Meet the Midwives

Blue team midwives Tori, Carey, Colleen and Mojgan

Green team midwives Margaret, Chantal, Amy and Sandra

Our midwives work in small teams, the blue team and the green team.  You will be assigned to a team of midwives who will be responsible for your care throughout pregnancy, birth, and up to 6 weeks postpartum, including the care of your newborn. You’ll have the opportunity to get to know each midwife and develop a relationship of trust over time throughout your pregnancy. Having a small group of familiar faces provides you with continuity of care, helping to build feelings of comfort and safety that are essential to a rewarding labour, delivery and postpartum experience. When it comes time for your birth, two midwives will attend you in labour– one to care for you, and another to care for baby.  All midwives at our clinic practice with the same philosophy of care.

THE BLUE TEAM

Mojgan Dostar

Mojgan Dostar is originally from Iran, and graduated as a midwife with her Bachelors of Health Science (Midwifery) in 1994. She worked as a full time midwife in Iran at the training and private hospitals’ labour and delivery unit. Mojgan was the supervisor of the Labour and Delivery unit in a private hospital. Mojgan has worked in remote areas and experienced breech deliveries and vacuum assisted birth as allowed and has worked with people from many different social and ethnic backgrounds. Midwifery is Mojgan’s passion, and she really enjoys working with pregnant and non pregnant women. Mojgan moved to Canada in 2001 and graduated from McMaster University with Bachelor of Health Science (Midwifery) in 2009. She did her clinical placements in Hamilton and Toronto and she is a clinical preceptor for midwifery, nursing and medical students.

Carey Murphy

Carey Murphy graduated with her Bachelor of Health Science-Midwifery degree from Laurentian University in 2012. Carey was born and raised in Thunder Bay and has strong ties to the community, and she and her husband have two children that were born into the hands of midwives. Prior to entering midwifery, Carey worked as a doula for several years, supporting women through their pregnancy and birth experiences. Carey was also active in the consumer group Advocates for Northern Midwifery Care which promotes and supports midwifery in the community. Additionally, Carey has a diploma in Early Childhood Education and has worked with young children and families for many years. Carey is extremely pleased to be practising in her home community.

Colleen Johnston

Colleen Johnston received her degree in Midwifery from Laurentian University in 2020 after completing her final placement in Thunder Bay with Maternity Care Midwives. Her journey to midwifery has been somewhat winding. She is originally from the Guelph area, but she has spent the majority of the last ten years in Halifax and on the west coast of Canada.  Prior to entering the Midwifery Education Program, she lived and worked off grid on a small island off of the Northeast coast of Vancouver Island. It is there where she developed a keen interest in providing healthcare to people in rural and remote settings. She has also spent time working as a lead farm hand on an organic farm in British Columbia and studied Gender and Women’s Studies at Dalhousie University in Halifax. When she is not living the on call life she like to travel, read, garden and enjoy live music. She feels incredibly honoured to be supporting clients in their journey to parenthood.

Tori Glena

Tori graduated from McMaster University with her BHSc in Midwifery in May 2023. She completed her placements for the midwifery program in Oakville and Hamilton but is excited to begin her career in her hometown of Thunder Bay. Tori received her Master of Science and Honours Bachelors in Kinesiology from Lakehead University prior to pursuing midwifery. Tori was drawn to midwifery because of the client-centred approach and is eager to work with and support her clients throughout their pregnancies. In her spare time, you will find Tori going on walks and hikes, playing with the family dogs, camping, and spending quality time with friends and family.

 

Joanna Duke (Maternity Leave till Sept 2024)

Joanna received her BHSc in Midwifery from Laurentian University in 2020.  She holds a previous HBSc degree in Biology from Lakehead University.  Before pursing midwifery, she worked in government and healthcare administration.  You may recognize her from her time working as an administrative support or as a senior student with Maternity Care Midwives.  Joanna was born and raised in Thunder Bay.  She is excited for the opportunity to practice in her hometown.  Joanna is grateful for the privilege to support and learn from the families of Northwestern Ontario.  When she isn’t on-call, you’ll find her in the kitchen or outdoors with her dog.

