Message from the Board of Directors

The Board of Directors wishes to express our most sincere gratitude for your support. We are doing this work for the benefit of parents, babies, and families for generations to come, and we will only succeed with support from others like you. Please donate today because childbearing families deserve: OPTIONS in birth location and provider, EQUITABLE ACCESS to safe and empowering midwifery care, and SUPPORT through their journey to healthy parenthood.

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Board of Directors

Allise Penning
Allise Penning

  • Pronouns: she/her/hers
  • Allise loves working with the birth-5 population as a special education preschool teacher. She is currently enjoying being a stay-at-home parent to her child, Poppy
  • Holds a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education with a Special Education Credential
  • Proud and grateful birth center parent
Chris Heritage, CNM
Chris Heritage, CNM

  • Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
  • Certified Nurse Midwife
  • Graduate of Oregon Health & Sciences University
  • Chris has worked in maternal-child health for over 30 years and as a Birth Center Midwife in Lane County for 24 years
  • She is the parent of three sons, one hospital birth, one birth center birth, and one home-birth
Danielle D’Amore
Danielle D’Amore

  • I have a Bachelor’s degree in Fashion Design from IADT in Nevada. 
  • I help design and manage small apparel production. 
  • Originally from South Dakota, lived and worked in NYC until 2017 when my husband and I RV’ed around the country for 3 years before finding beautiful Oregon as our forever home. 
  • I am a mother to a birth center baby, Luca, born in 2023, and Roman, born in 2025.
Morgan Brown
Morgan Brown

  • Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
  • A dedicated young mom and proud native Oregonian, recently graduated from Northwest College of Beauty
  • Turned her passion for self care and wellness into a career, by starting her own business, Morgan Brown Hair
  • Became a mother to son, Kane in 2022 at Our Community Birth Center.
Arlen Giddens
Arlen Giddens

  • Pronouns: they/them
  • Associates in Graphic Design from Lane Community College
  • Arlen was raised in Eugene and has worked within the community as a chef, teacher, and personal support worker. Arlen is currently a stay-at-home parent.
  • Parent of 3 birth center children, Eleanor Rose, born in 2018, Wyatt Oak, born in 2023, and Silas, born in 2025.
Rebecca Tobias
Rebecca Tobias

  • Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
  • Moved to Oregon in 2020 with my husband from Florida
  • Presentation specialist at Target since 2018
  • Became a mother to Imogene in May 2023 at Our Community Birth Center.
Cassie Mitchell
Cassie Mitchell

  • Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
  • Preferred Name: Cassie
  • Holds a Bachelor in Applied Arts, Central Michigan University
  • Account Representative at Organically Grown Company
  • Mom of 2 birth center kiddos, 2022 & 2025.
Ana Fearsbaine
Ana Fearsbaine

  • Pronouns: she/hers
  • Holds a Master’s of Professional Accounting from Montana State University – Bozeman
  • Born and raised in Bozeman, Montana, moved to Eugene in 2018 to work for Moss Adams
  • Currently work as the Accounting Controller for Skeie’s Jewelers
  • Parent of birth center baby boy Caelus, born in September 2025
Tatiana Truitt
Tatiana Truitt

  • pronouns: she/her/hers
  • Holds masters of Clinical Social Work from Portland State University
  • Therapist at the Center for Family Development, with experience supporting perinatal clients.
  • Parent of birth center child, Nico, born in 2024

Former Board of Directors Members

Dennis Carr, 2019 – 2020

Piper Bonacquist, 2022-2023

Ruth Ezeonwuka, 2019 – 2020

Mak Estill, 2000 – 2021

Ricky Grand, 2019 – 2021

Iliana Lang Lundgren, 2021-2023

Justine Parker, 2019-2019

Kara Schnoes, 2019 – 2022

Puja Clifford, 2020-2023

Devin Jenkins, 2021-2023

Teresa Roark, 2019-2023

Mary Carpenter, CNM, 2019-2023

Rachel Basolo, 2019-2024

Sumi Thaiveettil, 2022-2025

Lindsay DuBois, 2022-2025

Catherine Bonomini-Smith, 2020-2025

Stewardship Council

Lynn Kane
Lynn KaneBirth Center Parent

  • PhD in Musicology from the University of Oregon
  • Parent of two birth center babies born 2010 and 2012
  • Member of Lane County Friends of the Birth Center since 2010
  • Member of the Commission for the Accreditation of Birth Centers Board of Commissioners since 2015
Jenny Noyce
Jenny NoyceBirth Center Parent

  • PhD in English from the University of Oregon
  • Full-time parent & part-time writer
  • Parent of two birth center babies, born in 2012 and 2014
  • Member of Lane County Friends of the Birth Center since 2014
Catherine Bonomi-Smith
Catherine Bonomi-SmithBirth Center Parent

  • Birth Center parent
  • Birth Center Board Member from 2020-2025
  • Human Resources background
AlexAnn Westlake CNM
AlexAnn Westlake CNM

  • Pronouns: she/her/hers
  • Founder and Executive Director of Our Community Birth Center
  • Certified Nurse Midwife
  • Graduate of Oregon Health & Sciences University
  • Former Nurse Midwifery Birth Center Midwife
  • Parent of one child born with a midwife in 2016
Annie Hoag RN IBCLC
Annie Hoag RN IBCLC

  • Pronouns: she/her/hers
  • Registered Nurse and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant.
  • Graduate of University of Wisconsin, Bachelors of Nursing.
  • Annie has worked in women’s health since 1999 and as a birth center nurse and lactation consultant in Eugene/Springfield since 2002.