Nebraska Friends of Midwives Board Members
To contact a board member directly, simply click the blue text.
Chair - Rachel Howell
Rachel lives in Omaha, Nebraska where she facilitates family life, enjoys her cottage photography business, and believes it is time for the right of Nebraska women to be attended in our birth places of choice to be recognized by the state. Originally from the Minneapolis area, Rachel met her husband in Chicago, Illinois where she earned her B.A in Spanish and English, and they graduated together from North Park College (now University).
Rachel has been trained as a doula, is a former Bradley Method Natural Childbirth educator, and created and taught her own natural childbirth curriculum. She has been advocating for access to the midwifery model of care- in hospitals, homes, and birth centers- since she read Judith Hertzfeld's book Sense and Sensibility in Childbirth in the fall of 1995. Their three children provided Rachel lots of real-life birth experience during one hospital and two home births; she is also thankful for the perspective she gained during the months she was allowed to assist a direct entry midwife several years ago. She has served on the board of NFOM since 2008.
Rachel has been trained as a doula, is a former Bradley Method Natural Childbirth educator, and created and taught her own natural childbirth curriculum. She has been advocating for access to the midwifery model of care- in hospitals, homes, and birth centers- since she read Judith Hertzfeld's book Sense and Sensibility in Childbirth in the fall of 1995. Their three children provided Rachel lots of real-life birth experience during one hospital and two home births; she is also thankful for the perspective she gained during the months she was allowed to assist a direct entry midwife several years ago. She has served on the board of NFOM since 2008.
Vice Chair - April Segura
April was born at home. She is now wife to Juan and mama to Ailani and Jaylen. Both were born at home underwater. April has a passion for the Hispanic people as she studied for two years in Ecuador. She now works part time at home as a Breastfeeding Peer Counselor with the WIC Program and helps lead a Spanish Mom's group in south Lincoln.
Secretary - Sarah Moulten
When Sarah was preparing for the birth of her first child, she sought out a childbirth class to help her prepare for a natural birth and was lucky to find a ten-week class offered by Rachel Howell and Becky Anderson. In that class, Rachel and Becky not only answered all of Sarah’s questions, but posed and answered many more that she had not even thought to ask, sparking her interest in birth and the politics of birth. Since then, Sarah has been fortunate to deliver two healthy children – one with Becky in attendance as doula and one with Rachel in attendance as doula – and each experience has increased her interest in seeing birthing laws in Nebraska change to expand women’s access to midwifery care.
Sarah is an experienced freelance writer and technical editor, and she recently completed her master’s in English with an emphasis in rhetoric and composition. With school now behind her and a new baby at home, Sarah looks forward to offering her time and talents to serve as the secretary of the board of the Nebraska Friends of Midwives.
Sarah is an experienced freelance writer and technical editor, and she recently completed her master’s in English with an emphasis in rhetoric and composition. With school now behind her and a new baby at home, Sarah looks forward to offering her time and talents to serve as the secretary of the board of the Nebraska Friends of Midwives.
Treasurer - Jessica Freeman
Jessica is married to Chris Marks. She is mother to Dorothy (born in a hospital in NY), Gabriel (born at home with two midwives in NY) and Patrick (born underwater at home in NE). Jessica earned a Bachelor of Music and Performer's Certificate in Organ from Eastman School of Music. Prior to moving to Nebraska, Jessica worked for several churches as organist, accompanist, and choir director.
Currently she is serving as the Treasurer for the Lincoln Music Teachers Association as well as the Teacher Coordinator for LMTA's Music Outreach Program, which helps provide children in need with music lessons.
Currently she is serving as the Treasurer for the Lincoln Music Teachers Association as well as the Teacher Coordinator for LMTA's Music Outreach Program, which helps provide children in need with music lessons.
Membership Chair - Kathie Smith
Having used midwives for each of her pregnancies, Kathie loves the care she received from midwives and feels their increased use and autonomy in Nebraska would be beneficial to women and children.
Kathie is a birth and postpartum doula, and also serves as the treasurer for DoulaSource, a group promoting the use of birth support professionals during labor. She has a loving, supportive husband who keeps all her technology running smoothly, and two beautiful boys who keep life interesting. In her spare time, Kathie enjoys scrapbooking, crocheting, and gaming. Kathie has a master's degree in educational psychology and hopes to become a childbirth educator someday. Kathie has been involved with NFOM since 2006.
