Staff

Birth Center in Missoula, Montana

At The Birth Center, we want you to feel at home. On this page, you'll find information about our staff.  We strive to offer you the experience and knowledge that you would expect from a caring midwifery practice along with a responsive attitude and 24/7 direct access to our midwives for all prenatal/postpartum clients.

  • Jeanne Hebl, CNM

    My midwifery career began upon graduation from the University of California, San Francisco General Hospital in 1985. North Central Bronx Hospital in the Bronx, New York, was my first introduction to a long-standing, reputable midwifery service that mainly served the indigent population of the area. My subsequent career experiences include 3 years in Ethiopia, Africa, as a CNM nurse consultant. My main position included training the local nurses to enable them to train the traditional birth attendants (TBA) in their respective languages in a culturally sensitive manner. Following Africa, I relocated to Whitefish, Montana to work at the County Health Department in Kalispell and North Valley Hospital in Whitefish. I also spent 3 years in Browning at the Indian Health Hospital. In 1994, I relocated to Missoula, Montana. After many years in practice assisting births at Community Medical Center, I joined Dr. Lynn Montgomery and participated in the development of the first birth center in Missoula.

    Following the closure of Dr. Montgomery's Birth Center in 2009 due to his passing, I opened another Birth Center to follow in the tradition and vision that both Dr. Montgomery and I shared. My expertise includes caring for women throughout pregnancy, birth, and post-partum. I'm an advocate of natural childbirth and also believe that women should have the option to take charge of their pregnancies and births according to their individual desires. My goal is to empower women by offering unbiased information while presenting options. My passion is to support women and their families through their pregnancies and births. I'm also skilled in well-women annual exams, birth control options, and peri and post-menopausal care. I feel honored to be able to provide an alternative birthing option for the women and families of Missoula.

  • Kathy Crowley-Haywood, CNM

    I joined the Birth Center staff in 2013 and what I love most about the Birth Center is the continuity of care that is found here, as well as our smaller size and accessibility to the providers. I truly enjoy working with women and their families and hope that you will find your visits here to be a positive experience. I believe in the midwifery model we follow here at the Birth Center as a method for safe, thorough care in a calm and nurturing environment. All women deserve a healthy, educated, and empowered pregnancy (and beyond) and it is my goal to help you achieve that. 

    In 1993, I came to Montana as a transfer college student after crossing the country multiple times and deciding that Missoula was the place for me. I originally attended UM for Wildlife Biology and graduated in 1995. Over time, I shifted my attention to raising my two young sons and my experiences with them prompted me to return to school to pursue a second degree in Nursing. I completed my R.N. in 2012 and have since become a Certified Lactation Counselor. In 2021 I completed my Master's degree at Frontier Nursing University to become a Certified Nurse Midwife.  My professional passions include lactation and breastfeeding; obstetrics; nutrition and food security; public health; and women’s issues. 

    In my free time, I am usually found outdoors with my husband and two sons enjoying Western Montana. My hobbies include kayaking, paddle-boarding, hiking, biking, and skiing.

    If I can help you please feel free to call me at 406.541.7115.  If you are considering the Birth Center for your prenatal care I invite you to come for a “Meet & Greet” so we can give you a tour and answer any questions you may have. There is no obligation or cost in exploring your options and we look forward to the opportunity to meet you.


  • Barbra Hardy

    Barbra is our Financial Coordinator she has been with our office since April 2014.  Contact her at  406-251-9430 for questions regarding billing and insurance eligibility.

  • Susan Maas

    I am excited and honored to now be a team member as the new Receptionist of the Birth Center as of late August 2022. Prior to this opportunity, I worked in Mission as a Medical scribe and scheduler. My goal is to make sure every woman feels comfort and support when arriving at the Birth Center for all of their needs. I am a continuous graduate of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai College with numerous degrees (Dental, Admin Asst. and Business). My family moved to Polson, MT in August 1984 when my dad retired from the Navy, after serving 21 years in Norfolk, VA. My family moved around a lot as I was growing up so I have been raised around a vast diversity in cultures. I am a proud mom of two amazing young men, grandma to a wonderful four-year-old grandson, and wife to a wonderful, supportive husband. My husband and I live in the Missoula area. When I am not at work you can catch me crocheting, quilting, making jewelry, cooking meals for families in our congregation, fishing, boating, camping and spending time with friends and family.

