Midwife Matters

Health Center for Women Clinic

The first midwife I ever met was an instructor at University of Iowa while I was a young nursing student in the 1970’s.  I only worked under her for one semester, but she opened my eyes to all the parts of OB that I’ve come to love—educating, supporting, and listening to women.

After earning my degree in 1975, I worked as a labor and delivery nurse and Lamaze instructor in Iowa City, followed by a move to the Twin Cities where I was able to work on a birth center which included 5 months as the interim head nurse. I then moved on to be the perinatal outreach educator for United and Children’s hospitals. By that time it was very clear to me that the only way for me to put it all together and be able to care directly for women and their families was to become a nurse midwife. I earned my master’s degree at the University of Minnesota and began working as a nurse midwife at what was then Saint Paul Ramsey in 1992. That program eventually merged with Health Partners and I have now been working as a nurse midwife for over 20 years and still love what I do.

Outside of work I am a wife of 40 years, have 2 grown children and became a grandmother for the first time in 2012. I also enjoy cooking, gardening, and knitting (especially for a special baby!)

The experience of being present for the birth of my grandson inspired me all the more in my role as guide and advocate for women and their families. My inspiration and what keeps me coming to work for over 37 years now, is the sheer joy of working with so many talented midwives, physicians, and nurses to serve so many interesting and varied women, and the people that they have in their lives. It just never gets old (even if I do!)

I am the only nurse midwife who does colposcopy in HealthParters system