Lori Scott, M.D., R.N., B.S.N.
Dr. Scott received her bachelor's in Nursing from Southern Adventist University, and her Doctor of Medicine from the University of South Carolina. She has experience in teaching Anatomy and Physiology and Human Nutrition at Florida Gateway College and Santa Fe College in the Nursing and Allied Health programs. She has worked in nursing in various hospitals throughout the south. Lori has one child, a son. At FSTM she teaches the medical science courses: Anatomy and Physiology I and II, Reproductive Anatomy and Physiology, Pharmacology, Microbiology for Midwives and Gynecology.
Jessica Stevenson, L.M., C.P.M.
Jessica was born at home and grew up hearing her parents talk appreciatively about the care they received from midwives. It was the tenderness of their accounts that led Jessica to pursue a career in midwifery. Jessica graduated from the Florida School of Traditional Midwifery in 2003. As a student, Jessica was able to intern in a maternity clinic in Cartagena, Colombia, which provided her with both high-risk experience and a stronger understanding, cross-culturally of the birth experience. She worked at FSTM as administrative assistant from 2000-2003. After 9 years of practicing as a midwife, Jessica gave birth to her son at home in 2012. She returned as an instructor in 2014. At FSTM, Jessica teaches the core midwifery courses: Antepartum, Intrapartum and Postpartum, as well as Diagnostic Testing and Obstetric Complications.
Amy Vaknin, MEd/EdS
Amy is a graduate of the University of Florida's Counselor Education program, and has lived in Gainesville for over 14 years. Currently working as a School Counselor in a high school setting, Amy is passionate about youth advocacy. Her passions also extend to women's advocacy, serving as a DONA-certified doula in the community. In 2012, Amy became a mama to her daughter, and two short years later, got pregnant with spontaneous triplets! Married to a musician, Amy now has a dynamic family of six. In her spare time, she enjoys yoga, journaling, photography, wagon rides, and cloud-watching with her family. She strives to live by the motto, "Life is too important to be taken so seriously!" At FSTM, Amy teaches Interpersonal Communication, Professional Communication and Psychology for Midwives. She also provides school counseling services to FSTM students.
ABIGAIL FLETCHER, L.M.
Abigail graduated from the International School of Midwifery in 2009, and has been practicing here in Gainesville since then. They have been honored to attend hundreds of births including the births of both of their beloved nieces! Abigail is passionate about Birth Justice, and strives to make midwifery care accessible to all who desire it. Abigail teaches the Midwifery Practicum courses at FSTM.
Amanda Redinger, M.S., C.H.E.S.
Amanda is a graduate of the University of Florida with a master's degree in Health Education & Behavior, and is also a Certified Health Education Specialist. Her passion is for public health reform and widespread, accessible health education. Amanda currently teaches Public Health at FSTM. In her free time, she enjoys reading, cooking, and fitness, and is expecting her first child with her husband Matt in August 2017.
Andrea (Andie) Reece, L.M., C.P.M.
Andie graduated from FSTM in January of 2016 and has been working in a busy birth center while building her own practice. Andrea believes a solid educational foundation is a key component to being a competent midwife. She loves teaching and is both passionate and excited about educating new midwives. At FSTM, Andie teaches Healthcare Skills I and II.
Kaleen Richards, C.N.M.
Kaleen's midwifery journey began after reading Spiritual Midwifery by Ina May Gaskin in college. She attended Frontier Nursing University and is now a CNM in Florida and owner of Tree of Life Birth and Gynecology Center. Her passion is divinely guided and she is grateful for the educational path she has taken, which allows her to function as a health care provider in home birth, birth center, and hospital. She believes she is a protector of women during their birth process and honors choice for all. She has three amazing sons, two of whom were born at home with a local midwife. At FSTM, Kaleen teaches Suturing for Midwives.
Kerri Audette, L.M., C.P.M.
Kerri Audette, LM, CPM, is a licensed midwife and graduate of Florida School of Traditional Midwifery. She is a co-owner and midwife with Gainesville Midwives, her home birth practice. Kerri was inspired to pursue work in women's health as a founding member of the Gainesville Roller Rebels, a local women's roller derby league. That experience led her to realize the power and potential that sisterhood can create, and she has been attending births in North Central Florida and instructing childbirth education for the last four years. She also holds a Bachelors of Design from the University of Florida School of Architecture. Kerri is a Gainesville native and birthed her own child at home with midwives in 2013. At FSTM, Kerri teaches Clinical Lab, Clinical Skills Practicum Lab, NARM Review and Midwifery Practicums I – IV.
