Katie Immel, Director of Operations and Co-Founder
Katie Immel lives in Orrville with her husband and three children, where she works part-time at the local library and serves as a birth doula. She also taught childbirth classes for 10 years, recently giving that up to spend more time with her family. She began attending births in 2007. Katie feels very strongly about new mothers and families having all the information that they need to make thoughtful decisions during pregnancy, labor and birth, and is most passionate about families being treated with respect and gentleness through the process. This is one of the reasons that she was so excited to help establish the Community Birth Circle in 2011, so that families in the local area would have access to resources during this exciting and somewhat vulnerable stage of life.
James Casto, Director of Development
James Casto lives in Orrville with his wife, Angela, and their newborn son, Elijah Hunter. James worked with the United States government for over a decade before deciding to change his career and move into coaching and developing. He completed his graduate degree in Human Services and Counseling - Life Coaching and passionately works to improve his clients, and people he comes in contact with daily. James developed a passion for the birthing process when he and his wife lived in California and were introduced to home birthing by some friends. He has researched the topic extensively since, and wants to help others understand the mental, physical, and emotional impact that birth has on mothers and fathers alike. He is excited about the opportunity of bringing this passion to the Community Birth Circle.
Cait Olsen, Assistant Director of Operations and Grant Coordinator
Cait Olsen lives in Smithville with her husband and two children and enjoys being a stay at home mother. Her passions lie in educating new and expecting parents in labor and birth so that they can make informed choices.
Karla Carnahan, Co-Founder, Board Member
Sarah Hilliard, Board President
Sarah Hilliard lives in Creston with her husband, Shawn, and two children, Elisabeth and Samantha. She works as a registered nurse at Akron Children's Hospital and is a certified lactation counselor. She is passionate about providing educations to families so that they can feel empowered to have the birth and postpartum experience they desire.
Amanda Richardson, Board Vice President
Amanda Richardson lives in Orrville with her husband Aaron and their four children. She is currently kept busy with homeschooling, involvement in her church, and being a stay at home mom. She knows just how crazy life can be with little ones, new babies, pregnancy, breastfeeding, messy diapers, dirty houses, and all that is motherhood. She wants to offer new and expecting moms encouragement, support, and a place to feel safe to talk about the challenges and joys of pregnancy, childbirth and beyond. Being a parent is amazing, but it is also hard! She hopes the Community Birth Circle can reach out to new parents in this journey and that they will feel encouraged and empowered.
Maddie Byler, Board Treasurer
Madeline Byler lives in Marshallville with her husband and three children and loves being a stay at home mom. She has had birth experiences from epidural and completely nurse led delivery to delivering a baby naturally and mostly self led-in the car. She wants new and expecting parents to be informed of the different choices they have when it comes to childbirth and to know they can have some control over their birth experience.
Sharon Lynn, Board Secretary and Childbirth Educator
Sharon Lynn lives in Wooster with her husband and two young children. She is a Biology professor at the College of Wooster who has long been fascinated by reproductive physiology. Her research focuses on the intersection of stress and reproduction, and she has taught undergraduate courses on reproductive biology at the University of Washington, Colby College, and the College of Wooster. Sharon is a firm believer that knowledge is empowering. After giving birth to her own children, she uncovered a passion for helping expecting parents approach childbirth prepared and without fear. She began teaching childbirth classes for the Community Birth Circle in 2013, and has been thrilled to have the opportunity to help expecting parents become informed about labor, birth, and the postpartum period.