Email: info@mothertreebirth.com   |  office:  503-343-9911    |   for a doula:  971-200-6421 

About MotherTree

About Mothertree: Our Community

The MotherTree Community

Our community includes…

What a great group!

Jesse Remer

(she/her)
CD/BDT(DONA), PCD/PDT(DONA) LCCE, FACCE; Mother Tree Founder (DONA) Certified Birth Doula; DONA International Birth & Postpartum Doula Trainer; Founding Member, Oregon Doula Association (Education Chair); Executive Director, PDX Doulas; Principal, Gateway Doula Group; Lamaze Childbirth Educator, Mother Tree International Mentor

Jesse is a visionary in the field of integrated women’s healthcare. She brings her skills as a doula, trainer, educator, speaker, writer, change agent and resource to support the creation of new models of maternity care.

 

For the past three decades she has supported healthy birth outcomes as a Lamaze Childbirth Educator, DONA International Birth and Postpartum Doula Trainer and Founder of Mother Tree International. She has supported thousands of families and doulas in the childbearing year.

As a leader in the field, she was the lead doula on the clinical design team for Providence Health Systems Pregnancy Care Package and became the first staff doula of their integrated healthcare model. She is a founding board member of the Oregon Doula Association (ODA) since 2013, six years as Policy and Advocacy Chair and is the current Education Chair.

She has two years representing ODA as liaison to the State of Oregon Traditional Healthcare Workers Systems Integration subcommittee at the Oregon Health Authority working on creating sustainable systems of doula support within the system. She has worked for multiple health systems to improve health equity. She is the founding Facebook Power Admin of Doula Talk, a thriving social media group of over 17k members. Jesse is also the Executive Director for the sister doula groups: Gateway Doula Group affiliated Women’s Health Associates and PDX Doulas affiliated with Oregon Health Sciences University (OHSU).

Over the past 15 years she has trained birth professionals internationally from Iceland, Germany, Mexico and Spain and across the United States. She became passionate about the models developing in Trauma Informed Care (trained with TIC Oregon Trainer program) and how they apply directly towards health care equity across diverse populations, specifically people of color.


Jesse has a B.S. in Journalism from the University of Oregon, prior career in education, leadership, marketing, hospitality, team building, business best practices. She grew up in a family of entrepreneurs and thus believes that every part of the process is important to know intimately.

She has training as a professional midwife, is a mother of two teen boys and is dedicated to the promoting the health and wellbeing of families in first 1000 days. She herself experienced Postpartum Depression and Anxiety with both Postpartum periods and tributes a journey into nature in the remote Lower Columbia Gorge basin as part of her healing journey.

She’s become a Certified Forest Therapy Guide with the Association and Nature and Forest Therapy and leads groups and corporate teams on Forest Bathing Walks. In her spare time she tends her garden and a menagerie of Farm Animals including the “IG famous” Rocky the Donkey who does Donkey Therapy.

Mecca Carter

(she/her)
Doula Assistant, Mother Tree International Mentor

Mecca was born and raised in the Bronx (New York). She is a trained Birth and Postpartum Doula. She really enjoys supporting families from birth and beyond. She became a doula after receiving doula care with her first baby. This includes providing emotional support during birth and advocating for the families throughout the birthing process. To support the families during the postpartum process, she focuses on health, parent education; while making sure they have the necessary resources to help them succeed. Mecca feels the most rewarding part is being able to work with families to help them achieve their goals. She has a Master’s Degree in Library Science and is a former Children’s Librarian and worked for The New York Public Library for 10 years.

Kate Fricke

(she/her)
Doula and Patient Navigator, Mother Tree International Mentor
Kate has been a DONA-certified doula since 2009, supporting families in Austin, TX for the early part of her career and in the Portland area since 2010. She has worked as a postpartum doula, childbirth educator, and breastfeeding peer counselor for WIC, and is currently the Patient Navigator at Providence Women’s clinic where she is able to focus on the “informational and emotional” side of doula work. Kate’s current hobbies include riding her eBike named Gilda, meeting the neighborhood cats, and going to live local music with friends. She lives with her 2 teenage daughters, 4 cats, 1 dog, and a snake.

Christine D'Esposito

(she/her)
TRAINER: Cultural Competency, Collaborative Professional Doula Practice, Traditional Health Worker Doula, Birthing From Within Mentor, Mother Tree International Mentor

Christine D’Esposito is a skilled Mentor, Doula, and Trainer with over fifteen years of experience in the field of birth work. Christine is the co-owner and Director of Programs at Birthing from Within International and works as a Doula consultant, helping to establish equitable community doula programs to serve Medicaid patients in hospital systems. She is a natural leader and innovator with a strength for navigating the unknown.

