Meet the team

Renee Adair is the founder and director of the Australian Doula College, the Groundwork Program and the ADC’s charity-arm Doula Heart Network. With a background in natural therapies, she first began working with women and babies and in 1998 and after the home births of her two biological children, began studying and working as a Doula and Childbirth and Early Parenting Educator. 

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Renee then transferred her skills to an Australian Red Cross young women’s health program/refuge in Sydney’s East, setting up both the outreach and childbirth and early parenting education programs for that child protection service. 

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Working In collaboration, in 2013 Renee helped produce the first research on Doulas in Australia which was published in the Journal of Perinatal Education. She is a regular contributor to radio programmes, conferences and seminars and a range of publications, websites and podcasts. 

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Renee has worked to change the way we think about Doula support launching an End of Life Doula Training for the College in 2021 with a view for the wider community to see Doula support though a broader lens, supporting all major life transitions, not just in the birthing space. 
 

In 2019 Renee proudly partnered with CDU’s Molly Wardaguga Institute for First Nations Birth Rights to co facilitate Accredited Doula training for Indigenous women in the remote First Nations community of Galiwin’ku. She now sits on the official Galiwin’ku steering committee to restore Birthing on Country and managers the ADC’s Djakamirr coordinator role on the ground in Galiwin'ku. Renee has sat on the Consumer Advisory Board of the Australian College of Midwives, trained thousands of Doulas and supported hundreds of women, their partners and families through pregnancy, birth, early parenting and end of life, over the course of her career. 

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A fierce advocate for human rights, the proud mother of three adult children and four grandkids, Renee blends her life’s work, spending downtime with her family, friends and fur babies. 

As a cultural exchange student in high school, Kylee learnt that being outside of your comfort zone can be very…uncomfortable yet incredibly powerful. It can build you from the inside out and create resilience as well as a thirst for knowledge. About people, places, history and culture, all of which play more of a role in childbirth than you may imagine. She’s been a people person ever since and an avid traveller.

 

Kylee started in childcare and hospitality, and then worked overseas as a nanny and mothercraft nurse in her 20s. Returning to Australia after a family tragedy, she training as an interior decorator before finding her way into decorator retail. Over the next 16 years she worked her way up to executive assistant at the corporate head office (which was almost all female!) and during the pandemic, followed her heart and came full circle; training as a doula with the College and returned to working with mothers and babies.

 

She loves talking to women about where they’ve come from and their choices in the birth of their baby. Kylee enjoys sharing knowledge and supporting women to know what they want and to help empower them to get there. 

 

Merging her administration skills with her calling to support birthing families, Kylee joins the Australian Doula College staff in 2022 and is looking forward to talking to future students about the College, the courses and what a difference they can make as a doula in a world that sorely needs them, while continuing to support mamas and families bringing their babies Earthside.

 

Deb began her journey with the Australian Doula College in 2018 on the Groundwork program. At the time, as a mother of a 3 year old and a 7 month old herself, Deb understood the need for support and attention, that all Mothers and their babies require postpartum and saw that these vulnerable members of our community were especially in need of the ADC’s wealth of knowledge and their specialised approach to motherhood.

 

The following year Deb was welcomed into the college in the capacity as the Events Co-Ordinator, but soon her ability and attention to detail, saw her move into all things Accounts and finance.

 

4 years on, with three beautiful children and 2 fur babies, she is still the accounts mistress, as well as becoming the Groundwork Program Manager in 2022.

 

Her dedication to help guide, educate and nurture the families involved in the Groundwork Program, as well as support the College graduates working within it, sees her tirelessly cultivating relationships with government and private agencies to meet the needs of these mums and bubs.

 

Outside of work, located on the beautiful south coast of Wollongong, there is nothing she likes more than spending time with her husband, family and friends …except for maybe, 15 minutes of alone time where her love of plants and gardening, will find her nourishing her soul, cultivating new growth and beauty.

My name is Stevie and I was born and raised in the Illawarra. I currently reside in the lovely Northern Suburbs of Wollongong with my two children & cocker spaniel Sunny. As a doula and placenta encapsulator with the ADC, I am deeply passionate about supporting women and their families throughout pregnancy, birth, and beyond.

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With a rich background in hospitality management, I have had the privilege of traveling across Australia for various challenging and rewarding roles, including memorable stints in Ulluru and Manly Beach. Throughout my 15-year career in the hospitality industry, I have had the pleasure of organising and managing high-energy nightclub events, collaborating with renowned chefs, and connecting with people over drinks in country pubs. This experience helps me in my doula and ground work program work as I'm able to think on my feet, are attentive to details and read people & rooms. 

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Now that I’m in a new slower phase at in my life, I am working in supporting the Ground Work Program at the ADC, where I have the pleasure of working alongside incredible and compassionate women and leaders. It brings me immense joy and hope for the future to be part of a team that is dedicated to helping birthing women and their families.

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During my free time, I enjoy going to the beach to unwind and walk my dog, discovering new restaurants, planning vacations for my bucket list, spending time with friends, and baking with my children.

Hi – I am Jess, and I look after all things compliance at the ADC!

 

I started my career in health and nursing working in the medical field before finding my true passion in palliative and end of life care.

 

I have been lucky enough to be given some incredible opportunities in the Northern Territory which found me working in the training sector. I have since worked alongside the ADC assisting Renee with course accreditation and all things compliance within the accredited training qualifications. I am passionate about advocacy and empowerment across all life stages and events.

 

I have one very sassy 4-year-old, and have a true passion for all things four-legged.

 

I am truly grateful for the opportunity to work within such a fierce group of women at the ADC, who are conquering the world one doula at a time.

 

 I am so incredibly proud to be a part of the team.