Annual Awards Event Past Awardees

2008

Therese Hak-Kuhn of Richmond~ Therese Hak-Kuhn has been involved with birth since her first daughter was born in 1980. She gave birth to 5 more children, all at home, over the next twelve years. In 1992, she began attending births professionally, and has since attended hundreds of births both at home and in hospital in her capacity as a midwife's assistant and labor assistant. Since 1996, she has been facilitating and teaching labor assistant and doula training workshops through the international group, ALACE (Assoc. of Labor Assistants and Childbirth Educators.) In addition to her work as a midwife's assistant, educator of both pregnant mamas and future professionals, prenatal counselor and provider of labor and post-partum support, Therese has also been the compassionate facilitator of the Richmond Home Birth Circle for many years. Therese is an advocate for women in general and birth education specifically; an advocate for women's choices surrounding birth--home or hospital based. She is a kind and responsive teacher. She is a vessel from which many, many women have drunk and they have walked away changed and enlightened. She has given selflessly and generously and has inspired the birth community in Virginia, and elsewhere, for 16 years. Birth is her passion. Therese lives her passion, works for her passion and shares her passion every single day. She is a remarkable example of the fact that we CAN truly make a difference in the way women are treated and the way birth is viewed.

Brynne Potter, CPM, of Charlottesville is a Certified Professional Midwife, CPM, living and practicing in Charlottesville, VA. She is married to John and has two sons, Max and Jeremy. Brynne has practiced midwifery for several years. For the last 6 years or so, she has worked as the political liaison for Commonwealth Midwives Alliance with the General Assembly. She has spent countless hours eating, sleeping, and working on midwifery legislation across the Commonwealth and in Richmond during legislative sessions, as CPMs have gained licensure. She continues to be a strong political presence there as CPMs continue to work through the legislative maze she so skillfully negotiates. We honor her as a mother and wife, a midwife, our negotiator extraordinaire, and a woman. View her acceptance speech: When an Unstoppable Force Meets an Immovable Object. 

2007

Kristine “Francesca” Lauria - Fort Valley , VA Francesca is a long time (18 years) homebirth midwife and mother of 7 year old Alessandro. Francesca takes her years of international experience and shares it with midwives and student midwives locally by making herself available for consultation at any time. She also offers numerous hands-on workshops for students and midwives to learn new skills or keep their skills current. We have no other source for such readily available hands-on clinical skills practice in the state. During her career Francesca has seen many complicated pregnancies and births handled out-of-hospital, has attended numerous twin and breech births, and offers her knowledge and experience to midwives and their mother/clients without hesitation.

Nancy Giglio, CNM - Richmond , VA For over 20 continuous years Nancy, as she is known to all her client mothers, has offered an incredible service to the families of the Richmond area. Nancy has built a sole homebirth midwifery practice with an incredible record of exemplary outcomes and a legacy of empowering women in birth. Nancy ’s gentle hands and light touch have served so many women throughout their childbearing cycle; from the early, nervous initial appointments to the postpartum checkup, Nancy takes as much time as each woman needs to support her through that stage. Her thorough care and genuine love and understanding of mothers and babies has guided hundreds of families through their childbirth experience.

2006

Leslie Payne was nominated because of her diplomacy, commitment and nurturing guidance of the Advisory Board on Midwifery. She received a second nomination from the women in her community where she serves as a midwife.

Dawn Kubik was nominated for her work to change the birth culture in southwest Virginia. She founded an ICAN chapter and works to educate her community about how to avoid a Cesarean section.

2005 Midwifery Options for Mothers' Awardees

Tammi McKinley received the MOM award for her commitment to Virginia grassroots organizations.

Loudoun Community Midwives: Wendy Dotson, Margie Brandquist and Paula Senner provide the Midwives Model of Care in a hospital setting.

Zan Ruby works as a public health nurse in Winchester. Her wisdom and commitment to birth empower whole communities of women.

2004

Juliana Fehr is director of the graduate midwifery program at Shenandoah University, author of Diary of a Midwife and a retired homebirth midwife.

Commonwealth Midwives Alliance is a grassroots group advocating for professional midwifery.
www.commonwealthmidwives.org

2003

Alice Bailes is a founding midwife of BirthCare in Alexandria, a practice that provides maternity care at their birth center and in clients' homes.

Chauncey Stokes is an obstetrician who practiced in Loudoun County and backed homebirth midwives and employed midwives in his practice.

2002

Dallas Cooley provided back-up for homebirth midwives, practiced low intervention obstetrics and has served on the MOM board.

Warren Johnson, a retired family practitioner, provided home birth services and backed up homebirth midwives.

Deborah Snarr has worked in maternal health for many years and has made a career of encouraging, educating and empowering the women in her care.

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