Meet the Staff

Patty Brennan, Director/Owner of the Center for the Childbearing Year, LLC has been an advocate for childbearing families for nearly 30 years as a childbirth educator, doula, midwife, and program visionary. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Boston College and serves on the faculty of Washtenaw Community College. She is the founder and executive director of Michigan Doula Connection, a nonprofit charitable organization that promotes access to doula care for all families, regardless of ability to pay. Patty is the author of The Doula Business Guide–Creating a Successful MotherBaby Business (2010), Vaccines & Informed Choice (2009) and Guide to Homeopathic Remedies for the Birth Bag, 4th Edition (2005), and editor of Whole Family Recipes — for the Childbearing Year & Beyond (2007). She is an approved birth and postpartum doula trainer through DONA International. Patty has been married to her husband Jerry for 34 years, has two sons, two daughter-in-laws, and three delightful grandbabies.


Barbara Dawn Robertson, MA, IBCLC, has been involved in education for over twenty years. She received a Bachelors degree in Elementary Education in 1988 and her Masters in Education in 1995. Barbara left teaching elementary students in 1995 to raise her two children. She got involved in La Leche League, becoming a leader in 1998. She then went on to become a board-certified lactation consultant in 2004. Barbara established The Breastfeeding Center of Ann Arbor, LLC (located on site at the Center) in early 2008 and serves as its director. She teaches breastfeeding classes for parents, runs support groups, trains professionals, and is in private practice as a lactation consultant. Barbara serves on the Board of Directors of the United States Lactation Consultants Association (USLCA) as Director of Professional Development. She loves working with mothers and babies, helping them with breastfeeding problems in whatever way she can. Barbara teaches our Breastfeeding Basics, Caring for Your Newborn, and Professional Education in Breastfeeding classes.

Alicia Montgomery is a certified birth doula (DONA), a Birthing From Within Mentor, and a mother of four inspiring boys. She has been working with pregnant women and their families since 2006 and has been leading birthing classes since 2008.  She earned a bachelor’s degree in history and economics at the University of Pittsburgh. Alicia is a firm believer that birth is not only normal, it is beautiful! Alicia teaches Childbirth Preparation classes at the Center.

Krista Dragun (profile and picture coming soon!). Krista teaches Childbirth Preparation classes at the Center.

Renee Barnes co- facilitates our popular weekly mother-baby drop-in group known as Mothering Arts and also fills in as an instructor for our Breastfeeding Basics  and Caring for Your Newborn classes for expectant parents.

Dawn Bussey also known as “Doula Dawn” is a DONA International-trained birth doula and owner of My Doula Dawn, LLC serving greater Ann Arbor. She received her bachelor’s degree in psychology and sociology from the University of Michigan in 2010. Dawn believes in the immediate and long-term public health benefits of her doula work and has passionately empowered women and families through childbirth since March 2011. She teaches a class titled “What is a Doula Anyways?” — highlighting the fabulous benefits and non-magical techniques of the doula’s work — around greater Ann Arbor and in the local universities as a guest lecturer. She proudly serves on the Board of Directors of the Michigan Doula Connection, a non-profit charitable organization. Dawn facilitates our monthly Birth Doula Encouragement Group.

Katie Mac is a DONA-trained postpartum doula with over six years of experience working with mothers and families in the postpartum period. Katie is also working towards becoming an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, working closely with Barbara Robertson of The Breastfeeding Center of Ann Arbor. She co-facilitates our popular weekly mother-baby drop-in group known as Mothering Arts.

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