ProDoula

ProDoula CEO

Randy Patterson began her career in the birthing world in 1997 at the birth cottage at Hudson Valley hospital. There, she worked as a birth assistant (Doula) and later cross-trained as a peri-natal technician on the OB unit of the hospital. In 2003 she opened her independent doula business. In 2008 she joined forces with Debbie Aglietti; as co-owners of Northeast Doulas, they grew the business, their team and an awareness about Doulas. Randy’s passion is in helping women find strength and power in themselves – through their own experiences of birth or as a woman, mother or Doula. Throughout her life Randy has been a natural leader – a source of strength, inspiration and knowledge to those around her. With these skills, Randy leads the Training and Development Department of ProDoula – she imparts the company’s value on honesty, integrity, communication and accountability in the coursework, trainings and certification process. Randy recognizes that when someone is ready to become a doula, they need ongoing support that is nonjudgmental and compassionate. Randy is a trusted ally and loyal mentor to those who seek out ProDoula.

ProDoula Director of Training & Development, Labor, Postpartum & Infant Care Doula, Placenta Prep, Infant Feeding Specialist Trainer

Kristyn Blocher began her doula career in 2007, offering specialized support to Olympia area families, as a solo doula. During her initial years as a doula, Kristyn established herself as a well respected doula who is known as steady and easy going; providing a comforting presence during pregnancy, birth, and the early postpartum months. Her reliability, professional skills and ability to meet each family where they are, are highly valued by the community that she serves. Kristyn holds multiple certifications as a Labor and Postpartum Doula, and is also a Placenta Encapsulation Specialist. In 2014, she was invited to become a part of The Training and Development Team at ProDoula, and is proud to train new labor and postpartum doulas as they begin their exciting journey to birth work. New doulas appreciate her patient and available mentorship. Kristyn resides in Olympia, Washington with her two children and is raising them to value the rule that they can have anything they want in life, if they are willing to do what is takes to have it.

Labor & Postpartum Doula Trainer

With a love babies and a fascination for pregnancy and birth, it’s no coincidence that Julie has worked her way into a leadership position in the birth community.

Giving birth to her first child in an African country in 2004 with incredible support by her side, made her realize that it was time to tuck her degree in Communications and Public Relations away and pursue a career supporting birthing families.

Upon returning to the U.S., Julie trained to become a doula. In 2007 she became certified with Childbirth International and DONA International and opened her doula business. That business has now grown into “The Birth Haven,” Lexington, Kentucky’s premier doula agency.

Julie went on to earn her Childbirth Education Certification and to serve on the DONA board of directors, before finding her home with ProDoula in 2015. “After years as a certified doula, I left my ProDoula training so impressed by their approach. It was a package of skills I’d never had before, and just as important; it gave a sense of freedom! In that single training, I found a release from the weight of feeling like I needed to ‘save’ my clients, and learned how to give those experiences back to women using authentic, nonjudgmental support.”

With two successful businesses, Julie lives in Lexington, Kentucky with her husband, their 3 kids and dog, Truman. As a member of the ProDoula Training & Development Team, Julie loves to ignite and invigorate others about what the life and business of being a doula can truly be!

Labor, Postpartum & Infant Care Doula and Infant Feeding Specialist Trainer

A certified birth doula with DONA International from 1999-2015, Angela has served hundreds of families in birth. She has worked hard to cultivate a positive perception of doulas as professionals in the Tucson, Arizona community and she has earned the trust and respect of many families, providers, nurses and other birth professionals.

Dissatisfied with her original doula certification organization and the disregard for their members, Angela pursued certification elsewhere. That is when she found her home with ProDoula. “I finally found an organization that is professional, responsive and offers all encompassing training to labor and postpartum doulas and childbirth educators and I am here to stay.”

In her role as a dual certified labor doula and childbirth educator with ProDoula as well as CAPPA, Angela is also a Certified Breastfeeding Counselor through Central Arizona College. Angela has a wealth of experience in supporting a diverse group of families and has served clients from various backgrounds and cultures and those who have had many different types of pregnancy, birth and parenting experiences. Angela relies on the knowledge she gained from these experiences when training new doulas

As a professional doula, Angela has run the well-known Tucson group doula practice, Desert Doulas since 2006 and co-founded Tucson’s first doula agency, Tucson Doulas in 2015.

