Betty-Anne Daviss is a Canadian midwife and researcher with over 48 years of experience. For 35 of those years, she has been a researcher in both the social sciences and clinical epidemiology. Her current work focuses on helping practitioners and birthing people overcome the impact of fear during childbirth.

Daviss has co-edited several books, including Birthing Models on the Human Rights Frontier, Sustainable Birth in Disruptive Times, Birth Models that Work, and Traditional Midwives: Cross-Cultural Perspectives. Her work in medical journals has centred on postpartum haemorrhage, homebirth, VBAC, and vaginal breech birth. She has also contributed to conferences and newsletters, coining the term "cervical reversal" (later revised to "cervical recoil") to describe the study of a cervix that takes a fright.

With a focus on breech birth and human rights, Daviss has presented at conferences and obstetric units on nearly every continent. She has attended over 200 planned vaginal breech births, and her extensive work highlights her dedication to improving childbirth practices worldwide.

LinkedIn: Betty-Anne Daviss

Facebook: Betty-Anne Daviss, RM 

Instagram: @bettyannedaviss

understandingbirthbetter.com

Hello! it's me Mel! I am the host of The Great Birth Rebellion podcast, private midwife, mummy, keen gardener, PhD graduate, Midwifery mentor and the hostess of The Assembly of Rebellious Midwives online community.

I'm also the creator and your hostess for this convergence of rebellious midwives 2025. 

Since 2009 I have been a private midwife practicing in the Blue Mountains. My PhD looked at "Birthing Outside the System' and I am on a mission change the maternity care landscaoe firstly by helping establish more privately practicing midwives in Australia through my midwifery mentorship and through the great birth rebellion podcast.

I also have a degree in Naturopathy and, although I don't work as a Naturopath anymore, I  incorporate alternative therapies and nutritional guidance into the care that I give my clients.

I am married with two children born at home. Our family maintains a permaculture homestead in the Blue Mountains where we grow food, keep goats for milk and chickens for eggs.  

As I did last year, I'll be at the convergence speaking, Emceeing and embracing you all!

LinkedIn: Dr Melanie Jackson

Instagram: @melaniethemidwife

www.melaniethemidwife.com 

Professor Sally Tracy is a distinguished Australian midwifery academic, researcher, and advocate whose work has profoundly influenced maternity care standards both in Australia and internationally.  

She is currently Professor Emerita at the University of Sydney, having previously served as the Professor of Midwifery at the University and the Royal Hospital for Women in Sydney. She is also a Conjoint Professor at UTS and the Molly Wardaguga Research Centre, CDU, Darwin.

Sally was awarded the Order of Australia for services to midwifery research in 2023. 

Her research has focused on the safety and cost-effectiveness of midwifery-led care models, most notably as the chief investigator of the M@NGO trial, which demonstrated that caseload midwifery is safer and more cost-effective than fragmented care.

Sally was a joint author of the National Maternity Action Plan and founded the National Midwifery Guidelines for Consultation and Referral. She is also a co-author of the primary midwifery textbook in Australia, Midwifery: Preparation for Practice.

LinkedIn: Sally Tracy

Andrew Bissits is the former Director of Obstetrics at the Royal Hospital for Women, Sydney, Australia. Previously in Newcastle he had been the director of Obstetrics for eight years. Dr Bissits has been in full time obstetrics for 30 years including the training and residency positions.

He has had a strong interest in breech birth since the term breech trial was first planned. He has a strong leaning towards epidemiology and biostatistics and has participated in several initiatives to promote normal birth through helping establish primary midwifery care programs for pregnant women. Dr Bissits has a conjoint associate professorial position with the UNSW and is on the Australian board of ALSO (advanced life support in obstetrics).

Retired specialist Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Kirsten is an active educator, writer and researcher. She has written and delivered diagnostics and pharmacology education to Midwives through Flinders and Griffith University. Kirsten is an esteemed (rebel) researcher in her field focusing on intrapartum fetal monitoring, interprofessional power in maternity care, the social organisation of maternity care systems, and the de-implementation of low-value are practices.

Instagram: @birthsmalltalk  

birthsmalltalk.com

Athena is a midwife and psychotherapist who lives and works on Bundjalung country in the beautiful Northern Rivers. Combining her midwifery background and therapist training, she has found a kind of natural synergy working with women, midwives, doulas and obstetricians who are impacted by trauma.

She's the Director of The Birth Counsel, a Lecturer in Counselling at Southern Cross University, and has many years experience supporting women and families. She's terrible at maths, is a lifelong feminist, and can be surprisingly ruthless in a game of backgammon.

LinkedIn: Dr Athena Hammond

Instagram: @thebirthcounsel

Dr. Sarah Buckley is a GP/family physician from Brisbane, Australia, who specializes in obstetrics and family planning. She is a mother of four and has been writing and lecturing on pregnancy, birth, and parenting since 1997. Dr. Buckley is the author of "Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering" and the report "Hormonal Physiology of Childbearing."

She is also a PhD candidate at the University of Queensland, where her research focuses on the effects of interventions on oxytocin during labor and birth. Her work integrates scientific, anthropological, and personal perspectives to help people make informed decisions about childbirth. She is also interested in topics such as attachment parenting, co-sleeping, and long-term breastfeeding.

Instagram: @drsarahjbuckley

sarahbuckley.com

Kelli is a highly experienced midwife with a passion for providing exceptional care to women and their families. She was one of the first graduating students of the Bachelor of Midwifery in Victoria, Australia, and has since accumulated a wealth of knowledge and experience in various healthcare settings. Her journey is a journey through trauma that took her to the brink.

