Our Midwives | Stony Brook Medicine

	Dr. Christina Kocis, CNM, DNP, FACNM - Director - North Team Chris has been a staff midwife in the Stony Brook Midwifery practice since 1998 and it's Division Director since 2006. Chris had twenty years of nursing experience prior to graduating with the first class of midwives from the Stony Brook Pathways Midwifery Program in 1997. In 2009, Chris graduated from Stony Brook with a Doctorate in Nursing Practice. She also served as president of the Long Island Midwives, Inc., and president of the Midwifery Business Network. Chris has a special interest in evidenced based practice as it relates to maternal and newborn health and access to midwifery care.
	Tania Alicea, CNM - North Team I graduated from Stony Brook University with a Master of Science in Nurse Midwifery with the honor of receiving the Marie Frey Memorial Award. I have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Psychology from Stony Brook University. I worked as an RN for a number of years with the developmental population and hope to assist in the Women's Health needs of this population in the future. Having struggled with breastfeeding my first child with little to no support, I am passionate about breastfeeding and helping women achieve their goals. I am a CBC and have been facilitating the Stony Brook Breastfeeding Support group since 2017. I am working on becoming an IBCLC in the near future to meet the community's lactation needs. As a fellow Long Islander, I am invested in meeting the needs of my community. I am involved in local community health outreach programs for women focused on primary prevention/screening and contraception. I also have a special interest in the care of adolescents and preventing teenage pregnancies. I am a wife and the mother of three beautiful children. I am very excited to be joining the Stony Brook Midwifery Practice.
	Kristen Clemens, CM, MS - North Team Kristen’s initial interest in Midwifery began after a volunteer experience in a private midwifery practice. Graduating with honors from the Master’s Program at SUNY Downstate, Kristen began her career practicing full scope Midwifery at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center. She has been with the Stony Brook Midwives for over 5 years and is looking forward to empowering women to be involved in their own care. In addition to her Master’s degree in Midwifery, Kristen’s academic career includes a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from SUNY Stony Brook. Kristen has participated multiple community outreach events to inform women about their options for birth and access to midwifery care as well as served as a guest lecturer at her alma mater SUNY Downstate. She is married and adoring mother to one son, delivered, of course, into the nurturing hands of the Stony Brook Midwives.
	Isabel Faringer-Perez, CNM - South Team Isabel joined the Stony Brook Midwives after earning her master’s degree from Frontier Nursing University’s midwifery program and her bachelor’s of science in nursing from Stony Brook University. While pursuing her midwifery education, she worked at Stony Brook University Hospital as a registered nurse in Labor and Delivery for five years. Isabel finds providing evidenced based, empathetic and equitable care to women, birthing people and families of all backgrounds incredibly rewarding. She was born with the assistance of a midwife and she finds great joy in coming full circle to assist women and families in their birth experiences. In addition to her love of caring for pregnant people, she has a special interest in providing gynecologic care and wellness/contraception counseling to adolescents and young adults.
	Dr. Heather Findletar Hines, CNM, DNP, FACNM - South Team Heather started working as a labor and delivery nurse at SUNY Stony Brook in 1997; here she utilized her previous experience as a doula and childbirth educator. After graduating Stony Brook Pathways to Midwifery Program in 2001, she practiced the 'art of midwifery' for two years as a staff midwife at St. John's Queens Hospital. She has volunteered as a teen mentor for her local high school and was the past president of the Long Island Midwives. In 2009, Heather graduated from SUNY Stony Brook with her Doctorate in Nursing Practice. Her Doctoral project was identifying characteristics for success in women attempting a vaginal birth after cesarean section in a midwifery practice. She is the current Program Director for Stony Brook School of Nursing Midwifery Program.
	Maria Fisher, CNM, MSN, MPH, IBCLC - South Team Joined the Stony Brook midwives in 2009. Prior to joining the group, Maria worked in private practice in Brooklyn for nine years. She completed her midwifery education at the University of Pennsylvania and also holds a BA degree from Union College, Schenectady, NY and an MPH from Columbia University. Before becoming a midwife, Maria worked for many years in hospital management. Maria is also an active member of the American College of Nurse-Midwives and serves as a committee chairperson for the NYC chapter, and is a member of the NYS Association of Licensed Midwives which works to improve the laws and regulations governing women's access to midwifery. She is an Adjunct Faculty member of New York University College of Nursing and Dentistry, speaks publically on women's health issues in the community, teaches childbirth classes and is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant.
	Susan Liang, CNM - North Team Susan has always known she had a calling for midwifery and women’s health. This calling was reinforced after having the opportunity to witness her first and subsequent births as a volunteer with an exceptional midwife. She joins the Stony Brook Midwives after receiving her Master of Science in Midwifery from Stony Brook University. Prior to becoming a midwife, she received her Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences from University at Buffalo and her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Long Island University. She has worked as a Labor and Delivery nurse at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center for over 5 years and as a midwife at Long Island Jewish Medical Center. Susan is excited and privileged to be joining the group and offering individualized and evidence-based care to the community.