As a national speaker, Angela has felt drawn to supporting other doulas along the way and is a proud member of the ProDoula Training & Development Team.

Labor, Postpartum & Infant Care Doula and Infant Feeding Specialist Trainer

From a very early age, Alex was drawn to pregnancy, birth, and babies. Watching friends evolve on their journeys as parents inspired her to explore the world of birth work. That is when she discovered her life’s work as a doula and childbirth educator.

After taking a DONA International approved doula training in 2010, Alex set about building her first doula agency. In January 2015, Alex took her first of many ProDoula trainings, and in doing so, she found her home.

On the business advice of Randy Patterson, Alex undertook a thorough rebrand and renaming of her agency to what is now Toronto Family Doulas, a thriving and growing doula business.

ProDoula’s philosophy of elevating the doula profession and providing compassionate, judgment-free support resonated with Alex and it drew her closer to the organization.

Now, along with her passion for working with families, Alex has found a new passion; bringing her knowledge, and the ProDoula message, to new and experienced doulas alike. As a member of the Training and Development Team, Alex brings her uniquely Canadian perspective and a dedication to seeing doulas succeed.

Labor and Postpartum & Infant Care Doula Trainer

After attending her very first birth, Samantha knew that she was on the right
path as a birth worker. However, it wasn’t until a ProDoula training in 2016
when she saw that she could make a life and a career as a doula.

Samantha loves her role as an entrepreneur and doula. While serving others
she is also building a legacy for her own family. Sam’s journey to becoming a
professional doula has been life changing, and as a member of ProDoula’s
Training and Development Team, she is passionate about helping others
achieve the same.

Samantha comes to you from the suburbs of Washington, DC, where she lives
with her family.

Labor & Postpartum Doula and Infant Feeding Specialist Trainer

In 2011, while researching how best she could support a friend, Aisha
stumbled upon the role of a postpartum doula. Instantly she knew that
Certified Doula would be her new title.

As a newer member of the ProDoula Training and Development team, Aisha
brings diversity and hopes that her love for doula work transcribes to
supporting genuine doulas to be their genuine selves. “Anyone can do this
work, but it takes passion, heart, and skill to make it succeed!”

Aisha pronounces her name Aye-EE- sha, and resides in the ‘Entertainment
Capital of the World’…Las Vegas! As a woman of Faith, Military spouse, and
mother of 4, Aisha’s life motto is “Hakuna Matata”.

Labor and Postpartum & Infant Care Doula Trainer

After a 10 year career in social work and the birth of her first child, Katie was drawn to make a career shift in the families she supported. In 2013 she began her work as a birth professional and was eager to give her clients the best support she could provide as a childbirth educator and doula.  

After certifying with several other organizations which were often biased towards a particular birth outcome and parenting choices, Katie found ProDoula in 2015. She was immediately drawn to ProDoula’s standards of professionalism, dedication to non-judgemental support for families and mentorship for sustainable business practices.

“I left my first ProDoula trainings confident that I had tools to support any client in any of their birth and parenting choices. ProDoula builds the strong foundation that I wished I had when I started out.”

Today Katie is co-owner of Doulas of Cincinnati.  Her experience of running a successful solo practice, opening the first doula agency in her community, and merging her agency with another successful solo doula has positioned her as a natural mentor. She has served over 150+ families as a certified Childbirth Educator, Labor and Postpartum & Infant Care Doula, and Postpartum Placenta Specialist.

As a member of the Training and Development Team she uses her knowledge gained from working with diverse families and her business experiences to help train new doulas. Katie is patient, approachable, and facilitates meaningful opportunities for learning and growth. She focuses on exceptional service delivery and is committed to elevating the profession of doulas.

Katie lives in Cincinnati, Ohio with her husband and two sons, a cat and some chickens.

Postpartum & Infant Care Doula and Infant Feeding Specialist Trainer

After a not-so- fulfilling career as a litigation lawyer and a rocky postpartum time with her own two children, Kelly stumbled across the role of doula when she supported a friend through a very challenging postpartum struggle in 2014. This was the spark she needed to find her calling as a postpartum doula. After certifying through another doula organization, Kelly found ProDoula in 2015 and knew immediately she was home.

