Home > Simkin Center > Faculty
The Simkin Center Senior Faculty
Curriculum Leaders and Faculty Mentors
Margaret Bergmann-Ness, MA, LICSW, PDT(DONA), PCD(DONA&NAPS)
is an internationally certified birth and postpartum
doula, DONA International approved postpartum doula trainer, childbirth educator, perinatal social worker and a
psychotherapist in private practice. Margaret is Lead Instructor for the Simkin Center Postpartum Doula Skills
Workshop. Read more about Margaret >
Carrie Kenner CD(DONA, PALS), BDT(DONA), LCCE is an internationally certified birth doula, DONA International approved birth doula trainer
and childbirth, lactation, postpartum and parenting educator. Carrie is Senior Faculty at the Simkin Center and
teaches the Simkin Center Birth Doula Skills Workshop. Read more about Carrie >
Penny Simkin PT, BDT(DONA) is a physical therapist, certified childbirth educator, internationally certified birth
doula, DONA International birth doula trainer and DONA International Founder and Mentor. She is the author of many
books and lectures internationally. Penny is Senior Faculty at the Simkin Center. She teaches the Birth Doula Skills
Workshop and is Lead Instructor for the Birth Doula Trainer Course. Penny is also instructor of the When Survivors
Give Birth workshop. Read more about Penny >
The Simkin Center Faculty
Melinda Ferguson, PDT(DONA), CD(DONA), PCD(DONA), CBE, CLE is a DONA International certified birth and postpartum doula and an approved postpartum doula trainer. Melinda is Lead and Auxiliary Instructor for Simkin Center Postpartum Doula Skills Workshop. Read
more about Melinda >
Angie Dobbins-Frisbie, PDT(DONA), PCD(DONA&NAPS), CD(PALS), ICCE, BFWM, LE is a DONA International certified birth and postpartum doula and an approved postpartum doula trainer. She is also an internationally certified childbirth educator. Angie is Lead and Auxiliary Instructor for Simkin Center Postpartum Doula Skills Workshop. Read more about Angie >
Kim James CD(DONA, PALS), BDT(DONA), ICCE, LCCE is an internationally approved birth doula, DONA
International approved birth doula trainer and an internationally certified childbirth educator. Kim serves as
the WA State DONA International representative. Kim is Lead and Auxiliary Instructor for the Simkin Center
Birth Doula Skills Workshop. Read more about Kim >
Phyllis Klaus, MFT, LMSW is a licensed Marriage, Family, Therapist, social worker and author from the Bay Area of California. She is a Founder of DONA International and has been involved with doula and perinatal research, for the past 35 years. She consults nationally and internationally and is co-author of many books including When Survivors Give Birth (with Penny Simkin). Phyllis is an instructor for the When Survivors Give Birth Workshop.
Sharon Muza CD(DONA, PALS), BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE is a DONA International certified birth doula and approved birth doula trainer. Sharon is also an internationally certified childbirth educator. Active on the board of several local birth organizations, Sharon teaches independently in Seattle. She is Lead and Auxiliary Instructor for the Simkin Center Birth Doula Skills Workshop. Read more
about Sharon >
Jenna Noelke CD(DONA, PALS), BDT(DONA), LCCE is a DONA International certified birth doula and an approved birth doula trainer. She is also an internationally certified childbirth educator. She is Lead and Auxiliary Instructor for the Simkin Center Birth Doula Skills Workshop. Read more about Jenna >
Joni Parthemer MEd, ICCE, CGE is an internationally certified childbirth educator. She serves as the
Education Director and Master Trainer for the Bringing Baby Home Program at the Relationship Research
Institute and as educational consultant to a number or organizations. Joni is a instructor for the Simkin
Center Childbirth Educator Training. Read more about Joni >
Molly Pessl BSN, IBCLC, is a registered nurse, childbirth educator and International Board Certified Lactation
Consultant. She serves as the director of Evergreen Perinatal Education and teaches internationally. Molly is Lead
Instructor for the Simkin Center Professional Education in Breastfeeding and Lactation Course. Read more about
Molly >
Teri Shilling MS, CD(DONA), BDT(DONA), IBCLC, LCCE, FACCE is an internationally certified birth doula, a DONA International
approved birth doula trainer, an internationally certified childbirth educator, and International Board Certified
Lactation Consultant. Teri is Lead and Auxiliary Instructor for the Simkin Center Birth Doula Skills Workshop. Read more about Teri >
Ginna Wall MN, RN, IBCLC is a masters prepared nurse and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant.
Ginna founded the lactation program at the UW Medical Center and serves as its coordinator. She is also on the
faculty of Evergreen Perinatal Education. Ginna is Auxiliary Instructor for the Simkin Center Professional Education in
Breastfeeding and Lactation Course. Read more about Ginna >
Marie McCarter Witherell RN, ICCE, IBCLC is a nurse, internationally certified childbirth educator and an
International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. She currently serves as lactation consultant at Evergreen Hospital
Medical Center. Marie is Auxiliary Instructor for the Simkin Center Professional Education in Breastfeeding and
Lactation Course. Read more about Marie >
