HOMEBIRTH NSW Team
Meet our amazing Homebirth NSW Team! They are an impassioned lot who work tirelessly at mothering, keeping their homes running, maintaining their professional lives and being wonderful members of their communities, yet they still find the time to show up for Homebirth.
If you'd like to join our cause, send us an email (all emails listed below)!
Scroll to the end for our full contact list and extended committee details.
If you'd like to join our cause, send us an email (all emails listed below)!
Scroll to the end for our full contact list and extended committee details.
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Katelyn CommerfordPRESIDENTKatelyn is a mother of two, doula, VBAC mentor, and homebirth advocate. She has worn many different hats over the years, but feels she has really found her place in the world of birth and postpartum, training as a doula after having her second baby who was a planned HBAC (homebirth after caesarean), ultimately born via caesarean after a hospital transfer. Unsurprisingly, she feels particularly strongly about supporting homebirth transfer women to claim their rightful place in the homebirth community, and homebirth access for women planning births after caesarean. Katelyn took on the role of President in 2022 and is excited to be at the helm of such an important organisation, with a glorious and hard-working team of volunteers beside her, and holds onto the hope that homebirth will become accessible for all women who want it.
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Aimee singVice PRESIDENTAimee is a mum, blue mountains based doula and lactation consultant (IBCLC), Calmbirth educator, birth activist and community builder. While attaining her PhD in plant physiology she birthed her first baby via a planned homebirth which transferred to caesarean and witnessed firsthand the gaps in not only the maternity system, but also society, when supporting pregnant, birthing and postpartum mothers, driving her to fill these gaps for other families. Aimee joined Homebirth NSW as editor of Birthings magazine in early 2017, after the blissful homebirth (HBAC) of her son. Since then she has been actively involved in homebirth advocacy and now sits on multiple maternity consumer committees, having been the president for Homebirth NSW for 4 years and currently the vice president. Aimee is passionate about birth, breastfeeding and the environment, is a lover of the beach and bushland and is keen to see homebirth become an accessible, affordable birth option for all Australian women! When she's not busy mothering her 3 babies and keeping their household functioning you'll find her supporting women in her multiple paid and unpaid roles or campaigning for birth rights. www.birthaims.com.au
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Amy TysonsecretaryAmy is a mother of 4 living and working on Darug and Gundungurra land in the gorgeous Katoomba, Blue Mountains NSW. Amy works as a doula and maternal and family support worker as Doula Inanna. Amy is deeply committed to feminism and women’s rights, especially the rights of women to experience their unique births as their rite of passage to motherhood. She believes that all women deserve support and witness as they travel through their matrescence. Amy has a Cert IV in breastfeeding Education and supports lactating women as a Breastfeeding Counsellor. She currently also volunteers with Australian Breastfeeding Association, Blue Mountains Homebirth Community Group and Nepean Blue Mountains Breastfeeding Friendly Hospital Initiative Accreditation team. Amy is currently attempting to complete the requirements for an IBCLC qualification. In previous lives, Amy has worked as an Enrolled Nurse (Cert IV Nursing), retail management and administration for The Blue Mountains Food Co-operative Ltd, and as treasurer for Blue Mountains Junior Roller Derby League. Amy Loves coffee (decaf only), her 5 cats, her sweet little dog Áine, cycling, bushwalking, pilates, women’s gatherings/circles, sauna & cold plunge therapy and her wife Penelope. (Not listed in any particular order)
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Santina SannenTREASURERMy background is Italian. I am currently working part-time doing admin work and have an accounting background. Arthur (Santina's husband who does our merchandising) was born in the Netherlands and is self-employed in the IT industry. Four years ago HAS needed someone to do the merchandising role and Arthur stepped in. Not too long after that I took on the Treasurer role. We sit quietly in the background doing our thing and admiring the advocacy work this wonderful group does. They are all so committed and work with such passion. Issue number 68 was the first Birthings magazine we saw. It was given to us by our midwife back in 1999 in the lead up to our first baby. We became members and have been ever since. We have three children (Adrian 20, Annelies 17 and Aileen 14) who were all born at home under the wonderful guidance of Marie Heath. We hope that one day homebirth in Australia will be an easily available and widely supported choice that all women have access to.
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melissa WoodhouseEvent & FUndraising coordinatorMelissa, a dedicated mother of three and a registered nurse and midwife, has recently embraced a new volunteer role with enthusiasm and compassion. Residing in the beautiful region of western New South Wales on Wiradjuri land, she is deeply passionate about all aspects of pregnancy and birth.
With a wealth of experience from her professional background and personal journey, Melissa has always been driven by a commitment to provide exceptional care for mothers and babies. After two hospital births, she made the heartfelt decision to have a home birth for her third child. This transformative experience, marked by the continuous, personalised care of her private midwife, reinforced her belief in the importance of accessible homebirth options. Motivated by this profound continuity of care, Melissa is now dedicated to giving back to her community. Through her volunteer work, she aims to ensure that other women have the opportunity to experience the same level of care and support in their homebirth journeys. Her dedication, expertise, and passion make her an invaluable advocate for empowering women in their birthing choices. |
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Arthur SannenmerchandisingArthur was born in The Netherlands and is self-employed in the IT industry. Four years ago HBNSW needed someone to do the merchandising role and Arthur stepped in. Not too long after that his wife Santina took on the Treasurer role. "We sit quietly in the background doing our thing and admiring the advocacy work this wonderful group does. They are all so committed and work with such passion. Issue number 68 was the first Birthings magazine we saw. It was given to us by our midwife back in 1999 in the lead up to our first baby. We became members and have been ever since. We have three children (Adrian 20, Annelies 17 and Aileen 14) who were all born at home under the wonderful guidance of Marie Heath. We hope that one day homebirth in Australia will be an easily available and widely supported choice that all women have access to."
