About Us
Welcome!
The Midwives Collective welcomes clients from all backgrounds and identities.
We are primary clinical care providers and social justice advocates who aim to
offer inclusive care for all pregnant people. Please let your midwife know which
pronouns or other words you would like used during your care.
We recognize that we practice on the traditional land of the lək̓ʷəŋən peoples, known today as the Esquimalt, Songhees, and W̱SÁNEĆ First Nations, whose relationships with these lands continue through the present day. We acknowledge that the traditional birthing practices of these Nations were destroyed by colonization. We commit to being mindful of our roles in ongoing colonialism in birth work and perinatal care, to decolonizing our own practice, and to providing safe and culturally-sensitive care to our Indigenous clients and their families. In solidarity with the ongoing work of decolonization of midwifery practice in BC and throughout Canada, we offer our support to our indigenous colleagues working as midwives throughout BC, and welcome any feedback on our own practices as midwives of settler backgrounds.
Our Team
Ali Macrae-Miller
Registered Midwife, Juniper Team,
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.
Heather Nelson
Registered Midwife, Juniper Team, coming September 2023
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!
Andrea Dykstra
Registered Midwife, Sage Team,
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.
Chloe Dayman
Registered Midwife, Juniper Team
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!
Dr Emma Noble
Family Physician, Member of the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine, and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC)
I’m Dr. Emma Noble, a family physician with a passion for helping families navigate early parenthood. I am a member of the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine and an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC).
As a mama of three, I have personally experienced breastfeeding challenges, postpartum depression and many years of sleep deprivation so I understand how overwhelming it can feel at times to be a new parent.
I am here to meet and support you exactly where you are on your breastfeeding/chestfeeding journey. Together we will explore your infant feeding goals and develop a plan that feels enjoyable and nurturing for you and your baby.
Dr Noble is available for breastfeeding medicine consultations at The Midwives Collective by provider or self-referral.
Frances Millerd
Registered Midwife (postpartum) and Lactation Support
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.
Ilana Stanger-Ross
Registered Midwife, Juniper Team
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 committee 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 many 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.
Maheen Maryam
Registered Midwife, Juniper Team, coming July 2023
Maheen (she/her) is originally from Markham, Ontario. She earned her Bachelor of Health Sciences in Midwifery from Toronto Metropolitan University (previously Ryerson University). She is passionate about making midwifery care more accessible and ensuring clients feel confident in decision making related to their care. She feels privileged to be a part of such intimate moments in peoples’ lives. Prior to midwifery, she studied Food and Nutrition at Toronto Metropolitan University where she focused on finding sustainable ways to fight food insecurity. In addition to speaking English, Maheen is conversational in Urdu and American Sign Language. She is also involved with the Canadian Association of Midwives’ Board of Directors and is interested in expanding her avenues for advocating for equitable change.
In addition to midwifery work, Maheen enjoys a sunny day with a good book, making and applying mehndi, and being with her family and dog. She is thrilled to be serving the families of Victoria and providing inclusive care for all.
Jill Pearman
Registered Midwife/Island Health Department Head & Medical Director – Midwifery, Sage Team
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.
Kelsey Martin
Registered Midwife, Sage Team
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!
Maha Maryam-Killoran
Registered Midwife, Sage Team, coming July 2023
Maha (she/her) is thrilled to be joining the incredible team at The Midwives Collective! Originally from Markham, Ontario, Maha 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 and American Sign Language. Through her midwifery training and work in Ontario, Maha had the privilege of working at Canada’s first Alongside Midwifery Unit, the Toronto Birth Centre, and the International Breastfeeding Centre, and hopes to use the skills she gained at these centres to serve the diverse families of Victoria.
In addition to clinical work, Maha is involved in various midwifery-led research projects and is a founding member of 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 enjoys reading, daydreaming about building a birth centre, and spending time outdoors with her family and their three dogs.
Sarah Atkinson
Registered Midwife, Division Head / Midwifery Lead (Geography 4), Sage Team
Sarah has been a practicing midwife since 2012. She loves providing client-centred, evidence-based care to childbearing families, in Canada and globally. She considers herself extremely lucky to be able to provide midwifery care in Victoria, her hometown.
