Meet The Board

Kathy Buchanan

On October 22, 2023, our hearts shattered as we bid farewell to our heart and soul of the Maternal Wellness Program, Kathy. Her legacy is indelible, and her absence is deeply felt. Kathy's imprint on MWP goes beyond words; she embodied its spirit. Though she's no longer with us, her passing hasn't dampened our dedication—instead, it has ignited a flame to learn and live in the spirit of Kathleen Buchanan.

Kathy is irreplaceable, and we don't seek to fill the void she left; rather, we carve out a space to honor her memory. This empty space serves as a perpetual reminder of Kathy's values, her boundless passion, and her unwavering love for others. It stands as a poignant prompt for us to persist, to continue extending our helping hands, and to keep nurturing love.

Kathy Buchanan remains an integral part of Maternal Wellness, and our mission echoes hers. We carry forward, fueled by her spirit, never forgetting the extraordinary mark she left on us.

Pat Hawkins

Pat Hawkins, attended schools in Grand Rapids and eventually received her Masters’ degree from Michigan State University in Counseling/ Psychology. She has worked as a clinical social worker for the past twenty-five years, working in mental health with the chronically ill. For the past five years, she has worked at Family Outreach, doing individual therapy and substance abuse assessments.

Pat became interested in the Post-Partum Depression support group through her good friend, Kathy Buchanan who was already one of the nurse educators. Pat was a volunteer therapist for the past five years, just leaving the group this summer. On a personal level, Pat’s paternal grandmother actually took her own life when she was very young, leaving a two-year-old, and a nine-month-old, and she was carrying a third child. This was a part of her history that was very meaningful to Pat, and she has wanted to do something to help young mothers with this devastating emotional condition, which is more common than was previously thought.

Deanna Falzone

Deanna Falzone is a mom of two young boys and works as an anchor/reporter at Fox17. During her career in the news industry, it has become a passion of hers to connect with moms through stories and advocacy. In fact, that's how she became involved with the Maternal Wellness Program, learning how important is to shed light on the highs and lows of motherhood on a public platform. Sharing her own struggles to let other moms know they are not alone in their journey.

Advisory Board

RobYn Hubbard

Dr. Robyn Hubbard, MD is an Obstetrics & Gynecology Specialist in Grand Rapids, MI, and has over 28 years of experience in the medical field. She graduated from Northwestern Center Feinberg School of Medicine medical school in 1993.

Michaela Ayew-Ew

Michaela Ayew-ew is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Certified Perinatal Mental Health Professional (PMH-C), and Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP). Michaela specializes in the treatment of postpartum mood and anxiety disorders, birth trauma, pregnancy/neonatal loss, and infertility/secondary infertility. Michaela is committed to spreading awareness of and providing support for struggling moms. “I consider it an honor and privilege to journey alongside women as they navigate through the challenges associated with motherhood.” As a former participant of the Maternal Wellness Program's SOUL and Postpartum groups, Michaela has experienced the impact of these groups first hand.

Rachelle Sova

Rachelle Sova was born and raised in West Michigan. Married in 2000, she and her husband, Josh, have three living children, Grace, Owen, and Claire. In 2014, Rachelle had a son who passed away 6 hours after birth and had two miscarriages after.

She joined the Maternal Wellness Program in December 2018 and in March 2019 the SOUL group (Sharing Our Untimely Losses) was formed. As a co-facilitator of the group, Rachelle's passion is creating a safe and non-judgmental space where bereaved parents can come together to support each other and be understood.

Advisory Board

Nancy Kingma

Nancy has been supporting women, children, and families for more than forty years. She is licensed as both a nurse, (BSN, University of Michigan), and a therapist, (LLP, LPC, Western Michigan University). She is also a National Certified Counselor and has certification in Holistic Health. In combining these two professions, Nancy motivates and encourages individuals and families to move toward wholeness, health and their ultimate purpose in life. Nancy's obstetrical background gives her a unique perspective in caring for mothers and families dealing with postpartum depression. Additionally, her 15 years as Bereavement Coordinator at Spectrum Health and Helen DeVos Children's Hospital have established Nancy as a leading expert in grief and loss, particularly with families having experienced the death of an infant or child. Nancy specializes in trauma, complex trauma, anxiety, and phobias, and is an Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) trained therapist.

Lindsay Mach

Lindsay lives with her husband Rory, and two boys Ian and Lochlan. Lindsay started to help moms after her battle with infertility, the miscarriage of her daughter Charlie, to Trisomy 18, and her battle with Postpartum Anxiety/Depression. She began offering support by becoming involved with her local Share Chapter in Illinois, completing a Caring Companion seminar designed to educate and prepare a parent volunteer in providing peer support to a family experiencing the loss of a baby. Upon moving to the Grand Rapids area, Lindsay also completed a two-day workshop on the Sharing and Caring Training, which educates individuals on how to facilitate a support group related to pregnancy and infant loss.

It is her hope that through the Maternal Wellness Programs of SOUL and PALS that she can help spread awareness, advocate, educate and support individuals and their families in her community.

“You never know how strong you are until being strong is your only choice.” – Bob Marley