Rachel Engel (she/her/hers) - President
I am a mother to my daughter who was born at home with CPMs in May 2019. I have also been attending births since 2008. I was a midwife with CRMC and am currently working in an administrative and fundraising capacity. I have been with CRMC since the beginning of its conception and am a co-founder and helped form the non-profit.
As a new mother, I want every family to have the privileges that I had during my pregnancy, birth and postpartum. I see building community and making resources available the path to creating access for all. CRMC has been creating both of these things for years and I am proud to sit on the board to continue to serve our community.
Lo Kawulok (she/her/hers)- Secretary
I am so thankful to walk in this world as a Mother and a Midwife. Reproductive health care and sacred life transitions are my jam. I had the privilege of having both of my children at home with the loving support of Midwives. I have been attending births as a Midwife for about 15 years now, and am honored to be a co-creator of CRMC and current board member. My work before CRMC spanned from private practice Midwifery, lead Medical Assistant at People’s Clinic, volunteer educational and doula/Midwifery services in Boulder County and San Marcos, Guatemala, to volunteer Hospice work. CRMC is working hard to be sure more folks have access to quality Midwifery care, which in turn will strengthen people’s ability to care for themselves and their families. All of my heart is with this mission, and I am so grateful for the support of our incredible community!
Yessie (Nichole) Calagias (she/her/hers)- Treasurer
Eighteen years ago I birthed my son at home with the tender care of skilled midwives. The homebirth experience was incredibly transformative and sparked my desire to guide parents on this life-changing journey. With each passing year it becomes more clear that experiencing the care of midwives was a privilege that should be available to all. Offering this care is a necessity, not just for babies but also for parents, who through the birthing process experience their own powerful transformation. My desire to offer this care motivated me to found Community Roots Midwife Collective.
As a co-creator and current board member, I am inspired by the growth of our community's culture of philanthropy. We are out there educating folks and spreading the good word about supportive and informed care, join us!
Jetha Marek MSW, CD (she/her/hers)
I’m a parent to children who squabble and love one another ferociously (inside of minutes) and a partner to a teacher who spends much time convincing teenagers of the magic of math.
I offer coaching and psychotherapy to parents and parents-to-be as they adjust to new roles by offering emotional, psychological and contemplative support.
I am a full-spectrum doula/birth worker. I combine my skill sets to honor my values in earth based spirituality and a commitment to reproductive self-determination especially in times of great change and sacred initiation.
It is a joy and honor to work alongside this group of inspiring humans to make visible and uplift CRMC’s life-giving mission - striving to make midwives accessible for any-body that wants one.
Lauri Hughes (she/her/hers), CPM, RM, CLC
I am a co-founder of Community Roots Midwife Collective, Certified Professional Midwife (CPM), mother of four adult children and Lola (grandmother) of three. Originally from Seattle, I moved to Boulder in 1996 and began birth work in 1998. This has included full-spectrum doula, midwifery and advisory services. International projects, disaster relief and low-resource settings have been particularly inspiring and rewarding. I’m proud to support various Boulder county and international midwifery organizations, as a board member and volunteer. It is with much gratitude that I serve on the board of Community Roots Midwife Collective.
I’m a life-long believer in the right of all people to make autonomous healthcare choices, so putting my efforts into creating opportunities for them to do so, is intuitive. As a person of privilege, it’s my obligation and joy to work hard on behalf of my community, locally and globally. Increasing accessibility to midwifery care is part of this work. I’m grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with an amazing group of equally impassioned folks on behalf of Community Roots Midwife Collective.
Josie Valadez Fraire (she/ella)
Josie Valadez Fraire (she/ella) is an indigenous woman (wixáritari/mexika), mother, feeler, lover, and plant-persun born on occupied Cheyenne, Arapaho, and Ute territory in so-called Boulder, Colorado. her homelands are south of the colonial border in so-called Zacatecas, Mexico. her love is poured into raising her baby, Metztlixochitl, creating plant medicine, cooking, and working with our Earth/expanding communities.
Community Roots Midwife Collective supported Josie through her pregnancy in the most sacred way. during the summer of 2019, Josie and her family welcomed baby Metztlixochitl Earthside in their family home with a ceremonial fire burning with the loving guidance of midwife Felicia, student midwife Lindsey, and the entire collective. now, Josie supports in sharing the medicine of homebirthing, specifically for Black, Brown, and Indigenous peoples.
Fatuma Emmad (she/her)
I am deeply honored to serve as a board member with Community Roots Midwife Collective, where my passion for nurturing life extends from the soil to the birthing room. As the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Frontline Farming, I have spent over two decades cultivating the land, growing food, and teaching sustainable farming practices. This connection to the earth informs my understanding of midwifery—both require a deep respect for life, a commitment to stewardship, and an unwavering dedication to honoring the hard work that brings new life into the world. My journey, rooted in the rich traditions of Ethiopia and the lessons learned from tending the land, guides my approach to supporting families through their most sacred transitions. Just as we tend the soil to nourish future harvests, I believe in nurturing families to create strong, healthy communities. It is with this spirit of care and stewardship that I am proud to serve on the board of Community Roots Midwife Collective.
