Vy Mai - Executive Director (she/her)
Vy has always had a passion for helping others and is currently attending the University of Washington as a first-generation college student, focusing her studies on Public and Global Health administration. Vy joined MAWS with a desire to help marginalized communities gain access to quality and affordable healthcare, in an equitable way.
Vy experienced her first birth at the age of 11 when her baby sister was born, but she was appalled at the injustice that her mother faced from hospital staff, so she has always been in support of midwifery. Her experience includes working as a CNA in assisted living and in-home care, interning at various hospitals and nursing facilities around the greater Seattle area, as well as administration work in larger nonprofit hospitals and local organizations. Vy has worked with patients from many diverse backgrounds, which enables her to connect with her community and accommodate different needs.
Born in Vietnam, Vy immigrated to the U.S. with her immediate family when she was five years old. She tries to travel back to her hometown, Huế, every other year to visit her grandparents and extended family. Vy has two dogs that she and her husband, Conner, rescued - Coco is a golden lab/retriever mix and Louis is a white Siberian Husky. In her free time, Vy likes to travel and try new foods to keep up with her Yelp Elite status!
Vy has always had a passion for helping others and is currently attending the University of Washington as a first-generation college student, focusing her studies on Public and Global Health administration. Vy joined MAWS with a desire to help marginalized communities gain access to quality and affordable healthcare, in an equitable way.
Vy experienced her first birth at the age of 11 when her baby sister was born, but she was appalled at the injustice that her mother faced from hospital staff, so she has always been in support of midwifery. Her experience includes working as a CNA in assisted living and in-home care, interning at various hospitals and nursing facilities around the greater Seattle area, as well as administration work in larger nonprofit hospitals and local organizations. Vy has worked with patients from many diverse backgrounds, which enables her to connect with her community and accommodate different needs.
Born in Vietnam, Vy immigrated to the U.S. with her immediate family when she was five years old. She tries to travel back to her hometown, Huế, every other year to visit her grandparents and extended family. Vy has two dogs that she and her husband, Conner, rescued - Coco is a golden lab/retriever mix and Louis is a white Siberian Husky. In her free time, Vy likes to travel and try new foods to keep up with her Yelp Elite status!
Louisa Severn, LM, CPM - MAWS President (she/her)
Louisa was licensed in 2010 after graduating with the last cohort of Seattle Midwifery School and practiced in Kitsap County almost continuously since. She is currently re-entering the Washington midwifery scene after a burnout related, three year hiatus spent working in fertility medicine and third party reproduction at Sound Fertility Care in Seattle. She was a member of the MAWS board from 2008-2017 and served as the Midwife Chair of the JUA from 2012-2017. Louisa is passionate (and frequently vocal) about midwives being paid appropriately and student midwives being trained properly and treated fairly. Baked goods and knitting are my love languages. She and her wife live in Kingston Washington where they raise their hilariously massive blended family and plot revolution!
Louisa was licensed in 2010 after graduating with the last cohort of Seattle Midwifery School and practiced in Kitsap County almost continuously since. She is currently re-entering the Washington midwifery scene after a burnout related, three year hiatus spent working in fertility medicine and third party reproduction at Sound Fertility Care in Seattle. She was a member of the MAWS board from 2008-2017 and served as the Midwife Chair of the JUA from 2012-2017. Louisa is passionate (and frequently vocal) about midwives being paid appropriately and student midwives being trained properly and treated fairly. Baked goods and knitting are my love languages. She and her wife live in Kingston Washington where they raise their hilariously massive blended family and plot revolution!
Sheila Mary, ND, MPH - MAWS Vice President (she/her)
Immigrating to the U.S in December 2003, Sheila took on various jobs to financially survive. Sheila has a rich background on diverse topics from experiencing challenges, careers and educational endeavors. Sheila is a first-year Midwifery Student at Bastyr University, a Naturopathic Doctor (ND) with a Master in Public Health (MPH) and a background of foreign trained Medical Doctor (MD) and Doctor in Dental Surgery (DDS). She is also a certified integrative health coach, a certified Classical Homeopathy Practitioner - New England School of Homeopathy (NESH), a childbirth educator, and a doula.
Sheila is a loving and devoted wife, mother, stepmother, daughter, and friend. She enjoys family time, long walks on the beach with her husband, and long conversations with her son. Sheila also loves to dance, make silly dance videos with her husband, and cook (and she's amazing at it)!
