STAFF, ADVISORS AND CONSULTANTS
Wholistic Midwifery School of Southern California

DBA The Association of Wholistic Maternal and Newborn Health

A 501c3 non-profit educational corporation, founded in 1993, we are a training and  and advocacy organization with a  grassroots, community-based approach to support direct-service providers in promoting the health of mothers, infants, and families.  The organization trains community perinatal  health workers,   designs community-based initiatives,  so as to engage and mobilize  diverse stakeholders in collaboration to  develop  programs  and policies that improve maternal and child health. Our purpose  is to promote the availability and use of  skilled maternity care including nurses, midwives, doulas and community health promoters, at all levels and in a variety of settings including clinics, private homes, hospitals and freestanding birth centers  to promote evidence-based maternity and infant  care and reduce perinatal health disparities.

STAFF

Cordelia Hanna Cheruiyot, MPH, CHES, CCE, CBA, Executive Director

Cordelia Hanna-Cheruiyot, MPH, CHES, CCE, CBA

Cordelia earned her Masters in Public Health (MPH) in Health Education and Promotion and Maternal Child Health from Loma Linda University in Loma Linda, CA in 2008, and her Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and Dance  from Indiana University,  Bloomington in 1986. She is  a Certified Health Education Specialist, accredited by National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, the gold standard for professional health educators. Cordelia has worked for twenty years as a childbirth educator, breastfeeding educator-counselor, birth assistant/doula and health education consultant and midwife assistant in private practice, clinics, hospitals, doctor’s offices, and federally qualified health centers in Los Angeles. Cordelia develops and conducts trainings for nurses, public health students, community health promoters, doulas, and breastfeeding peer counselors. She has trained staff from several agencies and institutions throughout the region. Cordelia is a Certified Childbirth Educator and Certified Birth Assistant accredited by The Association of Labor Assistants and Childbirth Educators (ALACE) and Lactation Educator-Counselor. Cordelia worked for nearly a decade at The Pasadena Public Health Department on the Maternal Child and Adolescent Health Outreach Program  and The Black Infant Health Program, a state-funded program to reduce African-American health disparities. While working at The Health Department, she conducted trainings for staff and community members and managed a volunteer doula program and breastfeeding peer counselor program, and developed a childbirth education curriculum and taught patient education classes. In addition, Cordelia is Co-Chair of the Evidence in Action Committee of the Coalition for Improving Maternity Services (CIMS), and formerly was the C0-Chair of the Los Angeles Best Babies Network Healthy Births Learning Collaborative for SPA 3 (San Gabriel Valley). Cordelia is active in the global movements to reduce ethnic perinatal disparities in the U.S. and abroad,  is married to a man from Kenya, Africa and is the mother of two  bright and capable young adults.

Jazzmin Nelson, LVN, CBPC – Training/Administrative Assistant

Jazzmin Nelson, LVN, CBPC is a Licensed Vocational Nurse and a Certified Breastfeeding Peer Counselor. She is also an aspiring nurse-midwife. Jazzmin’s  responsibilities with the organization are to help coordinate the trainings we offer and general administrative duties. She is a mother of one  young daughter.

INTERNS AND VOLUNTEERS

Our interns come from schools of public health in the region. Most recently, our two interns were from California State University Northridge. We precept both Bachelors and Masters public health students. We also offer work-study scholarships for individuals desiring to take our trainings, who have financial need. Please contact us for more information on these opportunities. We currently have an opening beginning in January 2012 through June 2012. Call 626-388-2191 for more information.

OPEN POSITIONS

We are currently  recruiting  volunteers for our Board of Advisors who are professionals from various disciplines: public health, non-profit management, mental health, nursing, midwifery, medicine, etc. For more information, contact us.

ADVISORS & CONSULTANTS

Vanessa Nicolas, BSN, CNM,CLE,   Lead Trainer

Vanessa Nicolas, CNM, CLE

Vanessa brings many years of clinical experience and expertise to our organization. She is a Certified Nurse-Midwife with 20 + years experience, and over 30 years experience is a Professional Nurse. She has delivered over 2000 babies safely and is a recognized lecturer and clinical preceptor. Vanessa earned her certificate as a Nurse Midwife from University of Southern California in 1988 and her BSN from The University of South Alabama in 1982. Vanessa worked as a nurse-midwife at Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science for 13 years where she was a lecturer and clinical instructor for midwifery, medical and PA students. She also worked as a Nurse-Midwife and Lactation Educator at LA County UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles for and as a Staff RN at LA County/USC Medical Center on the high risk obstetrical unit. Vanessa worked as a Clinical Instructor and Interim Director of Nursing Education at Preferred College of Nursing in Los Angeles for five years instructing in medical/surgical, OB and Pediatrics for LVN students. She is currently a Nursing Instructor for the Associate Degree Nursing Program at at Virginia College. Vanessa is also an Education Consultant and International Trainer in Haiti and Zambia, Africa where she is involved in the training of Traditional Birth Attendants. She is married to a Haitian immigrant, and is the mother of 3 grown children.

