Board Members
Melissa Cheyney, PhD, LDM
Board President
Melissa Cheyney PhD, LDM is a Professor of Clinical Medical Anthropology at Oregon State University (OSU) and a community midwife. She co-directs Upliftโa research and reproductive equity laboratory at OSU, where she serves as the Primary Investigator on more than 20 maternal and infant health-related research projects, including the Community Doula Program. She is the author of an ethnography entitled Born at Home (2010, Wadsworth Press), co-editor with Robbie Davis-Floyd of Birth in Eight Cultures (2019, Waveland Press), and author or co-author of more than 60 peer-reviewed articles that examine the cultural beliefs and clinical outcomes associated with midwife-attended birth at home and in birth centers in the United States. In 2019, Dr. Cheyney served on the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicineโs Birth Settings in America Study and in 2020 was named Eminent Professor by OSUs Honors College. She also received Oregon State Universityโs prestigious Scholarship Impact Award for her work in the International Reproductive Health Laboratory and with the Midwives Alliance of North America (MANA) Statistics Project. She is the Editor-in-Chief of the journal Birth: Issues in Perinatal Care and the mother of a daughter born at home on International Day of the Midwife in 2009.
Rocio Badger
Rocio Badger has supported mothers, babies, and families for more than two decades through childbirth education, postpartum and lactation care, and more, with a special focus on assisting Spanish-speaking families. She has served for 20 years as a Maternity Care Coordinator with Samaritan Health Services in both Albany (OR) and Corvallis, where she supports Spanish-speaking pregnant women and families. Rocio is an International Childbirth Education Certified Childbirth Educator, providing childbirth preparation classes in Spanish, and has been a Qualified Oregon Health Care Interpreter since 2020. She interprets for the Lactation Specialist, she completed the training as Educator for Evergreen Hospital Medical Center, WA. In 2012, Rocio founded Juntas Con Esperanza, a postpartum stress support group for mothers. She has provided marriage and family support as the coordinator of Familias Luminosas/Luminous Families at St. Maryโs Church, where she has volunteered on behalf of families for 29 years. Rocio holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Roman Languages/French from the University of Oregon.
Ali Lape, THW Doula
Ali Lape she/her/hers CPM, BS BioCultural Anthropology. I am a THW Doula, a doula with the Community Doula Program, a Peer Review Coordinator, and a member of the board. I am a student at OSU working on my MA in Applied Anthropology. I study the label high-risk and what it means to pregnant people and how it influences decision-making for their birth location. I live in Corvallis, OR and am mom to two teenagers.
Jaya Conser Lapham, MPH, LMT, BA, THW doula, THW PWS, CBS
In the service I provide as a doula, I have continued to add special knowledge as THW Peer Wellness Specialist, Certified Breastfeeding Specialist, Yoga Teacher Training, and Infant Massage Instructor for Parents. I studied to become a doula in 2017, Postpartum Doula Training with CAPPA, and the CDP hosted DONA training for THW certification, having three practice births completed by the end of 2018. I had pivoted to this work after supporting local foster certification and foster parent education between 2014-2017. My joy is in knowing that as a Licensed Massage Therapist for 30 years here in Oregon, I have been able to provide hands on learning about the value and joy of self reflection, willingness to expand reliance, and adopting attitude of positive welcome for life events that impact our physical and mental health and well-being. I love to host collaborative group celebrations and discussions, and this has included Festival Latino with the Hispanic Advisory Committee of Linn and Benton Counties in 2019, and an international scholar gathering at University of Washington; Nuclear Politics of North Korea in 2009. Underlying both of these is the willingness to stretch the capacity and learn how hunger can be understood and resources can be extended to populations under complex and often long endured stress. The capacity to hear from those providers who have success in meeting their needs is cause for celebration and deep reflection and gratitude. As a doula, I carry my experience, my curiosity and willingness to speak up and step up in challenging environments. I am excited to mentor and connect new and experienced doulas with each other, for the purposes of extending and expanding opportunity for safer and more fully resourced births in our region.
Robin Murbach
Robin Murbach is an active retiree with interests in travel, hiking, reading and volunteering. She lives in Albany Oregon with her husband, Tim and Tucker the cat. Robin has volunteered for many organizations over the years, including hospice, United Way, and Boulder PD victimโs advocate. Robin retired 5 years ago from Republic Services where she held many positions over twenty-two years, ending as an area director for three northwest states.
Valentina Sores, Doula and Home Visitor
Valentina (Tina) ha trabajado con el programa de Familias Saludables desde 2017 y tiene Licenciaturas en Psicologรญa. Tina tambien ha trabahado de maestra y con el programa de Intervenciรณn Temprana. Su primer idioma es el portuguรฉs. Ella aprendiรณ inglรฉs y espaรฑol en los Estados Unidos. Tina estรก trabajando para obtener su certificaciรณn como Doula, y tambiรฉn es copresidente del Comitรฉ Asesor Hispano del Linn-Benton. (Linn_Benton Hispanic Advisory Committee) El Corazรณn de Tina se llena de felicidad cuando estรก sirviendo a su comunidad Hispana y trabajando con las familias del programa โFamilias Saludablesโ. Su fortaleza estรก en la educaciรณn para padres y jardinerรญa.
Malia Tomasi, Doula
Mฤlล e lelei! My name is Malia Tomasi, and I am the owner of Manava Birth Services. I am a Birth and Postpartum Doula, Childbirth Educator, and Reproductive Health Advocate. I believe every birthing person deserves a safe and empowering experience, and my mission is to educate, empower, and support mothers and families from prenatal care through postpartum recovery.
With over 10 years of experience, I have worked with women and families from diverse backgrounds and witnessed how compassionate support can transform the birthing journey. As a proud Tongan woman and mother of four, I understand the unique challenges that culturally diverse families face during childbirth. This lived experience fuels my commitment to addressing maternal and infant mortality in underserved communities, particularly among Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander families in Utah.
In addition to my work with Manava Birth Services, I served as a Social Connections Grant Coordinator with the Utah Department of Health and Human Services through the Utah Women & Newborn Quality Collaborative (UWNQC). I also helped establish the Doula for You program in partnership with the University of Utah and served as a Community Advisory Member with the Wahine Koa program. My work places a special emphasis on supporting domestic violence survivors and teen mothers, ensuring they have access to resources, advocacy, and culturally grounded care.