 
Christine has a passion for the intersection of birth and social justice work and aspires to be an agent of change in the world. In addition to her many years of experience and the technical expertise that comes with it, Christine brings to her work a sense of playfulness paired with deep life wisdom. This unique combination of traits makes her a truly effective mentor who invites those around her to keep diving into the ongoing work and play of life’s journey.

Liz Haebe

(she/her)
Doula Coordinator, Mother Tree International Mentor

Liz Haebe began her doula career in October of 2017 when she was a doula for a good friend’s birth and has never looked back. That birth, and the subsequent births since that time, have changed the fabric of her life as she continues to help other families in the Portland/Vancouver area welcome their new littles ones into their own lives. If you asked Liz if being a doula was ever something she thought of, she would tell you no, but it seems pretty obvious she was meant for this! Liz is dedicated to helping clients advocate for their best possible births, ask questions and most of all, get the help and support they need in some of the most vulnerable times of their lives.


Outside of doula work, Liz has worked with an OB/GYN group in town since 2007 and though she didn’t think much of it at the time she was hired, it seems pretty obvious she was meant for the work that she has ended up dedicating herself to. Passionate about helping birthing families, as well as reproductive justice, Liz considers herself a women’s healthcare worker. Not only does she do birth work, but Liz is also the Doula Coordinator for Gateway Doula Group and PDX Doulas, in which she works with a group of volunteers and THW doulas to assign doulas to families who need them at no cost to the birthing families. She’s also the president of the Portland Doula Association, is a mentor for Mother Tree (as well as a graduate of the Mother Tree internship program!), and a doula with both Legacy Emanuel Hospital and Birth Doula Doulas. Needless to say, she’s got her hands full!

Other than that, Liz is a devoted dog and cat owner and can often be found posting photos of both of them online. She’s also a lover of water and wants to be by it at all times but is rarely off-call enough for that to happen. Liz is from New Mexico but has lived in Portland for almost 15 years so she definitely considers herself a Portland-er at this point. She is grateful to be in a spot that values doula work and is excited to see what the future has in store for families in the future.

Astrid Castro

(she/her)
TRAINER: Cultural Competency, Trauma Informed Care Founder, Adoption Mosaic - adoptionmosaic.com, Mother Tree International Mentor

Astrid Castro is the Director and founder of Adoption Mosaic a Portland based organization which strives to connect, honor, and serve the adoption constellation through innovation in education, practices and support services. For thirty plus years, Astrid has traveled the country to lead youth groups, present workshops on transracial parenting, talking with children about adoption and various other workshops focusing on adoption.

 

Prior to creating Adoption Mosaic, Astrid worked in both the private and public sectors of various adoption organizations such as the Oregon Post Adoption Resource Center (ORPARC), Holt International and Rocky Mountain Adoption Exchange, to name just a few.In 2017 Astrid and Jesse launched their first collaborative Adopting Trauma Informed Care training.

 

Astrid’s personal experiences as an adoptee, a woman of color, and growing up in a white family and community, fuel her professional path to helping others. Astrid is aware of the benefits of post-adoption services for individuals and their families and seeks to bring these services to the adoption community. Her life-long interest in adoption is rooted in her own adoption at the age of four from Colombia (along with her older sister). Astrid has been in reunion since December 2012 with her birth family in Colombia.

 

When Astrid is not working she loves to spend time with family, friends and enjoying the adventures of life as the mama of an amazing teenage daughter.

Tisha West

(she/her)
TRAINER: (CD) DONA, CLC, Cultural Competency, Collaborative Professional Doula Practice, Traditional Health Worker Doula, DONA International Certified, Mother Tree International Mentor

Leticia West is a full time birth, postpartum doula and placenta encapsulation specialist. She is a co-lead doula for the Mother Tree Internship and THW Training Track.  She serves on the Oregon Doula Associations Board of Directors as Membership Chair. She  is committed to bringing doulas together to connect with resources and families throughout the state of Oregon. 

 

She currently resides in Portland, OR, where she sings in the Portland Lesbian choir, master gardens and enjoys travel adventures with her family when she’s off call.