Kelly has devoted thousands and thousands of hours of postpartum doula support to her clients and understands that there is no greater gift than providing true non-judgmental support to new families as they find the path that is right for them. This is why she is drawn to ProDoula, an organization that makes professional, non-judgmental support part of its core beliefs. She is thrilled to join the ProDoula Training and Development Team where she can play a crucial role in training and educating doulas to carry that mission of nonjudgmental support out into the world.

Today Kelly is the co-owner of Doulas of Raleigh, a full-service doula agency providing
exceptional, unbiased support for families in North Carolina. She lives in Cary, North Carolina with her husband, two children, her incredible three-legged dog, Frannie, and her less-than- incredible-but- still-adorable cat, Clover.

Labor and Postpartum & Infant Care Doula Trainer

Celeste’s journey to birth work began when she went through her Obstetrics rotation of nursing school back in 1992.  Pregnant with her first child at the time, she had a vested interest in the experience of the patients she worked with and had an innate feeling that birth could be different than what she was observing.  This led her to the medical library (before the internet existed!) where she read all the research she could find on childbirth practices.  She was so empowered by the birth of her first son a couple months later, that friends and acquaintances alike began seeking her out for information and support during their own pregnancy, birth, and parenting journeys.  She went through doula training four years later when she learned that she could put her passion into practice.  

Celeste worked for Community Hospitals of Indianapolis (CHI) from the start of their doula program in 1997 through 2004.  During this time, she also maintained a private doula practice and began teaching hospital and private childbirth classes in 1998. Originally from the Detroit area, Celeste returned with her family to Michigan in 2006.  

In 2015, Celeste trained with ProDoula and is proud to be certified as both a Birth Doula and Postpartum & Infant Care Doula.  She enjoys encouraging and mentoring new doulas and was a trainer for a community-based doula program in Detroit.  Celeste and her husband have had several opportunities to coordinate medical teams to Nicaragua where she helps in women’s health education.  Locally, she loves volunteering as an ESL instructor for middle eastern immigrant and refugee women.  She is also honored to serve on the first national Advisory Board for ProDoula.   

Celeste tries to spend time every day reading, singing, and (weather permitting) either hiking or cycling.  But her absolute favorite thing to do is spend time with her family which includes her husband, their four sons, and their new daughter-in-love.  

As a member of the ProDoula Training & Development Team, Celeste is honored to have the opportunity to influence a new generation of doulas as they discover their ability to not only improve birth, but also positively impact their families, their clients, their communities, and the world!  

Labor and Postpartum & Infant Care Doula Trainer

Emily has been captivated by pregnancy and childbirth since she was a little girl. Her Barbies were always pregnant (wearing handmade maternity jumpers) and she had perfected a pillow baby bump by age 9! As she grew older, Emily read every book she could find about pregnancy and childbirth and, in one of those books, discovered the role of a doula. 

She began working as a doula part-time in 2009, and following the birth of her first child four years later, quit her day job and jumped headfirst into doula work full-time. As a DONA certified birth doula, Emily ran a successful, fully-booked, solo doula practice for the following 2.5 years. In 2015, pregnant again and on the verge of burnout, she was added to a ProDoula run facebook group. She knew, right away, that she had found her home. The focus on unbiased support for all goals and choices, coupled with sage business advice was exactly what she needed to push forward.

In August of 2015, Emily took her first ProDoula training. In March of the following year, she launched her flourishing doula agency, Doulas of Cincinnati. Through mentorship of the doulas in her agency and in her local community, Emily discovered her passion for motivating others to achieve their personal and professional goals. As a member of the ProDoula Training and Development Team, Emily is proud to share her almost eleven years of experience and enthusiasm for this profession with doulas across the country!

Emily lives in Kentucky with her husband, Jay, two daughters, June & Magnolia, a son, Benjamin, and two dogs, Ollie & Odin.

