Perinatal OB Care Certificate Course

Dawn M. Kersula, MA, RN, IBCLC, LCCE, FACCE, is a lactation specialist and perinatal educator who founded/continues to staff the outpatient lactation clinic at a hospital in Vermont. She has worked with birthing and breastfeeding families for more than 30 years. Respected for her expertise in the field, Dawn is a requested presenter at international childbirth conferences and locally continues to coordinate her hospital's perinatal education programs/support groups. As president of the Vermont Lactation Consultants Association, she works closely with the Vermont State Breastfeeding Network to offer training opportunities throughout the state and has had the opportunity to impact change through several legislative initiatives that have resulted in pro-breastfeeding legislation in Vermont.

Dawn's passion and commitment are evidenced through her certification as a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator (LCCE), active involvement with ILCA (International Lactation Consultants Association), and appointment as a fellow with the American College of Childbirth Educators (FACCE). Her master's research focused on PTSD following traumatic childbirth experiences and, in her role as a perinatal psychologist, she continues to have a special interest in the developmental transition to motherhood. To her credit, Dawn has published over 30 articles pertaining to the specialty of breastfeeding.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dawn Kersula has an employment relationship with Lactation Education Consultants. She receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dawn Kersula is a member of the International Lactation Consultants Association, the United States Lactation Consultants Association, Lamaze International, and the Vermont Lactation Consultants Association.

Shawana S. Moore, DNP, APRN, WHNP-BC, is a nationally recognized, board-certified women’s health nurse practitioner who specializes in providing women’s and gender-related care throughout the lifespan. Dr. Moore is committed to providing women’s and reproductive health care to underserved populations. In her work as a women’s health nurse practitioner with health care organizations, she has cared for women and gender-related populations across the lifespan, mostly in underserved areas, for more than a decade. Dr. Moore is the author of scholarly blogs and numerous peer-reviewed manuscripts and a contributor to national position statements for the National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health. She has helped develop podcasts and video productions focused on the promotion of health equity.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Shawana Moore has employment relationships with Emory University, Daniel Esteves MD Office, and Center for Black Women's Wellness. She receives a grant from NIH-NCI. Shawana Moore receives royalties as a published author. She receives a speaking honorarium from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Shawana Moore is a member of the National Black Nurses Association and the National Association for Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health.

Jamie Otremba, MSN, RN, CNM, has over 25 years of maternal child nursing experience and is currently practicing full-scope nurse-midwifery at a progressive OB/GYN clinic in suburban Minnesota. Jamie has been active in program development and benchmarking in both clinic and hospital settings. She is also one of the medical directors for the Women’s and Children’s Service Line at a large hospital and medical center in Minnesota. Jamie served as an assistant professor at Minnesota State University and has practiced in women’s health care in a variety of settings, including labor and delivery, postpartum, antenatal, and community health nursing.

She has consulted area healthcare facilities on clinical and legal practice topics, and she continues as an investigator for several medication trials pertinent to obstetric and gynecologic issues. Additionally, Jamie has enjoyed sharing her vast knowledge and experiences as a preceptor for both medical and advanced practice nursing students. Her goal is to provide you with the latest pharmacological options for pregnancy and birth to ultimately improve the maternal and fetal outcomes of your own patients!

 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Jamie Otremba has an employment relationship with Allina Health and receives compensation as a national speaker. She receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Jamie Otremba is a member of the American College of Nurse-Midwives and the Network for LGBT Health Equity.

Donna Weeks, DNP, RNC-OB, C-EFM, APN, has over 30 years of maternal child nursing experience where she has held roles from staff nurse to manager, director, and educator and is currently practicing as a Clinical Nurse Specialist at JFK Medical Center. Donna’s experience includes high-risk OB, L&D, postpartum and newborn nursery. One of her unique experiences includes initialing, facilitating, and evaluating a support group for hospitalized antepartum women. Donna has been instrumental in leading AWHONN’s Postpartum Hemorrhage Project as well as the Baby Friendly Initiative at her facility. She also serves as a Part-Time Professor at Capella University.

Dr. Weeks’ nursing education includes a BSN through the State University of New York, an MSN from The College of New Jersey, and a DNP through Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. Additionally, she is certified in Inpatient Obstetrics and Electronic Fetal Monitoring, is an AWHONN Fetal Heart Monitoring Instructor Trainer, and AWHONN Obstetrical Patient Safety Instructor Trainer.

 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Donna Weeks has an employment relationship with Capella University. She receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Donna Weeks is a member of the Association of Women’s Health Obstetrics and Neonatal Nursing.

