Who We Are
The Birth Circle is an informational discussion and support group for pregnant women, their partners, and new parents in the Athens, Ohio area. It is a group that gathers once a month to share in each other's lives, creating a sense of community through the experience of parenthood.
The Birth Circle promotes a feeling of openness, encouraging women and their partners to share their thoughts or concerns about pregnancy, childbirth and parenting.
As a group, we explore all options available to birthing families, with emphasis on supporting each other while sharing resources that contribute to knowledge and understanding of alternatives.
In addition to the monthly meeting featuring guest speakers and discussion topics related to pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting, we also provide services such as Meals for Moms (free meals for families with new babies, prepared and delivered by Birth Circle volunteers), and a lending library of books, DVDs, and birth accessories. For more info on these and other programs, click here.
We are a 501-c-3 organization so all funds donated to our work are tax deductible.
To read the Bylaws of this organization click here.
Bios and Contact Info
Executive Director
Molly Wales
molly.wales@yahoo.com
740.591.9409
Molly and her husband, Craig, had their first child in December 2006 at O'Bleness, with the help of doula Angela Cross. Before moving to Athens at the end of 2005, Molly lived in Albuquerque, NM where she worked as a political scheduler and magazine editor. She joined the Birth Circle’s board of directors in 2006 and served as the volunteer coordinator and director of programming until becoming the executive director in the fall of 2008. In her spare time Molly likes to dance, read, and chat with other mamas.
Assistant Director
Coral Wedel
coralwedel@gmail.com
740.593.8120
Coral is happy to serve her community as Assistant Director. She has roots here in Athens where she grew up on the whole grains, humidity and sunshine of Southeast Ohio. She is an artist and designer with a BFA from The School of The Art Institute of Chicago. Coral spends her days nurturing her son Abner (2009) who was born at home, as well as her small business of handmade products. Before returning to Athens to raise their family, Coral and husband Matt lived in Chicago, Southern California and Nova Scotia.
Board Members
Kelly Cooke, President
cooke.kelly@gmail.com
Kelly has had two wonderful hospital births with her two daughters, Iris (2007) and June (2010). She has been on the Birth Circle board since the spring of 2009. She holds a Master's of Social Work and coordinates the counseling program at a shelter for survivors of domestic violence. Kelly and her husband Matt love Athens and its support of families doing things a little differently.
Rob Kaminski, Vice President
740-592-2208
RobAthens@Gmail.com
Rob and his wife Skye are expecting their first child in the fall of 2008. Rob came to Athens from the Cleveland area in 1996 to attend Ohio University. He graduated with a BA in English Literature and Environmental Studies. He is committed to community development, especially in the areas of sustainable agriculture and waste reduction. He grows organic mushrooms at Mushroom Harvest/Green Edge Gardens Organic Farm in Amesville.
Katy Kropf
katykropf@yahoo.com
740-593-2516
Katy Attended Ohio University College of Osteopathic medicine and later completed her family medicine residency in Lansing, Michigan. Part of her training included care of pregnant women, catching babies, and caring for infants and children. She also has an interest in international medicine and has worked in Central America. She returned to Athens in the spring of 2008 to establish a family medicine practice and to teach at the Ohio University Medical School.
Liz Pahl, Treasurer
elizabethpahl@gmail.com
740-591-4105
In 2008, Liz and her husband Jason had their first child (Sofia) at O'Blenness Hospital. She has career experience in arts administration and event planning. She also holds a BS in Communications from Ohio University. Currently enrolled in the Masters of Public Administration program at Ohio University, Liz hopes to bring knowledge of non-profit management skills to the Birth Circle family. In spare time, Liz also loves to sing, play guitar, write songs and hang with her mama friends.
Suzanne Perry
Suzanne has lived in Athens for 41 years and has been active in healthcare as a nurse, an educator, and a social worker for many of those years. She was a member of the Athens Birth Center in the late 1970s and 1980s teaching natural childbirth and assisting childbearing families at home and in hospitals. Her professional work experience includes time spent with Hospice as both a social worker and a nurse and 16 years teaching health careers in post-secondary educational settings, as well as experience providing direct nursing care in hospitals and in home care. Currently Suzanne lives in Athens with her husband and works at WVU Parkersburg coordinating a grant bringing nursing education to the rural areas of West Virginia. She has 3 grown children and 2 half-grown grandchildren. She enjoys visiting with family and friends, traveling, and working.
Lynda Rose
rose@frognet.net
740-594-9101
Lynda currently works as a Mechanical Lab Technician at Sunpower, Inc., graduating from OU Industrial Technology in 2004. She has two grown children who were born at home in the Athens area during the 1980’s while being a member/supporter of the Athens Birth Center. This past year both children had their own children born at home using the same birth attendants as when they were born! Lynda also has a teenager at home that was born emergency cesarean so understands and supports many faucets of birthing experiences. Lynda loves being outside and has been known to assist her grandchild in getting dirty!
Angela Young
angelajoyyoung@gmail.com
A newcomer to the Athens area, Angela and her husband Jonathan recently relocated from Virginia. She is a fine art photographer, specializing in documentary portraiture and photo journalism. Angela spends most of her days being mama to daughter, Adda (2008) and son, Hudson (2009) – both born at home. She loves sunshine, cooking, kayaking and music. A passionate explorer, Angela enjoys devouring new places and information through travel & reading.
Program Coordinators
Melissa Bittner, Meals for Moms Coordinator
nicholas.melissa@gmail.com
Melissa is a crafting, cooking, gardening mama living on the south side of Athens. She resides with her husband and their two sons, Wesley and Abram. Her first son was born in September of 2006 via cesarean section. In the winter of 2009, she birthed her second son via HBAC at her home with her two midwives, doula, husband and family dog looking on.
Christina Thacker, Lending Library Coordinator
christinamthacker@yahoo.com
Tina and her husband Geoff live with their son Leland on the east side of Athens. Tina is originally from the Cleveland area and went to Ohio University, where she met her husband. The Thackers returned to Athens a couple of years ago to start their family and get involved in a community they love so much. Tina spends her days with Leland and also works as the director of the Leadership Athens County program.
Amanda Behn, Play Group Coordinator
614-477-4907 or amandabehn@gmail.com
Amanda and her husband Eric moved to Athens from the Columbus area in the fall of 2009. Amanda is a speech-language pathologist who has worked in the school setting in the past and currently volunteers at the OU Hearing, Speech & Language Clinic. Her son Cameron was born in December of 2010 at O’Bleness Hospital, with the help of doula Angela Cross. These days you will find her in various places around town spending time with Cameron and other parents with young children, babysitting, reading fiction, walking her 125 lb Newfoundland through her neighborhood, or jogging on the bike trail.
Jackie Warmke, Meet-a-Mom Coordinator
jackiechloe@yahoo.com
Jackie and her husband, Daniel, are both natives of Athens. Their daughter, Norah, was born at home in spring 2010, and Jackie has spent the time since then breastfeeding and laundering diapers. In a former life, Jackie taught college writing and weeded her garden.