Immigrating to the U.S in December 2003, Sheila took on various jobs to financially survive. Sheila has a rich background on diverse topics from experiencing challenges, careers and educational endeavors. Sheila is a first-year Midwifery Student at Bastyr University, a Naturopathic Doctor (ND) with a Master in Public Health (MPH) and a background of foreign trained Medical Doctor (MD) and Doctor in Dental Surgery (DDS). She is also a certified integrative health coach, a certified Classical Homeopathy Practitioner - New England School of Homeopathy (NESH), a childbirth educator, and a doula.
Sheila is a loving and devoted wife, mother, stepmother, daughter, and friend. She enjoys family time, long walks on the beach with her husband, and long conversations with her son. Sheila also loves to dance, make silly dance videos with her husband, and cook (and she's amazing at it)!
Meghan Filer - MAWS Secretary (she/her)
Meghan’s path to midwifery began with the birth of her daughter in 2008. With a strong desire to advocate for birthing people, and create trusting, compassionate relationships between birthing people and their providers, Meghan graduated from Bastyr University in 2020 with her Masters in Midwifery. Meghan took some time off-call while completing her thesis on the balloon tamponade as a tool for postpartum hemorrhage. During this time, she worked at Seattle Children’s Hospital, managing the fellowship program for the Gastroenterology and Hepatology department until she was called back to midwifery, and began working as a licensed midwife at Puget Sound Birth Center in Renton in July 2021. As Puget Sound Birth Center closed in July 2022, Meghan found herself joining her previous cohort mate Siri Larson Iverson at Snohomish Midwives, where she is currently practicing. Meghan is thrilled to be joining the MAWS team. In her time off, she enjoys all things outdoors with her three dogs Maple, Ivy and Olive, and teenage daughter Phoebe.
Meghan’s path to midwifery began with the birth of her daughter in 2008. With a strong desire to advocate for birthing people, and create trusting, compassionate relationships between birthing people and their providers, Meghan graduated from Bastyr University in 2020 with her Masters in Midwifery. Meghan took some time off-call while completing her thesis on the balloon tamponade as a tool for postpartum hemorrhage. During this time, she worked at Seattle Children’s Hospital, managing the fellowship program for the Gastroenterology and Hepatology department until she was called back to midwifery, and began working as a licensed midwife at Puget Sound Birth Center in Renton in July 2021. As Puget Sound Birth Center closed in July 2022, Meghan found herself joining her previous cohort mate Siri Larson Iverson at Snohomish Midwives, where she is currently practicing. Meghan is thrilled to be joining the MAWS team. In her time off, she enjoys all things outdoors with her three dogs Maple, Ivy and Olive, and teenage daughter Phoebe.
Susan Haufe - MAWS Treasurer (she/her)
Susan is the mom of two (gulp) teenage boys that were brought into this world with the loving care of midwives. Sixteen years ago she and her husband made a very deliberate decision about the kind of birth they wanted and in making that decision - they chose a practice on the Eastside whom we trusted to take care of them and their baby (ultimately 2 babies!). Their care was phenomenal - loving and competent, complete. They were passionate in sharing their story with their circle of friends who were also making decisions for their families, wanting others to have access to the level of amazing care they received. When they got the bill, Susan was enraged that the practice who took such beautiful care of her family received so little for their care. She has always wanted to do something to elevate the practice and advocate for midwifery being recognized as a legitimate (safe, effective, high quality) and compassionate choice for obstetrics care. Professionally, Susan has spent two decades in healthcare administration, focused on the experience of healthcare for patients, families and caregivers. She cannot think of a better way to improve the experience of care than supporting the practice of midwifery and creating options for families to choose this care in their journey to expand their families and is honored to serve on the MAWS board of directors to do just that.
Susan is the mom of two (gulp) teenage boys that were brought into this world with the loving care of midwives. Sixteen years ago she and her husband made a very deliberate decision about the kind of birth they wanted and in making that decision - they chose a practice on the Eastside whom we trusted to take care of them and their baby (ultimately 2 babies!). Their care was phenomenal - loving and competent, complete. They were passionate in sharing their story with their circle of friends who were also making decisions for their families, wanting others to have access to the level of amazing care they received. When they got the bill, Susan was enraged that the practice who took such beautiful care of her family received so little for their care. She has always wanted to do something to elevate the practice and advocate for midwifery being recognized as a legitimate (safe, effective, high quality) and compassionate choice for obstetrics care. Professionally, Susan has spent two decades in healthcare administration, focused on the experience of healthcare for patients, families and caregivers. She cannot think of a better way to improve the experience of care than supporting the practice of midwifery and creating options for families to choose this care in their journey to expand their families and is honored to serve on the MAWS board of directors to do just that.
