Meet The Team

The Beachside team is comprised of some of the most passionate, qualified birth workers in Florida. We are dedicated to providing holistic, compassionate care that respects each family’s unique birth journey. With years of experience in both home birth and hospital settings, our midwives bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to support you through pregnancy, labor, and postpartum.

Each of our midwives is highly trained and brings their own unique background, specialties, and personal touch to the care they provide. Together, we work as a supportive team to ensure you have the best possible experience, whatever your birth plan may be.

Owner of Beachside Midwifery

 Sarah Marks | CHW CBE CLC CBD

My name is Sarah Marks, owner of Beachside Midwifery. As a Midwifery studies graduate, community health worker, certified doula, lactation counselor, and childbirth educator, I’ve been supporting families since 2000.  

Located in Port Orange, FL, Beachside Midwifery is built on the belief that women deserve informed, empowered, and safe birth experiences. I am dedicated to honoring each family's choices with respect and ethical care.  

As a mother and wife, I bring both professional expertise and personal understanding to my work, ensuring families feel supported every step of the way.

Lead Midwife

Karen Kennedy | LM, Preceptor

My name is Karen Kennedy. I’ve been in Midwife for 26 years. Last year I took a much-needed break from Midwifery. Sarah, Beachside Midwifery owner, coaxed me out of retirement and I’m so honored to be joining the team.
   I have served this community working with local hospitals through my maternity clinics as well as provided home births and birth center deliveries. I’ve been privileged to catch over 1400 babies and my love of families is reflected in the quality care I have provided in the past and will continue to do so with Beachside Midwifery.
    Teaching is also a passion and the students I’ve had over the years range for many, many midwife students, nursing students, Arnp’s, as well as a few family practice residents. 
    Volusia county has been my home for over 40 years and here is where I raised my two amazing children. I’m also grateful to be able to watch my four granddaughters grow up and flourish locally.
    Besides Midwifery, I am a potter and honing my skills as a fiber artist. One of the other things I’m excited about is the ability to share my herbal concoctions with women, aiding in nurturing and healing their bodies throughout pregnancy, as well as the postpartum period.

Supporting Midwife

Behiye Yenikomsu | MSM LM, Preceptor Homebirth Midwife

My name is Behiye Yenikomsu and I am a licensed midwife in Florida. I graduated from Bastyr University in 2015 with a Master of Science in Midwifery and have had the opportunities to work at several birth centers before focusing on home birth with my practice in 2018.  I was taught my the amazing Karen Kennedy and continue to have the honor to teach future midwives. 

I truly believe in the power and strength of women and their ability to birth their babies how they choose - each birth is a miracle to witness, no matter how many I attend, I am humbled every time.

Birth Assistant

Flavia Lima | SM, BA, BD, PFS

My name is Flavia Lima. I started with women’s care at the very beginning of my physical therapy degree program when I took the Urogynecology and obstetrics course in the third semester. Soon I was invited to be a part of a program in a local public hospital serving low income and teenage mothers providing prenatal, labor and postpartum care - getting certified as a urogynecologist physical therapist.

After my graduation, I started my practice as a pelvic floor and OBGYN physical therapist in Brazil and soon I applied and got accepted into an Obstetrics Physical Therapy post graduation program in one of the best Medical School and Hospitals in Brazil. In addition, I became a certified Doula which was wonderful and brought me great integrated skills to assist pregnant women and their families.

Once I moved to the U.S, I funded BirthPhysio, the beginning of my journey as a birth doula, child birth and lactation educator - mostly serving the Brazilian and Hispanic community. In addition, to being a pelvic floor specialist, I retrained as a Doula, Childbirth and Lactation Educator certification at Commonsense Childbirth Institute. Now I am a proud student Midwife at Commonsense Childbirth School of Midwifery and I can’t wait to serve families in Orlando and its surrounding, especially in the Brazilian community.

Throughout my professional career, I have had the privilege of witnessing the profound impact that birth workers have on childbirth and birth outcomes. “I am truly passionate about births and supporting families."

 

Supporting Midwife

Allison Williams | LM 

Hi, I am Allison Williams.  I am a Central Florida Licensed Midwife who loves supporting families through their birth journeys.   As a mother of two and a proud surrogate, each one of my births have helped mold me into the Midwife I am today.    I moved from Canada to the US in 2016 for my husbands work.    As a new mother at that time I learnt how difficult it is to raise a child with limited support. It is through these experiences that have made me the midwife I am today.  I believe that childbirth and motherhood takes a village and it is a privilege to be apart of families villages. I also believe in the physiological process of birth and the importance of safe,  and competent prenatal and labor care.  Healthy moms and babies is always my main focus.


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