All of the midwives at Midwives of York Region are registered with the College of Midwives of Ontario and practice within their standards, guidelines and risk-screening protocols.  We are also members of the Association of Ontario Midwives.  We maintain current certification in neonatal resuscitation and cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, emergency skills and regularly attend continuing education workshops, conferences and peer review.

Kara Brockington, B.A. (Hon)
Registered Midwife

In 1994, I graduated from Queen's University with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Sociology. Shortly thereafter, I became pregnant with my daughter, Sydney. It was during my pregnancy and birth experience that I became interested in midwifery care. I desired to support a woman's transformation into mothering and the birth of a family. For me, midwifery combined the essential elements of evidence-based maternity care with sensitive, woman-centered care.

I entered the Midwifery Education Program at Ryerson University in the fall of 1998. My early clinical placements were in downtown Toronto at Midwife Alliance and Riverdale Community Midwives. I also enjoyed additional placements with an obstetrician, nurse and at the Rose of Sharon - Services for Young Mothers. My final clinical year was completed at Midwifery Care ~ North Don River Valley.

In 1999, I became a certified Childbirth Educator through a joint program offered by Humber College and Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Centre. I taught childbirth preparation, infant care and siblings classes at the Women's College Hospital campus from 1999 until 2002. During this period I also attended births as a labour support provider.

I completed my Bachelor of Health Sciences degree in Midwifery in the Spring of 2004. I joined Midwifery Care ~ North Don River Valley in July 2004. I am now thrilled to begin working with the families and midwives of Midwives of York Region!

I am a registered midwife with the College of Midwives of Ontario and practice within their standards, guidelines and risk-screening protocols. I am also a member of the Association of Ontario Midwives. I maintain current certification in neonatal resuscitation and cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and attend continuing education workshops, conferences and peer review.

Roya Mirmohammadi, BSc
Registered Midwife

I was born in Iran-Tehran. I always loved to study math and biology and graduated with a biology and math diploma from high school.

I was accepted into university in 1988 in a four-year program and graduated with a Bachelor degree of Health Sciences in midwifery. I moved to a small city to work as a midwife in the city hospital for a few months, and then I moved to Tehran again. I was a fulltime midwife in Mirza hospital more than four years and worked in different departments like Family Planning clinic, Labour and Postpartum ward, Prenatal clinic, Gynecology and Infertility clinic. I started a midwifery clinic in 1995 and was working there until I came to Canada in 1999.

I have two beautiful kids both caught by midwives. I learned English here in Toronto. After successfully completing the ten month, International Midwifery Pre-registration Program at Ryerson University, I applied to the College of Midwives of Ontario. I am a registered midwife now and practice within the scope and protocols of the CMO. I am also a member of the Association of Ontario Midwives. I maintain current certification in neonatal resuscitation and cardiopulmonary resuscitation and regularly attend workshops and conferences.

I joined Midwives of York Region in September 2003 and I have a wonderful time and experience with them as a full time midwife.

Edie Posca, BHSc Midwifery
Registered Midwife

I come to midwifery with a Bachelor Health Sciences in Midwifery from Ryerson Polytechnic University (2004). It was with great excitement that I began working with Midwives of York Region immediately after graduation. Having completed several clinical placements over the past 5 years at various clinics throughout the GTA, it has always been my desire to return to my home community.

My interest in midwifery began with the birth of my second child, Emma, in 1994. Since that time midwifery has been an integral part of my life. While waiting to begin the Midwifery Education Programme, I became a consumer advocate for midwifery at both the local and provincial levels. My training as a doula for childbirth and postpartum support was completed in 1995. For over 9 years I provided labour and post partum support for women and their families throughout the GTA and York Region.

I am registered with the College of Midwives of Ontario and practice within their standards, guidelines and risk-screening protocols. I am a member of the Association of Ontario Midwives. I maintain current certification in neonatal resuscitation and cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, and regularly attend continuing education workshops, conferences and peer review.

Thank you in advance for allowing me to share in your journey through pregnancy and childbirth!

Ann Pennington, B.H.Sc.
Registered Midwife

Hello! My name is Ann Pennington. I am a midwife and mother of three children. All of my children were born with the help of Ontario midwives, before legislation was passed (in 1994) recognizing midwifery as a Regulated Health Care Profession. My first baby was born in hospital, with a family physician and a midwife providing supportive care in 1989. (Midwives did not yet hold hospital privileges.) My second and third were born at home, with midwives conducting the deliveries, in 1991 and 1993, respectively.

I graduated from Ryerson with a BHSc in Midwifery degree in June 2002. I have also earned my M.Ed in Counselling and Psychology from the University of Toronto (Ontario Institute of Studies in Education) and B.A. from Queen’s University. I appreciate the educative model of midwifery care in Ontario. I really enjoy getting to know women and their families over the course of the child-bearing year, providing information and teaching skills which assist women to make decisions that affect their own health care and that of their newborns.

After working as an associate midwife with Caring Hands Midwifery Services, Maureen Silverman and I established Midwives of York Region in order to be able to provide locally-based midwifery services to the women of north and central York Region.

I am a registered midwife with the College of Midwives of Ontario and practice within their standards, guidelines and risk-screening protocols. I hold admitting and discharge privileges at York Central Hospital as well as at Southlake Regional Health Centre, where I am a MOREOB program core team member. I am a member of the Association of Ontario Midwives. I maintain current certification in neonatal resuscitation and cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, and regularly attend continuing education workshops, conferences and peer review.

I look forward to meeting you and your family, and helping to make this child-bearing year an interesting and exciting one for you!

