In Gratitude
Since 1997, the Doula Services Association of BC has been supporting doulas and families across the province. This work has been made possible by the dedication of countless board members over the years, who have generously given their time and energy to ensure the DSA remains a strong voice for our community. We are grateful for those who came before us and hope to leave a lasting foundation for those who will follow.
Your Board of Directors
Behind every great organization is a team of people who care deeply. Here’s ours.
Joefin Peter
President
Open Position
Vice President
Jennifer Bremner
Secretary
Katie Anderson
Treasurer
Sarah Wallace
Director of Communications
Heather Wuschke
Director of Memberships
Ashley Jardine
Community Outreach
Amy Jefferson
Indigenous Doula & Family Advocate
Kaitlyn Sahay
Regional Representative Leader
Bev Watson
Member Identification Tag Manager
Joefin Peter, President
She/Her
Hi, my name is Joefin (pronounced just how it looks: joe-fin) and I use she/her pronouns. I founded Oru Kutty Community to support folks navigating sexuality, fertility, pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and loss—all while holding space for the complexities of marginalized identities. As a trained sexual violence supporter, sexual health educator, and full-spectrum doula, I offer care that’s feminist, trauma-informed, evidence-based, and grounded in accessibility and inclusion. I also created the CORVET Tracker, a community tool to name, track, and advocate against obstetrical and reproductive violence in Canada.
OPEN POSITION, Vice President
Could this be you? The DSA is seeking a Vice President to help guide our work and strengthen our impact. Contact Joefin if you’re interested in filling this position.
Jennifer Bremner, Secretary
Jen is a single parent to 3 incredible kids, a Personal Trainer, Yoga Instructor, Prenatal/Postnal Fitness Specialist, Core Confidence Specialist, Mental Health advocate and community volunteer.
After specializing in and working with prenatal and postpartum women in the community for many years, Jen started The Motherhood Project in 2019. After experiencing recurrent loss, pregnancy after loss, perinatal mood disorders and subsequent healing from all of the above, Jen added birthwork to The Motherhood Project in an attempt to fill the gaps in the industry and provide a more diverse, supportive and holistic approach to perinatal wellness.
Jen’s deepest desire is to elevate the experience of mothering; not in the sense of making it “better” or “easier” but in the sense of making it more empowered, transparent, honest, vulnerable, compassionate, and connected.
In her free time, Jen can be found enjoying time in nature, driving kids to all the sports and volunteering extensively with her local lacrosse association where she serves on the board of directors as the VP of Operations.
To learn more about Jen and her offerings, please visit www.themotherhoodproject.ca
Katie Anderson, Treasurer
Sarah Wallace, Director of Communications
She/They
Sarah is a mom of 4, a former teacher, an advocate for mental health, a believer in speaking your truth and standing up for what is right, a gardener, and a huge fan of Doctor Who.
She serves new and expecting families by providing them with intuitive, evidence-based support as a Full Spectrum Birthworker, Certified Childbirth Educator, and Documentary Photographer. They specialize in postpartum support and is dedicated to supporting your entire family through the first year. Sarah also provides pregnancy and infant loss support to those going through any kind of pregnancy or infant loss including miscarriage, stillbirth, and abortion. Sarah is proud to serve all families regardless of race, gender identity, sexuality, ability, age, faith, or family make up.
Sarah grew up in the East Kootenays, and is now based in the unceded Sinixt, Ktunaxa, Syilx, and Secwepemc territories in the West Kootenays of BC.
You can learn more about Sarah and their services at nurturedpostpartum.ca
Heather Wuschke, Director of Memberships
Heather is a parent and partner, birth and postpartum doula, and yoga teacher on the unceded land belonging to the Coast Salish people, including the territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam),
Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), Stó:lō and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. Colonially known as Vancouver, BC.
Heather came to doula work through the incredible journey of her first pregnancy and birth, filled with a growing desire for all the knowledge, learning and unlearning that comes with understanding the magic of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. She continues to learn and deepen that understanding with every birth and postpartum experience that she supports and is honored and humbled everyday by the families she works with.
When Heather isn’t serving her community, you can find her hiking in the forest, savouring a hot cup of tea, and adventuring with her amazing husband and two children.
Heather is proud to support the DSA and grow this amazing community of doulas.
Find out more about Heather and her business Sacred Rhythms at www.sacredrhythmsco.com/
Amy Jefferson, Indigenous Doula & Family Advocate
Ashley Jardine, Community Outreach
Ashley is a full-spectrum birthworker located on Nex̱wlélex̱m, the ancestral and unceded territories of the Skwxwu7mesh (Squamish) People. Living, working, and raising a family in this small community is a privilege she doesn’t hold lightly.
