Andrea Dykstra

Registered Midwife

Andrea has been practicing in Victoria as a Registered Midwife since she graduated from the UBC Midwifery program in 2013. She has enjoyed the holistic nature of midwifery care, its ability to adapt to suit the individual woman and family for whom she cares for. Andrea enjoys the strong relationships that are built through one to one care with clients and families throughout the continuum of the perinatal period, from the first trimester of pregnancy to motherhood.

In addition to her Midwifery degree, Andrea has a university degree in Psychology and philosophy from UBC. In between studies, she has travelled Asia extensively and lived in India and Nepal for several years studying world religion and natural traditional forms of medicine. Andrea loves the incredible natural beauty of Victoria and feel so grateful to live on such a majestic island.

Ilana Stanger-Ross

Registered Midwife

Originally from Brooklyn, New York, Ilana has been lucky enough to call Victoria home since 2005, when she began studying midwifery at the University of British Columbia. In addition to her midwifery training, Ilana holds a BA in History from Columbia University (New York) and an MA in English/Creative Writing from Temple University (Philadelphia) and is the author of “A is for Advice (The Reassuring Kind): Wisdom for Pregnancy” (Harper Collins: 2019). A former Board Member of the College of Midwives of British Columbia, she now sits on the Inquiry and Education committees for the BC College of Nurses and Midwives.

Ilana has a deep interest in medicine and feminism, which merge, for her, in the practice of midwifery. She has spent the last several years immersed in the joys and challenges of pregnancy and parenting as both a clinician and a mother, and feels immensely privileged to be part of such an important time in the lives of pregnant people and their families.

Ali Macrae-Miller

Registered Midwife

I am thrilled to have joined the amazing team of midwives at The Midwives Collective.

I was raised in Victoria, and spent many years living and working in Vancouver before returning to the Island in 2019. Before coming to midwifery, I completed a Bachelor of Arts in History and Anthropology, and a Master of Arts in History at UVic, and then worked as a youth leadership program designer and as a research manager in support of reconciliation of the legacies of residential schools in Canada. It has been a treat to return to the beauty of Vancouver Island, and I acknowledge and respect the lək̓ʷəŋən and W̱SÁNEĆ peoples on whose traditional territory I live and work.

I was drawn to the profession of midwifery as an opportunity to combine my passions for research, women’s issues, community building, and advocacy. I deeply valued the empowering support given by my team of midwives during the birth of my own son, and am grateful to be able to participate in creating a positive pregnancy and birthing experience for other families. It is my goal to listen to the hopes and dreams of each family for the birth of their child, and to offer holistic, evidence-based, and personalized perinatal care.

When I am not working with birthing families, I can often be found with my son in our garden, at the local beaches, and hiking and foraging in the beautiful forests around Vancouver Island.

Carrie Ellert

Registered Midwife

Carrie completed her Bachelor of Science in nursing at the University of Calgary and worked for 14 years as a Pediatric Intensive Care nurse, where she also held education and leadership positions, prior to earning her midwifery degree at the University of British Columbia.

Growing up on a family farm in rural Alberta, Carrie observed the bond formed between various farm animals and their newborns and the community it took to grow them. Her path to midwifery began as a witness to the courage, strength and triumph of birth.

Carrie feels that it is an honour and privilege to continue to be in relationship with birth and to support the growth of families in the community of Victoria.

Alyson Jones

Registered Midwife

Alyson Jones’ interest in midwifery began after giving birth to her son Leeum in 1999 here in Victoria. The support and care she felt from her midwives was empowering and contributed enormously to her confidence as a parent and health care provider.

Soon after Leeum was born she began to work with pregnant women by creating artistic sculptures in the form of belly masks. This work inspired her to work as a doula and breastfeeding counselor. She has taken various courses related to pregnancy and childbirth both within an academic and non-academic setting while completing her Bachelor of Midwifery through UBC. Alyson has a strong passion for promoting women’s rights and providing support to families as they experience pregnancy, birth and parenthood. She is honoured to attend families through their pregnancy, birth and postpartum period.

Alyson is currently Vice President of the Midwives Association of BC. Additionally, she is the co-chair of the Rural and Remote Midwifery Committee and a member of the MABC Rural Locum Committee. Alyson believes women and their families should labour and birth in the atmosphere that is most comfortable to them. She strives to be non-judgmental, open and able to listen attentively to her clients.

Chloe Dayman

Registered Midwife

It is with great excitement that I join The Midwives Collective as of September 2020 to work with a lovely team of midwives and to care for the families who come to our practice. I call Victoria home and have had the pleasure of working as a registered midwife here since 2011.

My inspiration to become a midwife has perhaps been with me since the day I was born! My parents planned a home birth with midwives in Kitsilano Vancouver at a time when midwifery was neither regulated nor common practice. I was born at home and from that day onward, the seed of midwifery has been planted in my mind and heart.

I see midwifery as a perfect mixture of clinical care, relationship building, and empowerment. In 2007 I graduated from the UBC Midwifery Program. I have had the pleasure of working with many families in both rural and large city settings. I am passionate about working with alternative parenting arrangements–LGBTQ2S families, surrogates & single parents. I look forward to meeting you and helping you through this new & exciting journey of pregnancy and parenthood. As a parent of three busy children myself I can’t wait to guide you through this process!

Jill Pearman

Registered Midwife

Originally from Toronto Ontario, Jill has been a practicing midwife in Victoria since 2001. Jill finds joy in the experience of developing relationships with each of her clients, which she believes is integral to providing skilled and sensitive maternity care. Jill is grateful for the meaningful work she has a midwife, and for the opportunity to assist in the birth of strong healthy families.

In addition to her clinical practice, Jill has been actively involved in the integration of Midwifery services in BC since 1995, and continues to focus her work on advocacy and leadership for the profession. Jill is currently the Midwifery Division Head in Victoria, Department Head for Midwifery for the Island, as well as the Maternity Medical Lead at Victoria General Hospital. Jill is passionate about promoting inter-disciplinary teamwork to ensure that clients receive the best possible care during their pregnancy, birthing and postpartum journey.

Jill also holds a BA in Women’s and Environmental Studies (University of Victoria), and has a keen interest in herbal medicine and complimentary therapies. When Jill is not busy with midwifery – she enjoys singing, cycling, and gardening.

Julia Young

Office Manager

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.