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BIRTH Happens! Ann A. Geisler, CPCU, AU, AAI, attained the CPCU (Chartered Property & Casualty Underwriter) designation in 1988 and is co-owner and C.E.O. of Dean Insurance Agency, Inc., founded in 1994, which specializes in professional liability programs offered on a countrywide basis. Ann is very active in the community, and has served on non-profit boards and committees, including Anthony House, American Cancer Society and Rotary. She is a consumer midwifery advocate with memberships including MANA, MAF, NACPM, ACNM, AABC and CFM. In 2007, as MANA Insurance Committee Chair, Ann developed an affordable health insurance program for MANA members. She teaches CEU programs for midwifery schools and hospital family practice residency programs. Most recently, Dean Insurance sponsored the Out of Hospital Birth Feasibility Study with plans to form a midwife owned professional liability company providing coverage countrywide. Marie Hemming is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) and current member of the North Central Florida Breastfeeding Coalition. In her capacity as a lactation consultant Ms Hemming taught at the Florida School of Traditional Midwifery and created a specialized curriculum for breastfeeding education for professionals. In 2009 Marie worked at The Pamoja Tunaweza Women’s Center in Moshi, Tanzania assisting with triage, lactation consulting and HIV testing. Read her blog Linda Roberts has been involved in the Childbirth profession for close to 20 years as a doula, childbirth educator and lactation counselor. She has worked on several grass roots and non-profit programs surrounding birth. Currently she facilitates an innovative hospital based prenatal education program in South Florida. Linda was instrumental in spearheading the Indian River County Breastfeeding Coalition, and is assisting the hospital to create breastfeeding and mother friendly policies while it works toward implementing the WHO/UNICEF baby friendly hospital initiative. A mother of four beautiful children, Linda has given birth at home, in a birth center and in a hospital. Mary Rainer is a doula, breastfeeding counselor and childbirth educator. Her experience includes breastfeeding counseling with WIC and LLL; pregnancy and childbirth education with Healthy Start; and director of Partners in Pregnancy and Parenting, a Florida/March of Dimes program for teens and at risk mothers. Mary is the director and creator of Birth Blossoms. Dr Sharleen Simpson taught and coordinated the Women's Health Nurse Practitioner Program from 1985 until 2000 at the University of Florida. She currently teaches the Qualitative Research courses in the doctoral program. She is an anthropologist and affiliate graduate faculty in the Department of Anthropology and Latin American Studies. She is a fellow of the Society for Applied Anthropology and a member of the University of Florida Graduate Council, the Faculty Senate and the University of Florida Institutional Review Board. She has served on 20 completed doctoral committees and over 80 master's thesis and project committees in Nursing, Anthropology, Latin American Studies, Psychology and Food and Human Nutrition. Shannon Mitchell is a birth advocate seeking to give voices to women. Currently practicing as labor support, certified lactation counselor and childbirth educator, her service to women also includes 5 years as Information Services Director for ICAN and the owner/moderator of the ICAN of Florida Yahoo Group, volunteering as a CBE and doula for jailed women and those in financial need. She is the co-founder of "Birth Action/Birth After Cesarean" and currently serves as the Vice President of Florida Friends of Midwives. Her most amazing role is being a wife to Brian and mother to her four children: Liz, Lashley, Lara and Alex, who all give graciously of their time when Mommy has to "go help another Mommy." When asked why she feels so passionate about birth, Shannon frequently answers: "I have three daughters. If the cesarean rate is 1 out of three, which one do you want me to pick? I have no choice but to fight for better care for moms and babies." Shana Martin, CNM, moved to Gainesville in 1987 to become a nurse midwife through the University of Florida. Her first child was a home birth; her next a vaginal breech at AGH. Shana worked many years at the Patience Corner NurseMidwifery Center where she assisted families having either a hospital or birthcenter birth. She also provided care through the Alachua County Health Department. Shana is currently employed by a group of physicians at North Florida where she continues helping women. Over the years, Shana has precepted many midwifery and nurse practitioner students. Glenn Cameron brings twenty years of experience in midwifery and education to the Florida School of Traditional Midwifery and has worked in various administrative capacities at the school since 