Geneva Woods women's Wellness

Barbara Norton

Barbara has been a nurse since 1978, a nurse practitioner since 1985, and a midwife since 1994. She is a graduate of the University of Nevada, Reno and the University of California, San Francisco. Barbara worked as a Women’s Health Care Nurse Practitioner for 9 years (1985-1994) before becoming a midwife. During that time she worked in a variety of settings honing her skills in contraceptive management, menopausal counseling, and irregular menstrual bleeding. She opened her own private midwifery and women's health care practice in Anchorage in 1995, but left that practice in 2015 to start a smaller, more cozy and intimate practice. She was a recipient of the 2016 YWCA Women of Achievement award and in 2017 she won the Chamber of Commerce's Athena Award for her business acumen and for mentoring other women to be successful in business. Barbara has been affiliated with the University of Alaska, teaching nurse practitioner students, and has served on many community boards, including the Board of Certified Direct-Entry Midwives and the Alaska Women’s Gold Nugget Triathlon. She currently serves on the American Association of Birth Center board as Secretary. She has been married to Bradley Cruz since 1979 and has two daughters who both live in Anchorage, and three grandchildren, all born at Geneva Woods Birth Center Barbara enjoys traveling, hiking, trail running, triathlon, reading, cooking, and spending time with her kids and their families.

Education: University of Nevada, Reno , University of California, San Francisco

Dana Deane

Dana Deane comes to us from the Austin Area Birthing Center where she worked for 5 years as a doula, birth assistant, and registered nurse. She is originally from Amarillo, Texas but only has a slight Texas twang rather than the full accent. Dana began her road to midwifery when she worked at a women's health clinic for two years in Oregon. Dana enjoys being a midwife because it combines the art of midwifery with the science of Nursing and medicine. Getting to know patients and families throughout the (almost) year that they come to the clinic as well as the uniqueness and excitement of each birth are what she likes best about the job. She is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and obtained her Master's of Science in Nursing from Frontier Nursing University, the first Certified Nurse Midwifery program in the country. Frontier Nursing University is responsible for training 1/3 of all Nurse Midwife graduates in the United States. Dana loves adventure and enjoys traveling, yoga, and almost any outdoor sports Alaska has to offer. She is also fluent in Spanish and conversational in Russian and works with our patients who speak these languages.

Education: University of Texas at Austin , Frontier Nursing University

Jennifer Heller

Jen was born and raised in Alaska, primarily in Eagle River/Anchorage. She also got to enjoy some great years living in Juneau and Cordova, as well as the lower 48. She and her husband Murray along with their 2 children, Natalie and Sam, moved back to Alaska from Connecticut in 2016. She originally studied History and Peace Studies, and it was not until she was traveling in Nepal after college that she observed her first birth. Resolving to become a midwife to care for women - during birth and throughout their lifespan - she graduated with a BSN from Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing. She worked as an RN while starting her family, but her passion for midwifery stayed strong. When her youngest started school, she also entered graduate school. Jen got her CNM education at the Midwifery Institute at Philadelphia University and, after completing her student clinical rotations at Geneva Woods, she became a CNM here in January. Of joining our team Jen says “My eldest child was born at Geneva Woods Birth Center so it feels very “full circle” to be joining this wonderful practice and to be given the opportunity to provide others with the same high level of care that I was given.” In her free time you’ll find her hiking, biking, meditating, reading, cooking, or traveling with her family - loving life in Alaska!

Education: Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing , Midwifery Institute at Philadelphia University

Haley Yerxa

Haley’s path to midwifery and to Alaska was rather circuitous. Born and raised between Switzerland, Belgium and the U.S., Haley spent the last 10 years living and working in Minnesota, California, Nicaragua, Oregon and Connecticut. She originally studied Biology with a focus on Environmental Science. However, she gravitated towards midwifery for the opportunity to safeguard normal physiologic birth, and to provide the type of reproductive care that allows people to make informed choices on their own health. She completed her nursing and midwifery studies at Yale School of Nursing, finishing her clinical rotations at an Indian Health Service hospital in Arizona. Haley finds it a privilege to join the long tradition of midwifery, to guide people through experiences of profound change and to work with them in a personal and supportive way. She feels that the best part of being a midwife is bearing witness to the strengths of individuals and families every day. In her time off you can find her in the woods and mountains, usually with her husband Marshall and their dogs. She is excited to finally set down roots in a place as amazing as Alaska.

Education: Yale School of Nursing , Indian Health Service hospital in Arizona

Kimberly Spence-Jensen

Kimberly will be joining our practice in mid-February, 2019. She received her MSN degree from Emory University in December 2018. Kimberly is originally from North Carolina where she studied human biology and lactation consulting. She worked at UNC Womens’ Hospital for several years supporting women as they met their breastfeeding goals and working with infants in NICU as they grew and learned to eat. In order to expand her ability to serve women at this unique time in their lives, she moved to Atlanta to attend Emory University for nurse-midwifery. In Georgia, she was able to work as a nurse at the Atlanta Birth Center and there learned what it means to be “with women”. She also spent time working as a labor and birth nurse at Emory Decatur Hospital, which provided wonderful balance and equipped her to work in diverse settings. She feels it is an immense honor to witness women bringing their babies into the world. Ultimately, she aspires to honor physiologic birth, reduce maternal mortality around the world and walk with women from preconception through breastfeeding and beyond. Kimberly lives with her incredibly supportive husband, Lee, who never fails to help her find rest. Together, they enjoy hosting game nights with friends, exploring and finding ways to serve their community.

Education: Emory University

Melissa Sundberg

Melissa Sundberg, graduated with honors from Pacific University with her Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree in 2001, after graduating from Washington State University with her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. She obtained advanced board certification through the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties in Orthopedics and is certified through the IAOM in orthopedic manual therapy. Melissa's interest in pelvic health peaked after the delivery of her daughter over 10 years ago. With extensive training in pelvic health, Melissa has become passionate about pelvic health and postpartum education. Melissa maintains a special interest in treating women seeking pre- and post-natal physical therapy, female athletes, men and women with pelvic pain, and bowel dysfunction. She has been teaching a postpartum Pilates class for over 5 years, and loves to help moms return to daily activities and exercise with less pain and leaking. Through a combination of skilled manual therapy techniques and specialized training in movement re-education, Melissa is passionate about helping patients achieve their individual goals. She enjoys spending her free time running, hiking, cross country skiing, kayaking, fishing and camping with her husband, 2 children and their labrodoodle.

Education: Pacific University , Washington State University

Certifications: American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties in Orthopedics , International Association of Academies of Orthopedic Medicine

Karin Braun

Karin Braun has been a midwife for over 25 years, becoming first a Certified Direct-Entry Midwife (CDM) in 1993, and then a Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) in 1999. She joined Barbara Norton at her solo practice in 1999, and together they formed Midwifery & Women’s Health Care at Geneva Woods in 2000. She and Barbara attended births at Providence Hospital, Alaska Regional Hospital, Midnight Sun Birth Center, and in families’ homes. She also worked with Barbara to found Geneva Woods Birth Center in 2002, after Midnight Sun Birth Center closed its doors. She left the large group practice that she helped build in 2015, and moved to Arizona with her youngest daughter, where she currently resides. She comes to Alaska frequently to visit her 3 grown children and 1 grandson who live up here, and works in the clinic with us a handful of times per year. If you would like to get on her schedule, please give us a call to see when she has a trip planned!