why she desires to be able to encourage others and help them work out the kinks. She was a preschool teacher before joining the collective, and loves children of all ages. She finds it such a blessing to have the opportunity to share her life journey of having a blended family with a newborn. Her experiences allows her to share things to look out for when introducing another child to the ones you already have, and how to encourage ”loving our children well” through transition and beyond. Kristi is CPR/First Aid certified.
