Our Team
Our Story
New Beginnings Childbirth Services started with a nurse’s passion for evidence-based support for physiological birth. She worked in labor and delivery as a nurse, and she saw how challenging it was for medical personnel to try to meet the needs of their patients. Rachel wanted to create a training program to prepare doulas with comprehensive non-medical training paired with an understanding of research and medical terminology, to bridge the care gap between birthing individuals, their families, and their medical team.
Our birth doula certification program started in 2011 with a downloadable PDF and assignments submitted by email directly to Rachel. Brent created and designed the website, and he was able to launch an online program in 2016 where doula trainees could submit assignments on the website and get feedback from a trainer. Rachel has a passion for curriculum development, and she also created a postpartum doula training, but it would be years before that dream became a reality.
In 2017, Cherylyn came on as a trainer and worked closely with Rachel and Brent. Responsibilities shifted over the years, and Cherylyn took on more of the business operations as Rachel and Brent needed to focus more on other projects. They collaborated together to continue improving the coursework and website, and had a shared goal of launching the postpartum doula certification that Rachel had written.
The website was updated in 2023 with a new learning module system that could accommodate multiple programs. The postpartum training was launched in late 2024, giving doula students the option of which program they want to focus on. In January of 2025, Cherylyn bought the company from Brent and Rachel so they could devote more time and attention to other ventures. Rachel continues to be involved with curriculum development as she is able to, because she cares deeply for the work.
