Karen E. Bayne, BA
Childbirth Educator/Labor Support, Gentle Balance Birth

I am inspired by MotherWoman's commitment to changing the way our culture supports moms and families during the postpartum year - and beyond. I work as a childbirth educator and birth doula  (www.gentlebalancebirthnorthampton.com) , in addition to working as the MotherWoman group facilitator at the Amherst Family Center.  It has been my pleasure to serve growing families since 2003 as a birth doula and educator. I am happy that I can confidently refer families I serve to MotherWoman for help and support.

Katya Cerar, MSW, LICSW Social Worker, Director of the Transition Age Youth program at ServiceNet, Doctoral Candidate

I grew up in a family of very strong women and was educated in a women's college so women's issues are close to my heart. I know what women can do and what they are capable of and how important a role they play in our communities and in the world. I also was transformed by my experience of becoming a mother on so many levels: Physically, emotionally, socially. It is my close group of mom friends who have helped me weather the ups and downs of motherhood, career, marriage and identity. Motherwoman embodies all of these facets of my experience. I am most inspired by the women of Motherwoman (Beth, Liz, Anette, Nadya, the women of the board esp Joanne Sunshower and all the women who attend and facilitate groups) who have moved mountains literally on every level to make a difference in the lives of women, their children and their families. Who wouldn't want to be a part of that?

Full Bio

Denise M. Hurst, MSW, LICSW, Springfield School Committee Member, Department of Mental Health Child/Adolescent Supervisor

From an early age I knew that I wanted to be like my mother.  She was nurturing and loving, strong, independent and most importantly committed to making sure that I grew up to be the best woman I could be.  I was blessed to have my mother, grandmothers, and aunts surrounding me as I blossomed into a young woman.  They each embodied a characteristic that I admired.  I am of bi-racial descent, African-American and Puerto Rican, and being from two different cultures I was given the opportunity to observe and appreciate the differences and richness of the cultures and their implications on womanhood.  I recently became a mother, and even though I thought I was prepared for motherhood, I couldn’t believe the shift in life that had occurred.  I love motherhood and did so from the very beginning, but quickly realized that without the support of my husband and my family the road would truly be tumultuous.  The support I have received has made the transition enjoyable and the experience fascinating…

Full Bio

Desiree Lalbeharie-Josias, Ed.D, MEd, Program Director of Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children-Springfield Early Intervention Program. 

Dr. Desiree Lalbeharie-Josias is a mother of three, lives in Amherst, MA and is from South Africa. Dr. Lalbeharie-Josias has always been dedicated to the field of early childhood development and education in the context of family, social-justice and public health issues. She earned her Bachelors degree in Early Childhood Education and her Masters degree in Education of the Deaf from Smith College.  She completed her doctoral studies at University of Massachusetts-Amherst in Special Education with a focus on Early Intervention. Her 20 years of experience in Early Intervention (EI) is a fusion of understanding and experiencing EI from academic, research, clinical (as a developmental specialist), program development and leadership perspectives. Dr. Desiree Lalbeharie-Josias is the Program Director of Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children-Springfield Early Intervention Program.

Jessica  Montagna, MEd,
Training and program development, Stay-at-home mother

MotherWoman provides much needed support groups that bring mothers together and provides the forum for mothers to hear that they are not alone in their struggles. This is a very simple, yet revolutionary idea, and MotherWoman is changing the way women talk about motherhood.

Jessica has a B.S. in Human Development from Wheelock College, a M.A. in Social Justice Education and a Certificate in Advanced Feminist Theory from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She is a trained Intergroup Dialogue facilitator and mediator, focusing on issues surrounding gender, class, and sexuality. Jessica has diverse professional experiences, ranging from caring for young children and infants to training young adults and undergraduate students facilitation skills and community building. She is most importantly the proud mama to her vibrant and energetic toddler Oliver.

Joanne Sunshower, M.Div., Board President, Social Change and Organization Consultant