Tonja Carpenter, IBCLC, RLC, PCD(DONA)

International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant,
Registered Lactation Consultant, Postpartum Certified Doula
CEO and Founder of Community Doulas of Waco

I started Community Doulas of Waco because I felt strongly compelled to make it possible for any woman, no matter her financial situation, to enjoy the benefits of having a doula serve her during and after childbirth, if she wanted one. Furthermore, I believed that a pathway needed to be made to make it possible for any woman, no matter her financial situation, to train to become a doula if she wanted to do so. Providing care and opportunity is the very essence of who we are at Community Doulas of Waco.

Susan Beatty

Director of Stewardship, Methodist Children’s Home, Waco TX

I am passionate about serving on the Community Doulas of Waco (CDW) because I fell in love with their mission and purpose. As an adoptive mother of 2 through CPS, I understand firsthand the importance of providing under-served families in the Waco community a way to nurture and care for their children from birth to early childhood. CDW provides much needed services to help strengthen the bond between a mother and a child as well as provide services for the whole family to help create a more stable and nurturing family unit.

Vincent Carpenter, Sr

Elder and Director of Pastoral Care, Antioch Community Church
BA, MA Journalism, Baylor University
Master of Divinity, Truett Seminary

I am passionate about serving on the board of Community Doulas of Waco (CDW) because I believe in the mission of CDW. In my 32 years of service in ministry; with 18 of those years also serving in higher education, I have learned that serving the needs of individuals is more than a job or career but a calling. I believe CDW is fulfilling a calling to provide care and resources to the moms and families of our community. I believe my board service contributes to helping newborns successfully start their life journey and moms as well as dads being equipped in their roles as the primary caregivers of their children. I believe my service also contributes to empowering women to realize dreams and vocational aspirations which impacts life outcomes not only for themselves but the generations of family members who follow them.

Darrell Helton, JD

Owner of Helton Law Firm

I love the fact that Community Doulas of Waco gives families the availability to have a doula that cannot otherwise afford one and they take it a step further by their willingness to train these mothers to become doulas, which helps them to improve their earning potential.

Steve Hornbaker, CPA, Board Treasurer

CEO, Hornbaker Advisors
BBA Baylor University

I love how Community Doulas of Waco provides avenues of support, encouragement and training to young mothers at their most desperate hour of need. It’s amazing to see the transformation that occurs when there is someone walking alongside you during pre and post pregnancy. I am humbled and encourage at what God has done these last few years – absolutely amazing!

Emme Kim, Board Secretary

Educational Advisor, Sonlight Homeschool Curriculum
BS Biopsychology, University of California, Los Angeles
MA Theology with concentration in Children’s Ministry, Fuller Theological Seminary

I am passionate about serving on the board of Community Doulas of Waco because I love this model of serving the underprivileged within our community, and I believe in its long-term efficacy. With this organization, women and families are not only provided with essential doula resources that are available to them before, during, and after birth, but also given the opportunity to find a pathway out of poverty by becoming doulas themselves. I feel that this model of service truly goes beyond helping others beyond their present needs, by providing an opportunity for such individuals to be empowered to provide for themselves. I am grateful to be able to serve on this board, because I know it is making a significant impact in the lives of many.

Tim Meldrum, Board President

I’m passionate about serving on the CDW board for two reasons: first, we are providing life saving and family altering doula care for moms who otherwise would not be able to access doula care. And second because our doulas are worth investing in and this work is giving them a place to grow and contribute in such meaningful ways to our clients’ lives

Mary Zane Nelson, LCSW

Project Director
The BEAR Project (Be Emotionally Aware and Responsive)
Diana R. Garland School of Social Work
Baylor University

Mary Zane Nelson is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and works for the Garland School of Social Work at Baylor University. She is a wife and mother of two boys. She is passionate about doulas and birth/postpartum work because of the experience of birth and postpartum with her two boys. After having her first son and struggling with postpartum anxiety and depression she began to seek out how to help other mothers in the same situation. Through this she found out about postpartum doulas and eventually trained to be a postpartum doula. While she is not an active doula currently, she remains passionate about helping and serving families in the birth and postpartum process. Being a part of the Community Doulas Board has been a privilege to see so many families impacted and served!

Marcial Samaniego

Spanish Zone Pastor at Antioch Community Church
Pacific Christian Seminary, BDiv, ThM

When my wife Veronica and I got pregnant with our son Adan 18 years ago, we were very excited because he was our first born and because this had been a 10-year infertility process. When our son was finally born, everything looked great, no health issues with mom and baby, but because of a long, painful, and challenging birth, my wife was exhausted for weeks after, making this season of our lives very difficult to truly enjoy. Now I understand the importance and value of the doula service, and that is the reason why I’m passionate to serve as a board member for Community Doulas of Waco.

Julia Wages

Bachelors in Accounting and Spanish, Masters in Accountancy

I believe women need a healthy environment to learn about childbirth and postnatal care. Women are not always educated in what is normal and what is not. I was shocked and upset my husband knew and understood more about my body than I did. He had taken the initiative to learn when his first wife was pregnant. I don’t want that for other women.

Danielle White

I am passionate about serving on the Community Doulas Of Waco board because it is an opportunity to watch life transformation happen in real-time. I’m so thankful for the opportunity to bless and watch moms who are being served by doulas and serve the doulas who are serving moms by being a part of the decision-making process to meet needs in real ways, and
share the love of God, by being the hands of feet of Jesus daily.