Melanie Dickson, LM, CPM, QMP Chair (she/her)
Melanie graduated from Seattle Midwifery School in 2006. Since then she has caught babies in a homebirth practice on the Olympic Peninsula, a busy birth center in the greater Seattle area, and in 2015 completed the bridging program to certify as a Registered Midwife in Ontario--but returned to practice out of hospital because Washington midwifery has always felt like home.
Melanie is the current Coordinator of the Quality Management Program for MAWS, and is committed to improving outcomes for midwives and the families they serve. She believes that as a midwifery community, we can strive for clinical rigor and best practice, while at the same time supporting each other with empathy and respect. She aims to increase representation on the QMP and make the entire process more transparent, less intimidating, and safe for all. She currently lives in Woodinville with her family.
Melanie graduated from Seattle Midwifery School in 2006. Since then she has caught babies in a homebirth practice on the Olympic Peninsula, a busy birth center in the greater Seattle area, and in 2015 completed the bridging program to certify as a Registered Midwife in Ontario--but returned to practice out of hospital because Washington midwifery has always felt like home.
Melanie is the current Coordinator of the Quality Management Program for MAWS, and is committed to improving outcomes for midwives and the families they serve. She believes that as a midwifery community, we can strive for clinical rigor and best practice, while at the same time supporting each other with empathy and respect. She aims to increase representation on the QMP and make the entire process more transparent, less intimidating, and safe for all. She currently lives in Woodinville with her family.
Brandy Ross-Bell, ND, LM (she/her)
Brandy is a 2004 graduate of the Naturopathic Medicine and Naturopathic Midwifery programs at Bastyr University. After graduation, she spent her first two years of practice in Minnesota. Brandy returned to Seattle in 2006 where she opened her practice in Lynnwood, WA doing both Naturopathic Medicine and Midwifery with a focus on pediatrics and midwifery. While homebirth was always my great love, Brandy decided to open a birth center in 2019/2020 to offer greater options to birthing people in Mountlake Terrace and surrounding areas. Brandy is fortunate enough to have a loving wife and 3 kids that support her on this journey of life.
Brandy is a 2004 graduate of the Naturopathic Medicine and Naturopathic Midwifery programs at Bastyr University. After graduation, she spent her first two years of practice in Minnesota. Brandy returned to Seattle in 2006 where she opened her practice in Lynnwood, WA doing both Naturopathic Medicine and Midwifery with a focus on pediatrics and midwifery. While homebirth was always my great love, Brandy decided to open a birth center in 2019/2020 to offer greater options to birthing people in Mountlake Terrace and surrounding areas. Brandy is fortunate enough to have a loving wife and 3 kids that support her on this journey of life.
Hailey Collins, B.S.B.A - Student Representative (she/her)
Originally coming from North Carolina, Hailey made her cross country move here to Washington to pursue her dream of becoming a Midwife. She has always carried a passion for women's health and midwifery. Coming from a state that doesn't allow for CPMs to work, she came here with the passion to pursue politics and legislation after graduation. She has a diverse background in business administration, doula work, western medicine and is now building upon her knowledge of midwifery care as a midwifery student at Bastyr University. Hailey hopes to make big changes in laws around midwifery care, both locally and federally one day, and being involved with MAWS is a huge step forward for her.
Hailey is a cat mom of two special needs Persian brothers who are 8 years old (Emmy and Cole) and has a wonderfully supportive partner and cat co parent who made the big move out here with her. She enjoys any hands-on crafts, audiobooks, reality TV, cooking for loved ones and being outside in the (limited) sunshine!
Originally coming from North Carolina, Hailey made her cross country move here to Washington to pursue her dream of becoming a Midwife. She has always carried a passion for women's health and midwifery. Coming from a state that doesn't allow for CPMs to work, she came here with the passion to pursue politics and legislation after graduation. She has a diverse background in business administration, doula work, western medicine and is now building upon her knowledge of midwifery care as a midwifery student at Bastyr University. Hailey hopes to make big changes in laws around midwifery care, both locally and federally one day, and being involved with MAWS is a huge step forward for her.
Hailey is a cat mom of two special needs Persian brothers who are 8 years old (Emmy and Cole) and has a wonderfully supportive partner and cat co parent who made the big move out here with her. She enjoys any hands-on crafts, audiobooks, reality TV, cooking for loved ones and being outside in the (limited) sunshine!