Meet Our Team

Nichole began her journey to become a midwife in 2001. She started on her path as a DONA certified birth doula attending both hospital and home births in Georgia. She also worked as a Lamaze certified childbirth educator at a pregnancy resource center. In 2004, Nichole started a membership based nonprofit organization to bring together local birth professionals. This organization served as a resource for both families and birth professionals for almost 20 years.

Nichole assisted at her first home birth as an apprentice midwife during the Summer of 2007. She quickly realized this is what she was meant to do. While continuing to have children, teach classes & lead a growing nonprofit, Midwifery training often took a backseat. In 2017 Nichole and her family relocated to central Virginia where she found her place in a local birth center. While there she attended births at both the freestanding birth center and at home, and was able to complete her Midwifery training.

She then moved to Tennessee in May of 2019 to establish a Midwifery practice and continue raising her family. This was short lived as she knew her family belonged back in VA. She returned to VA in February 2022, and opened The Nest in March 2022. Nichole is now also a registered NARM preceptor.

Nichole has been married to Scott for almost 27 years. Together they have 10 children, 7 of which were home water births. They also have one granddaughter that was born at the birth center. Nichole has personal experience with fertility issues including MTHFR, recurrent loss, and has had a baby in the NICU. She has breastfed all of her children over varying periods of time and has dealt with many nursing hurdles.

When asked the question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” as a small child, Hannah would always answer, “I want to be a midwife.” This came from hearing wonderful stories of how she was born at home with a midwife attending her birth. 

At the age of ten, Hannah met a local midwife who she grew to greatly respect. Over the years, this midwife encouraged Hannah by saying this dream was indeed possible. At the age of 21, Hannah became a birth doula still wondering if midwifery was something she could do. In the summer of 2022, this same midwife invited Hannah to come work with her in a birth clinic. It was then that Hannah realized this was indeed what she was meant to do. That same year Hannah had the privilege of meeting other local midwives and was able to attend a few births with them. 

Birth work as well as postpartum support is Hannah’s true passion and she is excited to be pursuing what she was born to do. Hannah had the privilege of supporting her sister-in-laws during their pregnancies. Her most favorite title is “Ninnie” as her three nephews lovingly call her. 

Hannah has lived on a farm for most of her life where she especially enjoys Sundays playing volleyball or just hanging out with family – with a raw milk latte in hand. Hannah looks forward to helping, learning from and connecting with the clients in the birth center.

As the second of ten children, Sophia has always had a strong interest in childbirth and different care models. Her mother had multiple home births, and Sophia often helped, as well as attend others. In March 2018, she completed DONA doula training and assisted with births from January to April of 2020. Sophia's fascination with the medical field led her to enroll in a Phlebotomy program from May 18th to July 15th, 2021, and passed the certification exam on August 10th earning her CPTC. She is currently enrolled in college to earn a Bachelor’s in Integrative Health and Medicine.

In September 2024, Sophia had the privilege of delivering her own child at The Nest, with her mother and another midwife present. Experiencing her dream water birth was incredibly empowering. She says, "it was a powerful reminder of my capabilities, and the support I received reaffirmed my strength." This experience further deepened her understanding and passion for out-of-hospital pregnancy care and births.

At The Nest, Liz plays a vital role in ensuring the facility runs smoothly and provides exceptional support to its community. Her responsibilities include general facility maintenance, such as snow removal, housekeeping, and landscaping, to maintain a safe and welcoming environment. She also contributes to event planning and support by preparing snacks for Birth Circle gatherings, offering social and emotional support at Red Tent events, and assisting with food preparation. Liz recently completed Birth Assistant Training as well as Neonatal Resuscitation. Currently, Liz is expanding her expertise by studying Entrepreneurship and Business at Germanna Community College and pursuing Virginia DMAS doula certification. Beyond her work at The Nest, she volunteers with Postpartum Support Virginia as a facilitator and mentor, offering guidance and care to new parents. Her dedication to maintaining the facility and supporting families showcases her commitment to creating a nurturing and empowering environment for the community.