Andrea Cassidy
Registered Midwife
Registered Lactation Consultant
Expecting and Connecting Program Coordinator
Andrea Cassidy is originally from the Windsor-Essex area and is a founding member of the Midwifery Collective of Essex County. She holds a Bachelor of Health Science in Midwifery from Ryerson University and is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. She also holds a Massage Therapy Certificate from Michigan and a Bachelor of Political Philosophy from Concordia University. She is the first midwifery student from Essex County to graduate from the Midwifery Education Program at Ryerson University in Toronto, Ontario.
She has been actively involved in the childbirth community in Windsor-Essex since the early 1990s, when she was a founding member of the local Ontario Midwifery Consumer Network. A long standing community activist, Andrea has volunteered with a variety of women’s groups in Windsor-Essex County, including local women’s shelters, women’s art groups, as well as immigrant communities.
Andrea’s children and grandchildren were all born in Windsor-Essex and she and her family call Windsor-Essex their home. She is happy to serve her home community as a practicing midwife.
As a Registered Midwife Andrea has over 10 years of experience providing primary healthcare for pregnant women and their babies throughout their pregnancy, labour, delivery, and six weeks postpartum. She brings a wealth of information about newborn care, postpartum care and recovery, and breastfeeding support for both mom and baby.
Andrea is an international board certified Lactation Consultant. As a midwife and lactation consultant, Andrea can help you to breastfeed, identify problems with breastfeeding, and help with these problems.
Julia Stephens
Registered Midwife
Julia is a newly registered midwife graduating from the last School of Midwifery cohort from Laurentian University. She has experience with full scope midwifery in both home and hospital settings. After attending over 100 births in the Midwifery Education Program, Julia is ecstatic about her opportunity to serve the Windsor-Essex community!
Julia was born and raised in Southwestern Ontario, just a short trip up the 401 in Chatham-Kent where her passion for midwifery started. Providing, safe, evidence based care has been an interest for Julia since high school and her passion has only grown from there. Julia also holds a certificate of Gender Studies from Laurentian University and has a special passion for trauma-informed, client centered care. Julia holds a strong belief in informed choice for clients and strives to create a safe space for clients to ask their questions and receive the information necessary to their care.
Julia loves music and playing hockey in her spare time and can’t wait to see you around the clinic!
Diane Jaworiwsky
Registered Midwife
Diane Jaworiwsky graduated from the midwifery program at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario and has had the pleasure of caring for women and their families in Owen Sound, Burlington, Waterloo, London, Durham region, Leamington, and Windsor. She has attended births in rural and urban settings, at home and hospital births, and in various community agencies and health care settings.
Prior to entering the Midwifery Education Program, Diane practiced Registered Massage Therapy and provided labour support for women and their families for four years in Durham region and then six years in Windsor-Essex. She has also had the privilege of being cared for and supported by midwives through her own transition into motherhood. She is passionate about woman-centred care and maternal and fetal health.
Tara Farquharson
Registered Midwife
Tara Farquharson graduated from the International Midwifery Pre-registration Program (IMPP) at Ryerson University, in Toronto. Before Tara became registered in Ontario, she received midwifery training in the United States and furthered her training as a resident midwife in a high-volume birth center in Texas.
Tara fell in love with midwifery as a teenager after she had the privilege of attending a number of home-births with a midwife in the United States during one summer. The experience was life changing, and it was then that she knew that taking care of mothers and babies would be her life calling. Tara is passionate about informed choice, empowerment through pregnancy and childbirth, and giving a newborn the best start possible in life.
Tara is a proud mother of four children, including a set of twins; all with whom she received midwifery care. For her time off she enjoys hiking, biking and camping with her family and Golden Retriever. Tara is new to Essex County and is grateful for the opportunity to work with the midwives and families here.
Corey Bryant
Registered Midwife
Corey has a BHSc from McMaster University and graduated in 2017. She completed her Master’s of Health Management from McMaster University.
Since graduation, she has enjoyed watching families grow while also attending to some of the unique needs of those seeking care in Hamilton, ON. She has a passion for health teaching and empowerment and strives to ensure people can make the best decisions during their pregnancy, armed with the information the need to do so.
Corey has worked with the Association of Ontario Midwives (AOM) to develop Clinical Practice Guidelines, and hopes her Master’s Degree will help her to continue the work of midwifery in the political sphere. Corey also enjoys clinical teaching and mentorship, and in her spare time is an avid crafter who loves to knit and crochet!
Corey is looking forward to joining the Midwifery Collective of Essex County and providing care to families in this region. One of the things she is most excited for is to live in the county and explore all the amazing things it has to offer!
Dana Dunn
Office Administrator
Dana has been with the Midwifery Collective of Essex County since 2017 as our office administrator. She is responsible for the day to day office administration including patient scheduling. Dana has over 15 years of experience in administration and customer service. She will always greet you with a smile and is the friendly voice that will most likely greet you when you call our office. Dana is the mother to a beautiful daughter.