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GEORGIA SLEEFUNDRAISING & EVENTSGeorgia is a mum of two girls, and her passion for homebirth was ignited when, after an unplanned caesarean for her first birth, she began preparing for a homebirth after caesarean with her second.
After attending two local homebirth group meets per month for about a year, Georgia came on board the Homebirth NSW committee to fulfill her desire to do more in the birth space, and advocate and spread the world about homebirth and vaginal birth after caesarean. There is little Georgia loves more than shouting about her empowering, beautiful homebirth experience from the rooftops, and hearing other womens’ stories of their own journey to discover the sacred rite of passage that is birth and the undeniable power of women. Georgia couldn’t ignore the calling to become more active in the birth space, and is now a Birth & Postpartum Doula in the Hawkesbury in Western Sydney. Her love of storytelling and passion for VBAC has led her to launch the Australian VBAC Stories podcast with co-hosts and co-committee members, Katelyn (president) and Aimee (vice-president). |
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Nadia StoneWebsite coordinatorNadia, is from France, and she moved back to Australia with her 3 kids and Aussie husband in 2018.
She is a professional photographer at nadia stone photography and she loves capturing all the stages of motherhood. As an only child and losing both her parents, the photos and film left behind are an enduring legacy of her family and the life they shared. That is why she became a photographer: To create a legacy for her clients and their families, like the one her father left for her. For her Birth is a transformative experience that deserves to be cherished and remembered forever. As like she says “ Birth is a Blur, I have not much memories of my 3 births, and I do wish it was documented’ . As a passionate birth photographer and natural light seaker, she is dedicated to capturing the empowering, natural, and transformative moments of childbirth. She believes that her photography can beautifully complement the holistic care she provides to her clients. She is the creator of the serie “ Where I was Born “, a photo serie that explores the experience of homebirth moms and when they choose to give birth to their babies. For more information about the serie, please click here. |
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TEAGAN GLENANESOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATORTeagan is a nature lover and water baby, and in her professional life, is a passionate photographer, videographer, and storyteller with over a decade of experience as a freelancer in the nonprofit, government, and independent sectors. Her journey began at Fairfax Newspapers, where she honed her skills in storytelling and visual communication.
As a mother of two beautiful children, Teagan’s passion for social and environmental justice and women's rights has only deepened. After facing less-than-ideal care and ultimately undergoing an emergency cesarean during her first birth, she sought healing through information, education and storytelling. This led her to explore the world of homebirth, culminating in a transformative homebirth experience with her daughter. This profound journey inspired Teagan to become a passionate advocate for homebirth and equitable access to midwifery care. She is excited to work with HBNSW to amplify voices and stories that promote understanding and change in these crucial areas. www.teaganglenane.com |
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Renee WhittleMarketing CoordinatorAs a huge advocate of homebirth, I’m extremely thrilled to be part of the Homebirth NSW team, leveraging my decade-long professional background in marketing/advertising.
My journey with homebirth began with the joyous arrival of my son two years ago, in the comfort of our own home. That was such an amazing and transformative experience for me that it solidified my passion for empowering women and promoting the invaluable benefits of this birthing option. Currently expecting our second child in September, we’re eagerly planning another home birth (with the wonderful Chantel Letertre again). Outside of work, my days are enriched by time spent with my growing family, including our two beloved dogs. We cherish being outdoors, whether exploring new hiking trails, soaking up the sun at the beach, or embarking on family adventures that foster our love for travel and nature. |
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sasha murraybirthings editorSasha is a Coogee local, a qualified Lamaze International childbirth educator as well as a birth and postpartum doula. Sasha’s obsession with all things birth started at a very young age when her nephew was born, a surprise homebirth! After 14 years as a career nanny, working in Sydney, New Jersey, New York and even onboard the amazing Disney Dream cruise ship she made the change to doula and childbirth educator.
Homebirth is something Sasha always knew she wanted for her own birth experiences, at this point in time Sasha is yet to have any children of her own but is getting married next year and very excited to start trying for her first baby. Sasha has a strong sense of nurture and just adores working within the birthing space supporting mammas to have the birth they want and deserve. www.sgmdoula.com |
HOMEBIRTH NSW CONTACT DETAILS |
EXTENDED TEAM |
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President - Katelyn Commerford
Contact: [email protected] Vice President - Aimee Sing Contact: president@homebirthnsw.org.au Co-Secretaries - Amy Tyson Contact: [email protected] Treasurer - Santina Sannen Contact: [email protected] Memberships - Jess Paino Contact: [email protected] Midwife Liaison - Shani Tarrant Contact: [email protected] Advocacy - Tamara Moffat Contact: advocacy@homebirthnsw.org.au Communications - ( currently vaccant) Merchandising - Arthur Sannen Contact: [email protected] |
Marketing & Advertising - Renee Whittle
Contact: [email protected] Events & Fundraising - Georgia Slee Contact: [email protected] Website Coordinator - Nadia Stone Contact: [email protected] Editor - Sasha Murray (BIRTHINGS MAGAZINE) Associate Editors - Katie Bullen Contact: [email protected] Proofreaders - Jacqueline Cooke (Birthings) Graphic Designer - Georgia Slee (Birthings) Social Media Coordinators - Teagan Glenane and Izzy Hayden Intern Supervisor - (currently vacant) general EnquiriesFor all general enquiries
Contact: [email protected] |