Labor Doula and Infant Feeding Specialist Trainer

Lacey is a passionate and driven member in the doula industry. Her path to the world of birth began when she was a high school teacher in Philadelphia. Her nonjudgmental support afforded her students a safe haven from their own network of peers and family members who weren’t ready to provide the same environment.  Lacey’s natural affinity for guiding and comforting families continues to flourish in her career as a professionally certified doula and serves as a basis for and reminder of the importance of support from an unbiased person during pregnancy, labor, and the postpartum period.

She completed her first doula training in 2012 and has since served hundreds of families both as a Certified Labor Doula and Postpartum and Infant Care Doula. She moved on to join ProDoula in 2014 where she found that her personal philosophies on passion, success, and sustainability in the profession closely aligned with the organization’s own teachings.

Riverside Regional Medical Center invited Lacey to be a keynote speaker at their “Birth Really Matters” Conference in 2014 and also worked closely with the administration of other hospitals over the years. This helped forge positive relationships between her agency and the local medical system’s providers. She continues to nurture those relationships to the benefit of her clients.

Lacey proudly owns Hampton Roads Doulas in Virginia and Doulas of Los Angeles in California. She lives in quiet Rescue, Virginia with her husband, Mike, and their dog, Rita, and two-spirited Lionhead rabbits.

Labor & Postpartum & Infant Care Doula Trainer

Andrea brings compassion and warmth to everyone she meets. She obtained her Bachelor’s in Zoology at Michigan State University (2007). She always had an interest in nature and how the world works which sparked her own personal quest to learn as much as possible about pregnancy, birth, and family life before ever becoming pregnant herself. Feeling free to make her own choices has taught her the value of letting others find their own path. Andrea is currently a ProDoula Doula Trainer for Labor and Postpartum & Infant Care, Certified Elite Labor Doula with ProDoula, a Certified Elite Postpartum and Infant Care Doula with ProDoula, and a Certified Childbirth Educator with ProDoula as well. Along with these credentials Andrea was recently a Master of Ceremony at the ProDoula Dare to Dream Conference 2018. She has also trained and is working towards certification as an Infant Feeding Specialist.

Expertise as related to the Labor Doula Course Offering:
Andrea teaches all of the birth and newborn care classes for her business Metro Detroit Doula Services. She easily conveys information while keeping her classes engaging. Local providers such as pediatricians and OBGYNs are referring their patients over to her classes. For over 5 years Andrea has attended births as a Labor Doula. With each experience she gains more knowledge and gets to work alongside nurses, midwives and doctors. She also is able to guide partners or support people to help the laboring person feel comfort and get to a place of coping in labor.

Expertise as related to the Postpartum & Infant Care Doula Course Offering:
As a postpartum and infant care doula Andrea provides families comfort and confidence. She has cared for singletons and twins in her career. She is familiar with helping her clients in feeding situations from breastfeeding to formula feeding. In her newborn care class she prepares parents for the day to day tasks, breaks down the basics of caring for babies, and updates parents with what is the most up to date safety precautions.

Postpartum & Infant Care Doula Trainer

Heather Sudduth has been supporting families in and around Cleveland Ohio since 2014. Being a doula has been a long-time goal of hers since the birth of her first daughter in 1999. She first trained to be a Labor Doula, then shortly after added Postpartum Doula work to her repertoire. Providing her community with unconditional nurturing and expert support during some of the most important days of families’ lives is one of her goals. Her genuine friendly and gentle nature helps her clients to feel a sense of peace and calmness through a time that can often feel hectic and scary.

Working cohesively alongside the Cleveland areas hospitals nursing staff, OB’s and Midwives, Heather has built an impeccable reputation for herself and her company, Flora & Finn Birth Services. Her professionalism, approach to teamwork and the unbiased support of her laboring clients has put her on the top of many care providers list of favorite doulas to refer to their patients.

Heather’s attunement to her clients during the postpartum period is apparent while working one on one with families in their homes. Her gentleness and nonjudgemental way of caring for her clients combined with her laid back personality give security to her clients and they look forward to their time with her. Heather has received many compliments from care providers on how she cares for the family during any pediatrician and lactation appointments. She allows the parent to find what works best for them and their families while giving options and educating them when asked to do so.

