GOLD Learning Speakers

Yesenia Guzman, LM, CPM

Nichole Feinauer

• Speaker Type: 2020
• Country: U.S.A.

Biography:

Yesenia came to midwifery through her own experience of pregnancy and birth. Her daughter, Azucena Citlali, was born at home with a midwife. Throughout her pregnancy she read incredible stories about the work midwives do and felt deeply inspired. Her powerful birth solidified the calling. She spent the next few years learning to be a Mama and getting her prerequisites.
She graduated from Bastyr University in 2013 with a Master of Science in Midwifery, having done her thesis on Implementing Inclusion of Certified Professional Midwives as National Health Service Corps Providers. This federal organization exchanges scholarship money or loan repayment for service in areas that need health care providers. Bastyr University, a natural medicine school, offers the only regionally accredited Master’s degree for direct- entry midwifery in the nation. She balances this scientific education with ancestral and intuitive knowledge and a respect for informed choice. Currently based in San Antonio, Yesenia hosts a sweat lodge at her home, is active in American Indians of Texas as well as volunteering and providing care for the Yanawana Herbolarios Womxn’s Clinic (a free, botanically based health clinic specific to womxn’s health issues). In addition, she served on the Midwives Alliance of North America Student Visioning Committee and is a member of their Midwives of Color Section.

Midwifery is a vehicle to bring positive change into the world. In order for that to happen, we need midwives who are as diverse and the people they hope to serve. Her commitment to the Student Section of MANA is to help nurture the future of our profession. In precepting midwifery students she has strived to be compassionate and exacting to graduate capable midwives who will be a credit to the communities they serve.
In her free time, you may find her walking with her pup, Yoliliztli aka Yoli, reading, doing crossword puzzles or enjoying good food and company. If she is off-call, chances are she is traveling the world to gain different perspectives on life.

Nichole Feinauer began her journey to Midwifery in 2001 as a birth doula attending both home and hospital births in Georgia. She also worked as a Lamaze certified childbirth educator at a pregnancy resource center. Nichole began assisting at home births in 2007.
In 2004, Nichole founded the Georgia Birth Network, a resource for both families and birth professionals. During her 10 years with the birth network she hosted numerous trainings, organized large scale educational events for the public, and established a vibrant doula mentorship program.
Nichole and her family relocated to Virginia in 2017, where she found her place in a local birth center. While there she attended births at both the freestanding birth center and at home and was able to complete her midwifery training through PEP. She then moved to Knoxville, Tennessee in May of 2019 where she hopes to start a practice after passing the NARM.