CONSULTANTS FOR MOTHER-BABY FRIENDLY  NURSE TRAINING

Nicette Jukelevics, MA, ICCE, Curriculum Co-Developer, Principal Consultant/Researcher and Co-Instructor

Nicette Jukelevics, MA, ICCE

Nicette Jukelevics is the author of Understanding The Dangers of Cesarean Birth (Praeger Books, 2008). Nicette is a recognized expert on Cesarean Section, maternity care researcher and educator. She is a certified childbirth educator accredited by International Childbirth Education Association (ICEA) with 30 years experience teaching in the hospital, as well as university teaching experience. For 28 years, she taught prepared childbirth classes and other topics at Torrance Memorial Hospital. She is also a parenting educator and founder of The Center for Family. Nicette received her MA in English with Honors from Concordia University in Montreal in 1974, and her Bachelor of Arts in English with Honors from McGill University in Montreal, Canada in 1970. She was a California Community College Instructor in Languages and Literature and also at Le Centre Culturel et Linguistique, Concordia University, McGill University and Berlitz School of Languages. She is a received her doula training with Doulas of North America. Nicette is the editor and contributer to many publications and websites and taught VBAC/Cesarean advanced trainings for doulas, nurses and childbirth educators. She is the author of http://www.vbac.com. Nicette was one of the founding members of Doula Association of Southern California (DASC) and worked as a doula for many years specializing in Vaginal Birth After Cesarean. Formerly, Nicette served as Chair and Co-Chair of The Coalition for Improving Maternity Services. She is married and is a mother of 3 grown children and is a grandmother of one granddaughter.

Marilyn Hildreth, RN, IBCLC, FACCE, ICCE, LCCE, IAT-CE-D, CD(ICEA/ DONA) - CIMS Mother Friendly Nurse Recognition Program

Marilyn Hildreth, RN,IBCLC,FACCE, CD

Co-Founder , CEO, JM Birth Consultants International, PLLC, Marilyn’s professional background includes over 35 years of experience in Maternal Child Health Nursing, including supervisory, flight, and staff nursing. She has also been a certified childbirth educator for 30 years, doula trainer for 10 years, and serves as an instructor for various ICEA Workshops. Marilyn currently serves on the CIMS Leadership Team as Chair of the CIMS Mother Friendly Nurse Recognition Program and is past Education Chair for the International Childbirth Education Association Board of Directors. Marilyn has been an instructor for the Lamaze International Evidence-Based Nursing Care: Labor Support Skills Workshop and currently is an instructor for the ICEA Mother Friendly Labor Support for Nurses Workshop. Hildreth continues to consult with local and international hospital’s wanting to implement the CIMS Mother Friendly Childbirth Initiative into their practice. She is a International Board Certified Lactation Counselor, ICEA Certified Childbirth Educator, ICEA and DONA Certified Birth Doula, Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator.

Jeanette Schwartz, MSN, RNC, ICCE, CD -Director, Maternity Care Center Woodwinds Health Campus, Woodbury, MN (a Mother-Baby Friendly Institution)

Jeanette Schwartz, MSN, ICCE, CD

Jeanette is the Director, Maternity Care Center Woodwinds Health Campus, Woodbury, MN and past President, International Childbirth Education Association (2008-2010). She is also Adjunct Faculty in the University of Minnesota School of Nursing, and was Chair of Minnesota AWHONN (2007-2010). Formerly she was the Director, Medical/Surgical/Pediatric Unit at Woodwinds Health Campus, Woodbury, MN. Jeanette was the President, Minnesota Perinatal Organization (2001-2002). She was a Staff Nurse Labor and Delivery at Unity Hospital, Fridley, MN and Staff Nurse Labor Delivery, Special Care Nursery. Jeanette is a ICEA Approved Trainer and Certified Childbirth Educator with International Childbirth Education Association and Lamaze International. She is also has her Inpatient Obstetric Nursing Certification, National Certification Corporation for the Obstetric/Gynecologic/Neonatal Nursing Specialties. In addition, Jeanette is a Babies and You Instructor for The March of Dimes, Twin Cities Chapter, and has her Doula Certification through Doulas of North America, and her Doula Trainer Certification with Doulas of North America. Jeanette attended Metropolitan State University, St. Paul, MN, where she received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 1996, and her Masters of Arts in Nursing Leadership from Bethel College, St. Paul, MN in 2000.

 For more information contact us at 626-388-2191 or email cordeliahc@socalbirth.com