Shayna Rowher

shayna@juneaudoulas.org

(907) 321-4121

Shayna Rohwer moved to Juneau in 2007.  Prior to coming to Alaska, she worked for a non-profit in Eugene, Oregon which provided free birth and postpartum doula support to pregnant and parenting teens. 

Shayna is a certified labor doula through Doulas of North America (DONA) and has taught and assisted with childbirth education courses. 

Her greatest passion in life is working to ensure that women are informed about their options for birth, equipped with information to make the best choices for themselves, and that they feel supported however they choose to birth their baby.

Christy Perrin

christy@juneaudoulas.org

(907) 209-6106

I have always been drawn to the extraordinary process of birth and through my own birth experience I discovered the importance of knowledge, encouragement, and belief in the process and in our bodies. 

I completed a DONA certified doula workshop with Carrie Kenner in March of 2009 and am currently working towards becoming certified through DONA International.

I strive to aid women in experiencing the birth that they want.  I believe that birth is one of the most transforming events in one’s life and I find tremendous inspiration in witnessing and supporting women and their families during this important time.

In my off time I enjoy playing my cello, spending time with my daughter, and taking in all the wonderful things that Alaska has to offer, such as hiking, snowboarding, fishing and camping.

Katy Beedle Rice

katy@juneaudoulas.org

(907) 586-8900

My interest in birth became a passion after birthing my twin daughters in 2004.  My own birthing experience taught me first-hand the importance of compassionate, knowledgeable, and skilled support to a birthing woman and her partner. 

As a doula, I have supported birthing mothers and their partners in home, hospital and birth center births. I also have experience in bed-rest and high-risk pregnancy, as well as multiple births.  My goal as a doula is to individualize my support to my clients’ specific needs, desires and birthing dreams.  I have attended doula trainings from Birth Arts, International, as well as DONA International, and am currently completing my DONA certification.

A lifelong Juneau resident, I also enjoy hiking with my husband, Jeff, baking, and reading books to myself and my three children: Ani, Jessica, and Jackson.  It is a true privilege to be with birthing mothers and their partners during one of the most transforming experiences of their lives.

Jesse Higdon

jesse@juneaudoulas.org

(907) 321-0772

Jesse Higdon began doula work as a Birthing From Within Doula and Childbirth Mentor in 2009, and attended DONA training in 2009.  Jesse teaches Birthing From Within classes to expectant parents, and co-teaches conventional childbirth preparation classes. 

Her holistic approach to pregnancy, labor and birth focuses on the mother, the baby, and the partner’s role in the journey. 

Jesse’s purpose in this work is to empower women through their pregnancy and birth choices; and to provide information and emotional support. 

She strongly believes that by combining modern knowledge with trust in one’s own knowledge, women can birth and parent in the best way for themselves and their families.

Mikaela Levy

mikaela@juneaudoulas.org

(907) 957-0598

Birth is such an amazing process for every woman and being a part of it is truly a blessing.  With my clients I am working to help them understand the birth process and learn to advocate for themselves. It is my goal to help my client feel informed about her choices and supported with her decisions no matter how she chooses to have her baby. 

I am a mother of two wonderful kids and married to my best friend.  I was born and raised in Juneau, AK.  I love to be outdoors and spend time with my family.  I will be attending UAS in the fall to pursue my bachelors degree and I am so excited to further my education.  

I attended a DONA Workshop in May of 2010 and I am currently in the process of becoming certified.

Susie Portier Burger

susie@juneaudoulas.org

(907) 209-0344

Susie is the mother of three children.  She began a career in prenatal yoga with her first pregnancy in 1994.  She began teaching prenatal yoga after her third child was born and currently teaches prenatal yoga at theJuneau Family Birth Center and at Taproot Yoga.  In a quest to find more information for her yoga classes, Susie received formal doula training through a Doulas of North America-certified training covering late pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding and postpartum support.Through this training she expanded her services to serve mothers and families in an additional and more thorough way, as a birth doula and a postpartum doula. 

Susie is passionate about serving women and is blessed to have lead several women's bible study groups.  She is sensitive and knowledgeable about the challenges of parenting and family life, as her own young family began when she was 20 and her husband 19 years old.   Now at the age of 36, through her experiences in mothering and leadership, Susie is happy to serve laboring mothers of all ages at home, in the birth center and in the hospital.  Susie has particular interest in serving teenage mothers with their journey into motherhood. 

She believes in teaching women to listen to their bodies and encourages women to connect with their needs and their babies.  She believes that the parent / child bond begins early on in the womb and encourages mothers with the belief that it's never to early to start hugging your baby and sending them messages of love.  Lastly, through her gentle approach, Susie is strongly interested in supporting a woman in finding her own inner strength and dignity through the transformational experience of childbirth.