MEET THE TEAM
We are an experienced and growing team of doulas, bilingual supporters, trauma therapists, antenatal teachers, human rights specialists and infant feeding supporters. Together, we are dedicated to serving women/pregnant and birthing people and their babies during times of financial hardship and disadvantage.
Kate Woods
Alison OGIER
amina hatia
NAVRUP KAUR
Mary McCarthy
B.J. Woodstein
Tracy Ripley
mary mccarthy
NAVRUP KAUR
bj woodstein
LORRETTA HEPBURN
BJ EPSTEIN
LORRETTA HEPBURN
ROSE ALI
BJ EPSTEIN
GEORGIANa
CALINESCU
LORRETTA
HEPBURN
julie scrancher
hazel williams
Kate Woods
MARY MCCARTHY
JULIE SCRANCHER
KATY MASSEY
BEE MAXWELL
GRACE COLES
BEE MAXWELL
Trustee
My name is Rosie and I am a birth and postnatal doula with special interest and training in birth trauma. My background is in forensic psychology working with people with mental health difficulties combined with criminal offences. The therapeutic ways in which trauma was resolved, through compassion focussed therapy and mindfulness, inspired me. After the birth of my daughter, I was drawn to working with families in pregnancy, birth & postnatally and my passion for trauma became a part of it.
I was involved with the Mother Tongue project due being trilingual in Swedish, Arabic and English and interested in supporting vulnerable people such as refugee families as a Doula. As a former refugee myself, I am connected to the families I work with through shared experiences & familiarity. My experiences in my early life alongside my work, have allowed me to feel a strong empathy and dedication to helping families with Doulas Without Borders.
Consultant for Diversity & Inclusivity
B.J. is a doula in Norwich, where she lives with her wife and their two children. She is also a senior lecturer in literature and translation, a writer, a translator from Swedish, and a breastfeeding counsellor on the National Breastfeeding Helpline. She has published many articles and books, including about LGBTQ+ topics, and she has given dozens of lectures and workshops, including on supporting LGBTQ+ families during pregnancy and birth and with infant feeding. She is passionate about helping people reach their goals, and she believes strongly in the power of language.
Consultant Psychotherapist
Georgiana is our in-house Psychotherapist and offers sessions for our volunteers as well
as our clients.
Georgianas' background is in working with with traumatised children and adults with challenging behaviour, attachment disorder, ADHD, Depression, Anxiety, Phobia, Obsessive-Compulsive disorder, Eating disorders, learning difficulties, family relationship problems; adjustment to physical illness and chronic diseases; neurological disorders;
addictive behaviours.
Undertaking assessments, analysing information, drawing up psychological profiles for the assessed people and organising and developing complex and integrated therapy activities (either client centred or group centred) for both children and adult clients.
Georgiana is also a
Trauma Informed Doula.
Safeguarding co-lead
I have been working with women, families, young people and multi disciplinary teams for over 30 years.
I have a wide range of experience of working in child protection and safeguarding from policy writing to multi disciplinary meetings. My role has also been to work in partnership and provide support to families where there have been concerns and work with their strengths in gaining a good, strong parenting foundation.
I am a Doula and prior to this was working in a busy obstetric led hospital within the NHS
as a Midwife. I am also trained and have volunteered as a feeding peer support worker.
Safeguarding co-lead
Consultant in Perinatal Mental health
Mary is a midwife in the NHS holding a caseload of women experiencing vulnerable times and young parents, and facilitates safeguarding supervision to midwives. Prior to training as a midwife, Mary worked with women experiencing homelessness in London and then went on to train as a doula.
Mary has volunteered in the refugee camps in northern France and supported refugee families within the UK which has included supporting women in pregnancy, labour and the postpartum time as a layperson/doula.
Mary has two children and is passionate about being with women during challenging times and supporting others who are undertaking this work.
Consultant in Infant Feeding Support
Julie Scrancher is a Nurse/Midwife, currently working as a part-time Tongue Tie Practitioner for the NHS.
Julie has worked in many areas of the UK both in hospitals and the community since the late 1970's. More recently, her work has been confined to Infant Feeding both by instructing Midwives and Health Visitors how feeding works and they can help parents. Alongside this, she trains mothers to help other mothers as Peer Supporters and has taught on our Mother Tongue project.
Julie has also run Lactation clinics, as well as starting up and supporting Breastfeeding Support Groups. Julie is a qualified Lactation consultant and wishes to continue to help Mothers on their feeding journey.
Referrals
Coordinator
Grace started her career as a primary school teacher. The experience of having her own children led her to train as a trauma informed Doula. She initially came on board as the Volunteer Coordinator at Doulas Without Borders, and is now contributing further to the organisation in the role of Referrals Coordinator.
Grace believes wholeheartedly in the value of empowering vulnerable women and families through the childbearing year, through supportive kindness
and compassion.
Founder, CEO
Kate has been working with women, families and healthcare professionals for over 27 years as a Doula, Mentor, and Doula educator.
During this time, Kate has been actively supporting human/women's rights within the childbearing year and has a deep understanding of how continuous support, informed decision making and education are pivotal in improving birth outcomes.
Kate founded Doulas Without Borders in May 2019 and is excited to have grown the organisation from a dozen to several hundred volunteers. Kate has enjoyed founding our values of reflective practice, feedback and continuous learning towards improved outcomes
for our clientbase.