Parijat Deshpande, MS, CTP, CCTS-I, is the CEO of a global boutique firm dedicated to improving pregnancy outcomes and ending prematurity using a trauma-informed, neurobiological approach to reproductive health and healthcare practices. After her own experience with a very high-risk pregnancy, bed rest, and an extremely preterm delivery, Parijat went from patient to practitioner to help other women beat the statistics – a journey and expertise she chronicles in her bestselling book, Pregnancy Brain: A Mind-Body Approach to Stress Management During a High-Risk Pregnancy. Today, she continues to take a trauma-informed, neurobiological approach to reproductive health to help her concierge-level private clients improve their high-risk pregnancy outcomes after preterm birth or late-term loss. As an educator and keynote speaker, Parijat presents to parents and patients, as well as medical providers and birth professionals on how to provide trauma-sensitive support to help patients increase trust in their care. She also partners with independent filmmakers to accurately represent birth trauma, loss, high-risk pregnancy, and preterm birth in TV and film.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Parijat Deshpande maintains a private practice and is the Founder and CEO of Ruvelle and receives royalties as a published author. She is the podcast host of Delivering Miracles. Parijat Deshpande receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Parijat Deshpande has no relevant non-financial relationships.

Lisa Tremayne, RN, PMH-C, CBC, is both a survivor and dedicated advocate of improving the standard of care and raising awareness for Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders. In 2005, Lisa was involved in the development of New Jersey’s, first in-nation universal mandatory screening program for prenatal and postpartum depression. In 2017, Lisa created and directed New Jersey’s first Center for Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMAD), which offers comprehensive integrated care (individual therapy, medication, peer group support, and more) to new and expectant parents. Lisa also co-founded and acts as the president of the Bloom Foundation for Maternal Wellness. The Bloom Foundation’s mission is to create a new standard of care for women throughout the perinatal period to ensure that every suffering new and expecting parent receives the care they need.
 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Lisa Tremayne is the founding director of the Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders Center and the Bloom Foundation for Maternal Wellness. She receives a speaking honorarium from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Lisa Tremayne has no relevant non-financial relationships.

Mechell Duran, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, BC-ADM, CDCES, NBC-HWC, LCCE, DipACLM, is a pregnancy health coach and the owner of sugarbumpcoach, a community where women with gestational diabetes can receive recipe ideas and evidenced based information on pregnancy through the 4th trimester on her blog sugarbump. She has over 15 years of healthcare experience as a nurse and family nurse practitioner in various practice settings from pediatrics to primary care, home care, endocrinology and most recently academia. Dr. Duran has a passion for lifestyle medicine, self-management support (SMS) and diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES). She has gained the American Diabetes Association recognition for a DSMES program she developed for a large hospital system in South Florida and is currently the primary investigator for a grant funded project implementing online education, coaching and support for people affected by Sickle Cell Anemia. Dr. Duran is also proud to be a HEAL scholar (Health Equity Achieved through Lifestyle Medicine) with the American College of Lifestyle Medicine.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Mechell Duran receives compensation as an independent contractor. She receives grants from United Way of Miami and the Global Blood Therapeutics. Dr. Duran receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dr. Mechell Duran is a member of the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetrics and Neonatal Nurses, the Lamaze International, the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, and the Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists.

Sandra Asanjarani, RNC-OB, MS, NPWH, C-EFM, is the perinatal safety nurse and the team leader for the Baby-Friendly Journey at New York-Presbyterian/Queens. She obtained her RN degree from Queensborough Community College and her bachelor’s in science degree from Adelphi University. Sandra continued her studies and obtained her Nurse Practitioner credential in Women’s Health and Obstetrics and Gynecology as well as her Perinatal Clinical Specialty Degree at Stony Brook University. Sandra holds multiple certifications in her field of expertise. Prior to working at New York-Presbyterian/Queens, she worked as an Associate Director for Quality/Safety and Risk Management at Jacobi Medical Center. She has worked in the field of maternal child as an administrator, labor and delivery nurse manager, perinatal informatics specialist, and a labor and delivery nurse for over 25 years in both the private sector and public sector. Sandra is a member of the executive board of directors at the New York State Nurses Association and is on the March of Dimes board of directors for Queens. She recently published a chapter in medical textbook with Dr. Daniel Skupski about Hypertensive Crisis in Pregnancy. She has received many awards for her expertise and knowledge. Her most recent award was in 2019 for Advance Practice Nurse at New York-Presbyterian/Queens Hospital.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Sandra Asanjarani has employment relationships with New York Presbyterian Health System and Adelphi University. She receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Sandra Asanjarani is a member of the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and the National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health.