  • Trinity Marquez, RN

    My name is Trinity Marquez. I am thrilled to work in a role where I can be an advocate for women and provide compassionate care in the capacity of a Registered Nurse. I received my first Bachelor’s degree in Healthcare Administration in California. I began working at a Fertility Center which is where my passion for obstetrics and supporting women in a clinical capacity was cultivated. My interest in Women’s Health prompted me to receive my Bachelors of Science in Nursing from Montana State University in 2022. I look forward to providing our patients with emotional and physical support through routine gynecological care, pregnancy, delivery, and beyond.

  • Kate Besleme, CPM

    My heart sings, whether serving families in villages or in cities, in hospitals or homes, and I serve women no matter where or how they live and birth. I am a CPM (Certified Professional Midwife) and have lived abroad for 17 years working as a doula, midwife, massage therapist, and educator in hospitals, birth centers, and homes throughout Thailand, Indonesia, and South Korea. I had a busy doula and prenatal massage practice in Bangkok, led childbirth workshops for migrant and refugee women along the Thai-Burma border, and worked with Korean midwives and obstetricians at a birthing center in Seoul.


    I returned to the US and moved to Montana with my family in 2021 and joined the amazing team at the Birth Center in July 2022. I am grateful to assist the midwives during births and clinic hours, and to be part of a team that is committed to ensuring a safe, calm, and nurturing environment for babies and families in Missoula to grow and be born.

    My midwife-attended home birth on The Farm in 2007 inspired me to study midwifery because of the compassionate care I received. I graduated from the National Midwifery Institute and completed apprenticeships at Yayasan Bumi Sehat (Healthy Mother Earth Foundation) in Ubud, Bali. I became a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) in 2015. Before becoming a mother, I studied business and policy and worked as a policy analyst in the White House Office of Management and Budget.

    Family birth stories I heard as a child, all the births I have witnessed around the world, and the births of my own babies have taught me how much birth matters. I continue to learn from the families I work with and for every one I am grateful. 

  • Jessi Marcinek, RN

    I am a graduate of the University of Montana, Missoula College, where I majored in Arts and Science. 

    In August of 2020 I was able to join the Birth Center as a newly graduated nurse. Prior to this exciting opportunity, I worked in the Saint Patrick Hospital Family Maternity Center. 

    Two of my greatest interests in life are pregnancy and breastfeeding. Being able to actually work with people experiencing both of these journeys is amazing to me. 

    I live in Missoula with my husband (who may have delivered your UPS boxes), my two rapidly growing daughters, two awkward dogs, two taciturn cats, and two of the cutest rats ever. 

    When I’m not in clinic or being an impromptu home-school teacher, you can find me hiking, knitting, sometimes even hiking and knitting, or reading something post-apocalyptic.

  • Nichole Loran, CNM

    I have a profound respect for women, their families, and their choices regarding birth and believe that informed consent is a fundamental right of all childbearing families. I believe that childbirth can be an empowering and transformative experience and has the opportunity to strengthen families and therefore communities. I am particularly interested in complementary and alternative medicine for women’s health and have been working to expand my knowledge of these areas. 

    I have worked with Jeanne Hebl since March of 2012, starting as a second attendant at births. I completed my Master’s degree at Frontier Nursing University in Kentucky, training as a Nurse Midwife under Jeanne, and graduated in 2014. In 2017, I completed an internship as a Registered Midwife in British Columbia, Canada. I also have 10 years of experience as a Nursery Intensive Care Unit registered nurse in Montana, California, and Hawaii. Years ago, I had the wonderful opportunity to work with a midwife in San Marcos, Guatemala in support of indigenous midwives as well as helping out at the Clinica Naturista, as I am also fluent in Spanish. 

    I have a son who was born in 2015 and our little family generally spends much of the summer months out in the mountains. Our son has already expressed a love of fishing, though neither of us have much experience, we find ourselves preparing for this newfound hobby. We are passionate about growing organic gardens and consider access to healthy food and clean water to be a basic human right.


  • Saviah Stewart

    Bio Coming Soon

Contact us Today

Our Locations

Find us on the map

Hours of Operation

Our Regular Schedule

Monday:

8:30 AM-4:00 pm

Tuesday:

8:30 AM-6:00 pm

Wednesday:

Closed

Thursday:

8:30 AM-4:00 pm

Friday:

8:30 AM-4:00 pm

Saturday:

Closed

Sunday:

Closed