As a cis-gendered white woman, Ashley acknowledges where she intersects the world and the privilege that affords—she is constantly learning and strives to support people in a gender-affirming, culture-affirming, and trauma-informed way. Since stepping into this work, Ashley has moved her practice to a sliding scale model with a focus on community reparations and redistribution of funds.
Her work as a successful writer and copywriter enables the financial privilege and flexibility to work almost exclusively with volunteer clients and folks who wish to be supported birthing remotely on the island. Ashley also facilitates a weekly postpartum yoga class (where she fully endorses an hour-long nap) and unless she’s on a social media break, her DM’s are always open.
Ashley is a parent to two small humans and a rescue pup whose names all coincidently end in “O”. She thinks a lot about having more babies, writing a book, and becoming a social worker, midwife, or therapist.
Find out more about Ashley here.
Kaitlyn Sahay, Regional Representative Leader
Kaitlyn joined the DSA board with a heart rooted in lived experience and a deep commitment to supporting women through one of life’s most powerful transitions. A mom of two, certified Childbirth Educator, and full-time employee with the City of Vancouver, Kaitlyn became a Doula after a personal journey opened her eyes to the transformative power of birthwork. She’s always felt a strong calling toward women empowerment but spent years searching for the right path—until she found her purpose in supporting, educating, and standing alongside birthing people.
Her favourite part of Doula work is helping women feel seen, heard, and confident in their choices. As a board member, Kaitlyn brings that same energy and heart to shaping a more equitable and supported future for families across BC. When she’s not working or Doula-ing, you can usually find her with her kids and husband, with her friends, by the water, or at a concert, soaking in the beauty of the moment.
Bev Watson, Member Identification Tag Manager
Bev attended her first DONA birth doula training in 2008. As the mother of 5 and grandmother of 7 (and counting!), the birth process has become very significant for her.
As a member of the DSA and a director on the BOD , Bev is constantly amazed at the passion, commitment and level of caring that doulas extend to the people they support. Our DSA strives to provide knowledge and opportunities for doulas to expand and improve their role within this process.
Bev’s role as a Director is a support position. She attends meetings, helps make decisions, participates in set-ups and take-downs for work shops, trade shows, etc. Bev is also responsible for the name tags you receive as a member of the DSA.
Your Regional Representatives
Local connections matter. Our regional reps bring the DSA’s care and resources right to your community.
Kristin Eapen
Interior BC
Lexi Vass
Surrey, Langley, Fraser Valley
Laurie McDonald
Northern Vancouver Island
Reet Bains
Southern Vancouver Island
Sarah Alicia Elder
New West - Tri Cities
Ariel Montgomery
Northern BC
Mila Hennings
Kootenays
Kristin Eapen, Interior BC
She/Her
Kristin is a birth doula, grief and loss coach and Lamaze certified childbirth educator with the immense privilege of serving families on the traditional, unceded territory of the Syilx/Okanagan people in Kelowna, BC. She has a passion for continuous learning, with a niche in perinatal mental health and mood disorders.
To say that birth work is a passion would be an understatement! She is truly living a dream, empowering clients to be active participants in their care through informed choice, and continuous evidence-based support.
Kristin loves the term ‘holding space’, because it encapsulates so much of what she does in her work, which is ‘being present’, without agenda, without judgement. It’s a space where her clients feel safe, honoured and heard.
When she’s not at a birth you will probably find her learning about dinosaurs, building Lego or discovering the outdoors with her husband and three kiddos.
Kristin is excited to working on the board alongside our incredible and diverse team as we serve the DSA community!
Lexi Vass, Surrey, Langley, Fraser Valley
Lexi Vass is a birth and postpartum doula and amateur birth photographer living and working on the traditional lands of the Coast Salish peoples, in particular, Kwantlen, Katzie, Matsqui and Semiahmoo First Nations (Langley). Lexi has a deep respect for the miracle of life and a passion for empowering parents with knowledge. She is always honoured to accompany individuals and couples on their unique journey to parenthood.
As a birth doula, Lexi believes in the innate strength and wisdom of the birthing individual. Her approach is rooted in evidence-based practices, holistic wellness and a deep understanding of the physiological and emotional aspects of childbirth. She strives to create a safe, nurturing environment where families feel heard, empowered, informed and supported every step of the way.
You can learn more about Lexi and her services at Graceful Guidance Doula Solutions https://www.
