I don't know about you, but a great quote can make my day! There is so much truth, depth, and perspective in quotes, affirmations, and stories. I recently read, one of the greatest gifts you can give is your time. When thinking about our birth story here at CCCN, I think about the people who have been on this mission together from the beginning. The first meeting started in my living room, then the coffee shop monthly. Website design, research, private FB group, events, late nights, and more hours than I could have ever imagined have gone where CCCN is today. The tears followed by team dances. The struggles followed by triumph. The time put in followed by the reward. All of this created by every founding member, board of directors, sponsor, donation, and volunteers. So here is the truth, depth, and perspective.
TRUTH. You don't go into starting a non-profit to make money. Literally, LOVE and FAITH. Starting a non-profit, like everyone said it would be, is HARD WORK. I didn't realize that there are so many people, businesses, and organizations who can and want to help. Then again, maybe I did. Our organization serves part of the Central Coast community once named the "Happiest City" in America, and to feel that kind of support during a pandemic speaks volumes of possibility, courage, compassion, and purpose. The much-needed help comes from hard-working people giving their time to support the mission and vision of any non-profit. Our time is dedicated to YOU.
DEPTH. Maybe, I knew it all long. Perhaps I knew that I could count on dedicated, compassionate community members, friends, and colleagues to make this vision come true. The kind of support we have experienced during this pandemic speaks volumes of possibility, courage, compassion, strength, and purpose. It has also shown us as a nation where we fall short and exposes the large gaps in care. Through our work, we want to cultivate this village for parents, guardians, and families welcoming and bringing children into the world.
PERSPECTIVE. It is easy to lose sight of the behind the scenes and moving pieces in how a community functions. Nurturing healthy and thriving communities is not a task to be done alone. Fred Rogers says it best, "we live in a world where we need to share responsibility." The reality is we need each other. Through awareness, understanding, empathy, connection, and respect, collectively, we can make a difference. Your family matters. Your birth matters. Your experience matters. In the same light, we need to nurture the providers giving patients and clients the same care and support. In this way, when we can take care of ourselves, we can take care of others. Acknowledging the words of great American Poet and Activist, Maya Angelou, through our growth and learning, we still have a lot to learn.
Let's learn more about our team here at CCCN. I am honored to introduce our Board of Directors with deep gratitude and endless thank-you's. FUN FACT: Since our first meeting, we have drawn names of those in attendance and hand write on my personal favorite Trader Joes greeting cards some extra inspiration and motivation to each other. It's a tradition we have continued even through virtual meetings. We do miss the in-person connection with all of you in our community and on our team.
Here is a short bio on each Board Member. You can see our Meet the Team page here.
ZABRINA COX, PRESIDENT. Hello, my name is Zabrina Cox, I am a Labor & Delivery RN, Certified Labor Doula, and Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator. I have my B.S. Child Development at Cal Poly. I am currently working on my certification as a StillBirthday Doula for families experiencing loss. I have lived on the Central Coast for 17 years. Since 2007, I have been serving in the birth community. I have had the honor to care for birthing families in both SLO County and Santa Maria. I truly LOVE what I do. I am excited to bridge the gap between childbirth professionals and families on the Central Coast to grow a bigger and stronger birth community TOGETHER. In my free time, as often as we can, I love to have family days of our own with my husband and preschooler enjoying anything outdoors.
BRITTANY RANDOLPH, VICE-PRESIDENT. My name is Brittany Randolph, CD(DONA), SBD, CPT. I am married and have two awesome little girls, who always give me a run for my money! I have previously served on the board of birth network and loved being able to serve my community and doing the hard work of getting birthing families and families of young children to the resources they needed or were looking for. It is my goal to educate mainstream providers such as hospitals, OB's, and others on the benefits of doulas and other birth and pregnancy support providers and bridge the gap between all services to better serve our families. In my spare time I enjoy cooking and baking with my girls, hanging out with my 3 dogs, and going for boat rides on the lake. I am looking forward to serving you and our community!
SUSANNAH BROWN, SECRETARY/TREASURER.I have a B.S. in Business Administration and Human Resource Management and I am finishing up my M.S. in Analytics and Knowledge Management. I have worked for large and small businesses, offering my expertise in financial based decision making as well as customer satisfaction focused results. I was born and raised right here on the Central Coast and am very grateful to be able to raise my 2 silly and giggly children in this place we call home. We are often found hiking, biking, gardening, and soaking up the beautiful weather here any way we can. I am so happy to be a part of this incredible team and look forward to promoting the mission of this network.
