Serving Ontario families in Simcoe County, York Region, Dufferin County & North Toronto

Meet the Doulas

Committed to Your Growing Family

As you embark on life’s biggest adventure, we believe you deserve the highest level of care and guidance. The Doula Group is a team of experienced, reliable and compassionate professionals who provide the support you need for a happy and healthy birthing experience. Book a complimentary consultation today to connect with our collective.

Debra Bowser
Executive Director
Co-Founder

Debra will work closely with you to make sure you are ready and confident about every aspect of your own personal birthing process. As a certified doula for nearly 20 years, Debra has gained respect from local healthcare providers, helping to strengthen your birthing team and solidify a positive labour environment. Her goal is to ensure you look back on your birth as a positive experience.

Mélissa Cowl
Director of Education
Co-Founder

Mélissa is a DONA International Doula Course Instructor & Certified Birth and Bereavement Doula. Mélissa believes that providing birthing people and their families with the support they need can make giving birth a positive and healthy experience. Following thirty years of active doula work, Mélissa is now teaching all over the world and taking clients locally. According to Melissa, these bios are like intros from Miss Congeniality.

Shannon Graham
Director of Communications
& Outreach

Shannon joined The Doula Group as a Certified Birth Doula and has since realized a passion for Postpartum Doula work. She has been supporting families in the community for over seven years. She feels honoured to be able to provide continuous, unbiased support throughout pregnancy, labour and birth, and into the postpartum period. Her goal is to help ensure an easier transition for all families. 

Sarah MacDougall
Director of People Operations

Sarah believes that providing women and their families with the support they need can make giving birth a positive and healthy experience. Combined with a successful, independent career in healthcare administration, Sarah joined us at The Doula Group more than five years ago.

Kerri Davy

Kerri is a Certified Birth & Postpartum Doula, and soon to be Sleep Educator and Bereavement Doula. Kerri has been serving families for 11 years. She brings a deeply held belief that when women and couples are supported, listened to, and provided unbiased information they will make empowered decisions that are best for them and their family. Kerri offers a vast array of knowledge, skills and local resources to support clients .

Pamela Pagnotta

Pamela is a certified birth doula and a postpartum doula. Her core belief is that every woman deserves to birth their way and will assist you in reaching your birth goals. As a mom of 3 herself, she understands the importance that postpartum support provides, helping new and experienced moms navigate their lives with a newborn.

Rachel Cowl

Rachel joined The Doula Group as a Birth Doula in 2016. She has a special interest in serving young mothers and parents whose partners are service personnel abroad. Rachel believes that each parent should find their own unique way to birth and bond with their baby.

Christy Medeiros

Christy has been attending births for almost twenty years as a birth companion and has recently completed the doula certification process. Recognizing that birth has such a profound impact on life, her goal is to provide support to her clients that results in wonderful memories of a positive birth experience.

Elizabeth Boyd

Elizabeth is a birth and postpartum doula.  She is a natural care-giver with a strong history of helping those she works with achieve their goals.  Elizabeth has a special interest in  importance of sleep and its affect on on a parent's mental health. Elizabeth offers unbiased support and encourages her clients to make informed decisions in order to achieve an empowering birth experience.

Alexis Salim

Alexis is a Birth Doula working toward Certification. She plans to continue her training with  postpartum and bereavement services. In 2013, Alexis left her office job to devote time to children as a foster mom back. She wanted to be that change and help children. She believes strongly we are here to help one another. Her goal is to empower women with a helping hand and open mind.

Jenn Plexman

Jenn is a Certified Birth Doula. Jenn believes that providing women and their families with the support they need can make giving birth a positive and healthy experience. Jenn is passionate about the impact and importance this support, coupled with information and connection, can bring during the birth and into the future.  

Heather MacDonald

Heather is a trained Birth Doula and Registered Massage Therapist. Heather specializes in VBAC births and has a keen interest in pelvic floor training for parents who have already experienced childbirth. Heather knows that the power of positive thinking combined with education and preparation go a long way in achieving goals.