WALC Conference 2025
March 5 @ 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
Michelle Sanford | Educator, Certified Doula & Master of Chaos
Since 2016, Michelle has served the Greater Fox Valley and Green Bay areas as a ProDoula Certified Specialist in labor, postpartum, and infant care. Her journey into the birthing world was deeply personal; after having her first two children, the birth of her daughter at age 38 opened her eyes to the need for empowered, informed support. With a “gentle nudge” from her mentor, she transitioned over 23 years of teaching experience—ranging from middle schoolers to adult learners at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College—into a career of maternal advocacy.
Michelle holds a BSA in Education (Grades 1-8) and a Master’s in Educational Technology, making her as proficient with complex software and digital systems as she is with birth support. She is a lifelong organizer who thrives on turning chaos into order. This skill is evident whether she is helping to coordinate community fundraisers for the Wisconsin Doulas Association or Scouting America Troop 1107 or managing the logistics of a 34-day, 9-state road trip out West with her husband, daughter, and dogs. going to visit her son (24) in Madison, or chilling with her oldest son (29) at home. When she isn’t teaching or supporting new parents, Michelle is likely planning her next family adventure or enjoying the quiet of nature with an audiobook.
“If we learn from the experience, there is no failure, only delayed victory.” — Carrie Chapman Catth
Emily Jacobson is the founder and owner of Green Bay Doulas and the Executive Director of the Wisconsin Doulas Association. A nationally recognized leader in maternal health, Emily holds certifications as a labor doula, postpartum doula, newborn care specialist, VBAC-certified doula, placenta encapsulation specialist, breastfeeding educator, shaken baby syndrome prevention trainer, and infant sleep consultant. Her comprehensive expertise allows her to support families through every stage of the parenting journey with compassion and professionalism.
Beyond her work with families, Emily is deeply involved in community development. She serves as Board Chair for NeighborWorks Green Bay and the De Pere Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation and sits on the Brown County Board of Supervisors. She is also the creator of impactful community initiatives, including Diaper Green Bay and the Green Bay Parenting Expo.
Rosalynn “Roz” Perkins is a faith-based Certified Birth, Postpartum, Community Doula, certified lactation specialist, wife, and mother of six, dedicated to serving families with Christ-centered care. As the founder of Radical Waves Doula Services LLC she provides compassionate birth and postpartum support, lactation guidance, and newborn babywearing education. With a heart for ministry, she integrates prayer, encouragement, and evidence-based care to empower mothers on their journey into parenthood. Through her work, she uplifts families, creating a nurturing and faith-filled experience for every mother, father and family she serves.
Tracey Russell is a full-spectrum, community-based doula serving families across Dane County and Southern Wisconsin. As the founder of Russell Family Doula Services (RFDS) since 2010, she supports the full reproductive journey, including prenatal preparation, labor, postpartum recovery, fertility paths, grief after loss, and emotional well-being, and has supported more than 350 births to date.
She is a DONA certified birth doula (CD(DONA)) and a Certified Prison Doula, complemented by training and credentials including Adult Mental Health First Aid, Advanced Pregnancy & Infant Loss (PAIL) Advocacy, Fertility Advocacy, Lactation Education, and Wisconsin Peer Specialist training. These skills enable Tracey to meet families where they are and provide trauma-informed, comprehensive support through complex journeys.
Beyond direct doula care, Tracey contributes to system-level improvement. She serves as Project Manager for the Wisconsin Prison Birth Project – Doula Services (Ostara Initiative) and works as a Fetal & Infant Mortality Review (FIMR) Consultant with Public Health Madison; Dane County, participating in case review processes that inform local practice and policy. Her volunteer leadership includes the Wisconsin Maternal Mortality Impact Team and the UW Department of Medicine’s Black Leaders for Brain Health Committee.
She also collaborates with organizations such as the Foundation for Black Women’s Wellness and the Dane County Nurse Family Partnership to advance access to compassionate, competent support across cultures and care settings.
Guided by the belief that every family deserves respectful, consistent care, Tracey pairs deep community roots with professional rigor, helping families feel prepared, supported, and valued at every step.
Skye B. Alloway is an enrolled member of the Forest County Potawatomi with Menominee and Gaelic ancestry. A mother of five, C.N.A., Certified Doula and Lactation Counselor, she focuses on culturally rooted, healing-informed care from preconception through early childhood.
Her personal experiences with postpartum mood disorders, Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex (D-MER), and loss—within a region of limited maternal health access—fuel her commitment to equitable, culturally responsive care.
Skye is Chair of the Board at HIR Wellness Institute and Board Member for Wisconsin Conservation Voters. Previously, she Co-Chaired the Wisconsin DOJ MMIW Taskforce.
She formerly served as Language & Culture Manager for her tribe and now consults on Indigenous Language and Culture initiatives statewide, including at UW–Milwaukee, UW–Stevens Point, and Nicolet Technical College.
Skye is dedicated to restoring community wellness by advancing ancestral knowledge as a pedagogically rigorous and scientifically grounded framework, rooted in generations of proven practice and resilience
Hello, my name is Robin Dietel. I am a mother of four adult children and a Mema to four beautiful granddaughters. I have been a nurse for over 36 years, 28 of those being in Labor & Delivery, Postpartum, NBN Nursery, Lactation and Childbirth Education. My passion to provide education and support to expectant parents allowed me to pursue my dream of becoming a certified doula.
In March of 2021 I started Mema D’s Doula Services, LLC providing both labor and postpartum doula services to the Central Wisconsin area. I continue my “day job ” as a casual status Lactation Consultant with the Marshfield Health Care System in Marshfield, and pursue my “passion” of providing birth and postpartum support in between.
On a personal level, I enjoy travel, reading and reality TV! My goal as a Regional Coordinator is to bring doulas together with support and education in order to best serve parents in the Central Wisconsin area.
Hello! I’m Ashley Schmitz, a mom to 2 boys and a wife to a supportive husband. Our life in Central WI keeps us busy with farming along with our “day jobs.” Growing up, I worked on a hog farm helping sows deliver piglets which grew my passion for labor and delivery.
My experience as a 1st time mom having a c-section at 33 weeks, I knew I had to change my outcome for my 2nd pregnancy and talk to others about their perspective on motherhood in rural WI. With that, I was able to have my dream VBAC and this was when I knew my calling in life was a doula. In June, 2024, I started You are the World Doula Services and have been providing birth support since then. I am passionate about all things birth and babies and love supporting women as they transition into and through motherhood.
For over 29 years, my life’s work has revolved around nurturing families and empowering parents. As a mother, seasoned Postpartum Doula, and Infant Care Specialist, I bring a wealth of personal and professional experience to every client. My own journey through motherhood, where I relied heavily on the support of fellow mothers, underscored the critical need for community and compassionate guidance.
This personal understanding fuels my dedication to providing empathetic, tailored care through Doula Co. MKE. We offer comprehensive support, including emotional and mental health resources, newborn care education, and vital self-care strategies during the postpartum period. My unwavering belief is that no parent should navigate this transformative time alone.
Beyond individual client care, I am deeply committed to strengthening the Milwaukee doula community, fostering mentorship, and breaking down barriers to ensure every birth worker can thrive. Together, we can build a stronger, more supportive environment for families in Milwaukee.
