Doula Trainer
Robin Elise Weiss
I became a doula because I realized that the system was stacked against families and that they needed help learning to navigate a really complex system that was not designed to actually be very open and forthright about what the steps and stages were. It led to people feeling concerned and uncomfortable about what they were doing.
I became a doula trainer because I needed backup as the only doula in my area. I’ve continued doing the work because as I’ve come to understand change theory I understand that we need to have more people doing what I’m doing and I can make a bigger impact in my area by making sure that we have more doulas. I certainly can’t take all the births myself!
I honestly love doing the work that I do and have a tendency to be a bit of a workaholic. I love the process and teaching and learning all of the ways to make the class better so that the doulas get the most out of it. I get rave reviews on my doula training because, even though it’s virtual, it is very different from most classes that are just slide decks.
Books/Chapters by Robin
- Simkin's Labor Progress Handbook
- The Complete Illustrated Pregnancy Companion
- 150 Tips and Tricks for New Moms
- The About.com Guide to Having a Baby
- Guarantee the Sex of Your Baby
- The Everything New Mother’s First Year
- The Joy of Pregnant Sex
- The Everything Pregnancy Fitness Book
- The Everything Getting Pregnant Book
- The Everything Guide to Raising Adolescent Boys
Prestigious Awards
- Advanced Doula with DONA International
- Lamaze International’s Elisabeth Bing Award for outstanding contribution to childbirth on a national level
- The Coalition for Improving Maternity Services (CIMS) Forum Award
- Lamaze International’s President’s Award for her work with The Birth Survey
- Lamaze International’s Normal Birth Advocate Award, won by the Birth Care Network, an organization Robin founded and served as president
Organization Associations
- President, Board of Directors, DONA International
- Childbirth education trainer with The Childbirth Education Project, a Lamaze International affiliated organization that trains new childbirth educators
- Chairperson of the Certified Professional Midwifery Advisory Council (KY)
- Founder and past president of the Board of Directors for the Birth Care Network
- Past president and member of the Lamaze International Board of Directors
- Former editor of the International Journal of Childbirth Education
- Previous chairperson for the Lamaze International Birth Networks Committee
- Past president and vice president of the Louisville Mothers of Twins Club
TaKiesha Smith, CD(DONA), CBS, CLC
TaKiesha Smith, a certified lactation counselor and birth doula, brings over 25 years of experience to our doula training program. Specializing in lactation education, she is dedicated to helping doulas understand the fundamentals of lactation support. TaKiesha’s inclusive approach ensures that all birthing professionals are equipped with essential skills to support people effectively through their infant feeding needs. Her commitment to personalized education and advocacy for informed birthing choices make her an invaluable co-instructor in our program.
TaKiesha is a birth doula in Fishers, IN, working toward her IBCLC. She’s the owner of A Caring Doula, her personal doula business, and Neurospicy Birth, where she talks about neurodiversity, birth, and parenting.
Abby Jorgensen, Ph.D., CD(DONA), HCBD
Dr. Abby Jorgensen, a renowned sociologist and bereavement doula, enriches our doula training program with her extensive expertise. As the facilitator of co-working hours, Abby provides a supportive environment for doulas to collaborate and grow. She also leads the optional Basics of Bereavement course, equipping doulas with essential skills to support families through perinatal loss. Abby’s compassionate approach and deep understanding of family dynamics make her an invaluable asset to our team, ensuring doulas are well-prepared to offer comprehensive care in all situations.
Abby lives and works in St. Louis, MO, where she is also a professor of sociology, her research interests are in grief and bereavement. She blogs at AbbytheSociologistDoula and is the director and founder of Haven Bereavement Doulas.
Hillary Melchiors, Ph.D., MPH, AdvCD/PCD(DONA), LCCE
Hillary is an advanced DONA certified birth and postpartum doula, and a Lamaze certified childbirth educator who has lived in the Evansville area since 2012. She has a PhD in Medical Anthropology and a Master’s degree in Public Health both from Case Western Reserve University. She loves working with all types of families to help them have their best birth & postpartum experience, with all the curiosity and never any judgement. She teaches the Finding Your Doula Voice as an Advocate portion of the training.
Since founding the Doula Group of Evansville in 2014, Hillary has had a wide variety of professional experiences both as a doula and anthropologist, including speaking engagements at multiple hospitals and professional conferences, serving as the president of the board at DONA International, & best of all serving families as they welcomed over 250 babies. She co-hosts The Birth Geeks Podcast and will ALWAYS be willing to talk about what she’s writing and reading at the moment.
