Current Roles
Kristin Effland is an Adjunct Faculty member in the Midwifery Department at Bastyr University and another midwifery school.
Education
- Bastyr University - MA in Maternal Child Health Systems
- Seattle Midwifery School
- St. Mary’s College of Maryland - BA in Philosophy and Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies
Professional Leadership
Kristin created and maintains a web resource for educators designed to help promote Equity in Midwifery Education www.equitymidwifery.org. Kristin is active on the Legislative and Health Policy Committee of the Midwives’ Association of WA State (MAWS) and helps to organize Midwife Lobby Day in Olympia every year.
Publications
Effland, K. J., Ortiz, F., Blanco, B. & Hays, K. (2020). Incorporating an equity agenda into midwifery education and training to build a more representative workforce and increase the number of midwives. Journal of Midwifery and Women’s Health, 65(1).
Effland, K. J., & Hays, K. (2019). Beyond cultural competence: Equity and social justice in midwifery education. Midwifery Matters, 5(2), 11-17.
Effland, K. J., & Hays, K. (2018). A web-based resource for promoting equity in midwifery education and training: Towards meaningful diversity and inclusion. Midwifery, 61, 70-73.
Classes Taught
Master of Science in Midwifery
Professional Issues: Health Care Systems & Health Policy, Midwifery Care 1, 4 & 6: Introduction to Midwifery, Labor and Birth, Challenges in Practice and formerly, The Business of Midwifery.
Master of Arts in Maternal Child Health Systems
Leadership in Maternal-Child Health, Integrative Culture & Social Justice in MCH Systems and formerly: Independent Project: Proposal & IRB Application, Implementation, Finish Implementation & Analysis (formerly).
Past Experience
- Vice President of the Midwives’ Association of WA State (4 years); Board member and Student Rep 2008-2015
- Prior to joining Wenatchee Midwife Service in 2010, Kristin spent two years working as a midwife at Gentle Hands Midwifery in Bellingham, WA. She trained in Seattle, Portland and Nepal. She has had the pleasure of attending over 500 births (mostly at home or in freestanding birth centers) and has helped to coordinate the primary maternity care of thousands of families.
- As a new midwife, Kristin also worked in an administrative capacity for the Midwifery Education Accreditation Council (MEAC) and the Association of Midwifery Educators (AME).
- Founder SMACC (Student Midwives Advancing Cultural Competency) 2005-2007
- Youth Coordinator for the Gender Public Advocacy Coalition 2002-2005
- Direct Care Worker at homeless and domestic violence shelters and a halfway house for women and children 2002-2003
Philosophy
Access to midwifery is just as important as access to the profession for all and we have a lot of work to do before we can achieve both of these goals.
Kristin grew up trusting in the process of birth and in awe of the power women possess. She attributes this to her mother who still speaks proudly of the gift she gave her children and herself by choosing natural childbirth. Kristin was drawn to midwifery to help persons of childbearing age access their personal strength, believing all pregnant persons and their families deserve to be nurtured and supported throughout pregnancy and labor. More recently she has also learned first-hand about the critical role of postpartum support after the birth of her own sweet babies at home in the summers of 2014 and 2017.
Kristin very much enjoys teaching and has been doing so for over seven years. She entered the profession with the hope of effecting change on both a broad scale and on a more individual level working directly with pregnant families. Her approach to teaching derives from the spirit of Paulo Freire who deeply influenced both social justice and feminist education pedagogy.
Extra-Curricular Interests
In her free time, she enjoys hiking, running, climbing, skiing and playing outdoors with her kids Levi, Seneca and partner, John.