1997. She is currently certified as an American Aqua-natal instructor and Gynecology Teaching Associate for the University of Florida. Glenn is the mother of three daughters, all born at home, and two granddaughters. Dr. John Johnston graduated from Sherman College of Straight Chiropractic in 1981 with his Doctor of Chiropractic Degree (D.C.). He has practiced chiropractic in Gainesville since 1982 and is the only graduate of a Straight Chiropractic College in our community. He is recognized for his gentle and caring approach to his patients. He believes that healthy women, are physically, mentally and socially the real super-models of the good life and through chiropractic care allows elemental health energy to flow out from an improving spine and the strong posture that says you are alive and well...naturally. Dr. Johnston believes chiropractic is the loving way to protect family health. The family that gets adjusted together truly grows healthy together and proudly shows X-rays of his wife and children and long-term staff members. Paige Allison, Ph.D., is a cultural anthropologist, educator, spiritualist, and social justice advocate. She believes in humanity, sanity and living in love. Judy Banks, MD., received her undergraduate degree in Biology from the University of Chicago and her M.D. in 1979 from the Pritzker School of Medicine at UC. Although a Southerner at heart, she remained in Chicago for a Pediatric residency at Northwestern's Children's Memorial Hospital. Since then she has been in medical practice in general pediatrics in her hometown of Gainesville, Florida. For the last 9 years, she has worked in the practice of Dr. Lisa Tumarkin at the Women's Center, North Florida Regional Medical Center. Dr. Banks has a special interest in parent and newborn breastfeeding support. Daniela Shillington LM, is a graduate of The Florida School of Traditional Midwifery and has attended hundreds of births at several birth centers and in homes. Inspired by the making of mothers and families, she honors the diversity and sacredness of the birth experience. Daniela just happened to work with the Midwives Cooperative as the fourth midwife for 2 years. She has attended many births with Donna, Jessica and Lynne. As a Childbirth Educator, Doula and Lactation Counselor she works with families in a variety of settings. Daniela has taught professionally for the Midwives Cooperative, Labor of Love Birth Center, Patience Corner and North Florida Regional Hospital. Donna S. Rarey LM has worked in the field of nursing since 1981, with experience in pediatrics, emergent care and psychiatry. Donna received her BA from St. Leo College in 1996. Observing the birth of her first grandchild in 1998, she realized she wanted to give women the birth options that she had not received. Graduating from the Florida School of Traditional Midwifery in 2001, she has enjoyed helping new and experienced parents, using her nursing, midwifery and life experiences. Donna’s goal as your midwife is to assist you in obtaining your ultimate birth experience within a safe environment. Donna and her husband have four grown children and so far eight grandchildren, three of whom she delivered. Jessica Stevenson LM, received her midwifery degree from the Florida School of Traditional Midwifery in 2003. She is also a nationally recognized certified professional Midwife (CPM) with experience in a variety of settings including home, birth center and hospital. As a student, Jessica was able to intern in a maternity clinic in Cartagena, Colombia which provided her with both high-risk experience and a stronger understanding of birth cross-culturally. With a deep commitment to midwifery originating from being born at home, she is inspired to give women and families the birth experience they desire. D. Lynne Salzburg LM, is a 1986 graduate of The North Florida School of Midwifery. Lynne has attended home births in Gainesville and the surrounding areas for 6 years, then spent 12 years as a Midwife at The Birth Center of Gainesville. A change in ownership of the Center brought her back to her “first love” – helping families birth at home! Mother of four home-born children (now grown), she is happily spoiling two grandchildren. Talkback Schedule Thur, June 11 Marie Hemming, International Board Certified Lactation consultant, Lynne  Salzburg, Daniela Shillington, Shannon Mitchell, Paige Allison, Susie Long, Glenn Cameron Fri, June 12 Dr Sharleen Simpson PhD, ARNP, Jessica Stevenson, Donna Rarey, Shannon Mitchell, Paige Allison Sat, June 13 Lou Hilldebrande, Jessica Stevenson, Daniela Shillington, Shannon Mitchell, Mary Rainer Sun, June 14 Ann Geisler, Dean Insurance, midwifery insurance specialist, Donna Rarey, Lynnne Salzburg, Shannon Mitchell, Glenn Cameron All Talkback sessions will be facilitated by Mary Rainer  This production of BIRTH is co-sponsored by the City of Gainesville, Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs.