Meet Our Doulas

We have four doula teams ready to support you, depending on where you live and where you are giving birth. All of our doulas have foundational instruction as professional birth doulas in addition to advanced birth-related skills training. All team members also continue to attend monthly company wide in-service educational workshops. It is our privilege to provide you with the highest quality support in the DMV area. See service areas →

RSVP to Meet the Doulas

DCBD Central Senior Team

Sarah Paksima

Owner & Senior Doula

Sarah (she/her) has been supporting families for 19 years in the United States, Kuwait, Oman, India, and Jordan…
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Jen Finnegan

Senior Doula

Jen (she/her) has been lucky enough to be on a life journey that has led her to truly appreciate and understand…
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Rena Geibel

Senior Doula

Rena’s (she/her) birth of two girls in Kenya in 2004 and 2005 influenced her to shift her professional focus …
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Elizabeth Parish

Senior Doula

Elizabeth (she/her) felt the first tugs in the direction of childbirth when she was in college and spent time with a midwife…
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Emily Workman

Senior Doula

Emily (she/her) loves to help families begin parenthood from a place of strength and self-trust and to play a small role in…
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Kelsey Ogenia

Senior Doula

Kelsey (she/her) has always felt called to birth work and reproductive health issues. While studying at the University of…
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DCBD Central Team

Marcela Bastos

DC Central Doula

Marcela (she/her) first came to appreciate the work of doulas by watching them as a pediatrician in her home country of Brazil.
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Amy Battjer

DC Central Doula

Amy (she/her) made the transition to birth work after her own experiences becoming a mother to her two sons.
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Katie Hicks

DC Central Doula

Katie (she/her) fell in love with birth during her six year career as a birth photographer…
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Rebecca Gitter

DC Central Doula

Rebecca (she/her) has been working as a certified prenatal yoga teacher in the DC area for more than a dozen years…
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Mary Helen Sullivan

DC Central Doula

Mary’s (she/her) own unique birth story as a premie has always driven her to give back to the maternal care community…

Kelsey Ogenia

DC Central Doula

Kelsey (she/her) has always felt called to birth work and reproductive health issues. While studying at the University of…
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DCBD East Team: Maryland

Jackie Czyzia

DCBD East Doula

Jackie (she/her) became passionate about birth work and reproductive rights after witnessing her sisters’ births at a young…
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Kelsey Ogenia

DCBD East Doula

Kelsey (she/her) has always felt called to birth work and reproductive health issues. While studying at the University of…
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Taneka Purnell-Tingle

DCBD East Doula

Taneka (she/her) has served as a doula for her friends and family all her adult life. Caring for loved ones and supporting …
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DCBD South Team: Virginia

Amber Wright

DCBD South Doula

Amber (she/her) is a mother of 2 young daughters who felt drawn to become a doula after the birth of her children…
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Carrie Tyson

DCBD South Doula

Carrie (she/her) is a proud wife and mother of 3 children (2 earthside angels, 1 heavenly angel). She was born at the famous “pink hospital” Triplar…
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Shonne Williams

DCBD South Doula

Shonne Williams (she/her) has spent over 20 years in healthcare as an office manager. She is a master at navigating the sometimes complex health care system…