Dr Mary Nyvall, BA, MD, CCFP

I moved to BC from Ontario in 2006 to finish my residency in family medicine. During my training, I worked with a GP who did a large volume of obstetrics and I quickly fell in love with this area of medicine. I also fell in love with a British Columbian man…so 15 years and five children later, we continue to call Abbotsford home.

My “down time” is a bit limited with five kids under 13, but we all LOVE to travel to warm places, especially Hawaii. I also enjoy exercising, reading, growing in my faith and watching Netflix (sometimes all at the same time!)

When I’m not home with my own kids, there are few places I’d rather be than looking after “mommies and babies” (as my children say). Participating in one of the most exciting, terrifying and vulnerable times of a patient’s life is a humbling honour. And what a privilege to have a job that I actually enjoy.

I have a particular heart for those suffering with postpartum depression and mental health struggles. I suffered from severe postpartum depression after my fifth child was born in 2015. For the 2 years I was off work, I had a picture up on my wall from a delivery I’d done early in my career. I was holding a beautiful newborn I had just delivered and joy radiated from my being…That visual reminder helped motivate me to get well so I could get back to doing the job I loved.

I have done maternity care exclusively for the majority of my career, looking after thousands of women and their newborn babes, but never as part of a collaborative clinic. This year, my youngest child started kindergarten, our world has been turned upside down by a pandemic and there have been many unexpected ups and downs. But this also provided the impetus I needed to both recognize and begin addressing the gaps in perinatal care within this community. I joined with my amazing midwifery co lead, Laura Lande and a team of inspiring health care professionals and the vision of the Fraser Birth Collaborative was ‘born’.

Dr. Danae Tracey, BSc, MD, CFPC (Locum)

I grew up in the Lower Mainland, graduated from UBC Medical School, and completed my Family Medicine Residency here in Abbotsford. From the beginning of my medical training, I have always had an interest in and love for obstetrics!

I am married and have an all-too-energetic toddler, who made me a mom and changed my world for the better. As a family, we spend a lot of our holidays in Uganda. Apart from work, I enjoy spending time with family and relaxing outdoors.

I feel so privileged to have maternity care be a part of my career as a general family practice physician. I find such joy in caring for patients from birth and across all stages of life!

Laura Lande, BScN, RN, RMW, Co-Lead

It’s been an exciting journey developing and opening Fraser Birth Collaborative, and Mary and I are so excited to see this dream come to life. I started this path in 2006 when I studied nursing at Trinity Western University. I fell in love with Obstetrics nursing and immediately started at Abbotsford Hospital as a labour and delivery nurse in 2009. During my work here over the next years I conducted research, as part of my Masters of Science at UBC, on the effects of various maternal positionings in labour on fetal positioning in labour. Throughout my studies and work on the maternity floor I found myself drawn to the midwifery model of care – the woman-centred care, their philosophy of birth, and supporting families throughout the prenatal period, delivery, and the postpartum period. My family and I moved across the country to Toronto where I completed my midwifery studies. I worked as a midwife at Chilliwack Midwifery for three years and am grateful to the midwives and community for welcoming me, teaching me and helping me grow as a midwife before coming back to Abbotsford.

I am so excited to be back in Abbotsford. The collaboration between the many team members in this clinic is truly my dream and melding of my past nursing life and midwifery life. I feel strongly that having care delivered from a team will more fully meet the needs of our community – offering routine prenatal care alongside mental health services, breastfeeding supports, home visits, and higher risk physician care within one location and with one team!

Personally, my husband and I moved to Abbotsford from Surrey in 2008. We have four boys (2011, 2013, 2015, 2017) who keep us busy! We love to hike together with our dog, go skiing, spend time at Lake Chelan in Washington, and enjoy “Sunday-fun-day” with our extended family. My husband is an elementary school teacher so we love to go away at Spring Break someplace warm!

I’m looking forward to engaging with the moms, infants, and families in the Fraser Valley!

Anna Logan, BSCN, RN

Biography coming soon!

Brittany Funk, BScN, RN, IBCLC

I completed my bachelor of nursing degree at the University of Calgary in 2009 and moved to B.C. with my husband as a newlywed.