Tamara Martinez

(she/her)
TRAINER: Cultural Competency, Collaborative Professional Doula Practice, Traditional Health Worker Doula, Birthing From Within Mentor, Mother Tree International Mentor
Tamara has been a doula since 2013 after she attended her first doula training through Venezuelan Association of Doulas and Childbirth Educators (AVEDEP). She came to USA four years ago, recertified as a Traditional Health Worker Doula and founded two organizations: CEA Doulas and DATAs International. She is also a mentor with Mother Tree International.

In her country Tamara offered support to pregnant mothers and their families to feel confident and be prepared for birth and life with a baby, which she did in public institutions as a voluntary service to the community. Now, she expects to support her clients in achieving the most satisfying birth, and she would also like to offer her assistance to under-served communities with limited access to doula care as she used to do back in Venezuela.

Tamara brings her experience as a mother of three and a grandma of two, and three decades in Education as a teacher, to the profession of birth doula work, as she believes education is essential to a positive birth experience.

In her spare time, Tamara likes to cook, crochet, do Chinese calligraphy, walk outdoors and listen to music.

Heather Meyer

(she/her)
Oregon THW Certified Birth Doula, Mother Tree International Mentor
Heather Meyer is a deeply passionate and dedicated visionary leader, change agent, and care provider who has been involved and offered birthwork/doula support since 2004. She lived outside of Sydney, Australia for 7 years where she studied and practiced massage therapy in 2006, specializing in pregnancy massage and later became a certified doula in 2011 through an intensive program at the Australian Doula College. Upon returning to the United States, she was one of the first doulas…

hired to help co-create and launch the revolutionary Pregnancy Care Package at Providence Women’s clinic in 2013. She served as the Lead Doula for 6 years assisting families during births at the hospital, managing the doula team, working on leadership teams designing and implementing new programming, until resigning in 2019 after the birth of her first child.

Heather offers skilled care to those in need, specializing in serving clients who have experienced trauma, have mental health history/and or mood disorders, as well as pregnancy loss. She views pregnancy, loss, birth, and postpartum all as sacred journeys and hopes to offer her clients full support through empathy, deep listening, reflection, resources, practical skills, expertise and wisdom. She acknowledges that the culture in which many of us live in, is not always supportive of becoming new parents and her hope is that she can provide a container of unconditional care so her clients can find their own way.

Heather co-founded the Oregon Doula Association and is an Oregon THW certified birth doula. Heather currently works in private practice offering birth doula and postpartum support, mentoring other doulas, and consulting with families all over the world.

Rebecca Durlin Smith
(she/her)

Certified Doula (DONA); Birth First Doulas, co-founder; Birth First Education Center, co-founder, Mother Tree International Mentor

I absolutely love being of service as a doula! I have said yes to my true calling for over a decade and am honored to have provided birth doula care to over 300 families.  My support journey began in 2010 with teaching prenatal yoga. I adored nurturing the mind/body connection of my yoga students and became captivated by their often polarizing discussions about birth options.

 
Having become a complete pregnancy and birth nerd, devouring resources on perinatal topics from the scientific to the spiritual, I leaned into the role of lay childbirth educator. My favorite aspects were dispelling myths, providing hard data, and helping understand options. I was pleased when pregnant students would approach me for support after class – support I later realized is directly aligned with the informational and emotional sides of doula care.

In 2010 I also gave birth to my oldest child. I’m grateful to reflect on that experience as the most empowering event of my life. The support and confidence my spouse and I received from our amazing medical team and doula, plus the effort we put into preparing to bond throughout, deepened my passion for birth work.

While pregnant with our second child in 2012 I became a Bradley Method doula/ childbirth educator. Students from my classes quickly began asking me to join their support team. My daughter was six months old when I attended my first birth – which I told the couple I’d be honored to support if they were comfortable with me taking breaks to pump!

In my early career I primarily worked with people interested in stacking the deck in their favor for an unmedicated birth. Over the years I have developed deep satisfaction in aiding families whose primary support goals are assistance with decision-making and facilitating a nurturing environment. I have an affinity for birthing people with recovery or emotional intensity in their backgrounds and those aiming for a more positive experience than their previous births. I cherish partnering with families who value support with feeling bonded through this huge life transition.

Before birth work, I served as development manager for a Bay Area civil rights organization, where I learned from professional advocates for a decade. I am always happy to bring out my advocacy skills when families desire.

In addition to being a certified doula, childbirth educator, and prenatal yoga teacher, I am also a placenta specialist, doula mentor for the Mother Tree Doula Internship program, and co-founder of Birth First Doulas. I am privileged to support the career paths of fellow birthworkers, as we expand our ripples of positive change for families.