Reet Bains, Southern Vancouver Island
Reet is a holistic doula working with clients through birth and postpartum, and also with fertility and loss after feeling the void in her own fertility journey. She has grown up and lives on unceded territories of the Songhees, Esquimalt, and W̱SÁNEĆ peoples (Victoria), and services clients both in-person and virtually.
A passion for birth since she was young child, she later learned that both her grandmother and great grandmother were birth partners in India. Being called the baby whisperer, she decided to complete her holistic doula training at Pacific Rim College in 2018, and give up her corporate life and dive fully into birthwork in 2020
The inspiration for her work as a doula is that birth is a normal function of the pregnant birther’s body. Our bodies instinctively know what to do and she is here to remind you of that. She offers a variety of Eastern and Western services, including bringing a lens of Ayurveda and using energy work such as Access Consciousness (energy work). Her goal is to ensure that clients are informed, empowered and feel supported during their fertility, birthing and postpartum journeys. She can be found at Golden Triangle Doula
The constant student, she is always learning, advocating and integrating. She is excited to be the South Island Rep for the DSA.
Laurie McDonald, Northern Vancouver Island
Laurie is a community care worker of Scandinavian and Germanic ancestry, who grew up in Tsilhqot’in territory. She and her husband have five grown children, four (ages 8-16) who are still growing and learning at home and four who left this world early. Their most recent addition is a puppy.
Before starting a family, she was an RN. She has volunteered in many capacities over the years and was excited to move forward with birth doula training in 2017. Her love of learning and serving led her to become a Health Care Assistant in 2022. She is continuing to further her education in the areas of postpartum and bereavement.
Laurie currently resides on the traditional and unceded territories of the Ligwidax. She is looking forward to meeting and collaborating with fellow birth workers as they support families.
Some of her other lifelong loves are fibre arts, gardening, nutrition, travel and languages.
Sarah Alicia Elder, New West - Tri Cities
Sarah is a full spectrum doula in the city of New Westminster on the unceded traditional territories of the Qayqayt (qiqéyt) First Nation.
She has 4 young children and a very giant puppy that take up most of her time when not helping families. Born and raised in New Westminster helped light the flame to help her community which she has been doing since finishing high school volunteering in various activities and events around the city. After having her first daughter, she learned about what doulas are and decided to do a career switch after the birth of her second. As an artist, she loves intertwining art projects with clients and their families to help make one-of-a-kind keepsakes. As well as being a doula Sarah is a CPST and also co-runs a Postpartum Support Group through Centennial Community Center.
“The best part about being a doula is there isn’t one way to do it and I feel that’s why the doula community is such an open and supportive one. We are all so different from each other but have the same passion, to help families.”
You can learn more about Sarah and her services at www.elderflowerdoula.caSkwxwú7mesh (Squamish), Stó:lō and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. Colonially known as Vancouver, BC.
Mila Hennings, Kootenays
Mila is a full spectrum doula, offering compassionate and inclusive support through fertility, birth, postpartum, and pregnancy & infant loss. Based on the unceded territory of the Sinixt people (Nelson, BC).
Mila brings a deep sense of care and presence to everyone she works with. As a recent immigrant who became Canadian in 2024, Mila understands firsthand how challenging it can be to navigate fertility, pregnancy, loss, and postpartum in a new country—especially without nearby family or a strong support network. This lived experience deeply informs her work, and she is passionate about creating safe, nurturing, and affirming spaces for folks of all backgrounds and genders.
Mila is also a childbirth educator and a proud co-owner and founder of the Nelson Doula Collective, where she works alongside other skilled doulas to provide community-centered care. You can connect with Mila and learn more about her offerings at www.nelsondoulacollective.ca or on Instagram @nelsondoulacollective
Ariel Montgomery, Northern BC
Ariel grew up on Nex̱wlélex̱m (Bowen Island) in Southern BC and now resides in Northern BC on the ancestral territory of Lheidli T’enneh, Dakeł Keyoh (ᑕᗸᒡ ᗲᘏᑋ), Dënéndeh (Prince George, BC), as well as Gitx̱san Lax̱yip (Hazelton, BC) with her husband and three children.
Ariel is a full spectrum doula (Nurtured North), pre and postnatal exercise specialist, prenatal nutrition professional, yoga teacher, and the owner of a strength and conditioning/movement studio (Framework Fitness). Ariel blends her experience in breath, movement, nutrition and birth for a holistic support approach. She strives to empower and educate birthing people with evidence-based options to provide accessible care.
Ariel is continuously learning and unlearning and is unapologetic in her beliefs and values of supporting birthing people and their families to create a supportive and healthy community for all in the North.
You can find and follow Ariel at Nurtured North on Instagram!
