MEET THE BFF TEAM

SADIE HODSWOOD

  • Sadie Hodswood is a mother of two, a full spectrum doula and an artist who lives and works within the ancestral and unceded traditional territory of the Hul’qumi’num and SENĆOŦEN speaking peoples.

    She is a co-founder and Managing Director of the Birthing Families Foundation (BFF) which is a project she envisioned when she first became a doula, 9 years ago. At that time Sadie recognized that the birth world had many inequities and she felt compelled to make doula support available to all families, not just the privileged few.

    Always keen to grow, in 2017 she traveled to Brooklyn NY, for 4 months, to take part in another doula training with Ancient Song Doula services, offered by leaders in reproductive and birth justice. This training was transformative and helped to anchor her dedication to advocate for families back at home.

    Sadie is passionate about systems change and reproductive justice and she is driven to learn new ways to show up in this world. When not working with BFF, and of course parenting 24/7, you will find her getting creative in her studio or playing in nature.

PAMELA SHAKESPEARE

  • Pamela Shakespeare is a mother of two amazing children, a doula, bookkeeper and gardener living in the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island. She felt the call to birth work after experiencing two very different birth experiences with her children which led her to co-found the Birthing Families Foundation where she has served as the Administrative Director for the past 5 years. She oversees all administrative functions and plays a key role in ensuring the smooth operation of the organization.

    With a passion for supporting birthing families and promoting maternal and infant health she is committed to advancing the goals of BFF to provide support, resources and education to families during the perinatal period. She works with the board of directors, staff, volunteers and community partners to develop and implement programs that meet the needs of expectant and new parents. By focusing on grant writing and relationship building, Pamela has been able to help secure funds for BFF’s ongoing sustainability and put those funds to good use serving families with quality doula care that all families deserve.

    Prior to joining the Birthing Families Foundation Pamela completed a BA degree in Global Studies from the Vancouver Island University in Nanaimo which inspired her to pursue systems level changes that have a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of society and the planet.

    When she is not working for the Birthing Families Foundation or bookkeeping for other companies, Pamela can be found in her garden, spending time with her children, playing in nature or surfing.

ALLISON RUNNALLS

  • Allison Runnalls is a highly experienced and passionate birth doula, trainer, mentor, and reproductive justice advocate. She began her doula work in 1996 after the birth of her second child and completed formal training for Labour Support and as a Breastfeeding Counselor through Douglas College. Over the course of her career, she has attended over 1,100 births, supporting families through a wide variety of birth experiences — from hospital births and planned cesareans to unplanned home births and high-risk situations. Her approach centers on empowering clients through practical, evidence-informed support, helping them feel informed, confident, and respected throughout pregnancy, labour, birth, and postpartum. 

    Allison is known for her inclusive, non-judgmental support style, working with people of diverse backgrounds, goals, and family dynamics, and encouraging partners to be actively involved in the birth experience. She also offers mentorship and training for aspiring and practicing doulas, sharing her extensive knowledge of comfort measures, hospital systems, birth progression, and client-centred care. 

    Since 2021 in her role with Birthing Families Foundation, Allison serves as Doula Program Director and Board Chair, helping the organization deliver community-based doula support, develop education programs for perinatal professionals, and expand access to equitable care for vulnerable families across Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland. She also mentors other doulas and contributes to standards of practice and ethics for the doula community.

    Allison is a seasoned doula, educator, mentor, and leader in the birthwork community — dedicated to supporting families with compassionate, collaborative, and informed care, and to strengthening the skills and confidence of fellow birthworkers.

ROXY POULIOT

  • Roxy has recently transitioned into the parent club and feels deeply re-inspired in her work as a doula.

    With her love for children and connection to nature, she is passionate about supporting families through both birth and postpartum care.

    She was certified as a Full Spectrum Holistic Doula at Pacific Rim College in 2018, and has since been an active member of the Doula Collective on Salt Spring Island, where she has supported many families and built meaningful, lasting connections.

