Birth and Women's Center Staff

The primary care-givers at our center are a physician and a Certified Nurse-Midwife. Nurse-Midwives are educated in the two professions of nursing and midwifery. They are experienced registered nurses who have completed a post-graduate level midwifery education program. Certified Nurse-Midwives are licensed to practice in all 50 states and are certified by the American College of Nurse-Midwives. Registered nurses obtain histories and take vital signs during gynecological and prenatal visits, provide nursing care during labor and birth and make home visits. Our office manager and business staff manage the daily business of the office and Birth Center.

Medical Director Josie Norris MD

Josie opened the birth center (formerly Holistic Birth & Growth Center) in March 1980. Besides serving as our Medical Director and seeing patients one day a week in our office she is also the Medical Director for Correct Care Solutions of Kansas and serves as Corporate Physician at Security Benefit Group. Josie has six children and in her spare time enjoys running, rock climbing and traveling.

Nurse Midwife Norla Todd CNM

Norla worked as a labor and delivery nurse at the birth center from 1994 until 1997 when she left for Utah to achieve her long desired goal of a certified nurse midwife degree. She worked for many years in labor and delivery at St. Francis Hospital in Topeka and at Mercy Hospital in Manhattan (KS). Norla is the mother of three grown children and has six granchildren (3 of whom are birth center babies). Rejoining our staff in September 2000 as a nurse midwife, Norla brings with her great trust and respect for the natural birthing process.

Nurse Practitioner Christa Taylor ARNP

Christa has been providing primary care in our office since September 2001. She brings with her twenty-five years of nursing experience in many areas, with the most recent being Menninger's Outpatient Department. Christa and her husband of twenty-seven years are the parents of three grown children. When she is not seeing patients in our office she practices as a nurse practitioner at the Mental Health Center in Emporia.

Nursing Staff

Tami Waldy RN

You'll find Tami in our office on Wednesdays assisting the Norla and Dr. Josie and she is also on call for births part of the week. Tami and her husband, James, have five children ranging in age from almost 2 to 12. Between carpooling children and volunteering at their school she also works one to two days a month at Minor Med Emergency Clinic in Topeka. Tami has been on our staff since October 1998.

Lori Strecker

Lori joined the birth center staff in May 2000. She is our office nurse on Mondays, shares call time for births with Tami and Stacy and teaches some of our childbirth preparation classes. Lori and her husband, Stu, and their daughters, Lidia, age 6, and Jai, age 3, live in Lawrence. Lori enjoys reading, knitting and long naps in her spare time.

Office Staff

Kelly Greene

Kelly has been on the birth center staff since July 1989. She and her husband, Danny, are the parents of Meghann (11) and Joel (3). Meghann was born at the birth center and Joel is a homebirth baby. Kelly serves as office manager by day and childbirth educator by night.

Paula Will

Paula is our Tuesday evening receptionist. Until the birth of her son, Drew, in February 2000 she was our full time receptionist. We feel fortunate that Drew is willing to share his mom with us a few hours a week.