We are thrilled to announce Tamara is back at CMK! You may recognize Tamara because she spent November 2023 working with Kelli, Diane & Alice. She is now working with Kaz, Alison & Diane team for her senior year placement. She will be with us until March 2025!

Please join us in welcoming her back to our CMK team!

My name is Tamara Nevills, and I am in my senior year of the Midwifery Education Program (MEP) at Toronto Metropolitan University. I was fortunate to be placed with CMK for an interprofessional placement in third year and am deeply honoured to be joining your community once again for my final year. Prior to entering the MEP, I was a Registered Nurse for almost 10 years. I switched to midwifery to spend more time with clients, getting to know their values and goals, and supporting them through their journey. I am originally from Trenton, Ontario and have had placements in the GTA, Durham and Quinte regions throughout this program. In my spare time, I love reading, yoga and going for hikes with my dog.

My name is Dana Coon and I’m a second-year midwifery student at McMaster University. I’ll be completing my first midwifery placement here in Kingston from July until the end of September. I grew up nearby, in Brockville, and I’m happy to be back in the area.

Allow me to share a bit about myself: My journey into midwifery is somewhat unconventional but deeply rooted in a passion for women's health. My first profession was massage therapy. Then in 2006 I travelled to Costa Rica and fell in love with the nature and the culture, so much so that I decided to move there. While I was there, I lived and worked for almost a decade at a non-profit environmental reserve where I, among other things, managed a medicinal plants garden and laboratory. I also continued to practice massage therapy and worked as a medical assistant and interpreter to some amazing naturopathic doctors. When I left Costa Rica, I realized that if I wanted to continue to help others improve their health, I would need to further my education. I went to California to complete a premedical degree in Kinesiology with minors in Spanish and Biology at San Jose State University, with the intent to go into family medicine or obstetrics. Toward the end of my studies, I realized that the conventional model of medical practice might not align with my desire to provide more personalized, in-depth, and well-rounded patient care. This realization made me pause to reconsider my professional direction.

Academically, some of my interests are the anatomy and biomechanics of the pelvis, pelvic floor corrective exercise, hormonal health, sexual health education, and reproductive justice. Like many people, I was dismayed by the state of maternal health in the U.S. and realized that we also have a lot of work to do here in Canada to improve outcomes and experiences for mothers. I believe that while pregnancy and birth are completely normal states of health, they are also deeply personal and profound experiences that can have lasting effects on individuals and their families. All of this led me to midwifery, where I believe I can make a meaningful impact on women's health by providing holistic and compassionate care. Additionally, I became a mother myself last year; the birth of my daughter provided me with valuable experiential learning that I am eager to integrate into my midwifery practice, and it has left me feeling even more committed to providing a safe and respectful environment for birthing people.

I look forward to being part of your care team here at Community Midwives of Kington!