Biographies

Click here to read some of Jan's Midwifery Today editorials.

1947 Born in Los Angeles, California.
1965 Graduated from Placer High School in Auburn, California.
1966 Trained for one year as a psychiatric technician. Courses included basic nursing, pharmacology, microbiology, anatomy and physiology, psychology.
1966–1971 Worked at DeWitt State Hospital in Auburn, California as a psychiatric technician.
1968 Graduated from Sierra College with an Associate of Arts degree.
1970 Graduated with honors from Sacramento State College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Science.
1971 Earned Lifetime California teaching credential with fifth-year program from Sacramento State College.
1972 First daughter born in a hospital. It changed my life forever. It was an unsatisfactory birth experience, but I had a wonderful postpartum experience with 2-1/2 years of breastfeeding.
1976 Second daughter born. She was born at home with a doctor who talked me into a homebirth. The difference between the two births sent me on a path to do something to help women have positive birth experiences.
1976 Began training as a midwife. Because I was raising young children and running a business, and because there were no CNM schools in my area, becoming a CNM was not within my reach.
1977 Began attending births with the Birth Co-op in Eugene while organizing courses in our community taught by CNMs, physicians, nutritionists, etc.
1978 Began a midwifery practice, New Life Care, with a partner, Chris Howard, and apprentice Monika Dunsmore.
1979 Son born at home.
1980 Did a one-year program with Marion Toepke McLean, CNM. Four of us completed the program, which was modeled after CNM curriculum at that time. She took a year off from her practice to teach us and to go to our births with us.
1982 First group of midwives certified by the Oregon Midwives Council. Our board was composed of CNMs and physicians.
1986 Slowed down practice and started Midwifery Today magazine.