About Me
Hi, I’m Annie (pronouns:she/they)
Several personal experiences with serious illness, death, and caregiving have led me to this intimate work. In my early 20s, I woke up to the rupture and complexities of death when my cousin died in an accident. Shortly after, I supported one of my closest friends as she lived with and died from cancer. My friend taught me so much as she faced illness and her dying time with candor, humor, and an open heart. These, and other, experiences of loss, grief, and endurance have shaped me. I feel compelled to create space for others to move through these landscapes, together and in our own funky ways.
You’ll find me between Burlington and the Upper Valley in Vermont. I enjoy hiking with my dog, writing poetry, and dinner parties. Community care matters to me, and I show up for people I care about by making food.
B & me, 2013
How I Source My Work
Over the past few years, I have been growing my practice by learning from other doulas, as well as volunteering with hospice.
I root my work in my belief that we can all be advocates for bodily autonomy and collective liberation, building systems of healthcare and end of life care that are anti-racist, affirming of all genders, sexualities, and abilities, and financially accessible to everyone.
I also have over four years of experience in policy research and advocacy after getting my Master’s in Public Policy from UC Berkeley. My research background serves my doula work when it comes to the practical side of things, and finding out information to help with decision-making.
Trainings & Experience:
Grow Your Doula Practice Workshop with Sarah Hill (East Bay Doula for the Dying), 2024
Death Doula Training with Going with Grace, 2023
Holistic Modalities for Death Care with Going with Grace, 2021
Hospice Volunteer, Sutter Care at Home East Bay, 2023-2025
Hospice Volunteer, Bridge Hospice, 2022-23
Blending Qualitative Research & Doula Work
Outside of building an End of Life Doula practice, I am a research associate on a healthcare research team in Dartmouth Health’s Palliative Department. Our team collaborates with patients with serious illness, care partners, and healthcare providers to understand and improve patient experience, and to elevate their voices in care.
As a researcher, I believe in community-based participatory research to ensure the work reflects people’s lived experiences. I enjoy building relationships and making meaning with people who are navigating care systems in order to make them better and more equitable. I have policy research and advocacy experience across the life spectrum including reproductive healthcare, early childhood, K12, and palliative care; throughout it all is a commitment to taking care of one another, and supporting caregivers.