Kathie is a birth and postpartum doula, and also serves as the treasurer for DoulaSource, a group promoting the use of birth support professionals during labor. She has a loving, supportive husband who keeps all her technology running smoothly, and two beautiful boys who keep life interesting. In her spare time, Kathie enjoys scrapbooking, crocheting, and gaming. Kathie has a master's degree in educational psychology and hopes to become a childbirth educator someday. Kathie has been involved with NFOM since 2006.
Public Relations Chair- This Position is Currently Open
Public Relations/Social Media Chair:
Responsible for press releases for events, contacting and communicating with the press, creating and producing publicity materials (such as brochures, fliers, etc). Oversees compilation and production of the newsletter, moderates the Facebook page, oversees Twitter postings, edits and publishes NFOM blog posts, and updates the Yahoo announcement e-list. Has traditionally served as the head of the new member welcome committee and overseen any necessary website updates. The co-chairs duties may be shared by two individuals- one responsible for traditional media, the other social media.
Responsible for press releases for events, contacting and communicating with the press, creating and producing publicity materials (such as brochures, fliers, etc). Oversees compilation and production of the newsletter, moderates the Facebook page, oversees Twitter postings, edits and publishes NFOM blog posts, and updates the Yahoo announcement e-list. Has traditionally served as the head of the new member welcome committee and overseen any necessary website updates. The co-chairs duties may be shared by two individuals- one responsible for traditional media, the other social media.
Education/Advocacy Chair - Becky Anderson
Becky Anderson developed a passion for humanizing Nebraska’s maternal care system as a medical technology student who spent all of her breaks in the UNMC library reading journal articles about interventions in childbirth. She was fortunate to be attended by wise, experienced midwives at the births of four of her five children and works for the time when every Nebraska woman will be able to give birth with a qualified attendant in the setting of her choosing.
Born in Lincoln, Becky grew up in St. Edward and raised her children in Omaha until reluctantly leaving Nebraska for rural Pennsylvania in 2010. Besides medical technology, she studied German and biology at UNL and French and education at UNO. She has taught childbirth classes, served as a doula and assisted a DEM. She now enjoys researching the history of midwifery in Nebraska and presented some of her findings this summer. A portion of the material from this lecture is available on the page Pieces of the Past. Despite an out-of-state residence, Becky remains committed to working toward increased access to midwifery care in her home state.
Born in Lincoln, Becky grew up in St. Edward and raised her children in Omaha until reluctantly leaving Nebraska for rural Pennsylvania in 2010. Besides medical technology, she studied German and biology at UNL and French and education at UNO. She has taught childbirth classes, served as a doula and assisted a DEM. She now enjoys researching the history of midwifery in Nebraska and presented some of her findings this summer. A portion of the material from this lecture is available on the page Pieces of the Past. Despite an out-of-state residence, Becky remains committed to working toward increased access to midwifery care in her home state.
Legislative Chair - Becky Sherman
"No one pushed me, nagged me, or hassled me to conform to natural childbirth. I was nudged, educated, and pointed towards it love, care, and genuine concern. Through careful guidance and gentle education, a handful of women led me to a new place. A place that values women, supports birth choices, respects the birth process and the power of a woman during birth. A place where I am now very passionate and provoked to greater knowledge as I grow as a mother, doula, and supporter of women."
Archives Chair - Jennifer Wayne Penick
Jennifer has been married now for nine years and is mom to four young children, three of which were VBAC births. She's been a certified car seat technician since 2004, works as a peer counselor for WIC, recently graduated from nursing school, and hopes to eventually become a CNM. She's also the treasurer for the Omaha area ICAN chapter and is working on becoming a certified professional doula through toLabor.
Fundraising Chair - This Position is Currently Open
Responsible for organization and facilitation of both on-going fundraising efforts such as NFOM's Terracycle program, and short-term fundraising efforts. May work in conjunction with Events, Education, and Legislative Chairs as needed. Grant-writing skills are a plus!
Events Chair - This Position is Currently Open
Responsible for the facilitation of statewide events only such as the annual meeting, the proclamation signing, the luncheon at the capitol, and other events at the Capitol. Organizes committees to task these statewide events. Has no responsibility for regional events.
