Linda Glenn, CNM, PMHNP, MPH, MN
Professional Home Birth Midwife
Linda is a Certified Nurse Midwife and began practicing midwifery in 1975 in the deep South. She worked
in rural areas in several southeastern states (the Mississippi Delta, the Appalachian region of Kentucky, and North Carolina).
In North Carolina, Linda helped write and successfully pass legislation establishing a separate licensing board for nurse-midwives.
She also developed the first birth center in North Carolina as well as establishing a safe system of care for patients choosing
home birth. In 1985, Linda moved to Gallup, New Mexico, and worked with Native American populations. During those years, she
worked with the University of New Mexico School of Nursing to establish a B.S.N. completion program for Registered Nurses and steered the nursing program into its first accreditation
review by the National League for Nurses. Linda arrived in Portland in 1988 to pursue post-graduate education and has remained
here since working as a faculty midwife with OHSU and attending home births. She provides mental health services to her clients as well. For relaxation, Linda loves to read
and work on needlework projects. She is an excellent cook and a decent carpenter. She also shares a love of outdoor activities
with her adult son.
Wendy Gordon, CPM, LDM, LM
Professional Home Birth Midwife
Placenta Encapsulation Specialist
Wendy grew up in northern Minnesota and received her degree in chemical engineering from the University
of North Dakota. She embarked on a twisty career path that included refinery engineering in Minneapolis, corporate recruiting
in Kansas, and human resources in Portland. Wendy finally discovered her calling to midwifery in 2001. She trained
and worked as a doula, then entered Seattle Midwifery School's three-year program (which is now
Bastyr University) and graduated in Fall 2005 with the Jo Anne Myers-Ciecko Award for Outstanding Scholarship and Leadership. As part
of her midwifery education, Wendy apprenticed with Linda for two years, as well as with a very busy practice in Seattle and
in a high-volume hospital with midwives on the island of Vanuatu in the South Pacific. She has also studied CranioSacral
Therapy for infants under Carol Gray and loves to treat the newborn babies of her clients. Wendy is a Certified Professional
Midwife and is licensed in the states of Oregon and Washington. She is an Adjunct Faculty member in the Department
of Midwifery at Bastyr University and teaches upcoming midwifery students. Wendy is an active member of the Midwives Alliance of North America's Division of Research and is pursuing a Masters degree in Public Health. She is also
a Certified Placenta Encapsulation Specialist and gratefully offers this service to new mothers in the Portland metro area. Wendy is happily married and has a beautiful
daughter who was born at home with Vivante Midwifery.
Professional Home Birth Midwife
Laura was raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where her family was very active in Eastern European performing ensembles.
After graduating from Duquesne University, she moved to Turkmenistan to teach English in the Peace Corps. It was there that she first became aware of professional midwifery. She took a long time returning to the U.S. with extensive
detours through Asia and Europe, then came to work at a birth center in Pittsburgh. After attending her first out-of-hospital
birth there in 1998, she was immediately hooked. She became a doula in Toronto while studying at the Toronto School of Homeopathic Medicine, then came to Oregon to study nurse-midwifery at Oregon Health and Science University. She worked at the Women's Health Center of Oregon, a large obstetrics and midwifery hospital based practice. Then in 2007, she and her husband Jim welcomed their son Luka
(10+ lbs!) at an incredible home waterbirth. That experience absolutely confirmed that homebirth is both her calling and passion.
She is tremendously thrilled to be working at Vivante now. When not catching babies, she can often be found helping Luka chase
peacocks out of their farm garden.
Sarah Hainley, CPM, LDM, LM
Professional Home Birth Midwife
Sarah was born and raised in Portland, the oldest of three children and part of a large extended family where she
spent her early years surrounded by pregnant bellies and new babies. Her first exposure to home birth was at the age
of 7, when she experienced the birth of her youngest brother born at home, in the house that her father and grandmother were
raised in. After receiving her BA from Seattle University and graduating from the Honor's Program, Sarah moved into her midwifery
path at Seattle Midwifery School (now Bastyr University). During her time in the Midwifery Education Program, Sarah also worked on the Board of Directors
at Seattle Midwifery School, trained at two busy birth centers and home birth practices in Seattle and Portland, and was awarded
the Jo Anne Myers-Ciecko Award for Outstanding Scholarship and Leadership upon graduation in 2007. After graduation,
Sarah continued her involvement in midwifery academics through her work as the Clinical Coordinator at Seattle Midwifery School,
where she developed a passion for supporting the relationship between clinical educators and students. She also began
practicing as a midwife at a busy birth center in Everett, Washington until the pull back to Oregon became too hard to resist.
Sarah is a member of the Oregon Midwifery Council and the Midwives Association of Washington State, and has participated in the writing and presentation of practices guidelines for out of hospital midwives. She is
grateful for the opportunity to share such a powerful experience as birth with her clients and never ceases to be amazed by
the strength of the women she works with. Sarah lives with her husband, Brendan, and their new puppy, Jubei. In
between births, Sarah can be found on long dog walks in Sellwood, cooking and exploring foods, practicing yoga, playing piano,
traveling the world, and adventuring around Portland with family and friends.
Office Manager
Student Midwife
Amy Jo grew up in rural Ohio, where much of
her career had been spent working with adults with developmental disabilities. She earned her Bachelor’s
degree in Women’s Studies/ Psychology at Ohio State University in 1994. She moved to Portland in
1996 to pursue an education in Naturopathic Medicine, and attended National College of Naturopathic Medicine for a year, after which she moved to Alaska. She returned to Portland in 2001, and after experiencing
the births of her two sons, she found her calling in midwifery. She has attended Birthingway College of Midwifery and is currently completing her training with Vivante Midwifery. When away from the phone, computer, and
books, Amy Jo enjoys spending time with her children, cycling, and knitting.
Lisa Wiley
Student Midwife
Lisa grew up in the Seattle-area and was later drawn to Massachusetts to pursue
a Bachelor's degree in world religion and gender studies from Wellesley College. After being waylaid by an offer to follow a path of traditional medical studies in China, she serendipitously heard the
word "midwife" in one of her last classes prior to graduation and was captivated, realizing instantly that this
was a practice and tradition that perfectly embodied her calling to work as a women's and human rights activist through
the medium of healing. Upon graduation she returned to Seattle where she worked as a doula and began her studies toward
a Master's degree in midwifery at Bastyr University (formerly the Seattle Midwifery School), where she has currently finished her first year. She is passionate about listening to and learning from women, and working
to preserve and help proliferate the natural and sacred space surrounding women's health and childbirth -- and particularly
honored to do so alongside the midwives at Vivante. When her nose is freed from her books, she can be found out on long
walks, exploring the beautiful new land of Portland.
