April Cañete Pavlish (she/her) is a trained birth and postpartum doula, a licensed Zumba instructor, and holds a Master’s in Public Health with years of experience in sexual and reproductive health. She was inspired by this work after having a wonderful doula at her own birth.
Guramrit is a birth and postpartum doula trained through Birthing Gently (DONA) and Certified Lactation Counselor (Healthy Children Project). Guramrit’s professional vocation has spanned across different industries but has always resided with the same common denominator of
amplifying the voices of those in underserved communities, especially in the Greater New York City and New York State areas. After studying Magazine Journalism at Syracuse University, she spent her first few post college years working at various publications including Parenting
Magazine before working in marketing at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She also completed training as a holistic health counselor and transitioned to working at GrowNYC Farmers Markets as a Market Manager all while publishing her first cookbook, Yogi Eats.
Jenny Langbehn (CLC, LCCE) is a Certified Advanced Holistic Doula, Lactation Counselor (CLC), Childbirth Educator (Lamaze), Midwifery Assistant (The Farm Midwives in Tennessee), and Certified Prenatal Yoga Instructor. Jenny’s particular passion has been supporting New York City families through a complex- and often overwhelming- hospital system. Currently single-momming her way through nursing school and on track to Midwifery, Jenny is honored to be a part of the Manhattan Birth community.
Sarah Lovell (LM, CNM, WHNP, RN, CLC, Certified Holistic Doula) is a licensed midwife and an experienced former doula who came to this work with a background in holistic health. Having managed natural health clinics since 2005, Sarah passionately believes in the body’s innate abilities and loves empowering others to have the same faith in themselves. Beyond doula training, she has completed additional courses in breastfeeding support, Acupressure for Pregnancy, Labor & Postpartum as well as Childbirth Education.
Sophia O’Shaughnessy is a DONA-trained birth and postpartum doula, certified lactation counselor, and mother of two. She has additional training in comforting touch for birth, holistic newborn care, the fourth trimester, and supporting LGBTQ families. As a former opera singer, Sophia never imagined having a career in healthcare. However, her own journey through pregnancy and birth with her first son totally changed that: she had an incredible, powerful birth and knew immediately that she needed to help other families feel that too.
Whitney Burke (MSPT) is a pediatric physical therapist that graduated with her master’s degree from Northeastern University in 2006. She started her career working at Blythedale Children’s Hospital in Westchester, New York where she gained extensive training in neuro-developmental treatment. In 2008, Whitney founded her private practice, Whitney Burke Physical Therapy, based in New York City’s Upper East Side.
Yiska Obadia-Gedal (L. Ac.) is a NY State licensed acupuncturist, prenatal and therapeutic massage therapist and birth doula. As a massage therapist since 1995 and friend, she attended her first birth in 2001. Awed by the power and beauty of that experience, she attended a doula training program to learn more about the ways she could support mothers and families in the birth process.