	Goldie McBride, CM MS - South Team Leader Prior to becoming a member of The Stony Brook Midwifery Practice, Goldie practiced midwifery at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Manhattan , as well as at a private physician's office. She has always enjoyed being involved in helping women as evidenced by her years of work as a Lamaze Childbirth Instructor and Breastfeeding Educator. Her academic career includes an AAS in Physical Therapy, Bachelor's degree in Women's studies from Stony Brook and a Master's in Midwifery from SUNY Downstate. Currently, she is South Team Leader. She is also a guest lecturer at SUNY Downstate in the Midwifery program.
	Joan Nastasi, CNM - North Team Joan always knew she wanted to provide care for women and newborns. She graduated from high school as a Licensed Practical Nurse, with the goal of continuing her education. Joan went on to obtain her RN from Queensborough College in 1983, beginning her calling as a Labor and Delivery nurse. She advanced her career with a perinatal nurse practitioner degree in 2006 and a post-masters certificate in midwifery in 2011, both from Stony Brook University. She has practiced midwifery in both the private and public settings, most notably at Nassau University Medical Center. There Joan was an advocate for the development of their Birthing Center. Joan is a leader in group prenatal care through Centering in Pregnancy. She is eager to continue providing the evidence-based midwifery model of care here at Stony Brook.
	Barbara Neuhaus, NP, CNM - South Team Working as a labor and delivery nurse for over 20 years has driven my dedication in caring for and being with women and their families. In 2011, I received a Master of Science Degree specializing in Perinatal Women's Health and in 2019 I received a Post Master Certificate in Midwifery, both from Stony Brook University. As a Woman's Health Nurse Practitioner, I worked in private practice, caring for women across the healthcare continuum as well as a Clinical Instructor, Clinical Nurse Specialist/Educator, and Breast Health Nurse Practitioner. As a Certified Nurse Midwife my goal is to continue, to empower, advocate and inspire women to be active and present in their health care needs and to deliver compassionate, evidence-based care.
	Frances Perez-Hernandez, CM, MS, IBCLC - South Team Frances joined the Stony Brook Midwives in 2021, after 11 years of practicing full scope Midwifery at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center. She obtained her Bachelors degree in Chemistry at CUNY Hunter College and Masters degree in Midwifery at SUNY Downstate Medical Center. She is also an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant and a facilitator for Centering Group Prenatal Care. Her work serving pregnant individuals, babies, and families is fueled by her passion for the protection and advancement of individuals’ health and reproductive rights and equality. She is excited and grateful to be able to provide evidence-based patient centered care with the Stony Brook Midwives.
	Michelle Salz, CNM, MSN - North Team Upon completing her Master's Degree in Midwifery at Downstate Medical Center, Michelle began practicing full-scope midwifery at Jamaica Hospital in Queens, N.Y. She continued her career at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading, England. Since returning to the United States, Michelle has joined the Stony Brook Midwives, and is thrilled to care for the women and families on Long Island. Michelle has a heartfelt passion for helping women who are experiencing the difficulties of anxiety, depression, and other mental health disorders. She recently graduated from the Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner program at SUNY Stony Brook. In addition, she is a certified facilitator for Centering Group Prenatal care. Michelle keeps busy at home raising her two young children.
	Kathleen Sharrott, CNM, MSN - North Team Katie joined the Stony Brook Midwifery Practice in 2014 after completing her Master of Science in Nurse Midwifery from New York University. Prior to joining the Stony Brook Midwives, she received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Northeastern University in Boston. Katie worked as a pediatric nurse at Boston Children's Hospital and at NYU Langone Medical Center in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. She is board member of the Long Island Midwives, Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC), and a certified facilitator for Centering Group Prenatal Care. Katie lives with her husband in Huntington.
	Elizabeth Sullivan, CNM - North Team Elizabeth joined the Stony Brook Midwives after receiving her Master of Science in Midwifery and Women’s Health from Yale School of Nursing. She also holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology and an Associate of Science in Nursing. Prior to becoming a midwife, Elizabeth worked as a Registered Nurse and as a birth doula. She is thrilled to be with the Stony Brook Midwives and is excited about supporting women in her community throughout their lifetime and encouraging them to be active participants in their healthcare.
	Ann Visser, CNM MS - North Team Leader Ann has been with Stony Brook Midwives since 2005. Ann helped bring Centering Group Prenatal Care to Stony Brook and is an active facilitator. Ann is a Lactation Counselor and helps facilitate the weekly Breastfeeding Support Group. Ann is currently active as a Board member of NYSALM (NYS Assoc of Licensed Midwives) working with other midwives to keep midwifery the model for women’s healthcare. She also supports local midwives as the current Chair of LI Midwives. Ann loves supporting women and families in pregnancy and beyond. Prior to working at Stony Brook, she practiced midwifery in a private practice in Nassau County and in a NYC hospital. Ann also has been a Bradley method childbirth educator, doula and a birth assistant at homebirth. Ann is married to her high school sweetheart and they have 3 wonderful children.
	Rakiya Watts, CNM - South Team Rakiya joined the Stony Brook Midwives after practicing full scope midwifery at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center for 5 years. She received her Masters in Midwifery from Yale School of Nursing and a Bachelors degree in Sociology from Boston College. She has special interest in childbirth education, breastfeeding and caring for women in the postpartum period. She is excited to join the Stony Brook Midwives.

Last Updated

10/04/2022