I began working at ARHCC in maternity in the fall of 2009 and did my perinatal specialty through BCIT in 2010. Most recently I have been working in the maternity clinics at Jim Pattison Outpatient Care and Surgery Centre including outpatient fetal monitoring, antepartum home care, the nausea vomiting clinic, and the early pregnancy assessment clinic. I love being able to get to know women as I see them throughout their pregnancies. I have a passion for educating and ensuring patients are informed about their care.

In my free time I like to read and go for walks with my family. I’m a mom to 3 girls, with the newest born in January 2021. Each of my pregnancies has taught me something new.

Michelle Hopkins, BScN, RN

My passion in nursing has always been women’s health! I graduated from Thompson Rivers University in 2008 with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and completed my Perinatal Specialty in Nursing at BCIT. I have been working in labor and delivery for more than 12 years now at ARHCC. It’s a privilege to be involved in a family’s birth experience and I take pride in my role as the nurse.

I have completed additional training in sexual health and have had the opportunity to work in local clinics specifically meeting reproductive health needs of the community.

I’m currently an instructor with BCIT in the Perinatal Specialty and enjoy mentoring and facilitating the learning of nurses new to maternity.

I have two children and enjoy spending time with my family outside.

I hope to bring my personal and professional experiences to this new and exciting role. I look forward to working in collaboration with this amazing team!

Rachel Wiens, RCC

My experience after the birth of my first child fueled in me a desire to help women as they navigate the complex emotions surrounding the “fourth trimester”. I’m passionate about working with women who are facing struggles related to pregnancy, birth trauma, postpartum depression/anxiety, pregnancy loss, and the transition to motherhood. I consider it an honor to provide a safe space for women to process and share their stories, and I approach my work with warmth, authenticity, and non-judgment.

I’ve been working as a Registered Clinical Counsellor since graduating from my Master’s program in 2014. When I’m not in the counsellor’s chair, you can find me at home with my three children, curled up on the couch with a book, or outside breathing in the fresh BC air.

Brittany Leinweber, Midwife

My interest in midwifery began with a part-time summer job I stumbled upon as an administrative assistant for my local midwifery clinic. At that point in my life I was pretty naïve as to what a career in midwifery entailed, so I took to the clinic library and became quickly fascinated. I was completing my Kinesiology degree at the time and began to notice a switch in the research I was doing. I started gearing all papers and projects towards anything pregnancy and/or newborn related. Around that time, I knew that not only was I passionate about the health science behind pregnancy and childbirth, but that I also wanted to help empower and advocate for women during this momentous time in their lives.

I was born and raised in Langley BC. In 2013 I completed my Bachelor of Kinesiology from the University of the Fraser Valley. Here I also played varsity volleyball, and met my husband. Shortly afterwards, I moved to Calgary where I attained my Bachelor if Midwifery from Mount Royal University.

In my spare time I can be found hiking, mountain biking, and hanging out with my son.

It is an honour for me to be a part of this sacred time in your life. I am looking forward to meeting and learning more about you and your family.

Lyndene Janzen, BScN, RN, IBCLC

I am so grateful to be a part of the Fraser Birth Collaborative team!

I grew up dreaming of being a mom, nurse, and a singer.  My grandfather told me I could definitely be all those and I’m happy to say he was right!

My nursing career began in 2005 after graduating with my BScN from Trinity Western University.  I got married a week later and moved to Vancouver Island where I began my nursing practice on multiple units and worked with youth alongside my husband.  I had always loved babies and had a fantastic experience in L&D in nursing school so it was an easy decision to pursue my perinatal specialty in 2007 when we moved back to the mainland to settle in Abbotsford.

Since then I have been working in Maternity and growing my own family, both of which bring me tremendous joy.  I have a specific heart for those navigating losses, unexpected medical complications, and mental health challenges.  Throughout my 15 years of maternity nursing and through my own experiences I have learned that no pregnancy is perfect, no woman is invincible, no baby is a perfect angel – but with knowledge, compassion, humility, and community – having and raising a human is the most empowering experience one can have.

