HAWAI'I AFFILIATE OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF NURSE-MIDWIVES
HAWAI'I AFFILIATE OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF NURSE-MIDWIVES
Photo credit: Haku Lei by Robin Adams-Plescia, CNM
Every course begins with two questions. Where do we want to go & how do we get there?
Annette Manant has been a RN since 1976 and a CNM since 1983, long before some of you were born! RN BSN California State University, Fresno, 1976. Graduated in the second Midwifery Program USC, LA County Hospital in 1983. She worked in L&D, did Hospital, Birth Center, and Home Births. She has a PhD from UH Manoa as a Nurse Educator and has taught BSN students at HPU and UH Hilo. She retired from a Community-Based Health Center, Hamakua-Kohala Health on the Big Island, providing direct care to women, in March, 2021.
Annette has supported ACNM since becoming a midwife and was our Affiliate Secretary when Roxanne Estes, CNM from Puna District took the HAA reins and continued as Secretary under Colleen Bass, CNM from Kauai. In her retirement, she made a decision to continue her support of ACNM and HAA by volunteering to be the President of HAA. She lives in Honoka`a on the north-east side of the Big Island. She lives with her husband, Michael; they were married in 1980. She is a mother of 2 grown children and 2 grand-babies. She likes to hike, snorkel, and practice yoga. She doesn't like to garden.
Connie Conover, CNM, MSN - Vice President Connie graduated from Oregon Health Science University Midwifery Program in 19965. Her first job was with the CNMS at the University of New Mexico Hospital (1995-1998) - then was romanced to Hawai’i in 1998. She worked at Kalihi Palama Health Center, attending births at Kapiolani Medical Center from 1999-12010. She then joined the Kaiser CNMS in 2010 where she continues to joyfully practice.
Side jobs throughout the years included teaching Women’s Health at the University of Hawai’i and was also a Clinical Coordinator with Frontier University. Connie enjoys time and travel with her family, cooking (and then sharing with friends), hiking, reading, and learning how to play the cello!
Robin was born and raised in Northern CA by her divorced parents (veterinarian and entomologist). There was no escaping being a science nerd:) Married with 2 adult children and one sweet granddaughter. Undergrad at San Francisco State University with a BS in Cell and Molecular Biology, minor in Chemistry. Worked as an Organic Chemist at an Environmental Testing Lab and as an Assistant Lab Manager at a Toxoplasma Serology Lab while partnering with her (now) husband and gestating, birthing and parenting their young children - which all inspired her pursuit of midwifery. Started grad school at Yale in 1997 with husband and kids (2yo and 5yo) in tow. Graduated 2000 and returned to Northern CA to start midwifing. Worked outpatient for 18 years with Planned Parenthood and a handful of private practices in the Sacramento area before returning to full scope practice with Sutter Davis Hospital - where they took her hand and showed her the way! In 2021 Robin and her husband (Stephen) moved to Oahu where she started her current staff position at Hawaii Permanente Medical Group. She spends non-working hours in the ocean, baking sourdough and making jewelry or some sort of alternate creative outlet.
Margaret has been visiting family on the Big Island since childhood. Through midwifery practice and advocacy, she hopes she can give back to family, community, and the plants and animal ancestors of this sacred region. Her latest offering is 'Ōhi'a Midwifery & Wellness, LLC a midwifery clinic in Kealakekua (South Kona) and homebirth collective. It is also her hope to support the next generation through by precepting future midwifes and expand the CM credential pathway in Hawai'i.
Her unique approach to midwifery care is informed by a background in contemplative movement, performance, fine art, and having spent 8 years in practice in India, yogic philosophy. Margaret is also a Certified Havening Practitioner®, a psychosomatic modality for mental health needs to address generational, birth, & sexual trauma.
Margaret completed her Masters in Midwifery through SUNY Downstate, graduating in 2018. Her first position was at the Brooklyn Birthing Center, working through the height of the pandemic. Margaret was also part of the opening of the Jazz Birth Center. Her next position was with Hamptons OB/GYN affiliated with Stonybrook Hospital in Southampton, NY.
Her volunteer and advocacy efforts continue as a member of the HAA board, the Committee for the Advancement of the CM Credential, NYSALM, NYC Midwives, and the ACNM Oregon Affiliate, and cross-credential advocacy for expanded access to midwifery care and the growth of the art and science of midwifery.
Jennifer is a University of Utah Nurse Midwifery and Doctor of Nursing practice graduate. She was raised in Idaho and attended the College of Southern Idaho and Boise State for her RN and BSN. She was a labor nurse for 11 years and has been practicing as a CNM since 2006. Her first position was with Intermountain Nurse Midwives in Salt Lake City then moved to Utah county for a position with Orem Community Nurse Midwives. In 2012, Jennifer and her colleagues joined Valley Women’s Health, a private OB/GYN practice serving Women and families in Utah County. Jennifer has been a member of ACNM since 2004 and served as the Utah Affiliate as Treasurer, Vice- President, and President. Later, the Governor of Utah appointed her to serve on the Midwifery Board for Utah in 2016. Volunteer work as a midwife includes serving in Haiti in 2013, American Samoa in 2015 and recently with Maui Medic Healers Hui.
Jennifer has a special love for the Islands and people because of her grandfather who was an early missionary in Tonga and Hawaii. She worked at Kapiolani as a Labor nurse 2000-2002. Her dream was to return to Hawaii in 2017 and she accepted a position at Tripler Army Medical Center on the Midwifery team. She currently practices at Tripler & Schofield (Desmond Doss). Jennifer completed a Family Nurse Practitioner certificate at Hawaii Pacific University in 2019. She served as the HAA Secretary 2020-2022. Jennifer was appointed as a Fellow in the ACNM at the Chicago meeting in 2022. She was recently asked to sit as the Legislative Chair and hopes to move midwifery forward and assist in reducing barriers to practice and to advocate for all childbearing families in Hawaii. Jennifer enjoys island life, camping, music, and spending time with family and friends.
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