Erin Dorman, M.S., CHES
Erin is a Certified Health Education Specialist and holds a Master’s Degree in Health Education from the University of Florida. Erin spent her time at UF researching and teaching courses about women’s health and reproductive health. Erin’s studies and work have taken her from Ghana to Italy and throughout Central America, finally depositing her in Gainesville. In addition to being an administrator and teaching courses at FSTM, she is also pursuing a certification in Childbirth Education. When she’s not being being a natural birth advocate, you can usually find her frolicking in her garden with her puppies, Elmer and Rupert, and her fantastic husband, Nick.
Kaitlin Early, L.M., B.S.N.
Kaitlin is a graduate of the Florida School of Traditional Midwifery and also holds a Master’s Degree in Music from the University of Hartford. In 2011, she graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Florida. She has worked in the Administrative offices at FSTM since 2004 as an Assistant, then as the Academic Coordinator. She has a variety of teaching experiences in music, Bibliography and Childbirth Education, and her familiarity with both Academia and Midwifery have well prepared her for work at FSTM.
Theresa Finkbeiner , B.S., L.M.T
Theresa received her Master Herbalists degree from Dr. Christopher’s School of Natural Healing in 1984. She also holds a Bachelor’s in Psychology, from Ramapo College, and a diploma in Massage Therapy from the Florida School of Massage. She owns and operates Coyote Moon Herb Company, offering aromatherapy massage oils, herb tinctures made with the lunar cycle, first aid salves, birthing needs, dream pillows and herb teas. Theresa currently teaches at Florida’s Therapeutic Massage School in Pensacola, and has been teaching herbal medicine, leading herb walks and giving herbal consultations for the past 15 years.
Serena Kow, R.N., I.B.C.L.C.
Serena completed her Pre-Nursing at Louisiana State University from 1991-1992, and received her Bachelors of Science in Nursing at Columbia State Community College, Columbia, TN in 1995. Serena has worked since 1995 in Women’s Health, including as an OB flight nurse and in the NICU. She has enjoyed working as both a high risk L&D and Neonatal R.N. and a low risk, mother-baby centered birthing center R.N., while supporting women’s birth choices and promoting patient and baby friendly practices throughout her career. She is an Internationally Certified Lactation Consultant, and current chair of the North Central Florida Breastfeeding Coalition.
Taylor Locker, M.S.
Taylor is a doctoral candidate in Counseling Psychology at the University of Florida. She has completed extensive coursework in psychology and women’s studies during her graduate and undergraduate education at the University of Florida and Purdue University. In addition to teaching psychology and women’s studies courses at the University of Florida, she has served as a practicum counselor at the University of Florida Counseling and Wellness Center and the Alachua County Victim Services and Rape Crisis Center. Taylor is passionate about teaching and mentoring and is very excited to be teaching the Psychology for Midwives course at FSTM.
Sabrina Lutes, L.M.T.
Sabrina Lutes is a mother, herbalist, licensed massage therapist, doula, Birthing from Within Mentor, and Midwife Assistant. Her knowledge of birth and herbalism is a culmination of many paths and many teachers as well as self-taught. She has a vocational degree in Massage Therapy, from Edutech and Midwife Assistant certification from the Florida School of Traditional Midwifery. She has studied herbalism by distance education with Rosemary Gladstar, Susun Weed and is currently under the tutelage of Aviva Romm, Gail Faith Edwards, and Pam England. She lives with her husband and son in Gainesville FL.
Miriam Pearson, L.M.
Miriam has been licensed by the state of Florida since 2003, and has also received national certification as a professional midwife. Miriam is a graduate of the only publicly accredited college program offering a degree in direct entry midwifery, Miami Dade College. She has trained with numerous respected midwives. Additionally, she has attended birthing mothers at a busy clinic in Honduras and worked in an emergency room in Ecuador. Miriam has also been certified as a doula (labor coach) and childbirth educator specializing in hypnosis for labor and birth. Her proudest professional accomplishment was working successfully in 2006 to restructure the Florida Laws and Rules, giving more women the opportunity to choose a normal birth after cesarean. She considers herself lucky to be the mom of four wonderful and talented children. Miriam is fluent in English, Spanish, and Sign Language.
Dave Perez
Dave received a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida, and a Master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling from Nova Southeastern University. He received post-graduate training in family therapy at the Gainesville Family Institute and earned advanced certification in Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy from the Albert Ellis Institute in New York. He had been the director of two residential treatment programs and is currently in private practice. He believes in using direct communication to rapidly develop deep, trusting, and powerful relationships.
Kristen Phillips
Kristen is a graduate of the Florida School of Traditional Midwifery in the Fall of 2010. She has worked in the Administrative offices at FSTM since 2010. She is a midwife at the Birth & Wellness Center of Gainsville. She is married and has four amazing children all born into the hands of midwives. Kristen is dedicated to furthering midwifery and passing on to the next generation of midwives the traditional values and experiences that she has acquired throughout her journey.
Jennifer Pierson
Jennifer Pierson is a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner since 2002. She grew up on the space coast, then pursued both her BSN and her MSN from the University of Florida. She currently works at Shands Teaching Hospital in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Jennifer is also active in the North Central Florida Breastfeeding Coalition and International Cesarean Awareness Network of Gainesville. She has two children, a son and a daughter.
Karin Pugh, L.M., C.P.M.
Karin is a midwife and a graduate of the Florida School of Traditional Midwifery. She currently owns and operates a homebirth practice in Gainesville, FL and is one of the staff midwives at Tri-County Family Health Center in Williston, Florida. She is also the Executive Director of Toni’s Place, a non-profit organization to help pregnant teens. She received her BA degree in Theatre Design from CUNY at Hunter College in New York. Karin is the mother of three grown children and lives with her husband David in Gainesville. Her dream is to help every woman have a choice in the birth place of her child.
Sadie Sanders, Ph. D.
Sadie is a senior lecturer in the Department of Health Education and Behavior at the University of Florida. A graduate of HHP, Sadie received her doctorate degree in health behavior with a minor in medical sociology from University of Florida. In addition to her teaching responsibilities, Dr. Sanders also serves as an addictions therapist and substance abuse specialist, as well as an HIV/AIDS awareness and education trainer for Meridian Behavioral Healthcare, Inc. She also provides her expertise in the health research area as a focus group moderator and report writer. Dr. Sanders also dedicates her time to the community through her positions on the board of directors for the Black AIDS Services and Education. She is also the secretary for the state of Florida’s Reducing Racial and Ethnic Health Disparity Advisory Committee, appointed by the Florida Secretary of Health. She is currently teaching HIV/AIDS to our students at FSTM.
Lori Scott, R.N., B.S.N., M.D.
Lori received her Bachelor’s in Nursing from Southern Adventist University, and her MD from the University of South Carolina. She has experience in teaching Anatomy and Physiology and Human Nutrition at Lake City Community College and Santa Fe Community College in the Nursing and Allied Health programs, and has worked in nursing in various hospitals throughout the south. Lori has one child, a son.
Denise Taylor, R.N.
Margarita Torres, M.S., L.M.T.
Margarita received a Bachelor of Science degree in Food Science and Human Nutrition from the University of Florida. At the University of North Florida, she received a Master of Science degree in Dietetics/Nutrition while focusing on issues related to maternal and infant nutrition on both local and international levels. Since graduating, she has started teaching Nutrition at Santa Fe College and is discovering a new passion for education. Margarita is an athlete of life who enjoys rock climbing and yoga among many other things and is a practicing Licensed Massage Therapist and Certified Personal Trainer who is simply stoked to be teaching Nutrition at FSTM!