As your doula, I would be honored to help you build and grow the strength, confidence, and joy potential available in your birth experience. As the Birth First Doulas Matchmaker, I would be delighted to connect and explore whether one of my teammates might be your ideal doula match. I look forward to getting to know you!

Jacqueline Abbott (she/her)
DrPH, RD, LD - Nutritionist, Certified Eating Disorder Specialist, Medical Educator, Registered Dietician · Approach to Patient Care Childbirth Educator
I have had the privilege of walking alongside the loveliest patients, families, and medical providers for more than 35 years. My work centers on implementation of health promotion programs in a variety of settings including maternal child health, diabetes, disordered eating—including the early detection and prevention of eating disorders—and more.

In addition to my work at NWPC, I have helped develop several intensive treatment centers for eating disorders in the community and speak at local and national conferences. I also served as a professor at Walla Walla School of Nursing and Lewis and Clark College, where I was also the coordinator of the IAEDP-based graduate program.

NWPC has been my “home base” for 28 years, and I often feel our staff and patients are like a second family! I am often asked when I may retire—and I think, “retire from what?” My passion and gratitude for the opportunity to partner in health with my patients will never end!

Specialties/Areas of Interest: Eating Disorder Recovery Diabetes Weight Inclusive Nutrition

Kisha Johnston (she/her)
BS, IBCLC
I have been supporting families from pregnancy, through the first years of parenthood since 2012. I obtained my IBCLC after taking 95 hours of lactation specific education while gathering 1000 hours of experience supporting families in the area of lactation. My mentors were midwives and an RN IBCLC. I learned so much from the professionals and the families I had the privilege of working with.

In 2015 I trained as a birth doula through DONA International and attended births for 2 years. I graduated in 2016 with a BS in Human Development and have extensive training in adult education. All of this has prepared me to help you overcome the challenges that come with feeding a baby.

My “why” for supporting families is to empower parents! I want your babies to eat and for you to grow in your confidence. Birth and Parenting is a vulnerable experience. I will support you through the transitions as you gain confidence learning to listen to your body and care for your baby. I believe there is more than one right way. As we work together, you will find your right way.

In my free time I enjoy spending time with my kids in local parks. We enjoy music in the parks during summer along with camping and hiking. My is a musician and we frequent his performances when they are all ages.

Kisha is available to speak about feeding and normal baby behaviors at support groups, prenatal groups, parent groups or other community gatherings. Inquire today!

Sarah Wort (she/her)
DONA Certified Birth Doula, Postpartum Doula, Postpartum Support International (PSI) Local Support Coordinator and Reiki practitioner

Sarah Wort is a DONA Certified Birth Doula, Postpartum Doula, Postpartum Support International (PSI) Local Support Coordinator and Reiki practitioner in the Mid-Willamette Valley. She moved with her husband to Oregon from the UK in 2005. After giving birth to their two sons, the life transition into parenthood gave Sarah the opportunity to realize that her true passion was to support others through this important time in their lives.

Whilst co-facilitating a new moms support group at her local hospital (after attending the same group with her sons), she noticed patterns in moms birth experiences, and the impact they had on their postpartum journey. Growing up in England where most births are attended by midwives, Sarah’s curiosity into the way birth is supported in the United States led her to look deeper into the role of a Birth Doula and the important impact a doula can have as part of a birth team, and beyond.

Since training at Mother Tree Birth Services and certifying with DONA in 2016, Sarah has developed her role as a Birth Doula through the many births she has attended. Using natural pain relief techniques, TENS unit pain relief, guided meditation, aromatherapy, Spinning Babies, Reiki, Hypnobabies and other techniques, she supports each birthing parent as in integral part of their birth team. Supporting the birth partner, who in turn will be supporting their partner as they labor and give birth, is also an important part of Sarah’s role. Seeing it as a dance, she supports both parents, sometimes taking a secondary role, sometimes a primary role, but always ensuring that they receive her continuous support and care.

Sarah believes in empowering her clients to become their best advocates throughout pregnancy, birth and postpartum. This can look different for everyone, and for this reason, she ensures she meets her clients where they need her support. Using evidence-based , tools and techniques learned over the years and her experience supporting many clients, she helps guide and reassure new parents on their journey.

Perinatal mental health support is a role that Sarah provides as a volunteer with Postpartum Support International and her local organization, Compass Perinatal Peer Support. In her role she organizes and facilitates support groups in the Salem area, provides 1:1 support, and acts as the bridge to close the gap in knowledge and stigma associated with perinatal mental health.

