Childbirth Education Association

President

Tamara Wrenn MA, CCE, CIMT

Tamara is a CEA certified childbirth educator and the mother of a highly spirited teenager. A professional in the birthing and wellness fields she has worked in maternal & child health for over 15 years providing services to women of childbearing age. Tamara is the Executive Director of All Things Birth, a company that provides services which support women during the childbearing year and into parenthood.

Vice-President

Beth Donnelly Caban CCE

Beth is a certified Childbirth Educator and the current Vice-President of CEAMNY. In addition, she is a labor support doula, and has trained with Ina May Gaskin and the Farm midwives and Janet Balaskas and Michel Odent at the Active Birth Centre in London. Beth is also a certified Yoga instructor who has been teaching since 1997 and specializing in prenatal, postpartum, therapeutic and restorative yoga. She is certified through the Integral Yoga Institute. Beth holds a B.A. from Johns Hopkins University in cultural anthropology and public health and has recently returned to school to continue on her journey toward becoming a midwife and lactation consultant. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and son.

Immediate Past President

Asha Curran CCE, CD

Asha is a certified childbirth educator through CEA/MNY. She is former Teacher Certification Program, Co-Coordinator and former President of the Board of Directors of the organization. She teaches childbirth education classes at Realbirth as well as other locations, and lives in Manhattan with her husband and two children.

Treasurer

Catherine Stewart-Lindley

Catherine is a professional labor support coach, childbirth educator and photographer with over a dozen years experience in birthing.

Secretary

Recruiting.

Teacher Certification Coordinator Coordinator

Ceridwen Morris CCE

Ceridwen is a writer, mother and childbirth educator. She's the co-author of From the Hips: A Comprehensive, Open-Minded, Uncensored, Totally Honest Guide to Pregnancy, Birth and Becoming a Parent (2007) a regular contributor to babble.com and infrequent blogger at www.thenewmom.com. She teaches privately and at Real Birth. Ceridwen has served on the board of the Childbirth Education Association of Metropolitan New York since 2009.

Membership Coordinator

Eden Bertrang CD

Eden is a DONA-certified doula and a certified yoga instructor with a special interest in prenatal yoga. When she is not attending births and teaching, Eden works as a clinical assistant in a family practice in NYC.

Workshop Coordinator

Beth Donelly Caban CCE

Members at Large

Members At Large report to the Board about local and national birth and postpartum issues and events ; inform the organization of trends and research; share employment and volunteer opportunities; and work on specific projects and committees as needed.

Susanrachel Condon CNM, LMT Susanrachel graduated from the State University of New York Health Science Center at Brooklyn Midwifery Program in 1998. She is a NY State licensed midwife and ob-gyn nurse practitioner. She was certified to teach childbirth preparation, newborn care and breastfeeding classes in 1996 by the Childbirth Education Association of Metropolitan New York (CEAMNY). She has served on the CEAMNY Board of Directors since 1997, including two terms as President. Susanrachel has also been a NY State licensed massage therapist since 1991. She served on the faculty of the Swedish Institute College of Massage Therapy & Allied Health Sciences for ten years and currently participates in their continuing education program. Since 1994, she has taught Bodywork for the Childbearing Cycle, a nationally recognized certification course for massage and bodywork professionals. She and her husband Richard, a certified Rolfer, have produced an advanced techniques DVD program on the subject in addition to a labor massage program for childbirth educators and families. They have also lectured widely as private consultants at conferences, hospitals, birth centers, schools and spas. Susanrachel holds a BFA in Art Therapy and has studied birth counseling and counseling for pregnant survivors of sexual abuse. She is the mother of a daughter and two sons.

Meredith Fein Lichtenberg CCE Meredith is the director of A Mother Is Born Pregnancy and Postpartum Services. In addition to teaching childbirth education, breastfeeding and infant care to pregnant couples, she leads groups and workshops for new mothers at various locations in Manhattan, and works privately with new parents as a parenting and sleep coach and Back-To-Work (tm) doula. A former employment lawyer and nonfiction writer, her focus is women's changing identities in the childbirth years.

Stana Weisbu LMT Stana Weisburd is the founder and director of Park Slope Doulas. She is proud to serve NYC families as a licensed massage therapist and birth doula and is currently working toward certification as a childbirth educator with the Childbirth Educators Association of Metropolitan New York. Stana enjoys serving on both the council of the Metropolitan Doula Group and the CEA/MNY Board.

Job Descriptions

President

Resides over meetings, deals with issues, problems or policy concerns; sits on various committees, monitors the performance of officers; proposes the creation of committees; appoints members to such committees according to the by-laws; ensures the organization maintains a positive and productive relationship with media, funders, donors and other organizations; primary spokesperson for the organization; works with the Board on the direction and goals of the organization.

Vice-President

Works in tandem with and supports the Board President; performs the duties of the President when unavailable; sits on standing and/or ad hoc committees.

Immediate Past President

Serves as advisor to current president.

Treasurer

Manages finances of the organization; administers fiscal matters of the organization; provides annual budget to the board for members' approval; and ensures development and board review of financial policies and procedures; works with financial advisors as necessary.

Secretary

Takes minutes, maintains records and files of the activity of the Board; sends out minutes shortly after each meeting; sends out agendas for the next meeting and is in charge of communication with outsiders who communicate with the board. Accurately documents actions of the Board including votes, voting date, number of votes and number in favor and against; and is sufficiently familiar with legal documents (articles, by-laws, etc...) to note applicability during meetings.

TCP Coordinator(s)

Responds to Teacher Certification Program (TCP) inquiries; sends out TCP application packages; matches TCP candidates with CEA members for applicant interviews; reviews completed application packages and presents to the Board for admittance into TCP program; notifies applicants of program acceptance or denial; matches TCP candidates with mentors; maintains TCP database; notifies TCP's of program completion requirements at 1 year and 18 month intervals; works closely with membership chair to monitor TCP standing and ensure a timely completion of the certification requirements.

Workshop Coordinator

Confirms workshop logistics with instructors; tends to logistical matters for each workshop; maintains CEA library including the borrowing and return of books; works closely with the Education Committee to develop the annual workshop schedule, recruit and hire workshop instructors; ensures the Website Coordinator receives the annual workshop schedule for uploading to the website.

Membership Chair

Maintains the membership database; recruits new members; sends out membership renewal notices; works closely with TCP coordinators to monitor TCP standing and ensure a timely completion of the certification requirements.

Website Coordinator

Maintains the CEA website; chairs the website committee.

Education Committee

Sets guidelines for certification workshops; develops and coordinates workshop schedule; recruits and hires workshop instructors; evaluates and coordinates reading list; and reviews individual trainee requests related to certification requirements.