Prenatal Education for Families

Meet the Instructors

Christina L., RN, MSN, IBCLC, LCCE, CPS-I, C-EFM, ARC-INSTRUCTOR

Christina is a Registered Nurse with past experience in Home Health, ICU, NICU, Labor and Delivery, Mother/Baby, and School Nursing. Christina has her Master’s degree in Nursing Education, is an IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant), a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator, a Dancing for Birth Instructor, an American Red Cross CPR instructor, a Child Passenger Safety Instructor (car seat tech), and specializes in providing information! She oversees the educational programs for our expectant parents but really prefers teaching to overseeing, so is usually found teaching a class at Sisters of Charity Hospital, Mercy Hospital of Buffalo, or Mt.St. Mary’s Hospital. Christina teaches a bit of everything at all locations but loves the interactive classes the most. Learning safety techniques such as First Aid for Choking is so important for any family, she emphasizes that these classes are not JUST for new parents – anyone who cares for children is welcome to come ensure they know how to safely use a car seat, learn CPR, or attend a BabyTalk or Grandparent class. Christina has a passion for ensuring women are confident in their ability to birth their babies and wants to make sure women have all the tools they need to fuel that confidence. After five births of her own, she knows that birth can be a joyful, vibrant experience and wishes each expectant couple the best in their journey!

REV. DAVID L., CPSI

Diane M., RN, CPST, C-EFM , CLC, LCCE

Diane has taught Lamaze childbirth classes for many years while working in Labor and Delivery. She has seen the results of being fully prepared for the experience of childbirth and encourages expectant families to prepare both mentally and physically for the birth of their baby. Diane teaches the Lamaze focus class at Sisters of Charity Hospital as well as being one of the facilitators at the Activity Childbirth classes. Diane also gives amazing tours of Sisters Hospital where a family can explore the rooms, learn about regular care at Sisters, and become familiar with resources available.

Donna L., RN, BSN, CPST, CLC, LCCE

Donna is the primary weekend prenatal educator at Sisters of Charity Hospital. She has a varied background in nursing with most recent experience in Labor and Delivery and Mother/Baby nursing. Donna has a background of multiple types of delivery with her own beautiful (but grown up!) children and is able to answer questions and provide reassurance to decrease birth anxiety. She teaches every type of class available with the prenatal education program at Catholic Health!

Ashley P., MS, BS, CLC, CYT, CD(DONA), CPST, ARC-Instructor

Ashley is a mom of four, DONA certified birth doula, certified lactation counselor and an experienced health educator with a Master’s Degree in Health Education and an Undergraduate Degree in Health and Wellness. She is a 200 hour certified yoga teacher, specializing in prenatal and kids yoga. Ashley is also certified through HypnoBirthing International as a childbirth educator and a certified instructor of CPR and First Aid through the American Red Cross. You will find Ashley teaching our Activities Childbirth, Breastfeeding, Infant and Child CPR, Comfort Techniques, Lamaze Focus and Prenatal Yoga classes while checking proper installation of car seats. Ashley is a passionate educator immersed in all things birth and parenthood. Her goal is to provide quality education to assist in positive and empowered birth experience.

Susan P., RN, BSN, IBCLC, CPST

Susan is a Registered Nurse with extensive experience in Labor and Delivery, Mother/Baby, Special Care Nursery, the Baby Cafe, and Home Health. Susan is an IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant), and a Child Passenger Safety Instructor (car seat tech). Susan has 4 children of her own. She loves to help prepare families for their journey to parenthood. She understands that while the birth of your baby is exciting, there can also be a lot of change. She hopes that through education, parents can better understand the birth process, decrease their anxiety and advocate for themselves to have the birth experience they desire. She is also passionate about breastfeeding and helping moms to achieve their goals. Susan teaches and assists with all classes. She is often seen at Mercy Hospital giving tours to expectant parents. Susan loves to bring humor into her classes and always has a story to tell.

Marlene S., RN, MSN, CDCES, CPST

Marlene is a self-directed nurse with 40+ years medical surgical experience in a medical teaching hospital. She has a Master’s Degree in Nursing Executive Leadership and Change and works as a Nursing Student Preceptor, Nursing Staff Mentor, and PTECH Mentor. She is a Diabetes Educator and you will find her immersed in community events and teaching our gestational diabetes classes while also checking the safety of car seats through our car seat safety classes. Marlene is married with two adult children and loves supporting them in their endeavors. She also visits and spend much time with her mom of 93 years in her new move in assisted living.

Brynn L., RN, BSN, C-EFM, CLC

Brynn has been a Registered Nurse since 2011, spending most of her career working in Labor and Delivery. Brynn is passionate about pregnancy, birth, and parenthood and loves being a part of the Prenatal Education Team. She believes in supporting growing families in a loving, non-judgmental, approachable way that allows families to feel safe and seen. Being a twin mom herself, Brynn loves to teach the “Multiple Miracles” class online. She enjoys meeting parents expecting multiples and helping them feel prepared and confident on their pregnancy and delivery journey. Brynn also gives tours of Mercy Hospital, where she works as an L&D nurse. You may also see Brynn teaching some of our other prenatal education classes in person or online.

Brianna B., RN, MS, CDCES

Brianna is a dedicated healthcare professional with over 15 years of experience as a Registered Nurse and Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist. She earned both her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (2013) and Master of Science in Nursing Education (2017) from D’Youville College, now known as D’Youville University. In 2018, she obtained her certification as a Diabetes Care and Education Specialist, further deepening her expertise in chronic disease management and patient education. Throughout her career, she has served in various capacities within Catholic Health, where she is currently part of the Women’s Health Services team. Her professional journey also includes work as a travel nurse and clinical instructor for D’Youville University, the University at Buffalo, and Trocaire College, mentoring the next generation of nurses.

Taryne T., BS, BLS, CPST, CD

Taryne is a graduate of the University at Buffalo with her bachelor’s degree in public health. She is dedicated to improving community well-being and has a passion for addressing the social drivers that help families achieve healthier beginnings. She supports initiatives that improve maternal and infant health outcomes through education, care coordination, and strong community partnerships, and believes equitable outcomes are built through access, trust, and systems that truly meet people where they are.

In her role as the Maternal Health Equity Coordinator at Catholic Health, Taryne collaborates with patients, clinical teams, and community partners to support culturally responsive, patient-centered care, notably for families who have faced barriers within the healthcare system. She is committed to strengthening connections between hospital-based services and the broader community, so that care feels informed, respectful, and supportive.

Rachel T., CPST, CD

Rachel is a prenatal educator with over a decade of dedicated service to families across Western New York. As an Evidence Based Birth® educator, certified Passenger Safety Technician, labor and postpartum doula, Rachel bridges the gap between clinical knowledge and compassionate care to help families achieve their best possible birth experiences.  

At Catholic Health, Rachel leads a variety of specialized classes, including Childbirth Education, Comfort Measures, Postpartum Education, and Car Seat Safety.

Driven by the core pillars of nurturing, nourishing, and supporting, her work is rooted in the belief that every family deserves an equitable and empowered start. She holds the deep conviction that by nurturing the birthing person, we nourish the entire family unit.