Learn more about BirthLink
Advisory Board
BirthLink is a labor of love. Many people have donated their time and talents to our organization. They have been inspired by the belief that birth is a women's rights issue. We have learned that birth is a much larger than just a few women having babies. It is about a woman's place in the society in which they live. It is about having a voice and being able to have choices that preserve health and well being of body, mind and spirit. It is about honoring women and children.
Many board members have not even had children. Some have chosen the childless path. They still feel so strongly about the birthing process that they are willing to give of themselves by volunteering for BirthLink. It is with the deepest gratitude that we say thank you to all who have made BirthLink what it is today.
Advisory Board Members
Patricia Berg-Drazin, IBCLC, RLC
Patricia Berg-Drazin got involved with the lactation after the birth of her first son in 1982. As an active La Leche League Leader she repeatedly heard stories from mothers who did not get the support they needed nor accurate information in order to make an informed decisions about care for themselves or their children. This led Ms. Berg-Drazin to become board certified as a lactation consultant. In her role as a board certified lactation consultant she is in a position to act as a liaison between families and health care professions and share with both research based information on which decisions can be made.
Find a Provider: Breastfeeding Support
Elaine Stocker, DN
Elaine Stocker, DN has been practicing for over twenty five years and established Healing Hands Holistic Health Center in 1979. Elaine is a licensed Doctor of Naprapathy (Illinois and New Mexico) from Chicago National College of Naprapathy and is also a senior cranial-sacral practitioner. Her gentle, subtle and noninvasive approach is ideal for both adults and her pediatric clients. She treats mothers (pre- and postpartum and through their lives) and children. Elaine says, "This work is my passion and joy."
Prior to pursuing her present path, Elaine was a University of Chicago trained psychologist for the State of Illinois specializing in developmentally and mentally delayed children. Dr. Stocker is a founding member of Chicago's Holistic Pediatric Association and participates in a Pediatric Cranial Study group. Elaine designed a pediatric treatment table in her child-friendly office and treatment room with toys, video and rocking chair.
Find a Provider: Gentle Cranial Manipulation, Naprapaths, Pediatric Holistic Care
Penny Shelton, MD, MPH
Her orientation will always be that of serving from the heart. When women are not welcome or allowed access to a career path, the not so subtle messages do harm to women everywhere. Having wanted to be a doctor for a long time, she finally celebrated getting admitted to med school and starting at 37 years of age. During med school she was introduced to homebirthing at a time when she was overwhelmingly dismayed by all of the birth interventions and c-sections in the hospital training she was receiving, she immediately knew that natural birth was an area where her gifts could be fully utilized. When she finished residency she practiced in a full time capacity as a family practitioner, attending the deliveries of babies at home from 1999 until 2003 in the Chicago area. It was an intense, immensely rewarding and fulfilling time.
She left the practice, to move to Athens, Ohio to marry her husband who is a tenured professor of journalism at Ohio University. Her work is still very rewarding. She continues to be connected to homebirthing by caring for the families and babies before and after births, but is no longer choosing to attend deliveries. There is a strong homebirthing/breastfeeding/attachment parenting contingent. She is honored to continue to be a part of the BirthLink Board, and fully supports the wonderful activities of the members.
Past Advisory Board Members
Alissa Catalan CD
Mama's Casa
Deerfield, IL
Nikki Demetriou, CNM, FNP
Hannah Maximova
Viscosity Productions
Glendale, CA
