Heather was born and raised in Victoria and has worked here as a Registered Midwife since graduating from the UBC Midwifery program in 2008. She has had the privilege and pleasure of working with and learning from a diverse clientele over the past 15 years, including newcomers to Canada, Indigenous families, LGBTQ2S+ families and families affected by poverty. With respectful communication, curiosity, and solid clinical skills, Heather builds strong relationships with her clients and feels great joy in accompanying folks on their journey to parenthood. She is committed to providing accessible, equitable, and culturally safe midwifery care to clients.

Heather worked for 15 years at Access Midwifery, first as an Associate Midwife and then as a clinic owner. With Access closing in September 2023, Heather is excited to continue her midwifery work at The Midwives Collective, working with a dynamic and innovative group of colleagues.  Heather served as Division Head for Midwifery in Victoria from 2019-2022. She also has a Bachelor’s Degree in Science from the University of Guelph.

Heather and her family live near the Gorge Waterway, as uninvited guests on the traditional territories of the Songhees and Esquimalt people. Heather’s two children were born at home, into the capable and caring hands of midwives. Spending time in her garden, on the water, and in the forest fills up her soul. She also can be found cheering on her kids on at sporting and music events, canning and juicing the bounty from her garden, and reading a good novel when time allows!

Hi, I’m Joy (she/her), and I’m so grateful to be joining The Midwives Collective this summer. My journey into midwifery began in Ontario, and I’m thrilled to now be continuing that path in Victoria, learning from and growing with this new community. I was raised in Northern Ontario, where I grew up immersed in holistic approaches to health and health care. I feel incredibly lucky that, growing up, birth stories were always part of our family conversations. My mother shared them openly with my sisters and me—never leaving out a detail. No matter how many times I heard them, each story felt powerful and full of strength. Even as a young girl, those stories made me feel strong as a woman and left a lasting impression that continues to inspire my work today. I began my academic journey studying biology at Trent University, and it was during that time that my passion for midwifery took root—driven by a deep curiosity about reproductive rights and women’s health and a desire to offer person centred, compassionate care. I went on to complete my midwifery education at McMaster University and started my practice in the rural community of Lindsay, Ontario. During that first year of practice, I also spent some time working in Inukjuak, Quebec. It has been a true privilege to walk alongside families through the transformative experiences of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum, and I feel honoured to continue that work here in Victoria. Outside of midwifery, you’ll find me cooking, exploring the outdoors, or spending quality time with loved ones.

Hello, I’m Heather,  let me introduce myself! Originally from a sports background, I specialised in advising and training women in sport throughout their pregnancies. Inspired by the midwifery care and compassion that I experienced having my own three children, I felt compelled to become a midwife myself to promote and celebrate the holistic strengths of women in pregnancy and childbirth. I hold a Masters degree in Midwifery, Bachelors degree in Physiology & Sport Science and Postgraduate Diplomas in both clinical education and hypnobirthing. More recently, I have completed the International Midwifery Bridging Programme at the University of British Columbia, where I worked in the Comox Valley. I am delighted to be joining The Midwives Collective team this September and look forward to delivering respectful antenatal, intrapartum and postnatal care for you and your baby on this incredible journey. Originally from Scotland and as an international midwife, I have advocated for families in diverse cultures in the UK, New Zealand and British Columbia. I have been privileged to care for women and their families in rural, highland and urban settings, supporting and championing women’s informed choices throughout their pregnancy. I have also delivered midwifery training for my colleagues including Newborn Examination and Obstetric Emergencies. I offer group and 1:1 KG Hypnobirthing courses which I’m excited to bring to BC. Continuity of care, trust and compassion are the bedrock of my midwifery practice, so the model of care offered at TMC is s a perfect fit! My other interests, outwith midwifery, are “all things active” – triathlon, hiking, open-water swimming and since moving to Canada, I’m learning to ski which I love! I have been welcomed with such warmth and acceptance and I look forward to returning the sentiment when I meet you soon.

I specialize in postpartum and lactation care for new families. I’m inspired by the true marvel for human lactation and love to help new parents reach their goals for feeding their babies. In those tender early days, I believe that sufficient support and gentle, knowledgeable care can be transformative in building healthy, thriving families. I’m delighted to be offering clinic time at The Midwives Collective as well as home visits in the community. I worked in full clinical practice in Vancouver and Victoria before specializing in postpartum care and lactation. I’ve served on the Board of the College of Midwives, and I trained through the UBC Midwifery program, graduating in 2014 after clinical placements across BC and in Uganda. When I’m not caring for new families, I love to bake pies, garden and spend time with my own family, which includes one bouncy toddler and one even bouncier poodle-cross. Before I was a midwife I studied Communications and worked in TV and documentary film. I grew up on Saltspring Island.

Maha (she/her) was drawn to midwifery because of the client-centred model of care and emphasis on informed choice. Maha holds a Bachelor of Health Sciences in Midwifery from Toronto Metropolitan University (previously Ryerson), and a Bachelor of Arts in Cognitive Science of Language from McMaster University. In addition to English, Maha offers care in Urdu/Hindi. After experiencing the benefits of pelvic floor physiotherapy herself, Maha set out to make pelvic health care more accessible to the clients she feels privileged to care for through TMC. Maha has completed the following certifications in pelvic health: University of Alberta Introduction to Women’s Pelvic Health, PHS Level 1: The Physical Therapy Approach to Anyone Experiencing Urinary Incontinence, PHS Level 2: The Role of Physiotherapy in the Treatment of Anyone Experiencing Pelvic Pain Through a Trauma Informed Lens, PHS Pregnancy, Pelvic Girdle Pain, and the Pelvic Floor, Embodia Academy: How to Structure a Birth Preparation Session in Clinic, and Embodia Academy: Treating Mothers in Hospital After Giving Birth. Maha is the author of the open-access Perinatal Pelvic Health Workbook, and as part of Team Dragonfly, pelvic health consultations with Maha are covered by MSP during pregnancy and postpartum. In addition to clinical work, Maha is currently involved in various midwifery-led research projects and is a founding member and core leader for the Canadian Alliance of Racialized Midwives (CARM). Maha has also previously served on the Canadian Association of Midwives’ Board of Directors, the Association of Ontario Midwives’ Racial Equity Committee, and the Health Network for Uninsured Clients in the Toronto area. When she’s not busy with midwifery work, Maha can be found in the library or outdoors with her family and their three dogs.