 

THE GREEN TEAM

Sandra Shymko

Sandra Shymko graduated from the Midwifery Education Program in 2002 with a Bachelor of Health Sciences-Midwifery degree from McMaster University.  Sandra was born and raised in Thunder Bay, and her previous career was as a Teamster/Farmer/Interpreter at Old Fort William for 18 years. Sandra completed her clinical placements in Guelph, London and Ottawa, and was thrilled to return to Thunder Bay to work in her community in the city and region she loves so much.  Sandra is a clinical preceptor for midwifery, nursing and medical students.

Amy Borges

Amy earned her Bachelor of Health Science – Midwifery degree from Laurentian University in 2021, and holds a previous degree in Physical and Health Education from the University of Winnipeg.

Amy was born and raised in Winnipeg to a large Portuguese family (one of seven children!). Hearing of her sisters’ experiences with midwives and her grandmother’s role as a midwife in Portugal led to her volunteering as a doula in Honduras. This experience solidified her desire and passion to pursue midwifery and become an advocate for safe and equitable healthcare for all pregnant and birthing people.

In her free time Amy enjoys traveling, hiking, swimming, and visiting her many nieces and nephews. She is honoured and grateful to be in the North, working with the midwives and clients at Maternity Care Midwives.

Chantal Dube

Chantal was born in Winnipeg but raised in Thunder Bay. After graduating from the Midwifery Education Program at Laurentian University in 2020, she returned to Thunder Bay to begin her career as a midwife. Chantal is happy to be practicing in the comfort of her hometown while providing supportive and compassionate care to her clients throughout pregnancy, labour & delivery, and the postpartum period. Aside from a Bachelor of Health Sciences in Midwifery, Chantal previously completed two degrees at the University of Ottawa including an Honours Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences and a Master’s of Science in Interdisciplinary Health Sciences. Chantal completed midwifery placements at Ottawa Valley Midwives in Carleton Place, Kawartha Community Midwives in Peterborough, and New Life Midwives in Bowmanville. She also completed some of her placements in Ottawa, where she resided for over 10 years. Chantal has a strong interest in research and hopes to work on projects specific to perinatal care in Northern Ontario and for Indigenous populations. When she isn’t busy catching babies, Chantal enjoys running, spinning, baking, travelling, and spending time with her partner, friends, family as well as her big fluffy Goldendoodle named Ralphie. She is excited to begin working at Maternity Care Midwives on the Green team & can’t wait to get to meet all of her new clients!

Margaret Flietstra

Margaret received her BHSc in Midwifery from McMaster University in 2023 after completing her year-long senior placement with Maternity Care Midwives. She previously earned a BA in English and Anthropology from Laurentian University in 2010. Margaret’s journey to midwifery began when she found herself supporting her first birth- at home- at the age of 17, sparking a passion that would be fulfilled more than a decade later. In the intervening years she completed outdoor adventure leadership training, worked for a non-profit pregnancy centre, and practiced as a doula. The experiences of supporting families during those years fuelled both a curiosity and commitment to return to school for midwifery. Margaret is passionate about teaching and supporting informed choice and brings a calm, comforting presence to the birth space. She is mom to three kids and along with her family loves to spend her free time exploring outdoors, drinking good coffee, and taking naps with her dog. Margaret is grateful for the opportunity to join MCM as a New Registrant and is looking forward to meeting each of you.

 

Megan Seargeant (Maternity Leave until Sept 2024)

Megan Seargeant is a graduate from the Midwifery Education Program with a Bachelor of Health Science-Midwifery degree from  Toronto Metropolitan University. Her previous academic background includes a Bachelor of Arts- International Development from Dalhousie University where she focused on global and Northern challenges surrounding infant and maternal health. Megan was born and raised in Kaministiquia and Thunder Bay. She is excited to return home to practice midwifery in her home community and passionate about expanding the number of women able to receive midwifery care in the North Western Ontario Region. In her free time, she enjoys rock climbing, hiking, canoeing and camping.

 

Krista Lysenko (Maternity Leave until Oct 2024)

Krista Lysenko graduated with honours from nursing in 2008 from York University. From there, she focused her career on getting experience that would be beneficial to work towards her dream of becoming a midwife. Working in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Vancouver & Anchorage, Alaska as well as Labour and Delivery in Yellowknife helped her pursue her dream. Krista graduated with honours from the post- Baccalaureate Midwifery program at Toronto Metropolitan University after doing placements in Toronto and British Columbia. She is thrilled to be at Maternity Care Midwives and part of the Thunder Bay Community. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her two boys and gardening, canoeing, reading, bee keeping and camping.