About Us
Midwives
Emily
Emily Friar has been a Certified Professional Midwife since 2003 and a Licensed Midwife in the state of Virginia since 2006. She is a graduate of the National College of Midwifery, a MEAC accredited program, and received her clinical training in Taos, New Mexico. Emily practiced as a solo home birth midwife for thirteen years serving families in Rockbridge county and surrounding areas. From 2017-2023 she attended both birth center and home births as a staff midwife in a freestanding birth center, serving families of the Shenandoah Valley. Emily is a NARM certified preceptor and has participated in the training of several student midwives. Emily and her husband live in Staunton and have three children all of whom were born at home with the support of midwives.
Kai
Kai Lyons has been a Certified Professional Midwife since 2021. She started her training in 2015 in a birth center setting. She completed her training through the Portfolio Evaluation Process(PEP) which allows students to train in the traditional apprenticeship model. Over her time as a student she attended around 200 births and attended both birth center and home births. Since becoming a CPM and Licensed Midwife Kai was able to quickly become a NARM certified preceptor and has worked with both MEAC and PEP students. Kai is following in the footsteps of her mother who was a home birth midwife for many years in Charlottesville.
Both Emily and Kai maintain current certification in Neonatal Resuscitation and Adult CPR and have attended several continuing education workshops including Birth Emergency Skills Training (BEST) and Breech without Borders. Recertification is required every two years for CPM credentialing.
Student Midwives
Elizabeth
Elizabeth Parr is a Charlottesville resident of 16 years and a graduate of the University of Virginia with a BS in Environmental Sciences. She is trained as a birth doula and childbirth educator by Hartland College and has been participating in the rhythms of prenatal preparation, natural childbirth, and postpartum care with midwifery practices in Virginia since March 2022. She has changed thousands of diapers, courtesy of her eight younger siblings, and isn't mad about it. Her "toxic" trait is wildly encouraging anyone who mentions thinking about having kids (or more kids) to absolutely go for it.
EMMA
Emma Gould is a resident of Rockbridge county. She began assisting midwives in Virginia in 2018, and officially began her PEP (portfolio evaluation process) journey in 2022. Before midwifery, she practiced as both a birth and postpartum doula, and a childbirth educator. She has attended over 200 births in hospital, birth center and home birth settings. In addition to her midwifery work, Emma is also a practicing folk herbalist specializing in women's reproductive health. She is a mother of two energetic and exciting children, and can often be found chasing them through their garden or the forests of Appalachia.
Both Elizabeth and Emma are certified in Neonatal Resuscitation and Adult CPR.