Hector Chapa, MD, FACOG, is a board-certified OB-GYN and serves as clinical assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology and clerkship director for OBGYN at Texas A&M School of Medicine. He is a nationally and internationally recognized speaker and published author in the field of obstetrics and gynecology.

Dr. Chapa has been involved in research of minimally invasive gynecological procedures. He has published more than 40 clinical articles, case reports and medical commentaries covering both obstetrical and gynecological topics. Other areas of research publications include therapies for abnormal uterine bleeding, post-partum sentinel events, and female sexual health.

Dr. Chapa has taught as an invited physician-faculty member in South Africa, Israel, the European Union, the Netherlands, Norway, Ireland, Chile, Columbia, and Canada due to his unique lecture style and passion for evidence-based learning.

He serves as the director of interprofessional education for the School of Medicine. Dr. Chapa assists in supervising "disaster day" student activities, interprofessional simulations for OB/GYN, and is an advocate for interprofessional curriculum development.

In clinical practice, he is an OB-GYN attending physician for the Texas A&M Health Family Medicine (OB Track) Residency Program with clinical duties at CHI St. Joseph Hospital in College Station, Texas. He is a graduate of University of Texas Southwestern Medical School with specialty training at Parkland Memorial Hospital.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Hector Chapa has employment relationships with Texas A&M School of Medicine and Texas A&M University Student Health Center. He previously received an honorarium from Alydia Health. Dr. Chapa receives a grant from DHHS-Health Resources and Services Administration. He receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. He has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dr. Hector Chapa member of the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

Rosale Lobo, PhD, RN, MSN, LNC, has been a registered nurse for 37 years in the capacity of a nurse, legal nurse consultant, administrator, speaker, author, and entrepreneur. Working with people in hospitals, clinics, and home care settings allowed her to study patients and healthcare professional’s experiences from various perspectives.

Dr. Lobo earned her PhD (2017), with research demonstrating the importance of educating nurses on documentation and patient safety. Her company, Lobo Consulting Group, LLC partners with medical malpractice attorneys nationwide to support their pursuit of justice for their clients. Through her versatile background, she has acquired expertise in the nuances and complexities of healthcare litigation and documentation. As a speaker, Dr. Lobo continues to travel the country speaking with nurses and healthcare systems about the pathways to safer practice patterns.

 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Rosale Lobo has an employment relationship with Southern Connecticut State University. She receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Rosale Lobo has no relevant non-financial relationships.

Rebecca Cypher, MSN, PNNP, is owner of Maternal-Fetal Solutions, LLC, an independent consulting and education service, where she primarily focuses on assisting clinicians and hospitals to be change agents in the delivery of obstetric care. Her professional experience expands over 30 years in the perinatal arena, with 20 years on active duty, serving as a Nurse Corps officer in the United States Air Force, which included a wide variety of inpatient and outpatient obstetric settings in clinical and management positions. After military retirement, she worked as a perinatal nurse practitioner in a maternal-fetal medicine division focusing on obstetrical care and research. Rebecca served on the Board of Directors at the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) including one term as president. Rebecca is passionate about her profession and multidisciplinary education, with her attention devoted to evidence-based practice, clinical judgment, critical thinking, and collaboration within the healthcare team.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Rebecca Cypher is the owner of Cypher Maternal-Fetal Solutions, LLC; a research nurse with the Amniotic Fluid Embolism Foundation; and a medical advisor for Clinical Computer Systems, Inc. She receives royalties as a published textbook author. She also receives speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. All relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations have been mitigated.
Non-financial: Rebecca Cypher is a member of the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine. She also has a professional affiliation with the Washington State Maternal Mortality Review Panel. Rebecca Cypher is a contributing editor, editorial board member, and manuscript reviewer for the Journal of Perinatal & Neonatal Nursing, and a manuscript reviewer for Nursing for Women's Health.

