Melissa
Meet the Student

I am a wife, mother of 4, animal lover and Marine Corps Veteran. I served in the Marine Corps from 2007-2016 as a photojournalist and public relations specialist. I photographed Operation Iraqi Freedom up close and personal during a 10 month deployment in 2009. In 2012 I decided I wanted to be a midwife – but was hesitant to leave behind my years of experience in public relations and marketing. Instead I became a part-time doula, newborn photographer and birth photographer to fill the void. Eventually (and with support from friends and family) I took the leap and began my midwifery journey in 2021.
What empowered me and drew me to birth work was hearing stories from women who were victims in their own birth stories – sometimes unknowingly so. I want to be a part of changing the way the world views birth. I want women to understand their rights and know their options and empower them to own their birth.
EDUCATION
Associates of Arts in Marketing – 2015
Bachelors in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing – 2019
Certified Birth Boot Camp Doula – 2021
BS Midwifery – Mercy In Action – in process est. completion 2024