GOLD Learning Speakers

Tomasina Oliver, DEM, LM, CPM, HHC

Shafia Monroe, DEM, CDT, MPH

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

Biography:

Began exploring her interests in Natural Healing Arts and Complementary Medicine as a Midwife after the home birth of her first child in 1993. In the state of Florida, she completed her Diploma of Midwifery and graduated in 1997 from the School of Complementary Medicine in Central FL. Tomasina has many credentials in ethno-medicinal sciences, herbology, botanical chemistry, health & mental wellness counseling, education and spiritual facilitation work. Tomasina apprenticed with meta-physical healers, physicians and several other multi-disciplinary specialists to complete an internship as a Complementary Medicine Practitioner, and later became a Holistic Health Practitioner and Master Herbalist. She remains committed to building within communities of African descent to enhance social justice for all concerned. Her skill set is unparalleled in diverse treatment options for the well being of Families, Mothers and Babies as she has delivered double and well over 1000 babies since 2012. ANS(Autonomic Nerve System) Therapy, Iridology, Kinesiology, MT (Muscle Testing) and NLP(Neuro Linguistic Programming) are just a few other healing arts Midwife Tomasina has acquired expert proficiency in serving Clients for over 20 years. Having briefly served on the NARM (North American Registry Midwives) board, she is familiar with the nuances and intricacies of corporate Midwifery work and is excited to serve as Vice President for MANA (Midwives Alliance of North America).

Monroe became a Direct-Entry Midwife in the ’70s, to empower the women in her community. In 1991, she founded the International Center for Traditional Childbearing (ICTC), the first US-based Black Midwives and Doulas Professional Organization. In 2002, she developed the ICTC Full Circle Doula program and trains thousands of persons, with one-third becoming midwives. In 2012, she received her Master of Public Health from Walden University. She is featured in numerous articles for her work, including the Bill HB3311 (2011)   Doula Report, “Into These Hands, Wisdom of Midwives,” and recently completed the foreword for “Birthing Justice: Black Women, Pregnancy and Childbirth.” In 2014, she opened Shafia Monroe Consulting, a cultural competency training service. Shafia receives numerous awards for her work, including the Life Time Achievement Award, and the Midwife Hero Award. Shafia is a wife, a mother, and a grandmother. She enjoys gardening, writing, riding horses and cooking for family and friends.