Sarah holds a master’s degree in Public Health and is passionate about improving equity in global reproductive health and rights. She has spent two years working as a midwife with Doctors Without Borders and continues to be involved in global midwifery work.
Ali Spry
Registered Midwife, locum for Juniper Team
Ali is a Canadian Born British trained midwife. Born in Alberta, she grew up on beautiful Vancouver Island before leaving Canada to backpack in the 90’s. She spent 7 years travelling before settling in the United Kingdom where she discovered Midwifery through her own pregnancy. She graduated in 2008 from Bournemouth University and practiced in the UK until 2018 when she returned home to Canada. In 2020 Ali completed the Internationally educated Midwifery Bridging program at UBC and began practicing in Langley BC. She is very happy to be joining a team on Vancouver Island and looks forward to practicing in Victoria.
Ali believes wholeheartedly that birthing persons have a fundamental right to unbiased information and the right to choose the care that is right for them and their families. She loves the model of care in British Columbia as it fosters the ability for midwives to earn trust and build a relationship with their clientele. Her background includes high risk pregnancy care, midwifery led care and she particularly loves a water birth whenever the opportunity arises. She can be found gazing into tide pools whenever the opportunity arises, paddle boarding, walking her dogs, snowshoeing and of course spending time with her family.
Meg Loop
Registered Midwife, locum for Sage team
My draw to midwifery began growing up on a rural sheep farm in BC’s interior. Watching and helping lambs being born sparked a passion for birth. I knew I wanted to work with pregnant women and babies one day. After high school I moved to the Island and completed an undergraduate degree at the University of Victoria in Anthropology and Environmental Studies. Following this, I spent 7 years working for several environmental non-profits in the Cowichan Valley.
Eventually the pull to become a midwife came too strong, and off to Ontario I moved to complete my midwifery training at Laurentian University. My favourite part of midwifery is the strong relationships that are built through the one on one care with clients and their families through pregnancy, labour, and motherhood. After several years several years supporting families in the Ottawa Valley region, my partner and I decided it was time to come back home to Victoria.
In my down time, I enjoy spending time in my garden or out on the trails hiking. You can also find me in the kitchen cooking up a storm or knitting to a good audiobook.
I look forward to working with you and your growing family!
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.
Our Clinic
At The Midwives Collective, we strive to foster relationships and strengthen families. We are committed to our clients, our profession, and our community. We are leaders, teachers, writers, advocates, and mothers, working at home and abroad to ensure safe, nurturing, client-centered care for all pregnant people.
Our clinic is accessible, child-friendly, and community-focused. We are located in central Victoria, just past the intersection of Cook & Yates.
We regularly host evening events and workshops, focusing on the journey from pregnancy into parenthood. (See our upcoming events in resources.)
We have on-site parking and are well served by public transit. Our building offers a Lifelabs and a Rexall pharmacy, as well as its own café, and is fully wheelchair & stroller accessible.
We look forward to hearing from you, and supporting you through pregnancy, birth, and the early postpartum.
We are a UBC Teaching Practice
The Midwives Collective is a teaching site for midwifery, medical, and nursing students. We are committed to growing our profession and ensuring collaborative care; precepting students allows us to train the next generation of midwives and to introduce midwifery skills and practices to future health care providers.
We hope you will feel comfortable including learners in your care, and will always ensure that this is your choice to make.
A big thank you to birth photographer Shea Long at Coastal Lifestyles Photo and Liz Rubincam at Rubysmith Photography for the beautiful photos on our website, as well as to director Emma Lazenby for the wonderful illustrations from her film, “Mother of Many.”
- Alena
- Angela
- Jessica
- Anonymous
- Dana
-Danielle
Connect with us!
Our clinic is accessible, child-friendly, and community-focused. We are located in central Victoria, just past the intersection of Cook & Yates. We regularly host evening events and workshops, focusing on the journey from pregnancy into parenthood. (See our upcoming events in resources.) We have on-site parking and are well served by public transit. Our building offers a Lifelabs and a Rexall pharmacy and is fully wheelchair & stroller accessible. We look forward to hearing from you, and supporting you through pregnancy, birth, and the early postpartum.
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