Serving Fairbanks, Delta Junction and the Greater Interior Alaska
Our team
Kate Parks, CDM, CPM
ABLEMIDWIFE primarily serving Fairbanks and surrounding areas
Kate Parks came to Alaska for adventure and to attend UAF in the mid 90’s. She had a love for nature and unique cultures and quickly fell in love with both in interior Alaska. She lived in the dorms, then a series of small cabins while studying anthropology and sociology. Her love of adventure led her to travel to India, Nepal and southeast Asia for two years just before the turn of the millennium but the call of Alaska was strong and she returned in 2000 and soon met and married her husband Dave, a local musician. They opened Grassroots Guitar Co. together, a small music store on College Rd. that they ran for nearly 20 years.
In 2005 Kate gave birth to her first child with the care of midwives, her family and her doula. This inspired her love of birth and supporting women. When her daughter was two she trained to be a Doula and started Simple Birth Doula Service. It was her work as a doula that deepened her love of community birth. She attended births in the hospital, birth center and homes for many clients over the next 6 years as well as teaching childbirth class with doula partners and for the birth center. She gave birth to her 2nd child in a lovely water birth in her home in 2011, attended by her dear friends the midwives she had come to know both in her work as a doula and as a client. Kate fell in love with homebirth and she dreamed of becoming a midwife. Two years after the birth of her son, she attended the home birth of a repeat doula client with midwife Dana Brown. As they were talking after the baby had come, she knew that midwifery was her calling. The fall of 2013 Kate committed to an apprenticeship with her midwives and the mission of serving the wonderful community in Interior Alaska.
Kate had the honor to learn and work alongside some of the most incredible midwives. Dana, Joy, Cheryl, Vanessa, Katie, Cori, Manga, Julie, Erin, Hannah, and Kluane. She licensed in 2016 and continued to work for Alaska Family Health & Birth Center where she trained. In the 10 years there, she was able to serve hundreds of families. There is something really special about being present at the births of more than one child for the same family - it brings true meaning to being a community midwife. Kate hopes to continue to serve the interior Alaska community in her capacity as founder of ABLEMIDWIFE as midwife, mentor, advocate, resource and teacher both here in Alaska and beyond.
Joy Keller, CDM, CPM
ABLEMIDWIFE serving primarily Delta Junction and surrounding areas
Joy Keller was born at home as were her younger brothers. Joy grew up in in a very remote area of Alaska where nearly all the women in her acquaintance had their babies in their homes with midwives. She recalls being surprised in her teenage years to realize that most American women went to a hospital to give birth. At age 19 Joy was given the opportunity to watch a friend give birth. This birth took place in an Alaskan home, accessible only by boat or helicopter. Though more than 100 miles from a hospital, there was no fear or panic as the midwife gently and quietly encouraged the young mother. The only light was the evening sunshine finding its way in through the curtains. Joy remembers that the baby didn’t cry when it was born, it just looked around in a surprised sort of way. The baby was not scared and it was not in pain, so it just quietly took its first breath and stared wide eyed at its parents.
A while later Joy accompanied another friend to her hospital birth. She was shocked by the bright lights, the number of people in the room, the instructions shouted at the mother and most of all, the way the screaming baby was immediately taken by strangers to another table to be weighed and measured and examined before being given to its mother. Shortly after this Joy began her training as a student midwife. She knew she wanted to give as many women as possible the opportunity to give birth in their own way, in their atmosphere and in the place of their choice. She wanted to help babies be born in a way that did not fill them with terror and shock.
Joy became a licensed midwife in 2007. She worked a few years full time at Alaska Family Health and Birth Center and then part time for many years, while also attending homebirths in Delta Junction, Salcha and Tok.
Joy is delighted to be joining Kate Parks at ABLEMIDWIFE. Joy is currently living in Delta Junction and will be available for prenatal and post-partum care and homebirth in the Delta area.
Dana Brown, LM, CPM
ABLEMIDWIFE Mentor/Advisor
Dana Brown is a well known part of the midwifery and birth community in Alaska and beyond. She worked as a community midwife for over 30 years in the interior of our state helping 1000’s of babies come into this world including multiple generations in many families. She was a fundamental contributor to the Alaskan legislature licensing midwives in our state. She served on many state and national boards including being chair of the Alaska Board of Direct Entry Midwives for many years. She served as Executive Director for Alaska Family Health & Birth Center from 1993-2020 and was the driving force in building a dedicated facility in the community. She currently serves as commissioner on the Commission for the Accreditation of Birth Centers.
Dana Brown grew up on a rural ranch and was familiar with birth as a natural part of the cycle of life watching the births of cattle and horses. She gave birth to her three children at home with midwives. She has a deep love of the art of midwifery and has trained many midwives to carry on this work. She was the principle preceptor and mentor of both Joy and Kate in their training as midwives and she was also midwife to them and present for both of the births of their youngest children. She is honored to be asked to be a trusted advisor and contribute with mentorship both remotely and in person. She feels that ABLEMIDWIFE will continue to serve the mission and vision that was at the core of her work.
When Dana retired in 2020 she moved to the Big Island in Hawaii and has come full circle living on a beautiful ranch with her son and daughter in law and her two dogs. She spends her days farming and tending to horses and chickens and enjoying time with her dear friend and neighbor. You can often find her on the phone as well talking with her best Alaskan midwife friends Joy, Irene and Kate and offering her sage wisdom and quick wit. She plans visits to Alaska 1-2 times a year for time with her friends and the families that she has cared for.
Hilary Nichols, AM
ABLEMIDWIFE Apprentice Midwife & Birth Assistant
Hilary has lived in Fairbanks since 2003 when she came up to pursue a biology degree at UAF. She spent years working at the university in marine science research and has been coaching 12 and unders for the Stingray swim team for 7 years. She is married to a RN/commercial salmon fisherman and has 3 kids ages 5, 9, and 12. She enjoys being active and is currently training for a triathlon, but also appreciates cozy couches, fuzzy blankets, and coffee. She also really loves good food and cooking with her kids.
Hilary has been interested in pregnancy and birth since having her own children and began assisting local community midwives at births in the fall of 2021. Discovering her deep passion for serving families through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum, she enrolled in midwifery school and started in January 2022. She is passionate about empowering women and families through compassionate care, trusting relationships, and education.