Labor Doula Trainer

After getting her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration in 2009, Eva promised herself she would have a career she loved and was passionate about. She learned about doulas when her sister opted to have a home birth with a midwife and a doula. Through her research on what a doula was, she felt very drawn to birth work and since has felt like she has found her calling.

Eva is an Independent Contractor for Tucson Doulas. She also co-hosts a doula podcast called Doulas of the Roundtable, where she and her co-host Angela Horn discuss all things related to doulas and birth work. She is now a labor doula trainer with ProDoula and is very excited that she gets to travel and teach passionate birth workers the joys of this important work.

Expertise as related to the Labor Doula Course Offering:

Eva has been working as a doula since 2015 and has attended over 140 hours of in-person doula training. Eva prides herself on providing non-judgmental and unbiased support to the clients and health-care providers in her community. She finds it important to have continuous education and strives to learn and grow. Also, Eva is helping to elevate the role of doulas by making a contribution to the industry through her podcast and by training new and aspiring doulas or birth workers all over the country.

Labor Doula Trainer

Elysia Douglas grew up watching her mother care for elderly/ill relatives and helping out when she could. As a child she always knew that she wanted to have a career taking care of people or animals. Her doula journey began with a request to keep a laboring friend company until her support person arrived. She provided the physical and emotional support needed throughout her friend’s labor and birth. From that day on, she knew her purpose in life was to find a way to provide comfort and support to women and their families during pregnancy and childbirth. Elysia is now a professional, certified elite labor doula, certified postpartum and infant care doula, and certified childbirth educator in the Metro Atlanta area. During her career as a labor doula, she has assisted over 100 families as they prepared for and welcomed their little ones into the world. She offers mentorship to new doulas and works hard on building trusting relationships between doulas and the medical providers in her community. Elysia is a diaper need advocate, hosting an annual diaper drive each year, rallying neighbors and community business partners, to benefit her local community resource center. Elysia volunteers her time in the community with special events and has also served as a leader in children’s ministry with her church.

Since her initial doula training with DONA International in 2012, and subsequent trainings with ProDoula in 2018 and 2019, Elysia has gained a remarkable wealth of experience and expertise in providing the emotional, physical, and educational support her clients need and desire to enhance their birthing experiences. By keeping up with the latest recommendations and research and taking advantage of various training and continuing education opportunities, Elysia is able to provide evidence-based information to both her clients and the new doulas she mentors in an unbiased and nonjudgmental fashion. After a childbirth education class students depart feeling both knowledgeable and prepared for the journey they have ahead. Through mentoring opportunities with Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies of Georgia, Elysia is able guide newer doulas of all ages and backgrounds as they complete the doula certification process and prepare to confidently and competently support new families.

Labor and Postpartum & Infant Care Doula Trainer

Christi has been serving her community as a doula since 2009. She began as a solo doula before serving on the Board of Directors for a doula collective. During her time as a board member, she influenced professional standards within the local doula community and helped open up doors of communication with providers. She currently co-owns Doulas of Bellingham where she continues to elevate professional standards of unbiased support through her team. Christi has been invited to speak with local providers and hospital administration to build bridges with doulas and providers, hospitals and birth centers to create more cohesive working relationships that better serve clients.

Expertise as related to the Labor Doula Course Offering:

Christi has watched and led the way for significant change in the professionalism of labor doulas, while supporting hundreds of clients over the years. Her expertise enables doulas to be more prepared for the variety of options a client chooses in their birth experience while being confident in their ability to provide unbiased support. Her way of presenting interventions and provider tools without fear-based/misinformed agenda leaves doulas with a better understanding of what it means to support all client decisions without personal influence. Christi’s in-depth knowledge of the labor process and comfort measures helps doula better understand their role.

Expertise as related to the Postpartum & Infant Care Doula Course Offering:

Christi has been working with postpartum families as a doula for over 5 years and has been a trusted support person for families for over 10 years before officially becoming a postpartum doula. She recognizes that every family’s needs are different and the role of a doula is to meet families where they are, helping in ways that are tangible to those needs. As a doula agency owner, she mentors her own postpartum doulas in how to provide support. In addition to being a certified postpartum doula, she has taken additional courses in cloth diapering, infant feeding and infant sleep methods.