I have four incredible kids who keep me busy (and humble), a house full of pets, and a great husband who keeps me laughing.  As a family we love outdoor recreation – camping, hiking, biking and swimming; as a couple we like to lift weights and go out for breakfast; and when I take time by myself it’s to enjoy a novel or play with watercolours!  Oh and yes, I do sing – in choirs, while baking, in church, with my kids, in family sing alongs, at staff party karaoke, and of course in the shower!

Thank you for trusting Fraser Birth Collaborative with your pregnancy, birth, and postpartum care.  It will be my honour to meet you, to care for you, and to support you through these significant moments and experiences.

Sarah Jane Kaminski, BScN, RN, IBCLC

I grew up in a small prairie town and moved to the west coast to attend Trinity Western University.  I graduated in 2006 with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.  After working for two years as a surgical nurse I made the change to neonatal nursing.  In 2008, I attended BCIT to obtain my Neonatal Nursing Specialty Advanced Certificate and have been working in the Abbotsford NICU ever since.  It has been a gift to care for hundreds of Abbotsford’s tiniest patients for the past 14 years.

When I’m not working, I’m busy at home with my husband and three children (boy, boy, girl) born in 2012, 2015, & 2017.  We are an active family and like to be outdoors hiking or paddle boarding, and travel as much as we can!

A highlight of my nursing career was when my husband and I traveled to Uganda, for a year, to live and volunteer.  I was able to put my nursing, and specifically my neonatal knowledge, to work as I cared for sick and vulnerable babies.  While there, I helped to open a new home for orphaned children.

I’m excited to be joining the team at Fraser Birth Collaborative.  Being entrusted to provide care for babies and families is both a privilege and an extraordinary responsibility. I thank you for allowing me to journey along with you!

Nooshin Nikpartow, RM

I was born and raised in Iran, and completed my four-year Bachelor’s degree of Midwifery in 1995. After 11 years of practicing Midwifery, my husband and I along with our two young daughters left our family and friends in Iran to start a new and exciting life in Canada.

Since our arrival in 2006, I have completed Master of science at the University of Saskatchewan and became a Canadian Registered Midwife in January 2009. Before moving to Abbotsford in June 2011 and having the privilege of serving the growing families in the beautiful Fraser Valley, I was honoured to be one of the first midwives who stablished the midwifery care in Saskatchewan.

Midwifery has been my dream and my humble work, to support the incredible process of two hearts, the mother’s and her baby’s who is coming into this world.

Evelyn Wall, BScN, RN

My name is Evelyn and I am beyond thrilled to be part of the Fraser Birth team

I graduated with my Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2007 from Trinity Western University.  I began my career working in Pediatrics at ARHCC, then three years in I realized the passion I had for neonatal care, as we would receive these “NICU graduates” on the pediatric floor.  I obtained my Neonatal Specialty through BCIT and have been working in the Abbotsford NICU since 2010.

When I’m not at work, I am usually with my husband and our three girls (5, 8 and 10).  Together we love being outside together, at our family cabin, or being cozy inside reading and playing games.

When I first heard about Fraser Birth Collaborative, it was a dream job, working with families and their babies, providing much needed interdisciplinary postpartum care in our community.  Now this dream is a reality and I look so forward to meeting each and every one of you and journeying right alongside you.

Kacey Temple, BScN

Becoming a member of the Fraser birth Collaborative team has been a dream come true for me as I am passionate about making the transition from pregnancy to postpartum a positive experience for mothers and their newborns! 

I was born and raised in Abbotsford, BC but spent my University years in Kelowna where I graduated from UBC Okanagan with a BScN in 2013. I have spent the past (nearly) ten years as a Public Health Nurse with a passion for maternal and infant care, health promotion and education. I married my teenage sweetheart in 2009 and we had five children in the span of seven years. I was blessed to have amazing prenatal and postpartum care which had a huge impact on my birthing and breastfeeding experiences. My births have varied from hospital, home, water and C-section births and breastfeeding differed with each baby. These experiences have helped to shape my practice and allow me to better understand and empathize with women we serve. 