Kathy Fray, Midwife/Author/Perinatal Integrative Healthcare Thought-Leader, has been New Zealand’s #1 best-selling birth, babies and motherhood author since 2005. Kathy is a senior Midwife, who has “by default” specialized in Natural Labor for Normal Birth, with complex higher-risk cohorts (producing impressive outcomes statistically). Kathy is also managing director of the MotherWise resources (creators of the advanced prenatal online education MotherWise.App), and she is the founding director of IIMHCO (Intl Integrative Maternity HealthCare Org) who are global thought-leaders on Perinatal Integrative Medicine.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Kathy Fray is the managing director of the www.MothersWise.com resources and receives royalties as a published author. She receives a speaking honorarium from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Kathy Fray is the voluntary founding director of www.IIMHCO.com [Intl Integrative Maternity HealthCare Org] and is co-creator of the voluntary Facebook pay-it-forward forum "Ask the Maternity Guru's".

Sunita Osborn, PsyD, PMH-C is an expert in the treatment of pregnancy loss who helps individuals and couples in all phases of their reproductive journey. Dr. Osborn is the author of The Miscarriage Map: What to Expect When You are No Longer Expecting and the companion workbook, The Miscarriage Map: An Honest Guide to Navigating Pregnancy Loss, Working Through the Pain, and Moving Forward. Her work has been featured extensively in the media, including on NPR, With Whit, Psychology Today, and several miscarriage-focused platforms such as The Life After Miscarriage podcast and the Managing Miscarriage podcast. Committed to helping clients cope with the pain of loss, to training clinicians, and to promoting open dialogue on the realities of pregnancy loss, Dr. Osborn practices in Houston.

 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Sunita Osborn has an employment relationship with Modern Therapy. She is an expert advisor with Bodily. She receives royalties as a published author. Dr. Osborn receives a speaking honorarium, recording, and book royalties from PESI, Inc. All relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations have been mitigated.
Non-financial: Dr. Sunita Osborn is a member of the American Psychological Association. She is a council member at Harbor Monitors.

Jennifer Dieter, MPT, is a physical therapist with 24 years of experience in outpatient physical therapy and sports medicine. She has achieved success in the treatment of cervical and lumbar spine, surgical and non-surgical orthopedic injuries, sports medicine, back pain during pregnancy and women’s health patients with her manual therapy skills and functional treatment philosophies. She has experience working with high level professional athletes, CrossFit athletes, "weekend warriors", and implemented a strength and conditioning program for adolescents. She is an eight-time CrossFit Games masters athlete, finishing between 9th and 5th overall from 2015-2022 and has won several recent CrossFit Masters events. She also set a National record for the USA Weightlifting in 2016 for the snatch, clean and jerk and total, in 2018 set the World Record in Weightlifting for the same events. She also won the National Championship in 2020 and won the World Championship for Weightlifting in 2022.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Jennifer Dieter serves as CEO of REAL Movement, co-owner of First Coast CrossFit, and an instructor with RockTape. She also maintains an employment relationship with Brazen CrossFit. In addition, she is the chief contributor to the Master’s Chatter Podcast. She receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. All relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations have been mitigated.
Non-financial: Jennifer Dieter has no relevant non-financial relationships.

Elizabeth Frey, FCAMPT, MCISC (MANIP), MSc. PT, MSc, BPHE, BSc, MCPA

Liz holds a BSc and BPHE from Queen’s University; a MSc in Exercise Physiology from the University of Toronto, a MSc (PT) from McMaster University, and a MCISC (Manip) from University of Western Ontario. She is a member of the CPA and a fellow of the Canadian Academy of Manipulative Physical Therapists (FCAMPT). Liz is also a Contemporary Medical Acupuncture provider.

Liz is a clinic owner and practicing physiotherapist with a specialty in pelvic health physiotherapy. She is an instructor for Rocktape® Canada, a clinical lab facilitator at the University of Toronto, and a clinical supervisor for physiotherapy students.

As an orthopaedic and pelvic health physiotherapist, Liz integrates her over 10 years of clinical expertise to provide a unique whole-body approach to wellness. Liz’s practice focuses on helping women navigate pregnancy, menopause, and everything in between. Her care model addresses the underlying dysfunction causing injury and provides education to help prevent future re-injury. Her patient-centered approach empowers her patients to set goals, balance muscular dysfunction, and work toward optimal health. She does all of this through hands-on techniques, comprehensive education, and tailored progressive exercise programs.

Personally, as a busy mother of three children, the health habits that don’t slip for Liz are mindset and exercise – it is her positive outlook and passion to stay strong and mobile as she ages that are a few of her defining features.
 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Elizabeth Frey is the owner of PhysioPlus Health Group, an instructor with Rock Tape, and has an employment relationship with Fringe. She receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc.
Non-financial: Elizabeth Frey is a member of the Canadian Academy of Manipulative Physiotherapy and the Women’s Health Division of the CPA.