Throughout her career, Kelli has worked in both public and private hospitals, where she has had the opportunity to support and guide countless women through the journey of pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care. She has also worked as a private midwife for an OB GYN, offering personalized care and attention to expectant mothers.

In addition to her hospital-based work, Kelli has made significant contributions to indigenous health. She has worked in indigenous health centers, running clinics and programs specifically designed for young indigenous mothers and their babies. Her dedication to improving maternal and child health outcomes for indigenous communities has been highly commendable.

Starting her own private practice midwifery centres was a highlight of her career forging the way as one of the first to hold an Endorsed midwife status, including becoming a Medicare Eligible midwife. Her private practices included homebirth services where she could support women and their partners to choose birth in a safe holistic environment.

Kelli's expertise extends beyond her work as a practitioner. She has also served as an educator, sharing her knowledge and experience with aspiring midwives. She has worked at SIDS and Kids Australia as an educator, raising awareness about safe infant sleep practices. Additionally, she has served as an educator and practice support midwife at Canberra University in the Bachelor of Midwifery program, mentoring and guiding future midwives.

Outside of her professional endeavors, Kelli is a loving mother of two adult sons and has been happily married for almost 30 years. She is a true entrepreneur at heart and has successfully operated other businesses including a shoe boutique and a cafe.

With her wealth of experience, dedication, and compassionate approach, Kelli is a trusted and respected midwife who continues to make a positive impact on the lives of women and families in her community.

Instagram: @kellizak

midwifecrisis.com.au

Rebecca Edwards is an educator, naturopath, speaker, and writer with over 18 years of experience in complementary and integrative health. She is the Director of Education at Activated Probiotics, where she educates health practitioners and medical communities internationally on probiotic science. Her expertise lies in the systemic health effects of the gut microbiome and strain-specific probiotics.

Before her full-time role at Activated Probiotics, she practiced as a naturopath in London for ten years and lectured at Endeavour College of Natural Health in Melbourne. She has been featured as an industry expert on various platforms, including Nutraingredients, and has presented at key industry events in Australia and the UK. While she grew up in a medical family, she was inspired by a naturopath to pursue a more holistic health path.

Instagram: @activatedprobiotics

activatedprobiotics.com.au

Sarah is a Senior Research Fellow, Medical anthropologist, nurse and midwife. Sarah is attending the conference with a special interest in sharing her work on Maypilama following on from the Djäkamirr: caretaker of pregnancy and birth documentary and the work featured in the film. The convergence has also sponsored Sarah to bring Indigenous community elders to also speak into the experiences of birthing on country and the challenges facing Indigenous families.   

Dr Sarah Ireland is an early career researcher, with expertise in cross-cultural qualitative research methods, especially collaborative approaches with Aboriginal people. Her research methodologies are informed by social justice, health promotion, decolonising theories, public health, gender, woman-centered midwifery, culture and human rights disclosure.

Sara has a clinical background in remote area nursing and midwifery with experience delivering primary health care in collaboration with First Nations communities and practitioners. Sarah is an early career researcher at the Molly Wardaguga Research Centre; and DJÄKAMIRR is her first incursion into writing for screen and production. 

Rosemary Gundjarranbuy from the Molly Wardagauga Institute and Djäkamirr Co-op is a Senior Research Fellow supporting Birthing on Country research in Galiwin’ku, Northern Territory. Drawing on deep ancestral knowledge, she guides the work according to Yolŋu principles, roles and responsibilities. She previously taught at Shepherdson College for 20 years during its bilingual education era.

Rosemary is attending the conference with a special interest in discussing her work within Maypilama in Arnhem Land since the Djäkamirr: caretaker of pregnancy and birth documentary. She is speaking into the experiences of birthing on country and the challenges facing Indigenous families. 

Maypilama.com

Professor Elaine Ḻäwurrpa Maypilama from the Molly Wardagauga Institute and Djäkamirr Co-op is a respected Yolŋu Senior Research Fellow from Galiwin’ku, Northern Territory, and a recipient of an Honorary Doctorate from Charles Darwin University. With more than 20 years’ experience applying Yolŋu research methods and methodologies, she provides expert cultural guidance across Birthing on Country research and community engagement in Galiwin’ku.

From this work, the Djäkamirr: caretaker of pregnancy and birth documentary was created and now the follow up Maypilama documentary has also been released.

Professor Elaine Ḻäwurrpa Maypilama is attending the conference with a special interest in discussing her work within Maypilama in Arnhem Land since the Djäkamirr: caretaker of pregnancy and birth documentary. She is speaking into the experiences of birthing on country and the challenges facing Indigenous families. 

Maypilama.com

Vicki Chan is the mother of four children, and absolutely besotted grandmother. She is into her fifth decade of seeing babies into the world as a fierce and passionate midwife, devoted to better birth and a fully supported Matrescence for all. She has a broad midwifery experience including working in public and private hospitals, a private birth centre, and 25 years attending homebirths. She co- facilitated the Better Birth Workshops for birthworkers with Lynne Staff (which hopefully will start up again soon!) 

She has spoken about birth as an invited presenter on 5 continents and has helped set up birth centres in Takeo, Cambodia and in the Kawangware informal settlement of Nairobi, Kenya (FreMo). She continues to be an integral part of the ongoing financing, planning, implementation, and evaluation of midwifery practice at the FreMo Birth Centre where they set a shining example for maternity care in Kenya and the world.

She is a storyteller, a poet, lover of little birds, and all things Italian.