Between work and family time I’m kept quite busy but always make time for spin classes, baking, singing at church and shopping. As a family we love to go camping and get together with our extended family.   

Fraser Birth Collaborative has an innovative approach that is much welcomed in our community, I am so proud to be a part of this wonderful team!

Mackenzie Boatman, RCC

My name is Mackenzie, and I grew up in St. Albert, AB, and moved to the Lower Mainland to attend graduate school at Trinity Western. My husband and I also welcomed a baby boy during this time. Through this, my eyes were opened to the beautiful and challenging aspects of the perinatal and parenting journey, and I uncovered a passion for walking with women and their families through the major life transitions and losses that can be a part of this stage. I began to focus my studies on perinatal and infant mental health once returning to studies and clinical work postpartum and find so much joy in furthering my education and experience in these areas, most recently through the Centre of Perinatal Excellence.

I believe that healing is possible, and that growth & change occur in the context of safe relationship.  As such, I strive to provide a non-judgmental, caring space for people to feel accepted, better know and understand themselves, and work towards their goals. I am client-centered in my work, meaning that I see people as the experts of their own lives, and my role is to walk alongside and provide the support that is needed, which can look different for each person.

I am trained in Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT), Emotion-Focused Family Therapy (EFFT), Play & Sandtray Therapy, and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) and incorporate Internal Family Systems (IFS), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Interpersonal Neurobiology, Mindfulness, and Self-Compassion techniques into my practice as a trauma-informed therapist.

During my free time, I enjoy playing with my son, reading, listening to podcasts, and relaxing with a reality show.

I am so proud to be a part of the Fraser Birth Collaborative team and I would feel honoured to meet and support you along your journey!

Shannon Ruley, RM

Growing up as the eldest of six children I was immersed in the world of pregnancy and babies at a young age, but I didn’t begin to imagine myself as a midwife until years later.

I am a Mission girl through and through. My grandfather was a busy family doctor here who delivered hundreds if not thousands of babies. Both my parents grew up in Mission and were always actively involved in the community.

I graduated from the UBC Midwifery Program in 2010 and have been happily working and serving the families of Mission ever since.

I run my own practice in Mission (Mission Midwives) and help out the Fraser Birth Collaborative team as well.

When I’m not working you will find me spending time with my 2 amazing kids and my fur baby, and my large extended family that includes my 8 nieces and nephews, all born with the help of midwives and their Auntie Shannon 🙂

Christina Kliewer, BSc, MPT (Physiotherapy)

I graduated from UBC in 2012 with my Masters of Physical Therapy and I did my Bachelor of Science degree in Biology at UFV in Abbotsford. I grew up in Canada, Central Asia and Germany and moved back to Abbotsford to be near family and go to university. I met my husband here and we have four wonderfully busy children. Our last baby was born in the fall of 2022 and each of my postpartum journeys has been different. I vividly remember learning about pelvic floor physiotherapy in school and saying to myself “I will NEVER do that.” However, after my second child, I realized just how important and difficult it can be to regain full pelvic floor function so I took specialized training in Women’s Health Pelvic Floor Rehab with courses in incontinence, prolapse, diastasis recti (abdominal separation), painful sex and pain around the vulva and coccyx.

I am passionate about helping women regain control of such a vulnerable area of their lives and nothing is TMI to me. My goal is to help give you practical exercises and strategies and a personalized exercise program to help get you back to the activities you love. I use a combination of biofeedback and full body exercises to help you reach your goals.

I also do “regular” orthopedic physiotherapy and have extra training in manual therapy to help with muscles and joints, dry needling, concussion and vestibular rehab. I played sports growing up and had a number of injuries but one specifically big injury that involved surgeries and rehab. I personally understand the work it takes to rehab and the emotional toll that injuries and long standing pain can take on your life. I am passionate about helping my patients get back to doing what they love and not feel limited by their injuries or postpartum journey.

When I am not at work, I’m usually spending time with my family and our dog. I love to be outside camping or going for walks and I also like thrifting. I am usually learning something new, and right now I am learning how to ski and how to draw.