Labor and Postpartum & Infant Care Doula Trainer

Tanya took her very first Doula training in the summer of 2015, but her passion for empowering new parents began as an early teen. She provided care for newborns and toddlers for 20 years prior to becoming a doula and worked closely with couples as they settled into their new role as parents. In 2017, Tanya opened her Doula agency, and now has 10 doulas on her team who provide Labor Support and Postpartum & Infant Care Support to numerous families each year. Beginning in 2018, Tanya has held a large community Baby Expo in her area 3 times, with more events planned annually. These events are attended by over 500 people each time, and over 50 vendors participate, including local hospitals, OBs, Midwives, Chiropractors, and more. She speaks publicly at these events and at other events locally about the birthing process, the postpartum recovery period, and newborn care. Tanya runs a local Facebook Group for people who are planning to get pregnant, are pregnant, or have recently given birth. She also teaches a Childbirth Education Class monthly, and has become a trusted expert on birth and newborns in her community.

Expertise as related to the Labor Doula Course Offering:

Tanya took her first Labor Doula training in 2015 and has attended this training as an alumnus each year. She has also attended the yearly ProDoula conference, where she is given the opportunity to hear from experts in the birth field on new advances and research that enrich her knowledge on various topics related to Birth. Tanya has attended numerous births in the hospital and birth center setting, and has supported women through medicated birth, non-medicated birth, and cesarean section birth. In addition to attending births, Tanya also reads books, current articles and new research on the topic of birth to further deepen her understanding of the birth process and the needs of the pregnant person through said process. Tanya regularly holds Birth Planning Sessions with expectant parents and excels at educating adults in the process of birth and in explaining the options they have in regards to their birth experience. Tanya also serves as a Childbirth Educator and teaches private and group classes on a monthly basis.

Expertise as related to the Postpartum & Infant Care Doula Course Offering:

Tanya took her first Postpartum & Infant Care Training in 2015 and has attended this training as an alumnus each year. She has also taken a Caring for Multiples Training, a Newborn Care Specialist Training, The TummyTime Method Training, and studied Early Childhood Development to deepen her understanding of Newborns and the newly Postpartum Mother. Tanya has supported numerous families as a Postpartum & Infant Care Doula. Each new family comes with their own special set of circumstances and challenges, and there is something new to be learned with every experience. Tanya spends time with each new family before their baby is born to help them create a plan for their postpartum recovery. Some topics of focus include meal prep, household tasks, family help, overnight care, newborn care, newborn sleep, and newborn feeding.

Labor and Postpartum & Infant Care Doula Trainer

Labor and Postpartum & Infant Care Doula Trainer

In 2013 Whitney was drawn to doula work because of the unique opportunity to connect with each family personally, providing them with professional and compassionate support during their pregnancy, birth and the postpartum period. She is committed to building a positive reputation with her community, hospital admins, medical personnel and families. Due to her personal experience as a mother of five and stepping into her role as a leader in her community, she knows exactly how to come alongside a family and help them find their rhythm as they have taken on new roles as parents. Adding the credentials of being a Labor and Postpartum & Infant Care Doula Trainer has only encouraged her passion to spread the same exceptional message to each and every one of her students.

Expertise as related to the Labor Doula Course Offering:

Whitney has been a Labor Doula since 2013, providing thousands of hours of in person support in a home and hospital setting to numerous families in her community. As a leader in the industry, Whitney has participated in speaking engagements with hospital administration, obstetricians and additional medical providers with the sole focus of collaborating for increased patient satisfaction. With a certification in Childbirth Education and experience in providing instruction to multiple families, Whitney’s level of communication is effective in providing each student with excellent educational information.

Expertise as related to the Postpartum & Infant Care Doula Course Offering:

Whitney has been a Postpartum Doula for 5 years and extended to the Infant Care certification in 2017. Offering her community classes in infant care and what to expect through the postpartum period, she has supported new families with thousands of hours of postpartum and infant care support in the home and hospital setting. Whitney’s experience in guiding and supporting families with infants has allowed her to continue to build professional relationships with local providers, furthering her commitment to changing the postpartum experience for each family she works with.