Group One
Patti Thompson RM

Patti has been a midwife for over 30 years. She trained in Vancouver through the apprenticeship model with doctors and midwives.

She is experienced in complementary therapies, and focuses on preventative health care for women during pregnancy and birth, and for the newborn. Because of her empirical training, her midwifery philosophy has evolved from responding to the needs of the many families she has cared for. She supports a woman's choice to plan her birth in the hospital or at home, and to create a beautiful and empowering experience.

Patti has one daughter and one son, both born with midwives at home in the 1970's. She is a visual artist, enjoys yoga and a variety of outdoor activities, and is especially fond of West Coast surfing...

Shannon Norberg RM

The first birth I attended in 1994 became a defining moment for the rest of my life. I have always been passionate about women's health issues and our bodies' amazing abilities to create health from within, let alone new human beings! Following the path of becoming a midwife has been a natural evolution of this passion. I am reminded daily of the uniqueness and beauty that accompanies the journey of each new life and family, and the importance of honouring and respecting the process.

I have been involved with Pacific Midwifery since 2001 and have enjoyed watching the practice grow and blossom into the community it is today. I have been blessed to have mentored and worked with amazing and inspirational midwives and families and their teachings guide my work. My birth-related studies have taken me to Thailand and the Philippines where I learned to view maternal and child health from a global perspective. My midwifery training was through the Seattle Midwifery School as well as a number of related courses in BC, Washington and overseas.

Born and raised in the Lower Mainland, I find that the ocean and mountains are never far from my heart. My 'other life' finds me playing in snow, water or mud, depending on what kind of day it is. I appreciate being able to live and work in such a vibrant and international community. My work with the Midwives Association of BC over the past number of years has focused on growing midwifery across the province and increasing available services for those most in need.

Carolyn Saunders RM

I am a graduate of the University of British Columbia midwifery program. My interest in midwifery began during my teenage years when I was exposed to the homebirth movement in Ottawa, Ontario. I share my passion for midwifery with my sister, who graduated from the Ontario midwifery program in the spring of 2005 and practices in the Ottawa Valley. In addition to my midwifery training, I have completed a Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology and Biology. Anthropology has given me an understanding of the cultural diversity of our province and an appreciation of the rewards of working with women from different social, economic and cultural backgrounds. I have a great respect and appreciation for biological processes that was enhanced while studying birds in northern Canada in the summers of 2002 and 2003.

In 2003-2004 I was involved in a project whose aim was to facilitate better communication between health care providers and their clients. Through this work I developed a strong commitment to empowering women to make their own health care decisions. It is my philosophy that a woman should leave midwifery care feeling empowered by her birth experience, feeling that she has done her very best, and feeling greater confidence in her own body. I hope that I can help women accomplish these goals.

In my free time I can often be found riding my bike, strolling through the Vancouver Art Gallery, or curled up on the couch with a good movie. I was married in May 2004 to my long-time partner Adam; we live near Commercial Drive in Vancouver. I look forward to helping women achieve the birth experience of their choice.

Andrea Mattenley RM

In 2002 my son was born while I was completing my degree in Microbiology and Immunology. This experience marked the beginning of my journey into midwifery, and my recognition of the importance of strong support and advocacy for women. Soon after, I trained and volunteered as a doula with the ultimate goal of becoming a midwife which was realized with my graduation from the University of British Columbia Midwifery Education Program.

Extracurricular experiences have given me the opportunity to develop skills working with women in a variety of social situations. As a student I was able to learn about the complexities of substance use issues while working as a doula for women in the Families in Recovery Program at Women's Hospital. Hands on experience gained working in the downtown eastside while completing a class on HIV solidified my passion for working with women experiencing complex life situations. These opportunities have provided me with a broad range of experience, knowledge and perspectives relating to midwifery and health care in general.

I have had the privilege of developing both my clinical and caregiving skills through varied placements including shared care and solo practice midwifery practices, obstetrics and gynecology rotations, and time spent with perinatologists in the Maternal Fetal Medicine Clinic at BC Women's hospital.

As the birth of a woman’s child is an event that will stay with her throughout her lifetime, it should be cherished by those involved in her care. In the same way that my son and I have benefited from the support provided by community and family, I look forward to being a part of this network for you and your family.

Group Two
Terry-Lyn Evans RM

Hi my name is Terry Lyn Evans. My dream of becoming a midwife was fulfilled in 2002. Since that time I have had the privilege of being a part of the team at Pacific Midwifery Practice.

My journey toward becoming a midwife began when I was 12 years old and loved to look after babies. This passion led me first to a degree in Nursing from UBC then a degree in Midwifery from England. I provided nursing care to women and their families for 10 years at Women's Hospital in Vancouver while working on becoming a registered midwife in British Columbia. I have thoroughly enjoyed working with child bearing families of Vancouver and cherish the relationships that have developed.

My greatest dream of all came true January 2005 when I gave birth to my own baby- Spencer. The journey through pregnancy and birth was extremely fascinating and hopefully will enhance my future practice as a midwife.

I believe everyone should be provided with the best of care in this important part of their life. I truly love what I do and look forward to supporting women, their partners, and families through the journey of birth…and beyond-into life with their new baby.

Alison Humphrey RM

I became a registered midwife in 2005, a graduate of the Midwifery Education Program at Laurentian University. I spent 2 1/2 years working as a full-time midwife at the Midwives Collective of Toronto, a busy downtown practice with a strong commitment to continuity of care, homebirth, and teaching of new midwives. Previously, I earned a degree in Women’s Studies from the University of Toronto. I speak English and French.

One of the things I enjoy most about being a midwife is the opportunity to be a teacher. Teaching families about pregnancy, labour and the newborn/postpartum periods, and learning from their experience, makes being a midwife one of the greatest jobs in the world. I have also been a formal prenatal class educator since 2004, teaching a regular series of prenatal classes as well as a homebirth class for children. I’ve done outreach teaching with under-serviced communities including young mothers, and with participants of a local food bank.

I’m looking forward to meeting you, and working with you and your family.