    She is very grateful to be part of the Birthing Family Foundation as a referral coordinator, aligning with their mission to make perinatal and healthcare services accessible to all. Roxy’s work reflects this belief in equity, community care, and inclusive support.

AMANDA BARBER

LEAH MCGREGOR

MADISON GREGGAINS

  • Madison is a full-spectrum doula living on Salt Spring Island. She earned her Holistic Doula Certificate from Pacific Rim College in 2014, an experience that ignited her passion for birthwork and reproductive rights. Since returning to the island in 2015, Madison has been an active member of the Salt Spring Doula Collective, driven by her commitment to enhancing access to vital postpartum care in this rural community that can be isolating. Guided by her values of community, contribution and access to well-being, she finds birth work and advocacy with the Birthing Families Foundation to be a natural and fulfilling path. In her personal time, Madison enjoys traveling, skiing, practicing yoga and Pilates, and walking her dog, Theo.

CINDY JASWAL

  • My passion for pregnancy & birth developed during the pregnancy and birth of my first child, born with midwives. I attended Seattle Midwifery School  / Bastyr University and had the honour of hundreds of births in homebirths, birth centres, and hospital settings in a number of high-volume clinics, in Seattle, Vancouver, and Victoria, providing prenatal, postpartum, and well-woman care. It is my philosophy that if a mother feels supported and informed then she can take ownership of her health care at this very important and profound transition in her life. It is my privilege to bear witness. Midwifery and reproductive healthcare is the wonderful convergence of art and science. 

ALANA LUDINGTON

  • Alana Ludington is a full spectrum doula and social worker living on the traditional territories of the Sinixt, the Syilx, and the Ktunaxa peoples. She finds big passion in supporting folks going through pregnancy, birth, postpartum, termination and loss. Reproductive justice, accessible service and inclusivity are the core values of her doula practice.

    These root values led her to Birthing Families Foundation where she hopes to collaborate with this beautiful team, support BFF’s mission and deepen her learning about reproductive justice.

JANICE LIM HING

  • Janice is a Full Spectrum Birth worker. Janice was born in the Philippines, grew up on Turtle Island in a settler village known as Richmond, BC, and their ancestry is Chinese. They currently live and work on the traditional and stolen shared land and territories of the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ speaking peoples, including xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) and sc̓əwaθən məsteyəxʷ (Tsawwassen).

    “In my work I am influenced by the belief that how you give birth and how you are born can have a lifelong impact. I value the traditional and ancestral knowledge and ways of birthing that continue to be practiced around the world and aim to provide culturally affirming support to enable pregnant people and their partners to feel confident, grounded and connected in their choices and capable in their abilities to birth and parent. I am committed to helping birthing families access informative, non-judgmental, inclusive, anti-oppressive & compassionate care that speak to their values.

    When I am not spending time with my lovely clients and their sweet little ones, I am with my animals in my garden or out exploring our beautiful province. I also love to sit in community and laugh with my family.”

CLOVER HALPERIN

  • Clover is a certified birth and postpartum doula, aspiring midwife, and passionate advocate for reproductive justice. After several years in the film and communications industry, she followed a deep calling into birth work. Clover currently works at a midwifery clinic and is pursuing further studies in reproductive health and social sciences. In 2024, she deepened her learning with Indigenous midwives in Ecuador, an experience that continues to shape her commitment to culturally informed, compassionate care for birthing people and families.

SARAH MCCABE

  • Sarah (she/her) has been a volunteer doula with the Birthing Families Foundation since 2022 and is a new board member. A birth doula since 2017, Sarah’s full-spectrum perinatal work focuses on social justice, advocacy, and sexual and reproductive health rights. As a member of the LGBTQIA2S+ community, Sarah is especially passionate about perinatal care and support for LGBTQ+ families. She is involved in community-based programs like the Doulas For Aboriginal Families Grant Program, Doulas of Victoria, and also runs her private practice as a Certified Doula and perinatal educator.

    Sarah has two nieces and enjoys spending time with them outdoors. An avid reader and researcher, Sarah is soon applying for medical school and midwifery school.