Our Team

Our Midwives

Making your family part of ours!

Crystal Fink CPM, LM

Licensed Midwife
Crystal became a licensed midwife in 2009 after a 5 year apprenticeship. She is an avid supporter of VBAC, family-centered care and informed consent. She is an active member of the Virginia Midwives Alliance (VMA) and serves on it's board. Crystal loves teaching and is working to train midwives throughout the area, especially in under-served areas. Not only is Crystal a teacher, but she is a life-time learner, always building her knowledge base and learning new skills, techniques, and approaches to midwifery care. She  has completed specialized training in emergency obstetric care, neonatal resuscitation, breech birth, shoulder dystocia, fetal positioning, out-of-hospital fetal assessment, and cultural competency. She is current in CPR-BLS, NRP, and ALSO certifications.

Amanda Bunn CPM, LM

Licensed Midwife
Amanda began her midwifery journey at a Breath of Life Midwifery Birth Assistant Training Workshop in 2014. She was instantly a great fit with the team and became an apprentice 9 months later. She has completed our midwifery program and became certified and licensed in 2019. Amanda has completed specialized training in fetal positioning, placental anatomy, suturing, shoulder dystocia, breech birth, neonatal resuscitation, loss & bereavement, postpartum hemorrhage, and venipuncture. She is current in CPR-BLS, NRP, and ALSO certifications.

Full Time Student Midwives

Having a well trained and experienced team increases the safety of your birth. Our students and assistants help with care, charting, setup, cleanup, and with the management of complications. Every family has a minimum 3 person birth team. Typically these assistants are students that are apprenticing with us in an attempt to one day become Certified Professional Midwives.

Elissa Orr

Phase 3 Student Midwife

Elissa is over half way through her midwifery training. She has attended over 50 births. She has been a certified birth and bereavement doula since February 2018 and became a student midwife with Breath of Life since March 2019. She received her birth and bereavement doula training through Stillbirthday University. She works as an advocate for her doula clients in the hospital or in the home. Her desire is to help her doula clients have the best mom-centered birth that they desire. 


Heather Smith

Phase 2 Student Midwife

Heather has attended about 40 births and is about half way through her midwifery training. She became a student midwife in March of 2019 . She also works as a doula and loves helping women have empowering, informed births in or out of the hospital.
Heather has had a passion for birth and helping women since she was 7 years old and witnessed her first birth on television. She is is certified in NRP and has attended specialized workshops in fetal positioning and fetal heart tones and can't wait to attend many more. 

Leah Rhodes

Phase 2 Student Midwife

Leah began her journey by completing her birth doula training through DONA International in March of 2018 after the birth of her 2nd child.  She began her midwifery training with Breath of Life Midwifery in August of 2019. She has a BS in Biology and is NRP and CPR certified. Leah has an overwhelming desire to help parents have an empowering birth experience knowing that they are the drivers of their care and are making informed evidence based decisions that are right for their unique family.

Part-Time Birth Associates

These birth professionals may not be full time but they are absolutely critical members of our team. 

Olivia Moran

Midwifery Graduate
Expected Certification 2021

Olivia attended a Breath of Life Midwifery Doula training in 2015 and became an apprentice in 2016. She has completed the NARM PEP requirements and has attended over 75 births. She has NRP, CPR, and CLC certifications. She is currently attending nursing school as well. 

Veronika Burleson

Birth Assistant/Doula


Veronika became a doula in 2017 through the Breath of Life Midwifery doula training. She has attended nearly 40 births in hospitals, birth centers, and homes throughout Southwest Virginia. She is NRP and CPR certified. 

Shay Brown

Phase 1 Student Midwife/Doula


Shay became a part-time midwifery student in December of 2019. She has attended 20 births and is almost through the 1st phase of midwifery training. She attended the Breath of Life Doula training in 2020 and is NRP certified. Shay is also a part-time college student, majoring in Psychology.