Kate is proud to have gained accreditation from the Royal College of Midwifery for her 'Trauma Informed and Responsive Toolkit' Workshop for Healthcare Professionals.
Kate is also the founder of Conscious Birthing and TIDE (Trauma-Informed Doula Education) and a Mental Health first-aider.
Co-Director
Alison is an experienced Doula and mentor who is passionate about all things birth and empowering women - whatever their circumstance. Alison has worked in this field in the Channel Islands and the UK. She moved from Guernsey to the UK in 1998, and has 6 children ranging from 13-23 years old.
Alison has served on the Leadership Team of Doula UK since 2012 and is currently a Director as well as Head of Mentoring and Secretariat. She also sits on the Maternity and Midwifery Forum Advisory Panel.
Co-Director & Mentorship Program Coordinator
Navrup Kaur is a birth and postnatal doula focusing on supporting people of colour, in person and virtually. After the birth of her first child, Navrup became passionate about supporting other women and their interactions with maternity services.
Navrup advocates for pregnant people and educates others about cultural and religious needs and differences via social media and in-person. She works with people with little or no English, sharing how to navigate a maternity system which carries inherent racism within it.
Navrup understands and has witnessed the generational and cultural conditioning that people of colour carry, which can result in cycles of poor treatment and low expectations. Navrup is passionate about stepping in to remind others how to use their voice as feedback and how this can bring positive change for their communities into the future.
Through Navrup's own experiences of birth & via supporting others, she has also developed a passion for the power of feedback as support for maternity services in their understanding of how pregnant people of colour might feel when interacting with the services. Navrup mainly focuses on helping services understand the rippling effect of birth trauma and broader society.
Trustee & Infant Loss specialist
Amina is a midwife working currently in both the NHS and charity sector, having been involved in midwifery care since 2005.
Working with refugees and those seeking asylum as well as those with various additional needs, Amina has experience of supporting many intersectional issues within the childbearing year. Amina works as a research midwife at Imperial College alongside Human Milk Foundation and is also the Midwifery Manager at Tommy’s, the charity supporting infant loss.
Amina is a passionate advocate for women and families achieving the best birth experience for them, using knowledge and empowerment gained from women-centred education, support and care, believing that the core of midwifery is embedded in kindness and support.
Amina also teaches on our Mother Tongue project.
Trustee & Infant
Loss specialist
Amina is a midwife working currently in both the NHS and charity sector, having been involved in midwifery care since 2005.
Working with refugees and those seeking asylum as well as those with various additional needs, Amina has experience of supporting many intersectional issues within the childbearing year. Amina works as a research midwife at Imperial College alongside Human Milk Foundation and is also the Midwifery Manager at Tommy’s, the charity supporting infant loss.
Amina is a passionate advocate for women and families achieving the best birth experience for them, using knowledge and empowerment gained from women-centred education, support and care, believing that the core of midwifery is embedded in kindness and support.
Amina also teaches on our Mother Tongue project.
Human Resources Coordinator
Bee is passionate about inspiring positive change within the pregnancy and birthing community. Her career has been vibrant and varied and after having her first baby 12 years ago her focus shifted to working with pre/post natal women.
Joining the Doulas Without Borders team as the Education Coordinator, Bee's role has since developed in to managing all aspects of the HR function including recruitment, and setting up a monthly wellness circle for volunteer doulas.
Bee is currently working towards her certification in Transformational Birth Support Coaching, and is committed to making a positive impact on the perinatal experience for all parents.
Oona Burch
Media Manager
Oona is a breastfeeding peer supporter in hospital and in the community.
Oona’s own birth was outside of the medical system and the story of her birth has inspired a life long fascination with radical birth work.
She lives in Cornwall with her husband and 2 young daughters.
Esme Fairweather
Referrals Coordinator
Having spent many years living abroad, where she had her three daughters, she now lives in Kent with her wife and dogs. She runs a successful training business, which she founded over 20 years ago.
Esme believes passionately that support, information and advocacy should be available to all birthing people, regardless of their circumstances. She is committed to providing accessible doula care, and inclusive, safe spaces for all pregnant people and parents.
Esme is a trained birth and postnatal doula and you can find her @esme_birthdoula
Philippa Cresswell
Consultant
Social Worker
Phillipa has worked as a social worker since 2008 in a variety of frontline and leadership roles including; safeguarding, child sexual exploitation, youth offending and care leavers. Through this work she has witnessed pregnancy, birth, and parenthood at its most challenging and traumatic and has come to understand the positive impact that a doula could have on the lives of some of the most vulnerable at critical
points in their journeys.
The systems that these families often find themselves in can often feel oppressive and complex; Phillipa aims to provide transparent and honest information to enable people to navigate them feeling informed and in control. Through transformational births and holding space for families as they forge new paths, we can build strong foundations for positive generational cycles.
Phillipa is a mentored birth doula, breastfeeding peer supporter and Mum of two small children.
Luka Bradshaw
Media Team
Luka is a mother to two young children, Doula and Hypnobirthing teacher in Hertfordshire. Luka believes every mother and pregnant person should feel supported, safe and seen throughout their pregnancy, labour and early years. The impact of a positive birth should not be underestimated, it forms the very foundation of lives. Luka is particularly passionate about supporting families from LGBTQI+ community as is from a gay family and wants to see maternity care become more inclusive for all families.