Meet the Team
Midwives
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Dr. Elle is a dynamic strategist and change catalyst with over twenty years of leadership across the military and healthcare sectors. Rising to the rank of Colonel in the U.S. Army, she brings strategic prowess to her role as the owner of BirthCare & Women’s Health, a pioneering midwifery practice and freestanding birth center established in 1987.
With an unwavering dedication to diversity, she founded Midwifery In Color, an organization championing inclusivity in her profession. Armed with a Doctor of Midwifery, a Master of Science in Midwifery, and a Bachelor of Science in Biology, Elle’s journey epitomizes an unyielding pursuit of excellence.
Beyond accolades, Elle’s true passion lies in community empowerment. Serving on the boards of the American Midwifery Certification Board, the National CVS Health Equity Board, and the Virginia Perinatal Neonatal Collaborative, she isn’t simply involved in healthcare – she’s committed to uplifting and transforming lives. With a fervent dedication to healthcare excellence, Elle actively participates in professional and social organizations, endeavoring to empower communities at every turn.
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Martha began her career as a midwife after graduating from Georgetown University Midwifery School. In 1987, she became the first staff midwife employed by BirthCare. Over the years, she has worked with BirthCare in various capacities while raising her family of four children, taking time off from her professional career to home-school each of them through high school. Martha currently serves as a full-scope midwife, dedicated to ensuring the continued success of the practice under its excellent new leadership. She is deeply committed to BirthCare and the personalized, one-on-one care it provides to clients. Martha believes in the midwifery model of care, which is founded on the idea that women can achieve remarkable things when supported by education, understanding, compassion, and shared decision-making with knowledgeable and experienced care providers. Her work is also guided by her faith, which instills a sense of humility and reliance on God’s strength. She is always available to pray for clients while respecting each individual's personal and religious beliefs and practices.
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Dorothy became a nurse in 1979, and worked in Hematology/Oncology for a few years as a hospital nurse, where she found satisfaction in helping people make difficult decisions at the end of life. She then took some time off to do volunteer work with a midwife in the mountains of eastern Kentucky. This is where her idea of becoming a midwife came into focus. She saw that she could apply her nursing and midwifery experience to the beginning of the life spectrum, and work with women to help them understand the natural process of normal birth, and help to facilitate their birthing experience, and she has never looked back!
Since attending midwifery school at Frontier School of Midwifery and Family Nursing (now Frontier Nursing University) and receiving a dual certificate as a Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) and Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) in 1987, Dorothy has worked in a variety of birth center, clinic, and hospital based practices, where she has assisted many women in all aspects of their prenatal, birthing, and gynecological life cycle. After joining Birthcare in 2015, Dorothy’s experience has expanded to include the joys of home births.
Dorothy and her husband have 2 wonderful children and 2 wonderful grandchildren. She is happy for the experience of working at Birthcare with these wonderful midwives, and clients!
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Bio coming soon.
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Bio coming soon.
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Bio coming soon!
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Bio coming soon!
Birth Assistants
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Service area: She lives in Alexandria, Virginia and prefers to serve clients within the Alexandria and Southern Maryland area.
Ja’Nada is excited to have the opportunity to help you as your birth assistant.
She is a student midwife, studying at National College of Midwifery. She is also a
Childbirth Educator and Certified Birth Doula (DONA) with a deep passion for helping women have informed and balanced births.
Born at the PG Hospital in Cheverly to her teen mom and dad who are high school sweethearts, she has an appreciation for first time and growing families.
She holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology with a focus on Women’s Health and study MBIII (Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Bioinformatics). She has been working as a birth doula since 2011 while studying to become a Certified Professional Midwife.
Outside of her birth-worker life, she is a mother of her little guy, AnSir (planned homebirth) and her daughter Emunah (her daughter in heaven). She is a food enthusiast and avid adventurer. Her favorite place to visit is anywhere with good eats, good music and a beautiful ambiance.
She is NRP and CPR certified and has been trained in breastfeeding support, Spinning Babies, and newborn care.
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Service area: DC, Montgomery and PG counties, and Northern VA inside the beltway.
Holly has been working as a doula since 2007 and a birth assistant since 2010. Her birth worker origin story is a happy accident--when looking for a job at a clinic she landed at a birth center and soon found she had an aptitude for supporting people thorough labor and birth.
Holly's many years of experience has taught her that no two people have the same wants and needs around their birth experience, and she prioritizes getting to know her clients so she is prepared to best support them. She is known for her calming presence in the birth room and quick action when emergency support is required.
Outside of birth work, Holly works as an herbalist. She has a sliding scale herbal practice and locally-sourced apothecary in Takoma DC, and grows herbs on a farm in Maryland. She's originally from Upstate NY and has called DC home since 2001. Her birth-related trainings include CPR, neonatal resuscitation, Spinning Babies, Birth Emergency Skills Training, and lactation support.
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Service area: 40 miles surrounding BirthCare
Audrey Gentry-Brown (she/her) is a Learning Midwife, Certified Lactation Counselor, and Medicine Woman. She is the founder of Birth 'n' Herbs, admin of the Black Student Midwives Facebook Group, and Co-founder of the Traditional Midwifery Freedom Path at Gather Grounded Midwifery. Originally from Bronx, NY, Audrey now lives on Manahoac, Algonquin, Iroquois, and Piscataway land (Loudoun County, VA).
Audrey is a proud wife, mom to one son, two fur babies, and a host of plants. She is a music enthusiast, an avid reader, and an accomplished home chef.
Inspired by the legacy of her great Aunt Sis Vivi, a revered Grand Midwife in Jamaica, Audrey carries her spirit and wisdom into every birth she attends. Her philosophy centers on trusting the body's innate ability to know what it needs to do and reclaiming the birth rituals and practices that have long nurtured our communities. She believes that birth is a deeply spiritual and transformative experience, deserving of the utmost respect and care.
Trained in CPR, Neonatal Resuscitation, Spinning Babies, and an Evidence Based Birth Pro Member, Audrey is well-equipped to provide comprehensive and informed care.
Audrey views birth as a rite of passage. She often says, "You are not only giving birth to an ancestor returned (child), you are giving birth to a new version of yourself."
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Service Area: 40 miles surrounding BirthCare
It is a joy for her to serve as a Birthing Assistant for Birth Care. Many years ago, she began her journey as an EMT, working with a private ambulance company on the Southside of Chicago. During that time, she transported many young, pregnant women to the hospital, only to see them left alone and frightened in the emergency room. This experience led her to believe there had to be a better way to give birth, one that involved a supportive community of women helping each other through the process.
After relocating to Maryland with her husband, she was introduced to the beautiful experience of home birth. This new perspective sparked a passion for natural childbirth, and she soon became an advocate for it. As a birth coach, she has assisted women in managing natural childbirth in both hospital and home birth settings. Since 1988, seven of her eleven children were born at home, with the support of a remarkable midwife practice. Between raising her own children, she has been assisting with births alongside these wonderful midwives since 1989.
Now that her children are grown, she has had the privilege of helping several of her daughters and daughters-in-law welcome their own children, both in birth centers and at home. In addition to her work as a Birthing Assistant, she is a Master Herbalist and Naturopath, and she enjoys sharing natural remedies for pregnancy, childbirth, and recovery with her clients upon request.
She is thrilled to be part of the BirthCare team, a group of women dedicated to supporting others through the life-changing experience of childbirth. She would be honored to join any birth team and currently resides in Laurel, MD, preferring to serve clients within a 50-mile radius, though she is open to other areas and also assists with Birth Center births.
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Service area: I live in Petworth, Washington, DC and can service areas within a 20 mile radius (including the birth center). On a case by case basis, I can travel longer distances. Please contact me if you have any questions.
Abiana Patton-Toure is a birth assistant with Birthcare & Women’s Health. She officially started in this role in 2023, but has previously worked as a student midwife with us in 2020. Her journey into birthwork started in 2017 when an interest in herbal medicine opened an opportunity to learn about holistic birthwork and doula care. She’s evolved from a doula to a midwife planning to open her own practice. In the meantime, she loves to assist our midwives in helping you have the birth you desire!
Her philosophy of practice is that birth is a normal, physiological process. Families deserve evidence-based, culturally-competent care and the autonomy to make the best choice for themselves. She is turning her passion for birth into hands-on skills to help you and your family have a good birth and a safe birth.
Abiana is a D.C native. Outside of birth work, she enjoys raising her four-year-old daughter, gardening, and exploring herbal medicine.
Trainings and certifications: Certified Professional Midwife (CPM), Adult and infant cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), neonatal resuscitation (NRP), Birthwell doula certification, Spinning Babies, Birthcare midwifery apprenticeship, Sky House herbal apprenticeship
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Jamie Anderson is a highly experienced and dedicated professional with over 15 years of service supporting women and families in birth, breastfeeding, and end-of-life care. With over 3500 apprenticeship hours under the guidance of Traditional Midwives, MDs, NDs, CPMs, and CNMs Jamie has developed a deep understanding of childbirth, midwifery care, and modern medical practice, ensuring families receive personalized, culturally sensitive care.
In addition to Birth Assisting, Jamie is a Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC), providing comprehensive breastfeeding education, lactation consultation, and care planning to new mothers. Her expertise in breastfeeding ensures that mothers receive the support and guidance they need to establish and maintain a healthy breastfeeding relationship with their babies.
Jamie is also a Certified Full Spectrum Doula, offering emotional and physical support to women and families through childbirth, loss, adoption and abortion. Her compassionate care provides comfort and guidance during some of life's most challenging and transformative moments.
As a Certified Childbirth Educator (CBE), she educates and prepares families for various birthing environments, including home births, hospital births, and birth center births. Jamie is passionate about empowering families with the knowledge and tools needed to navigate the birthing process with confidence and peace.
Beginning her journey as a Certified End of Life Doula, Jamie believes in bringing comfort and dignity to those at the end of life. Her overall approach to her practice reflects a deep commitment to supporting individuals and their families through every stage of life, from birth to death.
With a profound respect for life’s sacred transitions, Jamie believes in being a guiding light for the families she serves, meeting them wherever they are emotionally, educationally and physically—in their communities, homes or hospitals—and offering holistic, compassionate care every step of the way.
Holistic Wellness & Mental Health
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Jessica Y. Fernandez, LCSW is a bilingual social work professional with over a decade of experience supporting youth, families, and immigrant communities through trauma-informed care. She holds a Master’s and Bachelor’s in Social Work from George Mason University and has served in diverse settings including schools, nonprofit organizations, and community health programs. Most recently, Jessica worked as a Regional Supervisor at Mary’s Center, leading home study and post-release services. Her career reflects a deep commitment to culturally responsive mental health care, crisis intervention, and family advocacy.
Administrative Staff
Growth & Development
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Patience Hill is a marketing and engagement strategist with a strong background in community building, project management, and brand growth. As Growth Champion at BirthCare, she leverages over a decade of experience in strategic communications, stakeholder engagement, and program development to elevate awareness, drive client engagement, and strengthen relationships across diverse communities.
With a BBA in Marketing from Prairie View A&M University and prior experience as a Marketing Manager and Director of Community Engagement, Patience brings a client-first mindset and creative lens to her work. She has past experience crafting campaigns, developing resources, and planning events that amplify impact and visibility. She has enjoyed building online communities of practice, leading national initiatives in early childhood, and executing high-impact engagement strategies that drive measurable results.
At her core, Patience is passionate about empowering women and families, and she continues to infuse that mission in her work here at BirthCare.
Community Engagement
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Erin Lee is a dedicated public health practitioner committed to addressing racial disparities and inequities within healthcare and early learning sectors. She currently serves as our Community Engagement Consultant and as the Equity and Partnerships Director at Northwest Kidney Centers, where she acts as a liaison between the organization and community partners to advance health equity. Erin brings a wealth of experience from her previous role as Community Engagement Director at Quilted Health, an organization focused on ensuring equitable access to compassionate, evidence-based, whole-person pregnancy care.
Erin holds a Master of Public Health from the University of Washington, where her research explored community-based doula support across Washington state. Her work has consistently focused on fostering collaborations with local community-based organizations to support laboring individuals and historically underserved populations. Prior to her roles in healthcare, Erin played a pivotal role in coordinating diverse programs for non-profits, specifically those supporting unsheltered children, families, and Native and Indigenous communities in WA state.
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Alysia is a member of the Community Engagement Team for BirthCare & Women's Health. She is a Certified Nurse Midwife and Maternal Child Health Public Health Nurse. Alysia also moonlights as a Labor & Delivery Nurse at a local hospital in the DC area.
Marketing & Social Media
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Kalen Villanueva is a Division I student-athlete and NASM Certified Personal Trainer with a B.S. in Economics of Sustainable Development and Management from the University of Connecticut. With a focus on business management and marketing, Kalen brings experience in strategic consulting, branding, and community engagement. He has supported mission-driven organizations like Midwifery in Color and West Green Farms through design and outreach. Currently pursuing his M.B.A. at Campbell University, Kalen is passionate about blending leadership, wellness, and business to create lasting impact.
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Anaiya Rubin is our Social Media Manager & Designer on the Marketing team. She holds a B.F.A in Graphic Design from Auburn University and is working towards her M.F.A in Motion Media Design from Savannah College of Art and Design. Anaiya has previously been an intern for Auburn University's College of Nursing and held Leadership roles on AIGA as well as her College's Student Council. Communication through design is an important piece to any puzzle and she implements this in all of her work.
Human Resources
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Ms. Viridiana Chaveste has worked in healthcare administration for the past 8 years. With a focus on HR in the last 6, As an avid collaborator and successful people person Ms. Chaveste has been able to support and strengthen the mission and strategically support the success of staff and teams. Viridiana’s commitment to community and social justice is what drives her day to day work.