Our Team
At Philomena Birth, we pride ourselves on our unique team model of care, ensuring that every client receives comprehensive support tailored to their needs. Our doulas are not only certified professionals but also undergo additional training specific to Philomena Birth's core values and mission. Led by Mary, our team is equipped with specialized skills and a shared dedication to providing personalized care. When you choose Philomena Birth, you're not just hiring an individual doula – you're partnering with a cohesive team committed to supporting you every step of the way.
Meet Mary
Founder of Philomena Birth - DONA Certified Birth Doula, Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator, & Certified Lactation CounselorMary’s goal is to empower you throughout pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum by offering support and education, while connecting you to your own intuition as a mother. She loves deeply connecting with other women and their partners to offer a sense of calm and stability during a period of transition. Because she understands how important it is to feel that you have somewhere to turn throughout ALL phases of motherhood, she has made it her life’s purpose to be able to offer support and care for pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum, including breastfeeding support.
She is a DONA Certified Birth Doula, a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator, and certified lactation counselor. She is currently a Childbirth Educator at Penn Medicine Princeton Health.
Birth work runs in her family and she feels with all her heart that this is what she was born to do. Her mother (whom Philomena is named after) was a midwife, lactation consultant, and childbirth educator, so this work has always been a part of her life. It is an honor to get to walk beside women throughout their most beautiful and vulnerable experiences.
Meet Kerry
Birth Doula + Childbirth EducatorKerry's goal as a doula is that every birthing person leaves with a positive memory of their birth experience. Whether it goes as planned or completely different, her hope is that you will leave feeling empowered, supported, and listened to.
Kerry has a passion for helping people utilizing alternative treatments. She has been a licensed massage therapist for 10 years. After graduating from massage school, she went on to take specialized courses in Oncology massage. It was then that she learned the power of providing comfort and holding space for those in vulnerable situations. Kerry offers a wide variety of massage modalities including prenatal massage. She is also a Certified Infant Massage Educator.
She credits her sister’s pregnancy for sparking her deep interest and connection to pregnancy and birth. When she gave birth to her daughter in 2015, she was further inspired. Her own positive experience and sense of empowerment lead her to become a DONA certified doula so that she could coach others through and help them achieve this same positive experience. Kerry uses her knowledge and experience in massage therapy as a doula by providing pain relief and guiding her clients through the optimal ways to use their bodies in labor.
Having experienced a struggle with infertility, Kerry understands just how important it is to have a positive birth experience and how fragile pregnancy can be. She uses her education, own experience, and of course humor to create a safe and loving atmosphere during your pregnancy and birth process.
Meet Julia
Postpartum Doula + Childbirth EducatorJulia is a certified prenatal and postpartum doula and trained in both prenatal yoga and well-women’s yoga. She believes in birth wholeheartedly and trusts the body’s intuitive power. Before birth work, she was a career nanny working primarily with infants and toddlers. Her greatest calling in life is serving women and their families.
In addition to birth work, she is passionate about assisting the natural healing process. She is currently studying to be a women’s herbal medicine educator and loves to provide nourishment to all the families she works for during the postpartum period, whether that be through herbal infusions or medicinal meals.
Postpartum is a sacred time of deep healing that should be respected. Julia takes her knowledge of herbs, women’s physiology, and baby care to serve you as best as she can. She offers a non-judgmental approach and a helping hand as you make this tender transition into motherhood.
Meet Tessa
Birth DoulaTessa’s love for birth work was sparked when she was pregnant with her daughter.
Tessa strongly believes that the support a birthing person receives during their pregnancy and birth greatly affects their transition into motherhood and the postpartum period. Birthing her own daughter allowed her to dig deep and access an inner strength she never knew she had. It is an honor to witness and help support women and birthing people push through the pain and find the gold in this epic life change.
Tessa has a passion for understanding each family’s unique story and supporting them in a way that honors their path. Tessa desires to ensure that no one is denied birth support regardless of their perceived differences. As a certified prenatal, birth and postpartum doula, Tessa honors the ability to hold space for women and their partners during this sacred time.
Meet Jada
Postpartum DoulaI’m Jada and family and motherhood is a passion of mine. In today’s age, I believe caring for, building, and tending to the family and village is revolutionary. I studied and received my yoga teacher certification and herbalism in hopes of merging these modalities in my work as a postpartum doula. Being a postpartum doula to me means to be the supplemental village we are all in need during the postpartum time. Feeding the mother, allowing her to rest, facilitating a warm environment physically and in spirit, and companionship are necessary for healing during the postpartum period. A mother’s nervous system needs safe co-regulation during this time, and a postpartum doula provides and facilitates that. We are eager to be by your side and support you during this sacred time.