Maureen Silverman, BHSc
Registered Midwife

I grew up on the West Coast of British Columbia and moved to Toronto in 1974 to follow my dream of becoming a violinist. After graduating in 1978 from the University of Toronto with a Bachelor of Music in Performance degree, I enjoyed ten years of performing with various ensembles in and around Toronto.

The birth of my first child Sarah, in hospital in 1979, awakened an interest in women’s health issues and a desire to assist others in learning about choices and alternatives in childbirth. Joseph’s birth at home in 1982, with a doctor attending, reconfirmed my intention to work with childbearing women. But it wasn’t until after the home birth of my third child Daniel, under the care of midwives, that I actively pursued a career change. Benjamin, born at home in 1987, was also caught by midwives.

In 1986 I became a certified Childbirth Educator. Over the past 18 years I have been very involved in teaching, initially as a Childbirth Educator -- preparing men and women for the challenges of labour, birth and parenting -- and more recently as a clinical preceptor for the Ontario Midwifery Education Programme.

In 1999 I graduated with honours from Ryerson Polytechnic University, earning a Bachelor of Health Sciences in Midwifery degree. I thoroughly enjoy being able to offer women the kind of primary care during pregnancy, labour, birth and postpartum that I have been teaching about for so many years. After 4 years working as an associate midwife with Midwifery Care~North Don River Valley, I established Midwives of York Region with Ann Pennington, R.M. and am very excited to be providing midwifery services to this community.

I am a registered midwife with the College of Midwives of Ontario and practice within their standards, guidelines and risk-screening protocols. I am a member of the Association of Ontario Midwives and volunteer on the Board of Directors for the AOM. I also participate on the Maternal/Newborn Services Task Force of the Child Health Network and recently, have become a MOREOB program core team member at York Central Hospital. I maintain current certification in neonatal resuscitation and cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, and regularly attend continuing education workshops, conferences and peer review.

Sharon Swift, BHScM, BA
Registered Midwife

I first learned about midwifery in 1998 when I was working towards my degree at York University.  I was half-way through completing my Bachelor of Arts degree in Women’s Studies when the first graduating class from the Midwifery Education Program had their convocation.  I attended the Ryerson ceremony and had my interest and awareness heightened.  Shortly after, I began learning all that I could about the program in Ontario and started volunteering at Rosalie Hall, a young parent resource centre.  I volunteered as a labour coach supporting young, single mothers through the pregnancy and birth.  I found this an enriching experience, began to value woman-centered care, and recognized the need for informed choice and evidence based practices.

I completed my first degree at York in 2000 and was accepted into the midwifery program at Ryerson the same year.  I found my women’s studies background and courses in psychology and sociology to be a great compliment to midwifery.  Through the program I have had many hands-on experiences.  My early clinical placements have been with Community Care Midwives in Oshawa and Family Midwifery Care of Guelph.  I also did additional placements with an obstetrician and nurse, in a neonatal intensive care unit, and with the Bay Centre for Birth Control through the New Women’s College Hospital.  My final clinical year was done here, at Midwives of York Region, where I am now thrilled to be practicing as a registered midwife. 

I was born and raised in York Region and I am pleased that I can continue working in my home community.  I look forward to meeting you and your family and in sharing your journey through pregnancy and childbirth!

Buhay Juniosa, BHScM
Registered Midwife

My name is Buhay S. Juniosa. I’m a midwifery graduate from Arellano Gen. Hospital School of Midwifery Manila, Philippines. I passed the Professional Regulation Commission Board of Midwifery Examinations in Manila and was issued a license to practice midwifery in 1976. I commenced my work as a registered midwife in my hometown where I had the opportunity to serve people in my community in both hospital and home setting for 6 years. It was also in this place where I had the chance to deliver at home two of my eldest sister’s kids in separate occasions. From 1981-1985 I worked as a staff midwife in Al Jamahiriya Maternity Hospital in Benghazi, Libya. It was a 500 bed capacity hospital wherein I was rotated to different departments such as: Gynecological unit (bleeding cases, miscarriages and abortions); Post Operative unit (post Hysterectomy, post Oopherectomy, post Salpingectomy, post Explore Laparotomy, post Laparoscopy, post Perineoraphy and post Cesarean Section); Antenatal ward (Hypertension, Diabetes, Preterm, PROM); Pospartum ward (Mothers and roomed-in Newborns); OB-Gyn Emergency Reception (admission room). First Stage (Labor Room); and Second stage (Delivery Room). In 1987-1989 I assumed a job as Head Midwife of the Labor and Delivery unit of Al Mishari Hospital for Maternity and Pediatrics in Riyadh Saudi Arabia. During my 2year 3-1/2 month stay I received Certificate of Merit as a head midwife for maintaining high standards of Nursing/Midwifery Care and for receiving the best two consecutive nursing/midwifery appraisals in the year 1987-1988. I went back to Libya to set up a Labor and Delivery and OB-Gyn Operating Theatre of (a newly built hospital at the time) Ali Omar Askar Neuro Centre and Hospital in Tripoli and worked as a head midwife.
I have been attending births in both home and hospital settings in the Philippines, Saudi Arabia and Libya before coming to Canada. I arrived here in April 2002 and successfully completed the International Midwifery Pre-registration Program (IMPP) at Ryerson University. I completed my clinical training at Midwife Alliance in Toronto in 2005.

I have worked with colleagues and other professionals of different nationalities as well as providing midwifery care to clients in multicultural settings in my previous experiences. I speak English, Tagalog and Arabic.