Meet Our Committee

Virginia Maddock - Vice President

Virginia is wife to a kiwi, and mother to two home-born boys, 2 rescue cats and 4 silkie chooks.

Virginia has been a doula for over 15 years. She works as a natural therapist, holistic bodyworker, birth photographer and placenta encapsulator for her business: Natural Beginnings. 

Virginia also teaches men how to be great birth support partners at Beer + Bubs - childbirth education for dads.

P: 0415 683 074
E: [email protected]
W: www.naturalbeginnings.com.au

Samantha Gunn - Secretary & Public Officer

Jo Askham- Treasurer

Jo moonlights in the day as a student, website concocter; administrative assistant to Rhea Dempsey; and ‘doulas' a broad range of events such as prenatal yoga, family communal camps, workshops, support circles, conferences and international events.

Jo is a Mother to three babies of her own whose arrivals took a journey through a hospital birth to two planned home births sparking her passion to bring humanity and knowledge to childbirth. 

She has been helping families as a doula and childbirth educator for over 20 years and is currently studying for her Bachelor of Midwifery at the Australian Catholic University in Melbourne.

“My passion is to bring community to life and birth through support, events, knowledge and advocacy.”

P: 0409 955 779
E: [email protected]
W: www.jo.birthattendants.info

Cate Grant - Committee Member

Cate has over 25 years experience as a journalist and brings expertise in sourcing accurate information, objectivity, and her great people skills!

Cate is a mum of five and a
Grandma. She decided to become a doula after supporting her friend's home-birth of their second son. It was a profoundly healing experience for her, after a traumatic first birth.

For Cate, it was an epiphany! She knew THIS is what she was here to do. 

P: 0427 013 517
E: [email protected]
W: https://www.categrantdoula.com

Sandra Mulligan - Committee Member

Sandra is proud Mum to an adult son. After several years supporting families as an ad hoc nanny, she became a doula in 2016.

Her passion & desire is to support the rite of passage of birth, focussing on post partum care with the newborn family in their fourth trimester.

She attained her Cert IV in Doula Services in 2016 with the ADC. She also has a Bachelor of Adult Education, (Human Resources & Communication) and a Post Graduate degree in TESOL.

Sandra has studied Global Rites of Passage Leadership training in 2015, Spinning Babies 2017, Celebration of Birth post partum training 2018, DONA International post partum care 2018, Level 1 yoga teacher training at Swami Sarasvati 2018. She has a wide focus of training in spiritual and healing modalities, beginning with Reiki l & II in 1996.

P: 0414 609 170
E: [email protected]
W: www.facebook.com/BecomingMumBirthingRipples

Jennifer McCartin -  Committee Member

Hi, I'm Jennifer, I'm a Doula with Doulas of Melbourne's East.

I don't fit in any box. I am a loud music listening, tea drinking, science nerdy, artistic, knowledge sponge. I have 5 headstrong creative children that I love with all of my heart, and a gorgeous husband that gladly supports me as I take off to births.

Each of my children's births was different and along with the training I have completed and the births I have attended since 1997 I can offer you the support that will guide you towards the birth that you desire, regardless of what kind of birth it is that you are dreaming of I can help you achieve that.

From hospital birth, scheduled csection to home births I will happily support whatever option your heart desires

P: 0403 916 000
E: [email protected]
W: http://www.breith.org

Cathe Ross - Junior Committee Member

Cathe is a Mother of 2 adult children and soon to be Grandmother.

Cathe has been working with children, their families and other childcare professionals in roles as Director of OSHC and many different Children’s services’ over the past 30 years. 

She has recently completed her Postpartum Doula course with Sunderai at Dial a Doula in the beautiful Autumn retreat.

Her qualifications also include an Advanced Diploma in Children’s Services.

Cathe is passionate about supporting women and their choice in birth and postpartum care.


P: 0403151941
E: [email protected]
W: Nurturing the Nurturer

Chey Fletcher - Junior Committee Member

Chey is a Body Image and Pregnancy Coach and also specialises in Infant Loss.

Chey is a bereaved mother to her daughter Marcilee Fay. Chey's passion for working with pregnant women, and their partners was ignited after the stillbirth of her daughter. Chey emerged on the other side of her loss with a burning desire to guide and empower every women, and their partner to have the best pregnancy experience possible.

Chey supports all women and their partners through any stage of their pregnancy journey regardless of the outcome.

P: 0406 079 002 
E: [email protected]

Debra Pintley - Junior Committee Member

Debra began her rite of passage into motherhood in 2013. Through the years that followed, she became a sounding board for mothers who would share their birth stories.

From listening to mothers unpack some resentment of how their birth evolved, she identified common themes of becoming a number in the system with an unheard voice. Thus, she wanted to help mothers take back their power and ultimate femininity.

In 2017 Debra completed a Diploma of Health through Charles Darwin University and in 2021 she formalised her work as a holistic Doula including homeopathic treatments.

Debra wants to create social change and healing within the birth experience and is building towards creating this space for women.

P: 0403 812 144
E: [email protected]
W: www.renegadedoula.com

THANK YOU TO OUR PREVIOUS COMMITTEE MEMBERS:

We would like to recognise and thank the following people for their service on the Committee in the past:

• Dr Aimee Sing
• Kelly Bardon
• Donna Berent
• Nicola Kinnane
• Aimee Taaffe
• Krista Mccrimmon
• Christa Buckland, President, 2014-19
• Danera Wilkinson
• Vicki Hobbs
• Ellen Croucher, Secretary,
• Julia MacLeod, Vice-President
• Nimity Keon, Co-Founder & Vice-President
• Erika Elliott
• Jerusha Sutton
• Lucretia McCarthy, Secretary
• Narelle Horwitz
• Lynda Taylor, Treasurer
• Briony Goodsell, Secretary
  
  
  

Christa Buckland - Co-Founder

Christa has been a doula and childbirth educator since 2010. She has also completed studies in hypnobirthing, postnatal support and placenta encapsulation.

Christa has a Bachelor of Health Science (Health Promotion) from Western Sydney University and is currently embarking upon postgraduate research studies.

Christa co-founded Doula Network Australia Inc. in 2011 with Nimity Keon and is passionate about networking and mentoring.

P: 0422 229 312
E: [email protected]
W: www.christabucklanddoula.com