Meet Camille
Birth DoulaCamille is a birth doula whose number one goal is to help parents feel empowered and in control during pregnancy, labor, and delivery. Hiring a doula during her first labor, gifted her a happy experience that she was completely in control of. This lead her to wanting to help other parents have similar experiences. During pregnancy, becoming a self proclaimed “birth nerd” paired with her energetic and positive demeanor, she knew she could be an asset to help parents achieve their ideal birth scenarios. Camille trained with DONA in August of 2022, and immediately felt like birth work is her true calling.
A strong believer in the power of positive energy, Camille brings a joyful attitude and encouraging spirit to the birthing spaces that shes invited to. Camille enjoys listening to audiobooks all about pregnancy, childbirth and parenthood to grow deeper in her knowledge, and become more well rounded in the work she loves. Having a deep understanding that in pregnancy and labor there are so many variations of “normal” she knows it’s important to help her clients be equipped with the knowledge and preparation of what to expect. Although, in our world there are so many inequities in the birthing system, having a doula can change outcomes, and give power back to parents. Camille truly believes that parents adding a doula to their birthing team will set them up with the best start to their journey into parenthood.
Meet Shannon
Birth Doula + HerbalistShannon has always been fascinated by the miracle of childbirth, which ultimately led her to pursue her passion for birthwork. She discovered her calling by supporting friends and loved ones through their birth journeys. She realized how valuable it is for birthing people and their partners to experience the specific support, guidance, and comfort a doula can provide.
Shannon believes in providing compassionate, unbiased knowledge and support tailored to the unique needs of every birthing person and their partner. She understands that beyond the medical aspects, there is a need for emotional and spiritual guidance throughout the birthing journey.
She recognizes the importance of creating a sacred and empowering memory of birth to carry throughout postpartum and the new terrain of parenthood.
In addition to her work as a doula, Shannon is an herbalist. She loves combining her passions by sharing her wisdom of herbal practices during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.
Using an integrated, holistic approach, Shannon dedicates herself to guiding and honoring all birthing individuals and their partners, ensuring their journey into parenthood is met with compassion and support.
Meet Amanda
Birth Doula, Postpartum Doula, & Childbirth EducatorAmanda is a Full Spectrum Doula (birth, postpartum, and childbirth education) where she supports women during their birthing journeys, postpartum, and through infant care. She primarily works with birth clients as that’s where her intuition is guiding her at the moment. The same calming energy she provides in a yoga class as a yoga teacher is transferred over into any birth setting such as a hospital, birth center or home. Amanda prides herself on providing a grounding presence for clients to seek comfort. She believes in the power of birthing people and is there as an advocate for their birth preferences. Your birth, your choice.
Amanda received her 200HR yoga certification at Tula Yoga in 2019. She’s Yin Yoga and Reiki Level One certified since March of 2022. She holds yin yoga close to her heart as she understands the importance of getting comfortable with the discomfort as well as the long list of benefits of finding stillness. In her classes, you can expect to be challenged in your emotional, mental and physical bodies. She encourages her students to find alignment within and to listen to their bodies throughout her entire class. Amanda is there to hold space, support her students, and ensure class will leave her students feeling safe and relaxed. Amanda’s heart is full when all those worlds come together in her practice as a yogi and a doula.
Born & raised in Belmar, NJ. Mother to 2 boys. 18 years experience in fitness, meditation & group instruction.
My goal moving forward is focusing on nervous system health through fitness, meditation and taking care of the prenatal & postpartum mother and child. My specialization is movement with intention and creating space for conscious lifestyle choices to create over all well being for Mother & child.
Postpartum Doula, Postpartum Doula through Dona CPT, CMT, RYT 200 hrsMeet Maureen
Meet Kate
Birth DoulaKate's passion for birthwork sparked during her educational journey to obtain her Master of Public Health degree, with a concentration in women's & gender studies.
Kate strongly believes that every woman has an innate right to own her birth story, honoring their unique preferences and goals. Considering herself a life-long learner, she is passionate about providing mothers and families with evidence-based education and advocacy tools to help them feel empowered, supported, and safe.
As a firm believer that quality prenatal and labor support create the foundation for healthy postpartum and motherhood periods, Kate is honored to support mothers during one of the most sacred periods in their lives.
Philomena Birth uses a team model of care for all the families we work with.
Every expecting parent who gets support from Philomena Birth gets support from multiple very experienced certified birth doulas. Your doula team will be at your prenatal meeting and will be in contact with you throughout your pregnancy. This model gives parents greater continuity of care and offers double the resources!