MCKAYLA RODRIGUEZ, GENERAL BOARD MEMBER. Hello! My name is Mckayla Rodriguez. I was born and raised on the Central Coast, and I am so thrilled to have the opportunity to serve the same community in where I grew up. I am a Certified Doula, Childbirth Educator, rebozo certified, offer breastfeeding support, and soon to be a BLOOM leader. I also offer free monthly Birth Talks where parents and caregivers can meet other parents that are in the same chapter of life. I love the entire childbearing process, but know it comes with so many questions and obstacles. I'm excited to be part of team that can help you along your way. In my free time, I enjoy the beach, a good hike, tent camping, and drinks around the fire.
DR. LINDSEY FAUCETTE, GENERAL BOARD MEMBER. She is the owner and Medical Director of SLO Health located in San Luis Obispo. Her mission is to partner with and equip her patients with the appropriate tools to optimize their health. Dr. Lindsey is a firm believer that food is medicine and the body is capable of healing itself from disease when the focus is placed on finding and treating the root cause and optimizing health with Osteopathy. Dr. Lindsey graduated from the University of California Berkeley and then obtained her medical degree from Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine and trained in Urban Family Medicine at Beth Israel in NYC. She found her calling in integrative medicine after spending time researching and studying alternative therapies. This led her to achieve certification by the American Board of Integrative Holistic Medicine. She is an active member of ABIHM, Osteopathic medical education, and is a fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians. Dr. Lindsey trained in holistic full spectrum family care and strives to promote health in all stages of life including the childbearing years and early childhood. She is proud to be a founding member of the Central Coast Childbirth Network.
ALEXANDRA KLEIN, GENERAL BOARD MEMBER. My name is Alexandra Klein, over the last 9 years my role in the Santa Maria Valley has evolved from CrossFit fitness coach, to BIRTHFIT Coach, and now on my way to becoming a Doula. Over the last 5 years I have become a mother to three delightful and spunky daughters. It was through becoming a mother that I decided I needed to be involved in other people’s journeys into parenthood too. I want to provide the care, support, and understanding for others as they make decisions for themselves and their children. I want to help our SMV community grow so that more families are birthed through love.
KARLA WENGER. She is a local photographer specializing in newborn, maternity, and family sessions. She has had experience as a medical assistant and certified nursing assistant as well as a monitor tech on a cardiac telemetry floor. She is now working toward her nursing degree. She moved with her husband, Spencer, from Redding, CA and is proud to start a family here on the Central Coast. If you don’t find her photographing families here on the Central Coast you will find her enjoying her family, the beach, or working on new projects at home.
TOGETHER, we want to share some exciting news! Watch our journey through this Video. You will want to watch to the end.
Birth, Baby, & Family Expo photos taken by our Board Member, Karla Wenger at KarlaWengerphotography.
Remember, when I talked about the truth about starting a non-profit? LOVE, FAITH and HARD WORK. We love what we do. I love being apart of an organization that we built together for a greater purpose. Our theme song is Believer by CID featuring Ceelo Green. The chorus is our why.
This is for the believers
Keep on fighting for love, shine a light for your love now
This is for the believers
Keep on fighting for love, shine a light for your love now
This is for the believers
We believe in respectful Perinatal Health and Maternity care for everyone including, the Rights of Childbearing families through family planning and family building into parenting. Learn more from organizations leading this Mission, especially for marginalized communities, especially people of color, indigenous, and LGBTQI+, such as The White Ribbon Alliance, and the National Association to Advance Black Birth. We are excited to collaborate with organizations and businesses to make a local impact. We have already discovered that we have a vast group of diverse resources in our community that are essential to our Mission. We are gathering the wealth of information on our website, hosting educational, and community events to share with families and professionals.
We BELIEVE in our mission at Central Coast Childbirth Network.
To connect with a diverse network of birth and wellness professionals who are committed to inform, educate, and advocate for the individual needs of all families on the Central Coast from preconception through the first year of parenting.
By growing our birth community with support, education, and connection, we want to improve families' health and well-being and encourage lifelong informed decisions about their care.
We have always believed. Officially, a 501 (c)(3) non-profit. We did it! If you believe in us, then snap a photo and use hashtag #CCCNBeliever to our social media.
Zabrina Cox,
President
Check out our website to stay up-to-date on our programs and services. Stay connected through our newsletters. We appreciate you! If you are a professional who serves the San Luis Obispo & Northern Santa Barbara County, check out our membership opportunity here.
We look forward to serving the families and professionals in our community on the Central Coast TOGETHER.