Meet our student midwives
Midwifery is learned and passed down through the generations by apprenticeship. We need more midwives! Therefore, your Laoch Team also includes amazing student midwives. They study and learn midwifery care hands-on by working right alongside us.
Many clients fall in love with our students and develop long-term relationships with them just like they do with Neva and Tiffani. Student involvement is optional and of course, completely up to you. With your consent, student midwives attend most of our office visits and births. You may even choose to allow one of our senior students to catch your baby while we are standing next to them supervising all of their work.
RENNETTA MULKEY, Student Midwife
Rennetta Mulkey is originally from Washington, D.C., where the introduction to politics, advocacy for her local community, and interest in what she would later learn as the social determinants of health and how to work to change those while understanding them in providing medical care occurred. Rennetta is a birth worker of twenty-five years; a licensed massage therapist focused on womb health, a Reiki master, birth and women’s health policy advocate, Gynecological Teaching Associate, and future birth center/homebirth midwife.
She received her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Spelman College and will complete her Master of Science in Midwifery from Bastyr University in 2023. Postgraduation, she will pursue her doctorate in medical anthropology or anthropology of health and partner with other community midwives and birth workers to build maternity homes that are safe spaces for Black families and create African Diasporic global cultural exchanges around health, pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and parenting.
In another life, I'm pretty sure I was … Queen.
What's the most inspiring part of your job? Formation of love at birth.
If I were a superhero, my superpower would be… Mind alteration.
Who is your hero? My collective women ancestors.
If you weren’t a student midwife, what would you be? A wealthy novelist.
If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be? Melons and mangoes.
What three items would you take with you on a deserted island? Machete, shea butter, and a journal with a pen.
JADRIENNE MENDIOLA, Student Midwife
I am a small island girl living my dreams in the big PNW. I’ve wanted to deliver babies since I was 15 years old. I pursued nursing, but the natural and holistic approach of midwifery caught my undivided attention. I graduated from Pierce College with an AA in Pre-Nursing, and I’m continuing my education in Bastyr University’s Master of Science in Midwifery.
I’ve been a birth enthusiast since I can remember. Birth was familiar to me while growing up on the island of Guam. With over 100 family members, I was lucky enough to help support sisters, brothers, aunts, cousins, nieces, etc. during their pregnancy journey. My mom was the family doula (without the official title), and I was always inspired by her care and support! I look forward to continuing my journey here at Laoch Midwifery, and I can’t wait to learn all that I can to help serve our amazing birth community.
In another life, I'm pretty sure I was … A sunset. People would stop and stare at me in awe.
What's the most inspiring part of your job? Seeing parents hold their baby for the first time. It's such an intimate and sacred moment.
If I were a superhero, my superpower would be… Teleportation!
Who is your hero? My Mom. The strongest woman I have ever known.
If you weren’t a student midwife, what would you be? A birth photographer or a doggy daycare owner.
If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be? Rice, eggs, portuguese sausage and gravy topped with a side of buttered toast.
What three items would you take with you on a deserted island? My husband, a really good machete, and good shoes for walking through the jungle.
Where are they now? Connect with our past student midwives.
JADRIENNE MENDIOLA, Student Midwife 2022-2023
Jadrienne is now continuing her studies at Natural Beginnings Midwifery.