Sarah is also a Reiki practitioner. As well as incorporating Reiki into her personal life and wellbeing, she also offers it to her clients during pregnancy, birth and postpartum. Reiki can help the birthing parent process emotions that may arise during the perinatal period, allowing their mind and body to go into a very deep form of relaxation and let go of anxiety and worry.

Rebekka Maye (she/her)
Mother Tree Mentor, Birth and Postpartum Doula.
My life experience as a mother of three has enriched my doula work by helping me to become a more empathetic, intuitive, and active listener. My goal as your doula is to hold space for you, provide comfort physically and emotionally, and encourage you to listen to your intuition as you navigate this journey called birth. My specialties areas include evidence-based information, trauma informed care, and breastfeeding support.

My life experience has enriched my doula work by helping me to become a more empathetic, intuitive, and active listener. My goal as your doula is to hold space for you, provide comfort physically and emotionally, and encourage you to listen to your intuition as you navigate this journey called birth. My specialties as a doula include evidence based information, trauma informed care, aromatherapy, and breastfeeding support. Out of hospital birth support has a special place in my heart as well.


One of my favorite ways to connect with my clients and build relationship is over sharing a meal together. Nothing is quite like bringing a piece of yourself in the form of delicious food and creating the opportunity for honest discussion, laughter, and getting to know each other.


In addition to being a birth doula, I also love supporting families as a postpartum doula, placenta specialist, and studying to become a future childbirth educator.


I grew up in a small town out in the Gorge on 5 acres of land where we had horses, goats, chickens, etc. At university I studied American Sign Language interpreting in Minneapolis, but knew I would always make my way back to the West Coast. I love to travel and try to visit a new place every year. I’ve been to 14 countries in Europe, Canada, 40 of the states, and hopefully Mexico soon. I have a deep love for languages, culture, history, and people.


I’m so happy to be raising my 3 boys here in the PNW in such a beautiful part of the world. We love to be in nature, especially camping, hiking, and swimming.


Tracy Valentine (she/her)
Mother Tree Mentor, Founder of MotherVerse Doula Agency (Northwest); THW Birth Doula, Postpartum Doula
I have loved pregnancy, birth, and all things baby for as long as I can remember! I spent my entire life knowing that I wanted to be a RN like my Aunt, and I knew I wanted to be a Mother. After a difficult birth with my first son and pregnant with my second, I researched everything I could about pregnancy and birth, and I discovered the world of doulas and fell immediately in love! I knew being a doula was what I was called to do.

Working with parents has always brought me joy. I have been a mother’s helper, a babysitter, a nanny, and a Birth and Postpartum doula. I have four kids who have guided my entire journey into being a birth and postpartum doula. Three rambunctious boys who are 12, 10, 6, and one sassy little girl who is 4. They keep me on my toes. They have inspired me in ways that I could never have imagined.

When I can actually find some free time I like to go with my family into the mountains and gaze at the stars. There’s something so relaxing about looking up and seeing just a small part of the universe spread out before you. When I’m not gazing at the stars I’m spending my time being a Mom, running my business, occasionally diamond painting, and always doing extra research on how to be the best doula I can be. I combined my love of Motherhood and my love of the Universe to create MotherVerse Doula Services.

During my trainings I realized how important community was. I decided to create a community for doulas and families alike. This led to the creation of the agency that I’m running today. MotherVerse doulas are all passionate about what they do! Let them come take care of your family and see how vast the community truly is!

Whether you’re on your seventh baby or your first, a doula can always be helpful during your prenatal/birth and postpartum journey! We will build our relationship dependent on what you need from me as your doula. Maybe you want to talk about how excited you are, or the fact you’re nervous for labor and birth, a moment to yourself to nap or shower, or maybe you’re worried about suddenly being responsible for a new tiny human, whatever your needs MotherVerse Doulas will be here for it.

Megan Mendoza (she/her)
THW Doula and Childbirth Educator

Megan Mendoza is a birthworker in Central Oregon. She has always had a curiosity for all things birth and after her own children were born she wanted to support people in their own birth journeys. Megan started off her doula career training with Jesse and quickly became one of the busiest birth and postpartum doulas in Central Oregon while simultaneously building an online presence. Her passion working with medicaid clients was able to solidify Megan as the only on call doula at her local hospital. Her current focus is teaching both online and in person birth education classes along with helping more doulas build their brand.

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