About Kim 

Birth work is not something I stumbled into. It is something that has been woven into my life for as long as I can remember.

I was born and raised in Aurora, Illinois, just outside of Chicago, in a big, beautifully layered family that taught me early on that love does not always look traditional. Family has always been at the center of who I am.

My passion for birth began when I was a freshman in high school, volunteering in the office of the first Black female OBGYN in my community. Watching her care for women who looked like me planted a seed that never left. I went on to pursue a path toward becoming an OBGYN while attending Hampton University, but life had its own plans.

While in college, I became pregnant with my daughter. My parents encouraged me to come home so I could be surrounded by family, support and community. At the time, Hampton was nearly 1,000 miles from home. Leaving school and returning to Illinois was not the path that I had envisioned for myself, but it gave me something I needed even more; a village. Looking back, it was one of the greatest gifts they could have given me. Motherhood changed everything. It taught me the importance of having a village, being cared for during life's biggest transitions, and of never having to carry the weight of it all alone. 

More than anything in this world, I love being a mom. I always say I am a boy mom, but the truth is I was a girl mom first.

My daughter Jalyn made me a mother at 20 years old. In 2001, I experienced a loss that would forever shape me. She passed away at just 14 months old from a respiratory virus.. That kind of grief does not leave you. It transforms you.

Almost two years later, I gave birth to my rainbow baby, my first son, MJ. His arrival was both healing and challenging. He spent almost two weeks in the NICU with respiratory complications, and for the next 11 years our lives were filled with hospital visits, advocacy, and learning how to navigate the medical system as a mother determined to protect her child. That season changed me.

In 2009, I shifted my career and became a Certified Respiratory Therapist. This was not just a professional decision. It was deeply personal. After experiencing the loss of a child due to respiratory illness, and later needing to advocate for my son through years of medical complexity, I knew I had to understand more. That journey deepened my compassion, strengthened my voice, and shaped the way I care for others today. Even then, birth never left my heart.

For years I quietly supported family and close friends through their pregnancies and births. Holding hands. Advocating. Encouraging. Witnessing life enter the world. What started as helping out became something undeniable. I had been doing the work long before I ever had the title.

In 2024 I made it official and earned my certifications as a Birth and Postpartum Doula. And on July 2, 2025, I took a leap of faith. I walked away from everything familiar and stepped fully into my purpose. There was no backup plan. I simply trusted where God was leading me.

Austin Birth & Beyond was born from that decision.

We go through stages in life and stages in motherhood. My children have shaped me in more ways than I could ever explain. My daughter, Jalyn, made me a mother. She brought so much joy to so many lives in such a small amount of time. She had a smile that could light up a room and a spirit that drew people to her. Even in just 14 short months, she left an imprint on the hearts of everyone who knew and loved her. She taught me about unconditional love, and although her time here was far too brief, her impact on my life is immeasurable.   

My sons have shaped me in different ways. MJ taught me patience, restored my joy and showed me how deeply a child can help heal a heart. He is fiercely protective, quietly hilarious, and the kind of big brother every family hopes for. JR reminds me not to take life too seriously. He is full of personality, heart, and just the right amount of mischief, bringing laughter wherever he goes. And then there is Kameron, the dream chaser, the equestrian, the fearless one who reminds me daily what it looks like to pursue something wholeheartedly. Motherhood has carried me through both beautiful and difficult seasons, and every single season has deepened the compassion and understanding I bring into this work.

As a Black doula, I am deeply committed to serving the Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) communities, holding space in a system where too many of us feel unseen, unheard, and unsafe. Representation matters. Advocacy matters. And being cared for by someone who understands your lived experience matters.

At the same time, I serve every family with the same intention: to make sure you feel supported, informed, respected, and never alone.

Outside of birth work you will usually find me at horse shows, traveling with my family, laughing during game nights, singing karaoke, or simply loving on the people around me. I am the person who will make room at the table, show up when it matters, and care for people deeply. Faith, family, community, and connection mean everything to me, and those are the same things I carry into the way I support families.

I do not just bring my training into this work. I bring my life and my lived experiences. Love, loss, resilience, and faith are part of everything I do.

So, whether you are preparing to meet your first baby, navigating life after loss, or finding your footing in postpartum, I will walk alongside you with compassion, strength, and unwavering support.

People often say the village is gone. I don't believe that. I believe the village still exists when we choose to show up for one another. Through Austin Birth & Beyond, I am honored to be part of that village for the families I serve.