Meet the Staff
Kaleen Richards
Founder, CNM, ARNP
Certified Nurse Midwife
As a nurse midwife, Kaleen has worked hard to be able to offer families many birth options over the years. She started Tree of Life to offer that personal care you don’t often receive with a hospital birth. She started out as a doula and childbirth educator before getting her RN degree. She believes all women benefit from prenatal care with a midwife due to the emphasis of the Midwifery Model on education, partnership, and natural childbirth.
Kaleen has three amazing sons, two of which were born at home with a midwife. As a health care provider, she encourages natural remedies for healing and has taken courses to increase her knowledge. She does however take pride in her ability to offer medication when necessary. Kaleen believes all women deserve to make choices during their birth process and it is an honor to help offer natural childbirth options to families in our community.
David Carter-Plake
M. Ed., BSM, LM, CPM, C-EFM
Licensed Midwife
Certified Professional Midwife
Nationally Certified in External Fetal Monitoring
David’s calling to midwifery and maternal-child health care started at an early age! After attending his first hospital birth at the tender age of 14 as a part of a health care careers program, he was hooked! David began working as a tech on Labor and Delivery through high school and during nursing school, continuing as a Labor and Delivery nurse in hospitals across the United States and the Caribbean. David began attending out of hospital births as an apprentice in 2003 and as a midwife in 2005 serving diverse communities in the Midwest.
David graduated from Midwives College of Utah with a Bachelor of Science in Midwifery. Seeing the need for more midwives world-wide, David knew that providing high-quality education to midwifery students was imperative. David began teaching and pursuing a degree in education to learn best practices for educating adult learners and graduated from Strayer University with a Master of Education Degree. He is currently a doctoral student with a focus on health professions education and is nationally certified in external fetal monitoring-heart songs are his specialty!
David has a passion for providing compassionate, informed care to clients and their circle of support during the childbearing year. David is a firm believer in your body, your birth, your baby and supports clients with shared decision making during the course of their care.
David currently resides in Orlando with his Yorkie Henry. In his spare time David enjoys reading, traveling, crafting, and napping!
Sonni Bersamina
Licensed Midwife, Certified Professional Midwife, Chef
Sonni started her midwifery journey by working in the homebirth setting in Maui, Hawai'i.
From a very young age, Sonni envisioned becoming a midwife in her 30s, after having children.
When timing aligned, Sonni began her career as a doula. Soon after, she started assisting with a two-midwife homebirth practice in Maui. After years of apprenticeship, Sonni moved to her home state of Florida to become familiar with the birth-center model of care.
Sonni has been with Tree of Life since February 2022 and recently obtained her Certified Professional Midwife Accreditation with the North American Registry of Midwives.
Sonni's philosophy of care focuses on a holistic approach to health and wellness. She encourages clients to reconnect with their primal and intuitive nature while journeying through pregnancy and childbirth. Sonni enjoys building deep connections with her clients and walking alongside them through the life-changing perinatal period.
MEET OUR SUPPORTING STAFF
Kathryn Whitley
Office Manager
Kathryn received her B.S. degree in Psychology in May of 2011, but knew her true passion and calling was working with Midwives and Families. Her desire is to make clients and their families feel heard, respected, and empowered during the most important time of their lives. As Office Manager she will be there to greet you and make you feel welcomed. Kat will use her education and personal birth experience to help every client achieve the birth you want in a safe and supported environment. She understands the power that a safe, comfortable, and loving environment can have on the families we serve. She also believes the birthing experience to be a sacred moment for the pregnant person and babies. Every person has the power within them selves to birth their baby the way she wants. Providing clients with a supportive, safe environment to welcome their child into the world is her priority and focus.
Ashley Dexter
Reception
Ashley is a Florida Native and mother of two beautiful daughters that were both born at home. She grew up learning that birth is normal and women have the right to safely birth at home or birth centers.
Ashley joined the team in early 2022.
Sharon Harrison
Medical Assistant & Birth Assistant
Bio Coming soon
Julie Deyo
Educator/Birth Assistant
Julie believes that every expecting mother deserves the same support she received at the births of her two children. Her passion drove her to become a certified birth doula, a certified HypnoBirthing® Educator with HypnoBirthing, The Mongan Method, trained and certified in the use of Rebozo, a certified lactation counselor with the Academy of Lactation Policy and Practice, as well as a yoga instructor trained in prenatal yoga. Julie strongly feels she is meant to be a part of women’s wellness, prenatal health, labor support, and to educate expecting families to lovingly welcome the birth of their their babies.
Tamiqua Torres
Board Certified Lactation Consultant
Tamiqua is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, Postpartum Doula and Owner of Latching in Love Lactation & Postpartum Doula Services. She is a Lactation Consultant who wanted to do more to support her families while healing from birth and bonding with their new baby. So she decided to get trained to be a Postpartum Doula. Being a trained Postpartum Doula allows her to not only help families with feeding their baby but also to help take care of the family as a whole. Every Tree of Life client will be given an initial appointment with Tamiqua after the birth of their baby.