Doulas Association of Southern California
The Doulas Association of Southern California was founded in 1997. We are a non-profit professional membership association of birthworkers led and run by a volunteer Board of Directors.
Meet the Board
Erin Fitzsimmons
President
I feel fortunate to have found the Doula community in Southern California. I am a trained, DONA, PostPartum Doula working on the westside of Los Angeles. I was drawn to this work because I love the idea of nurturing families and easing the transition when a newborn becomes part of the family. I look forward to continuing to grow in this field and plan on pursuing a certificate as a Breast-feeding Consultant.
I have a Certificate from UCLA Extension as a Patient Advocate and currently work part time for a physician in Santa Monica. I have two wonderful children and before I became a mother I worked in film production and development. I love systems and helping to facilitate ideas and would love to help DASC grow and expand its reach. I am originally from New York City and moved to the westside of Los Angeles in 1998.
Sarah Pinder
Vice President
I am a postpartum doula and have really gained so much insight from my membership through DASC. I am looking forward to giving back to the organization and hoping that I can provide assistant to the board, as well as the organization at-large. I am a jack-of-all-trades, having worked in administration, website content, TV, and non-profit counseling. I’m looking forward to offering my time and perhaps a voice to new postpartum-doulas and those beginning in this profession.
Michelle Brenhaug
Secretary
I am a trained birth doula and working toward certification with DONA International. I was trained in the fall of 2020 through Bini Birth and have loved almost everything involved with doula work since then. I have 2 daughters and experienced birth trauma with my first labor and birth experience which is one of the things that pushed me toward pursuing this work. I have found myself the most alive when guiding and accompanying others, whether it be children, frields, or aging persons. Also, since becoming a mother, I have discovered an even deeper ability in myself to intuit someone's needs, sit with, guide, and offer care as they need it. I am also Japanese-American, educated as an engineer and worked as an engineer for 9 years. I find that the combination of my aptitude for technical things, attention to detail, and empathic, intuitive disposition makes me uniquely fit for birth work.
lucy roberts
Treasurer
I am a Birth Doula and ASL Interpreter originally from Carlsbad, California, I moved to Los Angeles in 2008 for college. After graduating with a degree in Musical Theater, I dedicated my education to learning American Sign Language. While training to be an ASL interpreter, I gave birth to my daughter, Lily, in 2018. I found my passion for birth work after that experience. It was a long road to get to this point, but I know that supporting birthing people is what I was meant to do. I am constantly striving to better myself and my work through community and education.
I am so excited to join the DASC board and to serve the birthworker community in Southern California. “Live and Love. There isn’t time for anything else”
anika das
Director of Programming
I started my training as a yoga instructor from Thailand followed by Rishikesh and Mumbai, I have been teaching yoga for over 5 years now. During this time as a yoga teacher I expanded my training as a Birth and Postpartum Doula, nutritionist and lactation educator, which increases my scope of expertise while working with pregnant mamas.
My passion to pursue a career in doula work started when I was teaching pre-and post natal yoga . Throughout these experiences, I have found that a woman’s birth and postpartum story becomes a permanent and critical part of who she is.
I truly believe that one cannot give out of an empty cup and so as a doula it is my goal to help women and their partners to not only focus on the baby but themselves too, to make them feel the most confident, calm and to educate them through this beautiful and life changing journey.
tracy hartely
Director of Membership
I am a birth doula, a childbirth educator, and a doula mentor who has supported almost 700 births since becoming a doula in 1996. I have served on the DASC Board of Directors in every position at some point during my decades on the board and I love serving my doula community. I am the mother of two wonderful grown children and the grandmother of three amazing grandchildren.
Before becoming a doula, I trained dogs for people with disabilities other than blindness for 18 years, I ran a word processing department, I was a bookkeeper, a peer counselor for Vietnam Veterans, and an Air Traffic Controller in the Navy. I feel as if I learned something from every job I’ve ever had that has helped me in my doula career.
AJ Jonesco
Director of Hospitality
As DASC’s Hospitality Director I look forward to welcoming even more doulas and birth professionals to DASC, as well as working with this dedicated and enthusiastic board to enhance our membership benefits (including more trainings, resources , discounts, and increased opportunities for connection and mentorship).Like many doulas, I was called to this profession—and thrilled it found me! I work primarily as a Postpartum Travel Doula (DONA Certified) and teach as a New Parent Educator (CAPPA trained). My client focus is antenatal planning and preparation, as well as postpartum support during the first six weeks. I love supporting new families during life‘s transitions with my professional mantra: “Give them roots to grow —and wings to fly.” In the past, I have served as a panel speaker at Los Angeles Baby Shows and state-wide nanny training organizations. Additionally, I am a Newborn Care Specialist and former communications executive, with professional sports/event management experience and professional organizing skillsets, as well as a degree in health promotion & wellness.Born in Ohio, I am the oldest of four and have been passionate about caring for babies and supporting new families for as long as I can remember! I’ve lived in the west Los Angeles area since graduating college on the East coast. After raising an almost adult daughter and a guide dog puppy, I feel fortunate EVERY day that my empty nest is surrounded by puppies and babies!
Dayana ornelas
Member at Large
Hola ☾ I’m Dayana, my friends call me Dee!
I’m an Indigenous Holistic Birth and Postpartum Doula serving OC & LA counties.
I’m a homeschooling mama of 4 beautiful souls, 16 son, 13 son, 7 son & 6 princess…
Wife, eternal student, birth nerd and lover of all things natural healing.
I’m a strong supporter of women having the power of CHOICE and love advocating, educating and building them up… Teen moms have a special place in my heart and I often volunteer my time advocating and supporting them as best as I can.
I’ve been an unofficial doula for a long time. Traditionally trained from a young age and formally trained by DONA’s former Board Presidents Ana Paula Markel (BD) and Kathrin Auger (PD).
Jena Scott
Member at Large
Hi! I'm Jena. I am a trained Birth and Postpartum Doula and a lover of the great outdoors. I am motivated to share my knowledge about the perinatal period with families to provide an easier transition into parenthood. I also value community. As the saying goes, it takes a village (for parenting and for life in general). This is why I am a member of DASC and hope to support the Board of Directors with building a community of doulas in SoCal who can support and uplift each other.
Noemi martinez-bary
Member at Large
PD, CLC (she/her)
Hola! I'm a Visual Artist turned Birth Worker, serving families as a Postpartum Doula and Lactation Counselor. Unbeknown to me I started my training when I became a mom in 2006 & 2011. Two very different birthing experiences, one full term and one preterm birth, that took me through a path of incredible joy, as well as trauma. I expanded my training through my own journey of physical, PMAD and PTSD recovery.
In 2015, when reassessing my career and birth experiences, I looked back as far as high school, college and the 25+ years as a professional artist, and realized that there were recurring themes: conception, pregnancy, birth, and babies in most of my artwork. It became clear that I belong in this Birth Work World. I trained as a Postpartum Doula with DONA International.
My years of personal experience & training fed my desire to delve deeper into the psychological and physical care during pregnancy, birth, postpartum and lactation period. In short, my passion about the perinatal period is palpable in almost everything I do. I strongly believe in a culture where birth is a vulnerable creative force, just, inclusive, and fueled by courage. I'm honored to be part of this DASC community, an amazing organization in support of families and birth workers of Southern California. I was born and raised in Puerto Rico, and live in LA with my husband, son, daughter, dog and cat.
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