Olga Garcia Gomez, I.B.C.L.C.
Olga is a Dietitian and an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC.) She is originally from Colombia (South America) and a graduate of the School of Human Nutrition and Food Science at the University of Antioquia in Medellin. Her passion for maternal and infant health, health promotion and prevention led her to work with different community programs in Colombia and US. In 2008, she started working with the Healthy Start Program in Alachua County as a home visitor providing health education to pregnant women and families with babies 0-3. In 2011 moved on to work with the Healthy Start Program at the North Central/Central Florida Coalitions. Her work at both Coalitions provides her the opportunity to support Healthy Start home visitors in 16 counties of the region. As a healthcare professional who specializes in the clinical management of breastfeeding, she provides lactation services, breastfeeding education and support to families at North Florida Regional Medical Center as well as Breastfeeding Training and support to home visitors from both Healthy Start Coalitions. She is a member of the Boards of the North Central Florida Breastfeeding Coalition and the Florida Breastfeeding Coalition. Olga feels that it is critical for the community to come together to support families, because it really takes a village. At FSTM, Olga teaches Nutrition for the Childbearing Year.
Susan Marynowski, M.S.
Susan Marynowski (M.S.) grew up in north Florida. She holds degrees from UF in fine arts and wildlife ecology, with an emphasis in public education. Susan has a passionate interest in native plants and has been a perpetual student of the patterns of plants, people, and healing for over 20 years. She is a member of the American Herbalists Guild and has a small herbal practice in Gainesville. Susan has studied and mentored with Tieraona LowDog, Susun Weed, David Winston, Patricia Howell, Thomas Easley, and other esteemed herbalists. Susan is a land conservation and sustainability advocate and a volunteer steward at a natural burial ground. She hopes to live (and die) in a way that has less impact on the Earth that sustains us all. At FSTM, Susan teaches Herb Workshop.
Sophia Cruz-Perez
Sophia graduated from Mills College (Oakland, California) in 2015 with a degree in Ethnic Studies and Women, Sex, and Sexuality Studies, and is currently pursuing her MSW at Florida State University. Her professional passions are driven by the intersecting aspects of her identity of Queer and Chicana with Indigenous (Diné) roots. During her time at Mills, she did research on health disparities in pregnancy and childbirth under the supervision of Dr. Chinyere Oparah (née Julia Oparah), who is the cofounder of Black Women's Birthing Justice. Sophia participated in a Doula training which was a collaboration between Black Women's Birthing Justice and The Birth Justice Project. The training was for and by women of color with the goal of providing birth support to marginalized people who were experiencing barriers to care due to institutional oppression: racism, homophobia, houselessness, transphobia, incarceration, etc. When she is not doing her work as a Domestic Violence Advocate, Sophia is excitedly teaching intersectional Cultural Competency at FSTM.
Shanti Cruz-Perez
Shanti Cruz Pérez is a first generation Cuban Genderqueer butch living and loving in Gainesville with their partner, 2 cats, dog and 7 chickens. They graduated from University of Florida with a Bachelors Degree in Womens Studies and Gender Research in 2011. After graduating, Shanti joined Spectrum: A Queer and Transgender Awareness Group, that focuses on education, served on the board of the Pride Community Center North Central Florida for several years, been the LGBTQ chair with Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence, and has presented at several conferences on LGBTQ issues/identity, and intimate partner violence within LGBTQ community. For the past 7 years they have worked as a Case Manager with Peaceful Paths Domestic Abuse Network, and is concurrently working on their Masters Degree in Social Work. Shanti believes in restorative justice, community service, good food, the transformational power of building QTPOC queer family, and hopes to grow a baby in their belly in the next year. Shanti teaches Human Sexuality for Midwives at FSTM.
Suzannah Bounds-Irby, R.N., I.B.C.L.C.
Suzannah has been a labor and delivery nurse for 18 years, she has seen it all and lived to tell about it. As a hospital nurse, she has been teaching postpartum women how to breastfeed for almost 2 decades. She was awarded her IBCLC in 2015 and now teaches breastfeeding to nurses, mothers and people in her community. She also has a mobile breastfeeding support business called "Milky Way Mobile". She visits the clients of a busy home birth midwife, who is an alumni of FSTM. Suzannah is a mother, an advocate and strong supporter of breastfeeding in her community. At FSTM, Suzannah teaches Breastfeeding.