Margaret Flietstra (she/her) is joining TMC from Northern Ontario, having grown up in Sudbury and lived in Thunder Bay for the last three years. She graduated with her BHSc in Midwifery from McMaster University. Margaret also holds a BA in English Rhetoric and Anthropology, in which she indulged her passions for learning about diversity in culture and communication, and using creative writing to create stories that explore how likeness can intersect with difference. Margaret’s journey to midwifery began when she found herself supporting her first home birth at the age of 17, sparking a curiosity that would be fulfilled more than a decade later. In the intervening years she completed outdoor adventure leadership training, practiced as a doula, and had three babies with the support of midwives whose care still guides her practice today. The experiences of supporting families fuelled both her curiosity and commitment to midwifery. Margaret is passionate about teaching and supporting informed choice and brings a calm, comforting presence to the birth space. Along with her family, Margaret loves to spend her free time exploring outdoors, drinking good coffee, and taking naps with her dog. Margaret is grateful for the opportunity to join TMC and is looking forward to meeting each of you.

Julia has been the office manager for The Midwives Collective for the past three years. She is also a trained doula and a homeopathic practitioner with a specific interest in birth and early childhood. Julia has taught at Pacific Rim College and attended many workshops on birth related issues. She holds a BA in anthropology and prior to joining The Midwives Collective spent many years teaching fine arts to children.

Sarah has been a practicing midwife since 2012. She loves providing client-centred, evidence-based care to childbearing families. She feels extremely grateful to be able to offer midwifery care and raise her daughter in Victoria, her hometown. Sarah holds a master’s degree in Public Health and has spent two years working as a midwife with Doctors Without Borders. She is passionate about improving equity in and accessibility to reproductive health and rights. Sarah is one of the members of Team Dragonfly. She has completed micro-credentials in Pelvic Health allowing her to provide specialized support to pregnant and postpartum people who are struggling with incontinence, pelvic pain, or physical recovery after birth.

It is a privilege to be working with and supporting birthing people and their families at The Midwives Collective. I am honoured to bear witness to these transformative family events, and look forward to building relationships within these interactions. I completed my midwifery training at UBC in 2018; I have worked with midwives and other maternity care providers in Victoria, Nelson, Richmond, Vancouver, and Mbale, Uganda. These opportunities have allowed me to deepen my compassion, skills, and support in my work with families, and to forge heartwarming connections. I am thrilled to be returning to Victoria to work with the lovely families in this community. Previous to Midwifery school, I completed a Bachelors Degree in Biomedicine and International Development at McGill University in Montreal, and worked in the field of Maternal Global Health and HIV. I am currently pursuing a Masters Degree in Epidemiology at UBC, and for my thesis am investigating reasons for elevated rates of postpartum hemorrhage in Canada’s Northern populations. I am passionate about public health (and statistics!), and intend to continue working towards improving maternity care experiences for families in our country and globally. I have a passion for serving birthing people of diverse needs in our local and global communities, and promoting equal access to respectful maternity care. Before becoming a midwife, I provided Doula services for clients with multiple social and economic barriers in Vancouver, and have worked as an educator in rural pregnancy health programs and women’s sexual health initiatives in diverse neighbourhoods in the Punjab, India and Uganda. These experiences, among others, have inspired me to become a care provider who facilitates pregnant people birthing their babies with power and dignity. When taking a break from catching cute babies, I enjoy exploring by bike, karaoke, collecting Star Wars memorabilia, and most of all, adventuring with my new favourite little person- my son Arakletes (Ari). I look forward to meeting you and providing your family with compassionate care and support on this incredible journey!

I am so excited to be joining the Sage team in Spring 2026!

I am a white settler of Scandinavian/Scottish descent. I was raised on the traditional territory and Treaty Lands of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation (Mississauga, Ont) and the traditional lands of the Anishinabek Nation and the traditional territory of Fort William First Nation, signatory to the Robinson-Superior Treaty of 1850 (Thunder Bay, Ont). I have been practicing in what is referred to as British Columbia since 2013, first in Abbotsford and Squamish before finally finding my midwifery home in Vancouver where I practiced for 10 years before very recently moving to the traditional, ancestral, unceded, traditional territories of Lək̓ʷəŋən (Songhees and Xʷsepsəm/Esquimalt Nation) and WSÁNEĆ (Tsawout) people.

For as long as I can remember I have wanted to be involved in birth. I grew up with my mother telling birth stories at the dinner table and always dreamed of supporting families through this transformative time. I was drawn to midwifery because its focus on pregnancy, birth and postpartum as a physiological life event, centering around birthers and their families. I am passionate about full spectrum reproductive health care and pursued my Masters of Public Health in 2019 with a specific focus on inequities in the Canadian healthcare system, and how midwives are best suited to provide care to equity deserving populations. In addition to catching babies, I have been involved in teaching with the UBC Midwifery Program since 2021, and I absolutely love spending time learning with and from our future midwives!

During my time off I can be found exploring the forest and sea with my partner and two kids. We love to camp, bike, swim and play frisbee whenever we have a chance.